There are only a few days left in 2023 before looking forward to a brand new year in 2024. I hope you enjoy celebrating with family or friends. I always enjoy new beginnings and look forward to the year ahead. From our office to you and your family–Happy New Year!

Civilizations around the world have been celebrating the start of each new year for at least four millenia. Today, most New Year’s festivities begin on December 31 (New Year’s Eve), the last day of the Gregorian calendar, and continue into the early hours of January (New Year’s Day). Common traditions include attending parties, eating special New Year’s foods, making resolutions for the new year, and watching fireworks displays. (History.com editors. “New Year’s”. History.com. 28 November, 2023. https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/new-years)

Upcoming 2024 Session preview
Last week I shared with you some of the bills I have introduced and they have the ability to be voted out of committee and onto the floor for full and fair debate. This week I would like to share the rest of the bills to be considered.

• LB440–Change provisions relating to certain school taxes and special funds–This bill clarifies that the special tax (building fund) under §79-10,120, could not be used to build a new school building, add additional footage to an existing school building, or purchase sites upon which new buildings will be located. School districts looking to use the building fund to build new buildings, add additional square footage to an existing school building, or purchase land for the site of a new building, must receive approval through a vote of its citizens at a general or special election under §79-1098.
• LB441–Change provisions relating to obscenity–This bill repeals the exemption for those in educational institutions providing obscenity to minors in grades K-12.
• LB635–Provide requirements regarding access to digital and online resources provided for students by school districts, schools, and the Nebraska Library Commission–This bill would ensure that vendors and providers of digital and online resources (databases) to school children in K-12 grades filter and block materials illegally obscene and harmful to minors and verify to the schools or Nebraska Library Commission that they have done so and to cause the Nebraska Library Commission and the Nebraska Department of Education to submit an annual report.

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.