I am heading home to spring weather and calving season–one of my most treasured times of the year. The fresh air, the new life, and watching winter turn to spring uplifts my soul after a grueling week in Lincoln.

The majority of the past week has been spent debating Senator Kathleen Kauth’s bill–LB574 (Let Them Grow). It has been a very emotional and taxing week. I am working hard on behalf of ALL Nebraskans. After lots of debate, the bill passed to the initial Enrollment and Review process on its way to Select File. I am proud to support this bill and protect the children of Nebraska. There is an amendment to this bill that will allow medications to be used, but no surgical intervention for minors. I don’t see a path forward using this amendment as the opponents to this bill have told us that we would be blocked from voting on this bill.

Last Friday, March 24th, my last bill for this session, LB441–Repeal Obscenity Exemption, was heard in the Judiciary Committee. I have heard from many people across the state that this bill is needed to protect children from obscenity and child pornography. They are concerned about the books and materials they are finding in their school libraries. One testifier stated, “There is a history of legal court cases that help determine what is obscene. Also obscenity and child pornography is not protected speech according to the First Amendment. The ALA (American Library Association) even states that fact on their website.” I, too, am concerned as a grandparent of children in the K-12 public school system.

Bill Update

• LB442–Livestock Friendly County Funding–This bill has been voted out of committee and was amended into LB116 which made changes to the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Act. LB116 is one of the two Agriculture Committee’s priority bills. It will be coming to the floor for debate in the coming weeks.

This week we begin floor debate from 9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. as public committee hearings finished up last Friday. This makes for very long days and much will be discussed as many high profile priority bills will be coming up for debate on the floor. On Tuesday, we will finish debate on Senator Wishart’s LB276–Adopt the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Act and the Appropriation Bill that accompanies it. On Wednesday we will begin floor debate on the Revenue Committee’s priority bill LB754 which will reduce individual and corporate income tax rates at the request of Governor Pillen. Senator Brewer’s LB77 (Concealed Carry) and Senator Lowe’s LB376 (Change provisions of the Nebraska Liquor Control Act) will be debated on second reading.

As always, I invite you to let me know your thoughts, ideas, concerns, or suggestions by contacting me by calling (402) 471-2716 or emailing me at jalbrecht@leg.ne.gov.