With recess days on Friday and Monday, I am excited to spend another four day weekend in the district. I had the pleasure of participating in the Wayne Legislative and Government Affairs 27th Annual Forum on Friday, as well as meeting with Pender Community Schools’ leaders. I look forward to attending more events over the weekend and on Monday.

This week we began the long process of debating the budget. The Legislature’s Appropriations Committee advanced three budget bills, containing modifications to Governor Ricketts’ proposed mid-biennium budget adjustments to the 2017-2019 biennium. Due to the near $175 million revenue shortfall, we are faced with having to make tough across-the-board budget cuts again this year.

On Tuesday, March 13th, we discussed three bills that appropriate funds in the state budget, starting with LB 945 and LB 946, then ended the day with a controversial debate on LB 944. LB 945, as amended by the Appropriations Committee, contains the Appropriations Committee’s recommendations to fund transfers, the creation of funds, and use of funds. Senator Krist offered an amendment that increased transfers from the Charitable Gaming Operations Fund to the Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Fund from $50,000 to $100,000, which passed narrowly. LB 946, as amended by the Appropriations Committee, transfers $100 million from the Cash Reserve Fund (commonly referred to as the “Rainy Day Fund”) to the General Fund (which acts as the state’s checking account) to supplement the budget in addressing the revenue shortfall. Both LB 945 and LB 946 passed without much opposition.

LB 944, as amended by the Appropriations Committee, makes adjustments to appropriations and re-appropriations for state operations, makes adjustments to aid and construction programs, provides for fund transfers, and designates accompanying appropriations approved last year by the Legislature. While this bill contains many provisions, the debate on Tuesday was dominated by Title X funding language. Title X is a federal grant program, fueled by your federal tax dollars, that provides funds to the Department of Health and Human Services to be distributed among clinics to provide family planning and preventative health services. Governor Ricketts added language in his budget proposal that mandates no “funds disbursed under such program shall be paid or granted to an organization that performs, assists with the performance of, provides directive counseling in favor of, or refers for abortion.” Title X funds have always been intended to be kept separate and distinct from abortion-related activities, this new provision will provide accountability and ensure that this is the case. This gives organizations that currently provide abortion-related services the option to physically, legally, and financially separate its abortion-related activities from its Title X services, or completely stop its abortion-related activities and remain a clinic providing Title X family planning and preventative health services that receives Title X funding. It is a common myth that some clinics will lose funding due to this new budget provision, this is a false statement as clinics that do not aid in or perform abortion will not be affected and communities will not lose access to affordable health care. This measure is put in place to enforce an existing law that requires that no taxpayer money is used for abortion. Should an organization decide not to comply with current and new laws, they have made a calculated decision to refuse to separate their abortion activity from their Title X activity, therefore voluntarily cutting themselves out of the program. I am strongly in support of maintaining this language in the budget and ensuring that tax dollars do not go to abortion-related services. It is essential that as a Pro-Life state we continue to protect life from conception. After hours of debate going late into the evening, LB 944 passed 38/4 (6 senators not voting) with the expectation that we will be discussing amendments and additional budget topics, such as university system budget cuts, on Select File.

On Wednesday we had another long day of debate on Senator Pansing Brooks’ LB 157, Change provisions relating to appointment of counsel for juveniles. This bill would require attorneys for all juvenile offenders across the state. LB 157 failed to receive the needed 33 votes to invoke cloture to stop a filibuster of the bill. I did not support the cloture motion as I believe this bill would put an unfair mandate on rural communities and families to pay for the attorney fees.

Live coverage of the full session of the Unicameral is also available at www.netnebraska.org/capitol

I want to encourage my constituents to reach out to me at 402-471-2716, email me at jalbrecht@leg.ne.gov or to write me at:

Senator Joni Albrecht

State Capitol, Room 2010

PO Box 94604

Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4604

I take into consideration every letter, email, and phone call my office receives when I consider legislation. I truly value your input and suggestions on the issues before the Legislature. It is of great importance that I hear from you in order to do my job.

I look forward to hearing from you!

