Weekly District 30 Update – 5/2/25

State Senator Myron Dorn

The Legislature has just entered the last full month of this year’s legislative session. We have started late nights usually going from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. with a lunch break and 30-minute dinner break. Otherwise, we are in full debate mode the entire day.

The Legislature passed the 70th day which, for the Appropriations committee, means the state budget must be sent to the floor. During the past four months, the committee reviewed expenditures to programs and any requests for additional funds could be considered. We reduced a number of program expenditures, transferred some cash funds from various programs, and relied on other committees to bring forward additional revenue sources or savings on state spending.

The Nebraska Retirement Committee found cost savings with the teacher retirement fund in LB 645. The fund is 99.1% fully funded. The state could reduce its contributions by $30 million the first year and $50 million the second year as long as the fund stays above a specified percentage. The teachers’ contributions would also be reduced accordingly.

The Revenue Committee advanced LB 650 to roll back or fully repeal a collection of recently passed tax incentives. This bill would save an additional $70 plus million dollars. The two bills were supposed to cover our budget deficit, that is until the new forecast came out on April 25th which increased the deficit. The Revenue Committee is looking at removing tax exemptions on things like pop and candy (LB 170) and treating all nicotine delivery systems the same and taxing all products at the same rate. Other bills removing exemptions on sales tax services are also being considered.

A bill looking to ban hemp derived products with more than .3% THC, overcame a filibuster and moved forward. LB 316 would ban these products which are not regulated and have flooded the market. I heard from a number of people who have been able to control chronic pain or PTSD with these products. Senator John Cavanaugh of Omaha, wanted to regulate the products and require licensure of sellers, but his bill was not considered. I will take a very close look at this bill again in the next round of debate.

Senator Robert Dover, introduced a constitutional proposal to extend term limits for state senators from two terms to three terms. Prior to term-limits enacted 2004, the average length of service for a state senator was approximately 6 years. By allowing 3 terms, a senator could gain more experience and provide more consistent representation to their district. This proposal would have to be approved by the voters in a May primary in 2026. Senators, like myself, would not be eligible for a third term since our time to file would have passed. For me, the eight years ending in 2026, will be the end of my legislative service. I see the benefit of allowing senators to serve longer and if the voters believe they have not been served well by their elected officials, the ballot box is the place to make that known. LR 19CA advanced to our second round of debate.

The medical cannabis bill is still under consideration. There are strong opinions in the General Affairs Committee on what should happen. Senator Rick Holdcroft, the Chair of the Committee and Senator John Cavanaugh, Vice Chair of the Committee will hold three public forums on May 3rd, 4th and 5th. Since we are under a time crunch, these forums had to be held quickly to get additional feedback from constituents. I have supported past efforts to legalize and regulate medical cannabis and will support efforts again this session. The voters were clear in November -they want to see the legislature act on this issue now. It is my hope the public forums will bring some hesitant senators to more clearly see that they should not delay the implementation of legalization of medical cannabis any longer.

For more information on the Nebraska Legislature, the link is: nebraskalegislature.gov   

Here you can find all the information on bills, hearing schedules, information on senators, legislative divisions, and legislative reports etc.

My contact information is mdorn@leg.ne.gov and 402-471-2620. As always, I appreciate hearing from you.

Weekly District 30 Update – 4/25/25 State Senator Myron Dorn

This past week the legislature has begun meeting into the evenings in order to move bills that may have extended debate, and to get more accomplished. We begin at 9 in the morning, break for lunch for an hour and then meet until 5:30. We take a 30-minute break for dinner and then continue on with the agenda. Generally we will adjourn by 9:00.

Many bills that we discuss, advance with little debate. Other bills hit a snag or tend to be controversial in nature which may lead to a filibuster. Standard practice for a cloture motion to end a filibuster can be made after 8 hours of debate on General File, four hours on Select File and 2 hours on Final Reading. This year Speaker Arch made an announcement at the beginning of session that if he deems a bill to be one of a social nature the debate hours would be reduced to 4, 2, and 1. These are the types of issues where most senators, if not all, know how they will vote.

One such bill is LB 89, ‘Stand with Women Act’ Senator Kauth introduced this bill. We started the debate at 3 p.m. on April 22nd and ended the debate at 7 p.m. that evening. The bill would define male and female, schools would have to adopt policies, if they haven’t already and designate “male” and “female” use only bathrooms. Public school sports would be restricted to students’ sex assigned at birth. An amendment was offered by Senator Merv Riepe of Omaha who wants to apply this to sports only. He did support the cloture motion on General File with the caveat that he would only support it on the next round if his amendment were adopted. His vote is pivotal to see this bill through. I supported this bill to ensure safe spaces for all kids in schools.

