January 21, 2011

As I become familiar to procedures and accustomed to working twelve hour legislative days, it is impressed upon me the hard work and dedication of so many of you who also work extended days.  I am quickly finding that every bill introduced offers an opportunity to learn about an issue and grant respect to various viewpoints.  I look forward to hearing from you about your views on bills before the Legislature.  You can watch our Legislature daily online at http://www.netnebraska.org/publicmedia/capitol.html or on television on NET2.

Continuing to expand my knowledge of important policy matters, this week, along with my fellow senators, we studied our funding process for K-12 education.  While the state aid formula is based on needs and resources of school districts, there are other components that ultimately determine the state aid dollars received.  This is an important issue as we consider budget cuts, and I will continue this learning process to ensure that District 16 schools benefit fairly.

Committee hearings began last week in the Legislature.  I experienced my first hearing as a member of the Agriculture Committee on Tuesday, January 18^th.  We heard testimony in support of Tam Allan’s re-appointment to the State Fair Board, as well as testimony on LB 109 and LB 110, both introduced by Agriculture Committee Chair Senator Carlson.  LB 109 eliminates the registration requirement of agricultural liming products to correspond to requirements governing fertilizers and feeds not requiring similar product registration.  LB 110 removes the requirement that all soil conditioner products be registered with the Department of Agriculture and requires the manufacturer or product guarantor be included with labeling information provided on or with products distributed commercially.  The Ag Committee unanimously recommended Mr. Allan for re-appointment, but did not take any action on LB 109 or 110.

The Government, Military, & Veterans Affairs Committee also met for hearings this week.  Among the bills that we heard testimony on were LB 14 and LB 101.  Both of these bills have prompted a great deal of e-mail and letter correspondence.  County clerks in District 16 expressed support of LB 14, a bill that increases register of deeds fees to provide for modern technology for records documentation.  LB 101, introduced by Senator Schilz of Ogallala, eliminates daylight savings time.  I have heard a great deal from those in support and opposition to this idea, although there was no testimony in opposition to LB 101 at the public hearing.  Both bills remain in committee at this time.

On Thursday, January 20^th Chief Justice Heavican of the Nebraska Supreme Court gave his State of the Judiciary address to the Legislature.  Chief Justice Heavican focused on the technology advancements in our court system and their efforts to be more efficient, particularly in the face of steep budget challenges.  Access to the courts is a right of all citizens.  The Chief Justice also highlighted improvements to the state’s guardianship & conservatorship programs, as well as the courts’ work to streamline supervision of juvenile delinquents. 

Bill introductions wrapped up on the tenth day of session, January 19^th.  I will carry five bills this session.  This week I introduced LB 368 to prevent political parties from nominating candidates for office if the party did not have a candidate on the primary ballot.  This legislation is supported by the Secretary of State.  LB 690 is another bill that I brought on behalf of Americans United for Life.  This legislation furthers existing parental notification requirements for an abortion by requiring parental consent or consent of a family member or legal guardian.  The fifth bill that I introduced this session is LB 691.  LB 691 was brought to me by the Soybean Association and will require state agencies to give purchasing preference to biobased products.  Biobased products are derived from agriculture products, such as soybeans, corn, and other plants or forestry materials that can build upon our agriculture base in Nebraska. 

Please keep in touch with me this session at (402) 471-2728 or lbrasch@leg.ne.gov.

Serving you in the Nebraska Legislature to keep the good life growing,

Senator Lydia Brasch, District 16.

Weekly Legislative Update

January 14, 2011 

The first snowstorm of 2011 kicked off my second week in the Nebraska Legislature.  While I didn’t experience any serious difficulties driving in Lincoln, I certainly came to appreciate the workers in our district for their efforts to maintain safe and drivable roads during winter weather, and as a matter of fact, I do believe our streets and roads in District 16 may be better than many of those in the capital city – just one more advantage of living in rural Nebraska!

The close of the week denotes the 8^th day of the legislative session.  Thus, bill introduction continues for only two more days.  Introduced legislation addresses a variety of issues from Governor Heineman’s budget proposals to pipelines to voter registration.  Public hearings begin on Tuesday, January 18^th.  My first hearing will be as a member of the Agriculture Committee, which meets every Tuesday afternoon.  Wednesday through Friday afternoons the Government, Veterans, & Military Affairs Committee will conduct public hearings, and the General Affairs Committee, of which I am a member, will meet on Mondays for hearings.  In addition to these standing committees that I serve on, I have also been appointed to the State-Tribal Relations Committee, a special committee that convenes only when the chair calls a meeting.  We are anxiously awaiting appointment of senators to the Redistricting Committee.

