On Monday, September 25th, Governor Jim Pillen proclaimed September 25-29 to be Agriculture Literacy Week in Nebraska, marking the start of the initiative with Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom, a statewide initiative to promote awareness and understanding of agriculture in the classroom. First Lady Suzanne Pillen has partnered with Courtney Shreve, director of outreach education at the Nebraska Farm Bureau, to create the new initiative. During her time as first lady, Suzanne has made it her mission to share books about agriculture with Nebraska’s youths in an effort to teach them more about where their food comes from. “I knew literacy was really important to me and our family,” she told the Lincoln Journal Star. “The first place I went, kids had no idea what sound cows make, what sound a pig makes. So, it made me realize that this will be really important.” First Lady Pillen has traveled across the state to visit schools to read agriculture-based stories to students. So far, she has stopped in nine schools with plans to visit as many as she can through the initiative. At the end of every visit, First Lady Pillen donates the signed book to be placed in the school library for even more children to read, enjoy, and learn from. Most of all, she hopes students always remember to appreciate the work farmers do. “Make sure in your day, every day, you tell somebody that does something for you that you appreciate them, and tell them thank you.” (Ebbers, Jenna. “Pillen visits Prescott”. Lincoln Journal Star. 28 September, 2023. Page A3.)

This week I would like to share with you the Transportation and Telecommunications priority bill, LB683, which changes provisions relating to the County Bridge Match Program, the Highway Cash Fund, the Nebraska Telecommunications Universal Service Fund, the Roads Operations Cash Fund, the Nebraska Broadband Bridge Act, the One-Call Notification System Act, and the Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act, adopt the Rural Communications Sustainability Act, and create the Nebraska Broadband Office and the Underground Excavation Safety Committee. This omnibus package included portions of seven other bills.

• LB683 established the Nebraska Broadband Office and the position of Director of Broadband. For administrative purposes, the Nebraska Broadband Office shall be located in the Nebraska Department of Transportation. The Director of Broadband is appointed and serves at the pleasure of the Governor and shall be subject to Legislative confirmation. The Nebraska Broadband Office shall provide outreach and collaboration of state and local officials; develop the strategic broadband plan; coordinate state broadband efforts; conduct state advocacy on broadband issues at the federal level; and provide for public education, resources, and outreach. This bill amends current law and directs that the Nebraska Broadband Office shall take over and be responsible for the creation and maintenance of the State Broadband Map.
• LB63 prohibits a telecommunications company from using Nebraska Universal Service Funds if the company is using or providing communications equipment or service that pose a threat to national security.
• LB122 authorizes the State Fire Marshal to investigate alleged violations of Nebraska’s One-Call Notification System, beginning September 1, 2024. This bill also creates the State Fire Marshal to determine if a violation has occurred and provide for civil penalties of up to $10,000.
• LB124 extends the termination date of the County Bridge Match Program from June 30, 2023 to June 30, 2029.
• LB155 changes provisions regarding the applicability of the Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act.
• LB359 removes an annual grant application deadline under the Nebraska Broadband Bridge Act and allows the Public Service Commission (PSC) to establish new deadlines.
• LB412 allows grants for broadband deployment from the ARPA Capital Projects Fund in Nebraska’s 3rd Congressional District to be deployed in an entire exchange area that includes a city of the second class or a village. This change would allow Capital Project grants to provide high-speed broadband services in rural areas not within the municipalities, which are unserved or underserved locations.
• LB722 clarifies that the PSC cannot require a competitive provider to accept or receive support from the Nebraska Telecommunications Universal Service Fund; impose eligible telecommunications carrier responsibilities or carrier of last resort obligations relating to the fund on a competitive provider in any deployment project area where the incumbent carrier or competitive provider is not actually receiving support from the fund; or impose eligible telecommunications carrier responsibilities or carrier of last resort obligations on an incumbent carrier that do not exist as of the date of final payment made. (Portions of this taken from “Session Review: Transportation and Telecommunications”. Unicameral Update. July 21, 2023. http://update.legislature.ne.gov/?p=34614)

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