Another issue that received extended debate was LR 20CA. Senator Bostar offered this constitutional amendment which would allow online sports gaming. Arguments were made, not down party lines, but by senators’ stance on expanded gambling. Proponents said that online gaming is already all-around Nebraska and said there is a busy cornfield over in Iowa where people drive in order to get around the blocked online access. They also said surrounding states permit it and we are losing dollars to those states. If the resolution was adopted Nebraska could collect almost $32 million in revenue. Opponents said that this type of gaming is dangerous and targets young men in their 20’s and don’t have the wisdom to abstain from this type of gaming. Nebraska is one of 17 states that does not allow online gaming. After several hours of debate, Senator Bostar pulled the resolution from the agenda. He said he did not have the 33 votes to overcome a filibuster. He will work on it for the next session. The resolution, if adopted by the legislature, would put the issue on the November, 2026 ballot. I would have supported LR 20CA and let the voters decide in 2026.

Next, a bill by Senator Tom Brandt would combine the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environment and Energy. LB 317, at the request of the Governor, would have these two agencies become one and will be known as the Department of Water, Energy and Environment, DWEE. A section of this bill would have repealed statutes that pertained to the commercial disposal of low-level nuclear waste. An amendment was offered to keep this language in statute so Nebraska could not become a potential dumping ground for other states’ nuclear waste. The amendment was adopted. The bill advanced to the Final Reading on a voice vote.

The Appropriations committee made our final decision on the budget package of five bills. LB 260 addresses deficits to the current Medicaid program and other current deficits. We needed to fill this shortfall to see the program through the end of our state budget cycle, ending on June 30th of this year. LB 261 is called the Main Line Budget bill. LB 261 contains all the funding for state agencies and programs. This is the bill that will receive the greatest amount of debate since it relates to programs senators and constituents want to see fully funded, or where more cuts can be made. LB 262 is the bill for senators’ salaries and per diems. This is done every two years. LB 263 is the bill for the approval of the constitutional officers’ salaries and health insurance; Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Auditor and State Attorney General. The bill also contains the appropriation for salaries and health insurance for the judges across the state. The last bill, LB 264, provides for fund transfers, changes provisions governing the administration and the use of funds and repeals previous expansions to aid and incentive programs. The budget bills must be reported to the floor by the 70th legislative day, which is April 29th. The debate on these bills will most likely begin on May 6th.

For more information on the Nebraska Legislature, the link is: nebraskalegislature.gov   

Here you can find all the information on bills, hearing schedules, information on senators, legislative divisions, and legislative reports etc.

My contact information is mdorn@leg.ne.gov and 402-471-2620. As always, I appreciate hearing from you.

Weekly District 30 Update – 4/17/25

State Senator Myron Dorn

The week of April 14th brought more priority bills up for debate. Many of these bills are bills that have more controversial subjects. With that comes more debate on the floor on these bills.

LB 632 received first round approval after a shortened 4-hour filibuster time frame. The Speaker deemed this bill to be one where all senators knew where they stood on the issue and a prolonged 8-hour filibuster was unnecessary. Under current law, Nebraska hospitals must have a policy in place regarding the disposition of fetal remains following a miscarriage or stillbirth.

LB 632 would establish procedures for the disposition of fetal remains following an elective abortion at a health care facility. Senator Hansen stated that these are human remains and should be treated with respect and dignity. 15 other states have this same standard regarding fetal remains. A Health and Human Services Committee amendment clarified the disposal procedures outlined in the bill where an elective abortion is “completed” at a health care facility.

Senators who opposed the bill said the decision about what to do with the fetal remains should be left to the patient and her family. Other senators opposed stated that the Department of Environment and Energy have regulations in place for the disposal of medical waste. Those of us who supported the bill do not see fetal remains as waste. The cloture motion was successful and the bill advanced to the second round of debate on a 34-11 vote. I supported this bill.

The Legislature debated LB 650, offered by Elkhorn Senator Bran von Gilleran who is also the Chair of the Revenue Committee. Knowing the state is facing a budget shortfall, the Revenue Committee undertook the task to look at pairing back certain tax exemptions. These are not new taxes but previously taxed items that were given an exemption. The bill would scale back tax credits related to biodiesel sales, food donations, livestock modernization or expansion projects, reverse osmosis systems, shoreline railroad maintenance expenditures and renewable chemical production. A committee amendment ended applications for state turnback assistance for sports complexes and large public stadiums, decreasing the amount that businesses are allowed to keep for collecting sales tax, to name a few. These changes would mean an additional $71 million over the next biennium to help address the budget deficit.