On Wednesday, the Natural Resources Committee held a special hearing for Amendment 2191 to LB 822. LB 822 is a bill to clean up language in statute that relates to the Department of Natural Resources. AM 2191, introduced by Senator Hughes, adds language to exempt the public power industry from being required to disclose proprietary or commercial information which if released would give an advantage to business competitors. Nebraska is in a unique situation because we are the only state in which all electrical producers are publically owned, rather than sold by private companies. Private companies are still able to sell power in Nebraska, meaning public power districts must operate as a business and remain competitive in the market. Because of this, a recent court decision on a public records’ request ordered the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) to release proprietary cost information that would hurt NPPD’s ability to stay competitive against other power companies. Following the hearing, fellow committee members and I decided on a final amendment, AM 2292, that clarifies that only competitive information would be eligible for exemption from public records requests. LB 822 with AM 2292 was amended into LB 1008, which is one of Natural Resource’s priority bills. I supported both amendments and allowing NPPD and other public power districts to withhold proprietary information.

This week, the budget was released by the Revenue Committee. This year we will be addressing another budget shortfall, totaling over $120 million, resulting in across-the-board cuts to departments. We will start debate on Tuesday, March 13th, and it is expected to bring disagreements among senators. Some issues to pay attention to are cuts to higher education and Title X provisions that would ensure that abortion providers do not receive federal family-planning funds. I unquestionably support passing provisions in the budget that cut Title X funds to abortion providers and will vote in support of that provision. I am looking forward to hearing debate on the many other provisions of the bill and making the best decision for Nebraskans while maintaining a balanced budget.

As the budget currently stands, the proposal would leave lawmakers with a little over $500,000 to spend on new proposals, meaning it would be near impossible to pass legislation this session with a fiscal note. Once we debate and pass a budget, the Legislature will send the bill to Governor Ricketts who has the ability to approve or line item veto provisions of the bill. The Legislature may vote to sustain or override any of the Governor’s vetoes before the budget is finalized. The detailed budget book is available at https://nebraskalegislature.gov/ and can be found under “Recent Legislative Information”.

Live coverage of the full session of the Unicameral is also available at www.netnebraska.org/capitol

I want to encourage my constituents to reach out to me at 402-471-2716, email me at jalbrecht@leg.ne.gov or to write me at:

Senator Joni Albrecht

State Capitol, Room 2010

PO Box 94604

Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4604

I take into consideration every letter, email, and phone call my office receives when I consider legislation. I truly value your input and suggestions on the issues before the Legislature. It is of great importance that I hear from you in order to do my job.

I look forward to hearing from you!

With another four day weekend, I am ecstatic to spend more time back home in District 17. I am hoping to have some great conversations at fish fries across the district. I am always happy to talk to constituents and appreciate when those who see me say hi and ask questions.

On March 1st we celebrated Nebraska’s 151st birthday! In 1867, after persevering through two presidential vetoes in statehood bids, President Andrew Johnson signed the statehood proclamation on March 1st making Nebraska the 37th state. I am proud that Nebraska has grown into the best state to live, work, and raise a family.

The first bill we heard at the Legislature on Monday was Senator Howard’s priority, LB 931 Provide requirements for opiate and controlled substance prescriptions. This legislation creates a seven-day duration cap on a prescription for an opioid issued to a person under the age of 18. Senator Howard lost her sister to an opioid overdose in 2009 after being prescribed pain pills, and law enforcement agencies in the state have opened investigations into prescribing practices recently. It is imperative that Nebraska continues to peruse avenues to combat opioid addiction, I believe this is a step in the right direction. I appreciate the courage of Senator Howard to tell the story of the struggles her family faced with the opioid epidemic and hope that we can continue taking steps to eliminate opioid overdose deaths.

With committee hearings completed, we began our first day of full debate on the floor Wednesday. Going forward, each legislative day will typically go until around 5:00 pm, allowing us more time to continuously debate bills. A few bills coming up in the next week will be sure to bring a lively debate to the Unicameral.

Senator Watermeier’s 2018 priority LB 44, Adopt the Remote Sellers Sales Tax Collection Act, would require remote sellers (online retailers without a physical presence in Nebraska) to collect and remit sales tax under certain conditions. Senator Watermeier introduced LB 44 last year in an effort to collect sale taxes from online retailers, such as Amazon, but the bill faced opposition for being unconstitutional – a claim that was confirmed in an opinion issued by the Attorney General’s office. Senator Watermeier introduced an amendment, AM 1822, to address concerns, but I expect there will still be fierce debate on the floor. I did not support LB 44 last year, but with the new amendment I plan on listening to floor debate and most likely supporting the bill.