 On Thursday, January 14, Governor Heineman presented the State of the State Address.  The Governor outlined his priorities for the state and his budget proposal for the next biennium.  Governor Heineman emphasized job creation, improving our economy, and strengthening education.  Our projected budget shortfall is $986 million, and in order to close this gap, the budget proposal reduces funding for many state agencies and programs, disqualifying across the board cuts.  Regarding education, the budget proposal holds steady K-12 spending, although the stimulus funds previously distributed to schools will not be available.  An investment in virtual schools is part of the proposed budget, which is a noteworthy opportunity for students in our rural schools to broaden their academic coursework to take classes that may not be offered in our district.  Funding for the University system is proposed to be maintained at the current spending level, and the Governor stated his intention to dedicate a one-time investment of $20 million to the University for Innovation Campus in an effort to boost both education and employment opportunities in our state.

On Friday, January 14, I had the opportunity to present a prestigious award to Vernon Miller, a business teacher at Omaha Nation Public Schools, at a ceremony held at the Capitol in recognition of Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.  Mr. Miller is the recipient of the Dr. Matthew O. Ricketts “Trailblazer” Award, which recognizes community leaders.  I commend Mr. Miller for remarkable dedication to his students and appreciate his leadership in our community and state. 

Lastly, in consideration of recent tragic events, I want to express my appreciation to many of you for your inquiries and concerns regarding the safety measures for public officials at the State Capitol.  Security policies continue to be reviewed and updated to ensure safety of officials, staff, and visitors.  Thanks to all of you for your prayers and concern.

Please feel free to visit me at my office in the Capitol in Room 1529, or contact me with any questions or concerns at (402) 471-2728 or lbrasch@leg.ne.gov.

Serving you in the Nebraska Legislature to keep the good life growing.

Senator Lydia Brasch, District 16.

Weekly Legislative Update

January 10, 2011 

The 102^nd Legislature convened on Wednesday, January 5^th.  It was an honor to be sworn into office on the first day of session and serve as your District 16 senator.  It has been a whirlwind experience from electing my colleagues to committee chairs, moving to a new office in the Capitol, and beginning my work as your elected senator.  

The legislative body re-elected Senator Mike Flood of Norfolk to Speaker of the Legislature.  Other re-elections of standing committee chairpersons include Senator Carlson as the Agriculture Committee chair and Senator Heideman to chair the Appropriations Committee, just to mention two of the Legislature’s fourteen standing committees. 

I received my committee appointments, which include serving on the Agriculture; Government, Veterans, & Military Affairs; General Affairs; and Rules Committees.  Committee hearings will begin on Tuesday, January 18^th.  

The first ten days of this 90 day session are devoted to bill introductions.  If you have an idea for potential legislation, I urge you to contact me prior to the tenth day, January 19^th.   I am currently working on legislation brought to me by the Nebraska Association of County Officials (NACO).  This bill will require that ballots for electing the board of directors for drainage districts be returned to the election site during normal office hours, which reflects the hours of county clerk’s office.  In addition to this legislation, I am also introducing a bill on behalf of the Board of Examiners for Land Surveyors, which the Board is seeking in order to elevate the educational requirements to become registered as a land surveyor in the state, as Nebraska has fallen behind the national standards.  Additionally, per constituent requests, I am reviewing a couple of issues relating to overweight permits and county elected officials for prospective legislation.

I also signed on as a co-sponsor to LB 48, known as the “Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act,” as well as co-sponsor to LR 9CA, a constitutional amendment to create different classes of agricultural land for valuation purposes. 

As previously mentioned, one of the events of this past week included moving into my new office at the State Capitol.  My office is located in Room 1529.  Patty Wade will likely be the first voice you hear when you call my office; she is my administrative assistant and will maintain the functions of the office, including meetings.  My legislative aide is Sarah Skinner, and she will assist with legislation and other state government issues.  I hope that you will please stop in and visit us if you are in Lincoln.  You may also contact me at (402) 471-2728 or lbrasch@leg.ne.gov.  I will continue newsletter communications with you throughout the session as we begin the hearing process and legislative debate.

Serving you in the Nebraska Legislature to Keep the Good Life Growing.

Senator Lydia Brasch, District 16.