The bill also contained provisions of five other bills: LB 270 would allow a person certified by the municipality to review confidential sales and use tax information to notify the State Auditor of suspected irregularities or discrepancies; LB 458 updates provisions of tax sale certificates; LB 494 (one of my bills) to clarify current laws regarding transfers to the School District Property Tax Relief Credit fund and the Cash Reserve Fund based on General Fund Net receipts; LB 495 removes community colleges from the ‘pink card’ notice to tax payers since the colleges are now funded by the state; and LB 547 to exempt disabled veterans from state motor vehicle tax. LB 650 advanced to the next stage of debate with 36 in favor and 2 opposed. I supported the amended bill’s advancement.

The next proposal which received a significant amount of debate was LR 20CA. The proposed constitutional amendment offered by Senator Eliot Bostar, would allow Nebraskan to decide if mobile sports betting should be allowed in Nebraska in November of 2026. The senator stated that during the 2024-25 football season, there were over 83,000 active mobile sports wagering accounts in Nebraska. LR 20CA, if approved by the voters, would allow authorized gaming operators conducting sports wagering within a licensed racetrack enclosure could also permit a person to place wagers on sports using a mobile or electronic platform as long as that person is within Nebraska’s borders when the bet is placed. If LR 20CA is unsuccessful some entities who promote on-line betting have indicated they will run an initiative petition to place the issue on the ballot and could be much broader that what is proposed in LR 20CA.

Opposition to the resolution spoke about the negative impacts of expanded gambling, with increased bankruptcies, increasing in gambling addiction and higher credit card debt. Opponents also said these on-line sports betting entities target young men in their 20’s. Senators advanced the measure with a vote of 27-16. However, to pass on Final Reading, LR 20CA will need 30 votes to make it to the ballot. I supported its advancement.

For more information on the Nebraska Legislature, the link is: nebraskalegislature.gov   

Here you can find all the information on bills, hearing schedules, information on senators, legislative divisions, and legislative reports etc.

My contact information is mdorn@leg.ne.gov and 402-471-2620. As always, I appreciate hearing from you.

Weekly District 30 Update – 4/11/25

State Senator Myron Dorn

The Legislature passed the 60th legislative day of the 90-day session. Senators have approved 78 bills which have been signed by the Governor. 137 bills sit on General File, which is our first round of debate by the full Legislature. Over 470 bills remain in committee. Either they did not have enough votes to move forward by the committee members, or there was not an urgency to see these bills debated this session. There are 106 priority bills, some of which are controversial and we have taken up a few of those already.

One of the priority bills by Senator Loren Lippincott is LB 3. This bill would change a 30-year-old practice of apportioning our electoral college votes based on who receives the most votes in a congressional district. Electoral votes are based on the two federal senator seats and the number of congressional districts in each state. Nebraska has 3 congressional districts which means our total electoral votes is five. Under current law, the statewide winner of a presidential race receives the two ‘senate’ seat votes and depending on the vote count in each district, the electoral vote goes to the top vote getter in each congressional district. The second district in Omaha, has been referred to as ‘the blue dot’ and there have been three times the electoral vote went to a presidential candidate; once for Barack Obama, once for Joe Biden, and once for Kamala Harris. The Speaker made the decision to cap the filibuster on LB3 at four hours since senators knew how they would vote. After four hours of debate, the cloture motion to cease debate was made. It takes 33 votes for the cloture motion to be successful. The motion failed with a vote of 31 in favor and 18 opposed. My constitutional proposal, LR 24CA, is still on General File to send the issue to a vote of the people. It does not have a priority so it probably won’t be taken up this year but could be possible for next year. I voted in favor of this bill.

A bill that was easier to vote on was LB 97. This was a Department of Motor Vehicle cleanup measure. Most of the bill made minor changes but one addition was LB 279 By Senator Brad Von Gillern. Starting in 2029 at the beginning of an issuance cycle, DMV will only issue one license plate rather than two for every registered motor vehicle or trailer. Many new cars do not even have a place to mount a front plate. Another incorporated bill to LB 97 was LB 543 by Senator Robert Dover and allows the department to deliver the plates by mail with the next issuance cycle. The measure also allows owners to register a motor vehicle or trailer for a period of two or three years, in addition to the annual registration period, also beginning in 2029. LB 97 passed on Final Reading with a vote of 46 in favor and 3 opposed. I voted in favor of this bill.

