2ND SESSION OF THE 107TH LEGISLATURE 

Last weekend my family and I had the delightful opportunity to join hundreds of Nebraskans at the Nebraska Family Alliance annual banquet. What an encouragement to learn all that is taking place across the country to stand up for those most vulnerable in our country. I will also be joining many state and local leaders for Nebraska Right to Life’s Walk for Life in Lincoln this weekend. 

School Choice Week in Nebraska

In Governor Ricketts’ proclamation of School Choice Week he said, “We need to empower families to choose the best educational setting for their children. Giving parents and students this freedom will provide the next generation of Nebraskans with expanded opportunity for an excellent education.” Senators Lou Ann Linehan, Dave Murman and myself urged our colleagues in the Unicameral to support school choice legislation, like LB364, so that all families in Nebraska have the ability to choose the educational option best suited for their children. Nebraska is one of just two states in America that has not enacted a school choice policy.

Social Security Income Tax Phase-Out

The Legislature passed LB825 42-0-1 to speed up the eventual elimination of state taxation of Social Security income. I co-sponsored the bill introduced by Omaha Senator Brett Lindstrom, which sets the exemption on such income, to the extent that it is included in federal adjusted gross income, at 20 percent in tax year 2022. The exemption then is scheduled to increase 10 percent per year until reaching 50 percent in tax year 2025, with the stated intention of eliminating the tax entirely in 2030. It is projected that LB825 will benefit some 325,000 retirees across Nebraska.

The Nebraska Property Tax Incentive Act

Senator Tom Briese of Albion introduced LB723, a state tax credit intended to offset part of Nebraskans’ property tax bill. It would create a refundable income tax credit based on the amount an eligible taxpayer paid in property taxes to their school district during the previous year. The credit is equal to a percentage set by the state Department of Revenue multiplied by the amount of school district taxes paid. LB would ensure that the credit does not drop below its current amount of $548 million, which is an approximately 25 percent rebate on the amount paid in school property taxes. Under Briese’s proposal, the credit could increase by an allowable growth percentage beginning in tax year 2024. The percentage is equal to the growth in statewide real property value and cannot exceed 5 percent in any one year. The bill has passed from General to Select File.

Chief Justice Addresses the Unicameral

Last week Chief Justice Michael Heavican of the Nebraska Supreme Court delivered his State of the Judiciary address to the Unicameral. He noted the importance of Nebraskans being able to maintain access to the courts during a challenging year of logistical obstacles and staff shortages due to Covid 19. One highlight of the past year was the work of the statewide restorative justice initiative which requires juvenile law violators to meet with the victims of their crimes. Youth who participated in the program had a recidivism rate of 11.3 percent compared to 19 percent for those who did not participate and work is underway to expand the program to more Nebraska youth. Heavican said other problem-solving courts — such as the young adult, mental health and veterans treatment courts — have continued to find new and innovative ways to provide sentencing alternatives and help divert criminal offenders from the state’s prisons and jails. “We owe the success of our courts to the good old-fashioned work ethic of judges, staff and practicing attorneys,” he said. “We also owe our positive accomplishments to the increased use of technology and the accompanying innovative initiatives of our court family.”

Watch-Follow-Comment the Legislature

I appreciate how many District 17 constituents are informed and involved in the Legislature. If you have not been as involved as you would have liked in the past, the Nebraska Legislature has a wonderful website which contains a wealth of information. Viewers can read the text of bills introduced, search statutes, find a Senator’s webpage, follow the progress of Legislation, read the Unicameral Update, and watch the Legislature live through video streaming.

A new tool has been added that allows interested individuals to submit their position statements online on pending legislation as soon as that bill is scheduled for a hearing. I think this is a wonderful tool that can be used by the Second House, the people of Nebraska, to weigh in on bills and resolutions as they move through the Legislative process. Simply enter a bill number in the search on the home page or click “Bills and Laws” to search for a particular bill. Once you are on the individual bill page, click  “Submit Comments Online” to submit your position. For statements to be included in the official public hearing record as an exhibit, they must be submitted through the website prior to 12:00 p.m. CST on the last Legislative day prior to the public hearing. You can find all of the information you need on the homepage at nebraskalegislature.gov. Don’t hesitate to reach out to Jacki or Lisa in my office if you have any questions about the process.

I always appreciate each of you who intentionally stays informed and engaged in the Legislative process. If you have taken the time to reach out to my office, please understand that with over 1200 bills being heard over the next 60 days, I am not able to personally respond to all of the emails and calls I receive. Have a great week!