LB 776, Senator McCollister’s priority bill, is also expected to bring contentious debate. Last week we began debating the bill which ensure that local jails do not accept or receive revenue in excess of the reasonable operating costs for establishing and administering such telephone or video conferencing service systems that provides inmates with affordable methods for communicating by telephone or video conferencing with inmates’ families and loved ones. This also includes contact with their attorneys without charge, and without monitoring or recording by the county jail or law enforcement. I do not support this bill in its original form, but am interested to hear discussion surrounding amendments that Senator McCollister will bring to the floor.

One of Business and Labor Committee’s priority bills that I introduced, LB 953 Change provisions relating to lump-sum settlements under the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Act, will also be on the agenda in the next week. LB 953 requires the Workers’ Compensation Court to approve a lump-sum settlement in cases in which the employee at the time of settlement is eligible for Medicare or has a reasonable expectation of becoming eligible for Medicare within 30 months. A lump-sum settlement may also be approved if medical expenses incurred for treatment of the injury will not be fully paid as part of the settlement, if the employee’s attorney affirms that the settlement is in conformity with the compensation schedule and for the best interests of the employee or his or her dependents, under all the circumstances. This bill aims at expediting the process of Worker’s Compensation Court cases, I am hopeful fellow senators will vote yes.

Live coverage of the full session of the Unicameral is also available at www.netnebraska.org/capitol

I want to encourage my constituents to reach out to me at 402-471-2716, email me at jalbrecht@leg.ne.gov or to write me at:

Senator Joni Albrecht

State Capitol, Room 2010

PO Box 94604

Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4604

I take into consideration every letter, email, and phone call my office receives when I consider legislation. I truly value your input and suggestions on the issues before the Legislature. It is of great importance that I hear from you in order to do my job. I look forward to hearing from you!

Although over 500 bills were introduced in the 2018 legislative session, it is likely that only priority bills will be debated on the floor. A priority bill is a bill that has priority status and generally is considered ahead of other bills in debate. Each senator may select one priority bill, each committee may select two priority bills, and the speaker may select up to 25 priority bills. All priority designations were announced Wednesday morning, and we now have a good idea of the topics that will dominate this legislative session. Topics include property tax reform, education reform, rural broadband access, and voter ID laws. To view all priority bills please visit https://nebraskalegislature.gov/session/priority.php.

I designated LB 1040, provide for certificates of nonviable birth, as my 2018 priority bill and I am happy to announce it passed out of Health and Human Services Committee with 7 “yes” votes and 0 “no” votes. LB 1040 is a bill to help grieving families by offering a commemorative birth certificate for those who suffer a pregnancy loss prior to 20 weeks gestation. Every pregnancy loss is a tragedy that has a profound impact on women and entire families, yet most go unrecognized. Any woman who has ever miscarried knows the pain and loss are real no matter the gestation. Whether a pregnancy is lost at 5 weeks, 12 weeks, 19 weeks or 20 weeks and beyond, the pain of that loss is severe and should be recognized and honored for those who wish to do so.

As Chair of Business and Labor Committee, I designated LB 953 and LB 791 as the committee’s priority bills.

LB 953 requires the Workers’ Compensation Court to approve a lump-sum settlement in cases in which the employee at the time of settlement is eligible for Medicare or has a reasonable expectation of becoming eligible for Medicare within 30 months. A lump-sum settlement may also be approved if medical expenses incurred for treatment of the injury will not be fully paid as part of the settlement, if the employee’s attorney affirms that the settlement is in conformity with the compensation schedule and for the best interests of the employee or his or her dependents, under all the circumstances. LB 953 also addresses a recent Workers’ Compensation Court’s decision regarding the enforceability of late payment penalties.

LB 791 was introduced by Senator Ebke at the request of the Governor. LB 791 makes changes to the State Employees Collective Bargaining Act regarding the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) to eliminate certain conflicts of interest and to provide for accountability and transparency in NSP investigations. Specifically, LB 791 removes NSP sergeants from the collective bargaining unit and places them in the supervisors unit. LB 791 also removes disciplinary and investigative procedures of the NSP from the scope of collective bargaining.

This week also marked the end of most committee hearings. The Business and Labor Committee will have our last hearing on Monday; Government, Military and Veteran Affairs, Health and Human Services, Judiciary, and Revenue Committees will hold their final hearings on Tuesday. Wednesday, February 28th, will mark the first full day of floor debate for the 2018 session. Things will be moving fast and I am hopeful we will pass meaningful legislation this year. Committee hearings will be streamed live by NET at the following address: www.netnebraska.org/capitol. Live coverage of the full session of the Unicameral is also available from that page.