A bill aimed at protecting youth who go online received its second round of floor debate. LB 504 proposes to create the Age-Appropriate Online Design Code Act. The bill is offered by Senator Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln at the request of the Governor. Per the Act, a covered online service would be required to “exercise reasonable care” in protecting user data, and prevent harms such as compulsive use, severe emotional distress, identity theft and severe psychological harm. The definition of an online service is one that operates in Nebraska and is reasonably likely to be accessed by minors and meets certain revenue or volume thresholds. Senator Bosn introduced an amendment to address concerns that were raised during the first round of debate. It would replace the bill and make changes including removing reporting requirement; add a definition of dark patterns; removing the definition of sensitive personal data; changing the definition of compulsive usage; adding a definition of a covered minor; changing the definition of covered online services; removes the section regarding the exercise of “reasonable care” on behalf of a covered service. The changes were made to accommodate those companies who were inadvertently “scooped up” stated Senator Bosn. Such as automotive companies with an online presence and young adults may want to access this site looking for their first car. The Bosn amendment was adopted with 45-0 and the bill advanced to Final Reading.

The Appropriations Committee is meeting daily to finalize the budget bill. We are still over $100 million dollars away from a balanced budget. We will get there, but there will need to be reductions, and some possible increase in revenue sources like eliminating some sales tax exemptions. Any increases in revenue would have to come from the Revenue Committee and some of their packages will be discussed soon.

For more information on the Nebraska Legislature, the link is: nebraskalegislature.gov   

Here you can find all the information on bills, hearing schedules, information on senators, legislative divisions, and legislative reports etc.

My contact information is mdorn@leg.ne.gov and 402-471-2620. As always, I appreciate hearing from you.

Weekly District 30 Update – 4/4/25

State Senator Myron Dorn

The Legislative session has passed the midway point. April 3rd was our 53rd legislative day. In the remaining 37 days, we will need to address the state budget, approximately 100 priority bills, some of which are still in their respective committees. Full day floor debate began this past week and the Speaker, Senator John Arch, is scheduling Senator, Committee and Speaker priority bills for debate. Priority bills tend to be more in-depth, complex and/or controversial.

One such controversial issue is LB 258, the minimum wage bill. In November voters approved a state minimum wage. Senator Jane Raybould of Lincoln brought this bill to consider the variety of workers in our work force. Young people entering the job market for the first time with little experience in job expectations, work ethic, and needing to learn a skill. When voters looked at this issue, did they think of a freshman or sophomore in high school and working for the first time. Or were they about the average age worker in their 20’s and 30’s or the lower income worker trying to support a family stuck in those low wage jobs. Maybe some voters did.

The initiative process is limited on a single subject where nuances cannot be enumerated. Per the state constitution the Legislature can examine, debate and enact those nuances. I look at small businesses across the state having to pay the higher wage while keeping the small business viable, especially with today’s market. LB 258 sets a starting wage for 14- and 15-year-olds at $13.50 per hour and adjusts the 90-day training wage for new employees under age 18 to $13.50 per hour through Dec. 31 2026. Then the training rate would be set at 75% of the state’s minimum wage. The Business and Labor Committee amendment which was adopted, instead increased the training wage by 1.5% annually for new employees younger than 20. And the youth minimum wage would increase by 1.5% every fifth year beginning Jan. 1, 2030. I thought this was a fair compromise for workers and employers. I supported the advancement of the bill.

Another bill dealing with small businesses is LB 113 to increase the amount of alcohol that a micro distillery license can self-distribute to retail stores in Nebraska from 500 gallons to 3,500 gallons. The bill would also increase the number of places the micro-distilleries can operate and retail locations they can sell to from 5 to 8. An amendment by Senator Robert Dover was adopted to allow an entertainment district commons area to permit the consumption of alcohol only during the hours authorized for on-premise alcohol sales while food service is available in the commons area. The bill advanced on a vote of 33-2. I supported this bill.

The next bill should come as no surprise since Nebraska is very much a beef state. LB 246 by Senator Barry DeKay would ban the distribution or sale of cultivated-protein food products, or other called “lab-grown meat,” in Nebraska. Without knowing how safe and what is contained in this product, the bill eliminates the potential for this type of product to be sold in Nebraska. Opposition to the bill said consumers want choices, and consumers can decide for themselves if something seems risky. Another senator said Nebraska should support new technology and our state’s beef industry. After a few hours of discussion, the bill advanced by a 33-4 vote. I supported the advancement. Now I want a steak.

I have received a great deal of emails and phone calls requesting support of various funding proposals. One that stands out is for LB 382 by Senator Glen Meyer of Pender to appropriate $4 million over the next two years to the Area Agencies on Aging or AAA (not the auto club) provides Meals on Wheels, home care, transportation and other services of Nebraskans who are 65 or older and in need of additional help. These are vital services considering our aging population. The money would be allocated from the Medicaid Managed Care Excess Profit Fund. The money for this fund comes from the managed care providers in our state who offer insurance coverage to those who can’t afford or don’t have work provided health care coverage. These managed care providers have their profits capped and if they take in more than the cap, the excess profit is deposited into this fund.

