Last week, the Legislature successfully voted on a pull motion to bring LB814 out of committee onto the floor for debate. LB814, a bill that I co-sponsored, would prohibit dismemberment abortion on live, unborn children in the second trimester of pregnancy. Supporters of the bill argued that the dismemberment of a live fetus is morally wrong. LB814 will now be on the agenda at some point during the remainder of the legislative session and I will continue to support this bill.

LB1106 the property tax relief bill was filibustered and failed to advance during three hours of debate.  Property tax relief remains my top priority this session.   LB1106, reduces the reliance on property taxes to fund K-12 education while increasing state aid to schools.  I support this proposal as it would provide meaningful property tax relief to Nebraskans all over the state while also ensuring state funding for schools. I am once again extremely disappointed in the Legislature’s inaction on property tax relief and will continue to fight for this cause.

Tax incentives for large corporations were also debated on the floor last week. LB720 faced steep opposition from a number of Senators who argued that we should not be giving multi-million dollar corporations tax breaks which would result in millions of dollars in uncollected taxes over years while ignoring the urgent need for property tax reform. This bill was filibustered on select file and received no vote.

LB153, of which I am a co-sponsor, was advanced to Final Reading. This bill allows military retirees to exempt 50% of their military pension from state income taxes. This bill brings Nebraska into line with surrounding states who either don’t have income taxes, tax military pensions or provide substantial tax breaks for military retirees. By exempting half of their pension from income taxes, this bill helps attract and retain veterans to Nebraska who play an integral role in our communities.

LB931 advanced to Final Reading. This bill allows grain transporters to exceed the maximum weight by 15% and length by 10% when transporting grain from storage to marketplace. It also allows single axle trucks to exceed the weight limit by 15% from farm storage to market up to 70 miles.

On July 30th, the world will be celebrating World Day against the Trafficking of Persons. As human trafficking continues to plague this nation and state, I encourage everyone to show their support. To find more information on human trafficking and how you can help please visit https://ago.nebraska.gov/combating-human-trafficking.

Small business owner who are impacted by COVID-19 may still apply for relief through the Paycheck Protection Program. The Paycheck Protection Program provides business owners with eight weeks of cash flow, through a forgivable loan, to maintain their payroll. The deadline to apply is August 8th, and should you wish to apply you can contact your financial advisors, bank or credit unions.

I appreciate hearing from constituents on issues affecting District 23 and encourage you to contact my office on legislation at 402-471-2719 or bbostelman@leg.ne.gov.