I want to encourage my constituents to reach out to me at 402-471-2716, email me at jalbrecht@leg.ne.gov, or to write me at:

Senator Joni Albrecht

State Capitol, Room 2010

PO Box 94604

Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4604

I take into consideration every letter, email, and phone call my office receives when I consider legislation. I truly value your input and suggestions on the issues before the Legislature. It is of great importance that I hear from you in order to do my job. I look forward to hearing from you!

I hope everyone was able to spend time with their loved ones this week. When tragedy strikes I am reminded how blessed I am to hug my children and grandchildren at night. We are praying for the families and friends of the 17 innocent lives lost on Wednesday, and for our leaders, parents, and communities to come together to find a solution to senseless violence.

I am excited to spend the Legislature’s four day weekend in all three counties of District 17. Saturday I will be attending and speaking at the open house for the new Thurston County Jail, then I will be attending the Wayne County Republican Party’s Lincoln – Reagan Dinner. On Monday, I will be attending the 41st annual Joint Dakota City, County, and School Dinner. I enjoy taking any chance I can to talk to constituents about current events in the legislature.

On Thursday I had the pleasure of introducing LB 1040 to the Health and Human Services Committee. LB1040 is a bill to help grieving families by offering commemorative birth certificate for those who suffer a pregnancy loss prior to 20 weeks gestation. Every pregnancy loss is a tragedy that has a profound impact on women and entire families, yet most go unrecognized. Any woman who has ever miscarried knows the pain and loss are real no matter the gestation. Whether a pregnancy is lost at 5 weeks, 12 weeks, 19 weeks or 20 weeks and beyond, the pain of that loss is severe and should be recognized and honored for those who wish to do so.

I was honored to introduce LB 1040 with Jennifer, Laura, Marci, Jennifer, Audra and Lisa. We also received many support letters from OBGYNs and the support of the Nebraska Hospital Association. I look forward to seeing this bill come out of committee and am hopeful it will earn a “yes” vote from fellow senators on the floor.

Next week, each senator and committee will have submitted their priority bills for the session. Priority Bills are placed on the agenda for debate before non-priority bills, and usually take up the remaining days of session leaving little room for other bills to be debated. Once all priority bill designations have been submitted, we will have a good idea of the subjects that will dictate session through April. To view Priority Bill designations visit: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/session/priority.php.

The budget shortfall will be discussed extensively this session as well. Governor Ricketts has released his budget proposal and the Appropriations Committee has held hearings to get public input on proposed budget cuts. The economic forecasting board will release predictions on state revenue projections at the end of this month, then the proposed budget will be adjusted according to the projections. To stay updated on the budget you can visit: http://budget.nebraska.gov/index.html.

The remaining Business and Labor Committee’s hearing for this legislative session will be on February 26th. The hearing will begin promptly at 1:30 p.m.

Committee hearings will be streamed live by NET at the following address: www.netnebraska.org/capitol. Live coverage of the full session of the Unicameral is also available from that page.

If you would like to submit written testimony for the committee to consider and you will not be personally testifying at the hearing, it is required that you turn your written testimony in to my office, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the legislative day before the relevant hearing. Please let us know if you would like your submission to be formally on the committee’s hearing record.

You may submit your written testimony by email at jalbrecht@leg.ne.gov or by mail to:

Senator Joni Albrecht

State Capitol, Room 2010s

PO Box 94604

Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4604

I want to encourage my constituents to reach out to me at 402-471-2716 or to write me at the address above.

I look forward to hearing from you!

The harsh weather this week was a good reminder to all of us to be mindful and safe when driving. I hope everyone stayed warm and safe. Although we had a short week in Lincoln, due to a recess day on Friday, my staff and I were hard at work preparing for committee hearings and upcoming bills.

On the floor, we had long and thoughtful debates on several bills, all but one passed on to Enrollment and Review to be advanced to Select File. We also passed bills on Final reading for the first time this session, a total of 19 bills that Governor Ricketts signed into law.

Additionally, my bill LB 949, which allows the Nebraska Educational, Health, and Social Services Finance Authority to be a conduit issuer of bonds for private not-for-profit cultural institutions, passed the Banking, Commerce, and Insurance Committee to General File. I am excited to present this bill on the floor to fellow senators.

On Thursday, we were fortunate to welcome Leadership Wayne Class IX members to our office as they toured the Capitol and learned about the government and Legislature. We also welcome multiple doctors and physical therapists from District 17 to the office. I enjoy when constituents engage with state government and visit the Legislature.