There are a number of bills seeking dollars from this fund. The senators will have to look at all those requests and determine if the fund has the capacity to address those requests. LB 382 will be debated in the next few days.

For more information on the Nebraska Legislature, the link is: nebraskalegislature.gov   

Here you can find all the information on bills, hearing schedules, information on senators, legislative divisions, and legislative reports etc.

My contact information is mdorn@leg.ne.gov and 402-471-2620. As always, I appreciate hearing from you.

Weekly District 30 Update – 3/28/25

State Senator Myron Dorn

The end of March also brings the end of public hearings on bills introduced this session. Starting the week of March 31st, we will begin full-day debate in the Chamber on senators’ priority bills. There have been a few extended debates already.

One such debate is on LB 415 that seeks to make small changes to the passed initiative for paid sick leave. The debate is centered on the committee amendment which incorporated much of LB 698 offered by Senator Paul Strommen. LB 698 would exempt seasonal workers, workers under 16 years of age, and employers who have 10 or fewer employees. Senators who support the committee amendment see this as protecting the smaller employer where the financial impact of providing 5 days of paid sick leave could be crippling. I am concerned about a small business who may not be able to absorb this mandate for paid sick leave. I understand many of the comments that the voter spoke on this. The limited language allowed in ballot measures, and the single subject clause precludes extensive language possibilities. The limitations proposed in the committee amendment to LB 415, I believe are reasonable and appropriate. If this passes, a small business can still opt to provide this coverage if they have fewer than 10 employees. I support the amendment and the bill.

A bill by Senator Jana Hughes of Seward, LB 9 would broaden a measure regarding alternative nicotine products to include nicotine analogues, or synthetic products that mimic the effects of nicotine. The industry creates new products faster than legislation can adapt, but we are attempting to add these products into existing statutes. The General Affairs Committee that heard the bill, offered an amendment which was adopted 39-0 on General File. The amendment would levy a 20% wholesale tax on alternative nicotine products beginning on January 1, or 2026. Right now, these products are taxes at the state rate of 5.5% and any local sales tax. The Department of Revenue estimates this tax would increase revenue by $927,000 in 2026, $2.4 million in 2027, and $2.7 million in 2028. If this tax helps deter buyers from using these addictive products, that is a good thing. The bill advanced to the second round of debate, Select File, with a vote 41-0.

Senator Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, introduced LB 237 to the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. Currently counties with populations of less than 10,000 residents, can conduct all-mail elections. Her bill would remove that threshold and permit counties of any size to conduct mail-in ballots for elections. 67 of Nebraska’s 93 counties are eligible to have all-mail elections, with 11 counties implementing them in full. These counties have seen cost savings, higher voter participation, and improved accessibility for the elderly and those with transportation issues. A representative of the Nebraska County Officials Association supported the bill and stated LB 237 provides counties the flexibility to adopt the system if that best serves their residents. She also mentioned that larger counties probably wouldn’t use this option unless under specific circumstances. All requirements for conducting elections still apply, photo ID or other approved identification methods. The Election Commissioners and County Clerks do an outstanding job of running our elections and I know they would do a great job if this bill became law. I support this idea. I know I have faced challenges with getting to the precinct to cast my vote. The committee has not taken any action on this bill to date.

A bill heard by the Judiciary Committee was LB 73. Senator Barry DeKay offered LB 73 to reduce the number of annual training hours from 32 hours to 20 hours for law enforcement with counties that have less than 40,000 people. Small law enforcement agencies have fewer officers to fill in for the officer at training. The hours were increased to 32 back in 2021 as a result of some civil unrest in the summer of 2020. Small towns are already struggling to keep their law enforcement fully staffed. Two law enforcement officers from small communities testified in support of the bill. No one was in opposition. The bill is still in committee.

Now that senators, committee and the Speaker have designated their priority issues for this session, debate will begin to focus on those issues. Many of those issues tended to be the bigger or more controversial bills. I expect there will be a number of filibusters in the remaining 47 or so days left this session.

For more information on the Nebraska Legislature, the link is: nebraskalegislature.gov   

Here you can find all the information on bills, hearing schedules, information on senators, legislative divisions, and legislative reports etc.

My contact information is mdorn@leg.ne.gov and 402-471-2620. As always, I appreciate hearing from you.

