It has been nice to finally receive rain. Prayers were answered and the crops are looking great. Good luck to those participating in the Dakota-Thurston County Fair and the Wayne County Fair coming up in a few weeks. I am looking forward to watching our grandkids, friends, and neighbors as they participate in this year’s events.

This week I would like to continue going through bills included in the omnibus Revenue Committee bill LB727. Next week I will finish going through LB727.
LB727–Change provisions relating to revenue and taxation–This bill was one of the Revenue Committee’s priority bills. This bill amends Nebraska Revised Statute 77-2704.15 to clarify a sales and use tax exemption for governmental expenditures towards a project if the voters of such governmental districts have approved such expenditures.

• LB74 will allow construction contractors to be appointed as purchasing agents that can purchase materials tax free based on the buyer-based exemption of the contractor’s client.
• LB100 would add Waste Treatment and Disposal as a qualified location in the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) under Nebraska Revised Statute 77-6818. This addition would allow waste treatment and disposal facilities to benefit from the ImagiNE Nebraska Act.
• LB300 amends Nebraska Revised Statute 77-2704.12 to exempt from sales and use taxes any nonprofit organization certified or contracted by a regional behavioral health authority or the Division of Behavioral Health of the Department of Health and Human Services to provide community-based mental health or substance use services.
• LB344 will limit the refundable property tax credit to the five most recent taxable years of income.
• LB97 modifies a reporting requirement related to inheritance taxes. Each petitioner in a proceeding to determine inheritance tax will be required to submit a report to the county treasurer in the county where the determination was conducted. The report will include the amount of inheritance tax revenue generated and other information. It also requires the state Department of Revenue to compile inheritance tax reports from counties and make them available to the public on its website.
• LB495 will allow NEST529 account holders to roll over unused accounts funds into a beneficiary’s Roth individual retirement account with no penalty.
• LB580 will allow land that is continually farmed to retain its valuation as agricultural or horticultural land until such time as the land is commercially developed.
• LB706 amended provisions that the state highway commission could, upon recommendation of the state Department of Transportation (NDOT), issue up to $450 million in bonds between 2023 and 2029 to accelerated completion of highway construction projects, including Nebraska’s expressway system, under the Build Nebraska Act. This bill extends the act’s sunset date to 2042 and requires all bonds be paid off by June of 2042

         (Portions taken from “Revenue omnibus bill that includes retail tax break advances”. Unicameral Update. May 17, 2023. http://update.legislature.ne.gov/?p=34348)

NDOT State Highway Construction and Detour report for Northeast Nebraska
I receive reports from the Nebraska Department of Transportation on Interstate and State Highway Construction and Detours currently happening. Call 511 or visit www.511.nebraska.gov for the most current information. Here are the projects going on in District 17.

• I-129 in both directions between Exit 2 Dakota Avenue and Iowa State Line (near South Sioux City). A lane is closed intermittently due to bridge construction work. The contractor will be closing ramps and loops intermittently at the Dakota Avenue interchange on I-129 in South Sioux City. The closure of each ramp or loop will be for short periods to complete the bridge joints on the Dakota Ave., railroad, and Dry Lake bridges.
• ROAD CLOSED US-77 IN BOTH DIRECTIONS between NE-94 and US-75 (6 miles south of Winnebago). The road is closed due to road construction work. This road will be closed through November while two box culverts are replaced. Detour is routed through Highway 94 east of Walthill to Highway 74 and then north to Winnebago. Please be on the lookout for signs designating the detour and drive safely. Remember to slow down in construction areas and be on the lookout for those working in that area. Traffic will be maintained for the remainder of the work with temporary traffic signals, a pilot vehicle, and flaggers. This project consists of an asphalt overlay and culvert work. Anticipated completion is summer 2024.
• US-81 in both directions between NE-98 and 866th Road (13-22 miles north of Norfolk). There are alternating lane closures due to road construction work. Look out for flaggers. A pilot car is in operation. Look out for temporary traffic lights. There is a 12-foot width limit in effect. Anticipated completion is December 1, 2023, CDT.
• US-81 between 864th Road and 866th Road (21-22 miles north of Norfolk). Bridge construction work is in progress. The roadway is reduced to one lane. Look out for temporary traffic lights. There is a 12-foot width limit.
• NE-9 in both directions between V Road and X Road (3 miles south of Pender). The roadway is reduced to one lane due to bridge construction work. Look out for temporary traffic lights. An 11-foot width limit is in effect. Anticipated completion is winter 2023.
  (Taken from Nebraska Interstate & State Highway Construction Report. July 12, 2023. https://dot.nebraska.gov/media/4v5lbeay/construction-detours-info.pdf)

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.