I am looking forward to presenting LB 1040 to the Health and Human Services Committee on February 15th. LB 1040 is a bill to help grieving families suffering from a miscarriage by giving them the option to honor and recognize their loss with a special commemorative birth certificate. The state of Nebraska currently makes birth certificates available for miscarriages that occur after 20 weeks, LB 1040 extends that courtesy to grieving families who lose a pregnancy before 20 weeks with a new type of certificate. I look forward to answering thoughtful questions from committee members and am hopeful that they will advance the bill to General File.

I was informed of a great opportunity for military veteran farms to attend a free conference in March I wanted to share.

Answering the Call is a free conference for military veteran farmers who are currently farming or want to begin farming. The conference is an opportunity for veterans to connect with fellow former service members who are engaged or interested in farming. Veterans can see firsthand how other veterans have translated the duty and drive of military life into a second career on the farm. Session topics include programs available to veterans interested in farming, diversified agriculture, conservation, and agritourism. A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Answering the Call is set for Saturday, March 24, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at Central Community College in Hastings, NE.

Conference attendance is free, but pre-registration is required by Friday, March 16. Register at www.cfra.org/AnsweringTheCall. For more information, contact Cora Fox at coraf@cfra.org or 402-687-2100 ext 1012.

The remaining Business and Labor Committee’s hearings for this legislative session will be on February 12th, and February 26th. The hearings will begin promptly at 1:30 p.m.

Committee hearings will be streamed live by NET at the following address: http://netnebraska.org/basic-page/television/live-demand-state-government. Live coverage of the full session of the Unicameral is also available from that page.

If you would like to submit written testimony for the committee to consider and you will not be personally testifying at the hearing, it is required that you turn your written testimony in to my office, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the legislative day before the relevant hearing. Please let us know if you would like your submission to be formally on the committee’s hearing record.

You may submit your written testimony by email at jalbrecht@leg.ne.gov or by mail to:

Senator Joni Albrecht

State Capitol, Room 2010s

PO Box 94604

Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4604

I want to encourage my constituents to reach out to me at 402-471-2716 or to write me at the address above.

I look forward to hearing from you!

What a beautiful week in Nebraska! I hope everyone has been staying warm and enjoying the sunshine. At the Unicameral, we spent much of the week continuing debate on Senator Crawford’s LB 589 and Senator Hughes’ 758. Following thorough debate, we did not vote to advance or indefinitely postpone LB 589. Senator Hughes’ bill was moved to Enrollment and Review (the step before Select File) with 47 senators voting “yes” and 2 “present – not voting”. After moving a few other bills to Enrollment and Review, we began debating LB 211 on Friday. LB 211, introduced by Senator Hansen, would increase the tipped minimum wage, the usual compensation method for those in the restaurant service industry. Many have raised concerns about this bill and I did not vote to advance it from Business and Labor Committee, but I look forward to hearing the remaining floor debate on the topic before the General File vote.

On Tuesday, I presented LB 949, which allows the Nebraska Educational, Health, and Social Services Finance Authority to be a conduit issuer of bonds for private not-for-profit cultural institutions, to the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee. I was pleased to see the bill attract multiple proponents, with no one testifying in opposition. I am thankful for the committee members asking thoughtful questions and am hopeful the committee will advance it to General File next week.

This year, the Legislature will again work towards tackling high property taxes. Governor Ricketts’ tax plan, proposed by Senator Smith as LB 947, was heard in Revenue Committee on Wednesday. LB 947, the Nebraska Property Tax Cuts and Opportunities Act, allows residential homeowners a refundable income tax credit equal to a percentage of property taxes paid during the taxable year. Resident individuals paying property taxes on agricultural land, horticultural land, farm sites and improvements on farm sites shall also be allowed a refundable income tax credit equal to a percentage of property taxes paid during the taxable year. LB 947 also provides for a two-year phase down of the top individual income tax rate from 6.84% to 6.69%, as well as a two-year phase down of the corporate tax rate for all taxable income in excess of $100,000 from 7.81% to 6.69%. Additionally, the bill directs the State Treasurer to transfer from the General Fund a total of $10 million to the Job Training Cash Fund over the next two years. Governor Ricketts and Senator Smith have made it clear that this bill is a work in progress and have already submitted multiple amendments to address concerns. I will continue to monitor the progress of this bill and ensure that it is in the best interest of District 17, as well as the entire state. To keep up with developments on the bill, visit https://nebraskalegislature.gov/ and search for LB 947.