March certainly has come in like a lion and continues to roar with the most recent snow storm this past week. It is my hope that everyone stayed safe on Wednesday, the 19th. The Legislature never calls a snow day. We still meet in session and hold hearings which often makes it difficult for people to come in and testify. However, per our rules, we have to have seven days’ notice for a hearing or cancellation.

On the 19th, I had a hearing before the Judiciary committee on LB 56 which is my last bill for hearing this session. This bill was brought to me by the Gage County Sheriffs office. In state statute, law enforcement is required to have a blood draw done on a driver of a motor vehicle or a pedestrian if killed in a car accident. Recently, the entities refused to comply with doing the blood draw raising concerns of potential liability and chain of custody. This is done for statistical purposes only and is not used in court proceedings. The reason for the blood draw is to determine the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration which collects this data to develop alcohol-impaired-driving programs, evaluating their effectiveness and monitoring overall alcohol-impaired-driving levels. All states submit data, some better than others. There is a statute that states no information from this report shall be used in any trial arising out of the accident unless necessary to show compliance with the statutes for the blood draw. I hope I can work with all interested parties over the interim to address concerns and reach agreement on how to move forward.

On March 18th, the Appropriations Committee heard testimony on two bills offered by Senator Jane Raybould of Lincoln. LB’s 673 and 674 would gut the Perkins Canal Funding and basically kill the project. The Perkins Canal is essential to Nebraska claiming our water rights from the state of Colorado. Per a multi-state compact agreed to over 100 years ago, Nebraska can only insist on those water rights if we have a canal. With all the recent drought years, Nebraska needs to protect those rights. The Perkins Canal project has already begun acquiring land rights and begun contracting for the needed environmental studies. LB 673 would transfer all $500 million to the Water Sustainability Fund and the other option would have LB 674 redirect $250 million to the General Fund and $250 million to the Water Sustainability Fund. Language is also changed from ‘shall’ build to ‘may’ build. I have supported the Perkins Canal in order to ensure western Nebraska receives our share of water from Colorado, for farmers, ranchers and communities in that part of the state. I believe Senator Raybould’s bills are not in the best interest of our state. I am opposed to these two bills.

The Revenue Committee heard testimony on March 20th for LB 484 by Senator Dan Quick of Grand Island. LB 484 addresses a critical issue on how ag and horticultural land is valued for commercial purposes. Ag and horticulture land is valued at 75% of market rate. When wind turbines or solar panels were put on this land, the legislature adopted a nameplate capacity tax on renewable energy while still preserving the agricultural classification of the underlying land. Then in 2024, LB 1317 added a provision removing this classification whether there was one solar panel or one wind turbine or multiple structures creating a renewable energy farm. The ambiguity created several problems. A county assessor could interpret that a single turbine or panel on ag land constitutes a “farm” that disqualifies the entire parcel. Assessors may determine only parcels with multiple renewable energy installations lose the low agriculture assessment rate. An assessor may even decide that any ag parcel within the boundary of a renewable energy project would lose its 75% valuation protection. Our assessors do a great job but need consistency and clarity. LB 484 would restore the clear direction prior to LB 1317, and maintain the practice of classifying land primarily used for ag or horticultural purposes as such, regardless of whether commercial facilities exist on portions of the land. I would support this bill.

For more information on the Nebraska Legislature, the link is: nebraskalegislature.gov   

Here you can find all the information on bills, hearing schedules, information on senators, legislative divisions, and legislative reports etc.

My contact information is mdorn@leg.ne.gov and 402-471-2620. As always, I appreciate hearing from you.

Weekly District 30 Update – 3/14/25

State Senator Myron Dorn

March weather the last week has seen record high temperatures for March and then drops down to relatively normal March temps. In the legislature, it is much the same. We have moments when issues arise that raise temperatures a bit but then things settle back to normal.

Senators, Committees, and the Speaker have designated their priority bills, and those bills tend to be more substantive, more controversial. Senators are allowed one priority bill, committees designate 2, and the Speaker designates 25 which usually tend to be non-controversial. When these bills start to come to the floor for debate, that is when we may see ‘temperatures’ rise inside the legislative chamber. This year I have selected one of Senator Jana Hughes bills. LB 712 which would place a 40% tax on the wholesale price of electronic nicotine delivery systems. This bill is part of a package to her LB 303 would adjust the school funding formula to reduce the maximum levy lid from $1.05 to $1.02 and make other adjustments. Funds are needed to pay for these adjustments. The end goal being property tax reductions. I do not have an issue with taxing electronic nicotine delivery systems, much of which are targeted toward our youth. The bill is still in the Revenue Committee and is projected to bring in $34 million in revenue.

I had three bills heard before the Appropriations Committee on March 11th. LB 54 would implement an 11% increase to reimbursement rates for providers of developmental disability services. Currently the base hiring rate is a little over $15 an hour whereas the Beatrice State Developmental Center’s starting wage is over $21 an hour. This disparity makes it difficult to hire and keep quality people care for the intellectually disabled people in our state. This would cost the state $25 million dollars and draw down approximately $28 million in federal dollars.

Next was LB 55 and would appropriate $1,500,000 for FY2025-26 from the Hospital Quality Assurance and Access Assessment Fund for the medical assistance program to provide reimbursement to mental health providers who do not practice in a hospital and who provide services to Medicaid-eligible participants who are eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare. Since the money would come for this specific fund, the state General Fund would add an additional $333,000 to this reimbursement.

The last bill I introduced that day was LB 57 and would appropriate funds to the Department of Health and Human Services, for Medicaid assisted-living facility rates. The funds shall be used to increase the current Medicaid assisted-living facility rates. A rate study contacted by the department in 2022 indicated urban rates were higher than rural rates even though the cost of care is the same and LB 57 would provide parity between the urban and rural rates. The requested rate would be enhanced to cover the increase in costs for FY 2025-26: $88.24/day and in FY 2026-27: $91.78/day. Increasing these rates would eventually cost the state $7 million a year. Considering our aging population or as referred to at the hearing, the ‘silver tsunami’, we need these facilities to stay open.

As you can see, my focus is on provider rates for a number of different providers. It is the state’s responsibility to take care of those who have used all their financial resources and are now dependent on Medicaid. I try to remember the adage, “but for the grace of God, there go I.”

On a lighter note, both of the competing day-light saving bills have advanced to Final Reading. LB 34 would seek to keep day-light saving time year-round when the federal government would permit such a move, the other, LB 302 would keep standard time year-round. I voted in support of LB 34 and no on LB 302. I like more sunlight in the summer months. We will see which one succeeds when the bills are voted on Final Reading. A note of interest is that if both bills pass on final reading, the last bill to pass will be the one that takes effect, providing the Governor signs the bill.

For more information on the Nebraska Legislature, the link is: nebraskalegislature.gov   

Here you can find all the information on bills, hearing schedules, information on senators, legislative divisions, and legislative reports etc.

My contact information is mdorn@leg.ne.gov and 402-471-2620. As always, I appreciate hearing from you.

Weekly District 30 Update – 3/7/25

State Senator Myron Dorn

March has certainly come in like a lion with the snow and high winds, then nicer, then maybe more snow, rain and sunshine. It’s Nebraska. Most senators were able to make it to the Capitol to continue work on Wednesday March 5th, but it impacted a number of people who wanted to testify.

LB 88 is a bill I introduced on behalf of Main Street Nebraska. This organization helps communities keep our downtowns vibrant, growing and thriving. Main Street helps downtown commercial businesses with rehabbing historical buildings, technical expertise in promotion and marketing the community’s downtown area, bringing together community leaders and developing a common goal for growth and sustainably. Beatrice’s downtown is an excellent example of their work. However, the state is facing a shortfall in funding and I doubt any new appropriations will be made this year.

The State Forecasting Board met on February 28th and provided an advisory forecast on the state’s revenue projections. In my years here, they have been pretty accurate. The board raised the projected revenue for the current fiscal year by $175 million in corporate incomes tax receipts which then were offset by projected decreases in miscellaneous and individual income tax receipts. Basically, it leaves an increase of approximately $100 million above the previous projection. The board also raised the projected revenue for the budget we are currently working on 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 by $65 million, which still leaves a deficit of over $280 million.  The Appropriations committee was also made aware that the federal government has reduced Medicaid reimbursements, which also contributed to why we have a budget deficit. There are hard budgetary decisions that will have to be made.

The Legislature debated LB 113 by Senator Dan Quick from Grand Island. His bill would increase the amount of alcohol that a micro-distillery can self-distribute to retail licensees in Nebraska. The amount would go from 500 gallons to 5,000 gallons. It would also increase the number of licensed premises and retail locations a craft brewery or micro-distillery is permitted to operate from five to ten locations. The adopted committee amendment reduced the amount from 5,000 gallons to 3,500 and the locations from ten to eight. The bill advanced to the next stage of debate and I supported this bill.

The General Affairs Committee heard testimony on two bills related to the medical cannabis initiative petition passed by 70% of the voters in November. LB 651 by Senator Danielle Conrad of Lincoln and LB 677 by Blair Senator Ben Hansen. Both bills set various regulations and creates a Medical Cannabis Commission to oversee the industry. Both bills limit the number of licenses issued and give the commission until October 1, 2025 to establish criteria for registering cannabis establishments. Applications for the licenses could begin January of 2026. The hearing went well into the evening. The committee has not taken action on the bills and most likely will work with the two senators to develop a compromise to advance to the floor. I will support the vote of the people and work to see this bill advance when it comes to the floor.