On Thursday my office was happy to welcome representatives from the Wayne Chamber of Commerce to the Capitol and to the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce Business Hall of Fame banquet in Lincoln. I was delighted to sit at their table and talk about business in Wayne over dinner.

Monday will be the Business and Labor Committee’s second of four committee hearing days of the session. We look forward to hearing testimony on the following bills:

LB928 (McDonnell) Change provisions relating to compensation paid upon the death of an employee under the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Act

LB 952 (Albrecht) Change provisions relating to dismissals of actions under the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Act

LB953 (Albrecht) Change provisions relating to lump-sum settlements under the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Act

LB957 (Lowe) Provide procedures for choosing a method of payment for payments under the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Act

LB1024 (Wayne) Change references from Big Twelve Conference to Big Ten Conference in provisions requiring a stipend or restricting hours of participation for intercollegiate athletes

The remaining Business and Labor Committee’s hearings for this legislative session will be on February 12th, and February 26th. The hearings will begin promptly at 1:30 p.m.

Committee hearings will be streamed live by NET at the following address: http://netnebraska.org/basic-page/television/live-demand-state-government. Live coverage of the full session of the Unicameral is also available from that page.

If you would like to submit written testimony for the committee to consider and you will not be personally testifying at the hearing, it is strongly encouraged that you turn your written testimony in to the committee clerk, Beverly Neel, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the legislative day before the relevant hearing. Please let Beverly know if you would like your submission to be formally on the committee’s hearing record.

You may submit your written testimony by email at bneel@leg.ne.gov or by mail to:

Senator Joni Albrecht

State Capitol

PO Box 94604

Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4604

I want to encourage my constituents to reach out to me at 402-471-2716 or to write me at the address above.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Friday, January 26th, marks the 16th day of the 60 day legislative session. We have been engaged in lively debate this week as we tackle a wide range of topics, two bills in particular have dominated time on the floor. LB 589 by Senator Crawford changes statute relating to the deposition, the process of giving sworn evidence, of a child witness. LB 758 by Senator Hughes would require natural resources districts that have acquired private land for the development of a stream flow augmentation project to collaborate with officials in the county where the project is located in an effort to lessen impacts to that county’s property tax base. I appreciate the consideration and time taken to debate legislation that greatly impacts the lives of many Nebraskans.

On Tuesday January 23rd, Governor Ricketts announced the new Endangered Missing Advisory (EMA) system. The EMA is a system designed to distribute information about a missing and endangered person to law enforcement, media, and the public. The missing person is considered to be in danger based on factors including age, health, mental or physical disability, environment, and weather conditions. Unlike Amber Alerts, the EMA has no age limit and does not require an abduction for alerts to be dispatched. EMA alerts also do not trigger the Emergency Alert System or utilize Wireless Emergency Alerts, instead alerts are issues based on Nebraska State Patrol areas and rely on local media to spread information. You can sign up to receive EMA messages directly at: http://statepatrol.nebraska.gov/vnews/display.v/ART/5a201cc89bd7a. On Monday, the EMA system successfully issued its first alert and assisted in the efforts of finding Kenneth Brummond of Rosalie, who was found Tuesday morning.

Friday, January 26th, I introduced a legislative resolution to congratulate and honor Jon Pickinpaugh for receiving the 2017-18 Milken Educator Award. The Milken Educator Awards, widely known as the “Oscars of Teaching”, publicly recognize teaching excellence to honor educators and to impress upon students and communities the importance of joining the teaching profession. Mr. Pickinpaugh has taught for eight years at South Sioux City Middle School, where he is currently an eighth grade science teacher and wrestling and football coach. He is known for his strategic and creative dedication to boosting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education through highly interactive lessons. Mr. Pickinpaugh is one of just forty-four Milken Educator Award recipients for the 2017-18 academic year, and the only honoree from Nebraska. On January 11th, Lt. Governor Mike Foley presented the award, along with a $25,000 prize, to Mr. Pickinpaugh at a surprise assembly at South Sioux City Middle School. We are fortunate to have a teacher like Mr. Pickinpaugh that is dedicated to improving the lives of students inside and outside of the classroom.

This past week, January 22-26th, was National School Choice Week. Students, parents, and fellow senators gathered together to support giving families access to the best K-12 education options for their children. These options include traditional public schools, private schools, online academies, and homeschooling. I proudly stood with Senator Linehan, Senator Smith, and Governor Ricketts, among other senators, to support school choice and Senator Smith’s LB 295. LB 295 helps to provide education options for families by adopting the Opportunity Scholarships Act. Under the Act, individual and corporate taxpayers would qualify for a non-refundable tax credit equal to the amount the taxpayer contributed to a scholarship-granting organization. I look forward to supporting LB 295 and other legislation that works to give more choice to parents and families in deciding how to educate their children.

Tuesday, January 30th, in Banking, Commerce, and Insurance Committee I will be presenting LB 949. This bill renames the Nebraska Educational, Health, and Social Services Finance Authority Act to include cultural institutions. This allows for cultural institutions, such as museums or visual arts centers, to finance or refinance cultural assets they deem important to the economic vitality of their locality. The Nebraska Educational, Health, and Social Services Finance Authority is governed by a Board appointed by the Governor, receives no state general funds, and operates entirely with user fees. I am excited to provide an avenue for cultural institutions that provide valuable services to the community to fund new projects, without spending state money.

The remaining Business and Labor Committee’s hearings for this legislative session will be on, February 5th, February 12th, and February 26th. The hearings will begin promptly at 1:30 p.m.

Committee hearings will be streamed live by NET at the following address: http://netnebraska.org/basic-page/television/live-demand-state-government. Live coverage of the full session of the Unicameral is also available from that page.

If you would like to submit written testimony for the committee to consider and you will not be personally testifying at the hearing, it is strongly encouraged that you turn your written testimony in to the committee clerk, Beverly Neel, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before the relevant hearing. Please let Beverly know if you would like your submission to be formally on the committee’s hearing record.

You may submit your written testimony by email at bneel@leg.ne.gov or by mail to:

Senator Joni Albrecht

State Capitol

PO Box 94604

Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4604

I want to encourage my constituents to reach out to me at 402-471-2716 or to write me at the address above.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Thursday, January 18th, was the 10th day of the legislative session and last day to turn bills in for consideration this session. This year over 450 bills have been introduced and each will receive a committee hearing before being considered on the floor. I look forward to reviewing and considering every bill that comes across my desk.

I have introduced a total of seven bills for the 2018 legislative session:

LB 712 protects our employers and communities and encourages healthy and capable employees by disallowing unemployment benefits if the unemployment applicant was fired or denied a job due to illegal drug use.

LB 949 aims to rename the Nebraska Educational, Health, and Social Services Finance Authority Act to include cultural institutions. This allows for cultural institutions, such as museums or visual arts centers, to finance or refinance cultural assets they deem important to the economic vitality of their locality.

LB 950 appropriates funds for the payment of certain claims against the state.

LB 951 denies certain claims made against the state.

LB 952 protects businesses by limiting the number of times an employee can file and dismiss the same case in Workers’ Compensation Court.

LB 953 corrects language in current Nebraska statutes regarding workers’ compensation to allow penalties for late payments to injured workers. LB 953 also allows parties in Workers’ Compensation Court to settle their case without court approval when there may be unpaid medical bills or the employee is a Medicare beneficiary. Court approval would still be needed if the employee is not represented by an attorney.

LB 1040 is a bill to help grieving families suffering from a miscarriage by giving them the option to honor and recognize their loss with a special commemorative birth certificate. The state of Nebraska currently makes birth certificates available for miscarriages that occur after 20 weeks LB 1040 extends that courtesy to grieving families who lose a pregnancy before 20 weeks with a new type of certificate.

I started last week off with an early morning meeting with Dakota City Fire Department Members, Pat and Nancy Moore and Jim and Kathi Gustin, along with many other Nebraska State Volunteer Firefighters and the Nebraska Fire Chiefs’ Association. They came to support two bills, LB 737 and LB 760. I am happy to support the brave men and women who serve our communities every day.

On Thursday, I had the privilege of escorting the Nebraska Supreme Court Justices to the floor for the State of the Judiciary address to the legislature. Chief Justice Michael Heavican highlighted the ways the judiciary has made improvements to respond to concerns raised by the legislature. Some recent changes include two new veterans’ treatment problem-solving courts and re-entry courts, which provide additional supervision to those released from prison. I am excited by the progress the judiciary has made and by their commitment to pursuing ways to do their job better.