Lastly, LB 140 by Senator Rita Sanders of Omaha, at the request of the Governor, introduced this bill to require school boards to adopt a policy for prohibiting student use of cellphones while on school property or attending school functions. Cellphones have become a distraction for students and limiting the access will help students focus in class. There are exceptions for cellphone use such as in the case of an emergency, necessary to manage a student’s health care, etc. The Education Committee offered an amendment to limit the policy to school instructional functions and all electrical devices. The school may permit the devices for educational purposes which would be spelled out in the policy. The committee amendment was adopted. Senators voted 44-0 to advance the bill to Select File. I supported this bill,

For more information on the Nebraska Legislature, the link is: nebraskalegislature.gov   

Here you can find all the information on bills, hearing schedules, information on senators, legislative divisions, and legislative reports etc.

My contact information is mdorn@leg.ne.gov and 402-471-2620. As always, I appreciate hearing from you.

State Senator Myron Dorn

February has come to an end and we are at day 35 of the 90-day session with only 4 weeks of committee hearings yet to be held. The various committees have heard some controversial issues and some bills that propose minor adjustments to statutes but no matter the subject content, each bill receives a public hearing.

This past week I presented LR 7CA to the Executive Board of the Legislature. LR 7CA is a constitutional amendment proposal to increase senators’ pay from $1,000 a month ($12,000 a year) to $30,000 a year. If passed by the Legislature, it would go on the ballot at the next general election in 2026. Senators’ salaries were last increased in 1988 from $4,800 a year to the current $12,000. If an inflation factor were applied, it would be over $32,000 today.

NCSL (National Conference of State Legislatures’) is an organization which includes all 50 states. NCSL reviewed all 50 states and ranked them as full-time, hybrid (works more than 70% of the year) and part-time. Nebraska ranked as a hybrid Legislature where state senators worked a great deal outside the 60- and 90-day session. We attend meetings with the county board, various associations, and individual constituents. We are making calls regarding state agency issues, attending interim hearings, and working on Select Committees we serve on.

Senator Ben Hansen’s proposal would have a senator’s salary based on minimum wage and health care. However, he offered an amendment that would establish an independent commission to review and propose a salary. The commission could not have any current or former senators, no former legislative staff, or lobbyists or state employees. I could see the commission having an economist, a business owner, an employment specialist etc. 22 other states have this type of commission. Neither Senator Hansen or I would benefit since we are both term-limited out of the legislature in 2026. I hope an increase in salary would reduce the financial burden that serving in the legislature places on a family. The board has not taken action on any of these proposals to date.

And speaking of ballot issues, last November voters approved an increase in the state minimum wage to $15 per hour by January 1, 2026. The wage would be adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index. Senator Jane Raybould of Lincoln offered LB 258 which would establish a youth minimum wage of $13.50 per hour for new employees ages 14 and 15 and adjust the 90-day training wage for new employees under age 18 to $13.50 per hour through 2026. After 2026, the new training wage will be 75% of the newly CPI adjusted minimum wage. If the on-line comments submitted to the hearing are any indication, the bill will not be successful. The comments submitted for the record were, 5 proponents and 324 opponents.

We have all witnessed distracted drivers with their cell phones to their ears, or trying to send texts. Current law prohibits drivers from using a handheld wireless communication device to read, type or send a written communication while operating a moving motor vehicle that is in motion, basically texting. Freshman Senator Jason Prokop of Lincoln introduced LB 594 which would allow Nebraska law enforcement to stop motorists for holding or otherwise using a handheld device while driving, basically talking on the cell phone. This bill would not apply if the device is not being held but on speaker. The bill would make this a primary offense. According to Vicki Kramer, the director of the state Department of Transportation, “Nebraska is one of five states without a ‘hands-free driving or primary enforcement of texting and driving.” The Transportation and Telecommunications committee has not taken action on the bill.

I would like to close with a tribute to former State Senator Bill Burrows. George “Bill” Burrows who passed away on February 21. Bill served District 30 from 1975 to 1983. He lived in Adams Nebraska his entire life and fought to protect the small family farm and against corporate farming. He was married to his wife, Norma, for 71 years. Our sympathies to the family.

For more information on the Nebraska Legislature, the link is: nebraskalegislature.gov   

Here you can find all the information on bills, hearing schedules, information on senators, legislative divisions, and legislative reports etc.

My contact information is mdorn@leg.ne.gov and 402-471-2620. As always, I appreciate hearing from you.