The Business and Labor Committee’s hearings for this legislative session will be on January 22nd, February 5th, February 12th, and February 26th. The hearings will begin promptly at 1:30 p.m.

Committee hearings will be streamed live by NET at the following address: http://netnebraska.org/basic-page/television/live-demand-state-government. Live coverage of the full session of the Unicameral is also available from that page.

If you would like to submit written testimony for the committee to consider and you will not be personally testifying at the hearing, it is strongly encouraged that you turn your written testimony in to the committee clerk, Beverly Neel, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before the relevant hearing. Please let Beverly know if you would like your submission to be formally on the committee’s hearing record.

You may submit your written testimony by email at bneel@leg.ne.gov or by mail to:

Senator Joni Albrecht

State Capitol

PO Box 94604

Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4604

I want to encourage my constituents to reach out to me at 402-471-2716 or to write me at the address above.

I look forward to hearing from you!

We have had another exciting week at the Unicameral, over 325 bills and 21 legislative resolutions have been submitted since convening on January 3rd. We have been moving through debate on many bills in General File that carried over from last year, while committees prepare to hold hearing for newly introduced bills.

On Wednesday, Governor Ricketts delivered his State of the State address highlighting his priorities and hopes for 2018. He pointed to the many successes Nebraska had last year, including winning the Governor’s Cup for most economic development projects per capita of any state in the country, Forbes’ ranking of Nebraska as the fourth best state for business, and achieving the lowest unemployment rate in the state since 1999 at 2.7 percent. As revenue continues to come in below projections and we face a $200 million shortfall, Governor Ricketts’ proposed budget dictates across-the-board budget cuts to close the gap without raising taxes while still protecting state priorities, including K-12 education, developmental disability services, child welfare and corrections.

Governor Ricketts also released a plan to address Nebraska’s crushing property taxes, through the Nebraska Property Tax Cuts and Opportunity Act (LB947) proposed by Senator Smith. While this is a work in progress, I am excited to work together to pass bipartisan legislation for much-needed property tax relief.

Also on Wednesday, our office was delighted to welcome many guests from District 17, including South Sioux City School Board members and students, the South Sioux City Chamber of Commerce, South Sioux City, Dakota City, Dakota County, and 2018 Teacher of the Year Michelle Helt to the Capitol to watch the Governor’s speech. Senator Brewer and I also welcomed Tribal leaders from across the state to watch the State of the State address followed by coffee and a productive discussion.

I was proud to stand with Attorney General Doug Peterson, Governor Pete Ricketts, fellow Senators, and law enforcement at the reveal of the “Demand an End” awareness campaign on Thursday. The awareness campaign is the latest step Nebraska is taking to end the sale of minors and adults coerced or forced into sex. Awareness posters targeting the buyers of trafficking victims will be placed at all rest stops along I-80 and many more around the state. Governor Ricketts also declared January Human Trafficking Awareness Month to solidify Nebraska’s commitment to ending this heinous crime. Thank you to the brave men and women who have already begun this fight on the front lines.

This week I also introduced three additional bills, LB 949, LB 952, and LB 953:

LB 949 aims to rename the Nebraska Educational, Health, and Social Services Finance Authority Act to include cultural institutions, allowing for cultural institutions such as museums or visual arts centers to finance or refinance cultural assets they deem important to the economic vitality of their locality.

LB 952 protects businesses by limiting the number of times an employee can file and dismiss the same case in Workers’ Compensation Court.

LB 953 corrects language in current Nebraska statutes regarding workers’ compensation to allow penalties for late payments to injured workers. LB 953 also allows parties in Workers’ Compensation Court to settle their case without court approval when there may be unpaid medical bills or the employee is a Medicare beneficiary. Court approval would still be needed if the employee is not represented by an attorney.

The Business and Labor Committee’s hearings for this legislative session will be on January 22nd, February 5th, February 12th, and February 26th. The hearings will begin promptly at 1:30 p.m.

If you would like to submit written testimony for the committee to consider and you will not be personally testifying at the hearing, it is strongly encouraged that you turn your written testimony in to the committee clerk, Beverly Neel, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the business day prior to the relevant hearing. Please let Beverly know if you would like your submission to be formally on the committee’s hearing record.

You may submit your written testimony by email at bneel@leg.ne.gov or by mail to:

Senator Joni Albrecht

State Capitol

PO Box 94604

Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4604

I want to encourage my constituents to reach out to me at 402-471-2716 or to write me at the address above.

I look forward to hearing from you!