The Legislature has adjourned, ending our work on the 88th day of a possible 90 day session. Since January, major issues have been debated including several that will affect taxes, education, economic development and criminal justice. Much attention was also given to social and cultural issues, resulting in many filibusters.

A main piece of legislation in the session is always the budget. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, this was a primary focus for me, as it has been the past five years while serving in the Unicameral. I have reported our progress as we put together the financial package for the state, culminating in a nearly $10 billion budget. Late last week, the Governor returned the budget package with several vetoes.

On Wednesday, we took up motions to override those line item vetoes of specific appropriations. The first was a motion to put rates for Medicaid providers back into the budget at a level of 2% the second year of the biennium, FY 23-24. After much discussion about how much funding was already available but not yet dispersed by Health and Human Services, this motion failed with a vote of 22 to 24. An override requires 30 yes votes.

A motion to fund expansion of the State Auditor’s staff to accommodate additional work was discussed, with support for the quality of previous audits and the experience of State Auditor, Mike Foley. There was also concern about the appropriate use and distribution of federal ARPA funding and the need to track those dollars. This override was successful, the vote was 31 votes for and 14 against.

Another override motion would have restored funds for workforce housing. Again, the debate on this topic included the use of existing funds first. This motion failed on a 25 to 23 vote. A motion to fund interpreters and ex-officio clerks used in the court system across the state failed on a 20 to 23 vote. Additional motions offered as overrides also failed.

I support using our state’s financial resources as efficiently and prudently as possible. I also know that funding ongoing budget items, such as salaries, with one time funds such as would require dipping into reserves, may not be sustainable in the long run. With that in mind, as well as my knowledge of the process followed by the Appropriations Committee, I did vote to override several of the line item vetoes.

If you remember last January, I introduced 16 bills. I also signed on as a co-sponsor to an additional 19 bills. I was very pleased to get LB 562 across the finish line, to expand the accessibility of Ethanol E-15 across Nebraska. Additional use of ethanol will benefit the state’s economy and the environment. A signing ceremony was held on Thursday at the Governor’s Mansion, which included Sen. Vargas of Omaha and Sen. Brandt of Plymouth as their bills for food truck regulations and beginning farmer legislation, respectively, were included in LB 562.

My remaining bills were either included in the budget, combined with other bills, or are still pending. LB 45 to revitalize rural Nebraska was incorporated into LB 531 which was passed on Thursday. LB 90 was merged into LB 254, relating to tax incentive performance audits. I introduced that bill as the Chair of the Legislature’s Performance Audition Committee.

Several of my bills were placed into the general budget: LB 128, 129, 131, 361 and 362. LB 361 deals with funding for the Precision Agriculture Infrastructure Grant Program; the remainder address hospitals, assisted living and nursing facility funding.

A couple of bills will be turned into interim studies for further research and possible amendments or new bills for the next session. One will examine how the state can ensure it has effective emergency medical services in rural communities. Another will evaluate the current funding mechanisms and operations of the state mesonet system, a series of automated weather stations that aid in disaster mitigation, such as flooding and wildfires, and more accurate weather forecasting.

I also introduced a proposal to find ways to improve the handicapped accessibility of parking, entryways and interior spaces of the Capitol. If you have ever attempted to enter the building in a wheelchair, or even on crutches, you know the difficulty of accessing our beautiful state Capitol. We hope to find ways to preserve the historical and architectural integrity of the building, while making it possible for everyone to navigate and enjoy.

During the interim, I will continue my work with the Performance Audit Committee which chooses several programs each year for review of adherence to legislative intent and success in implementation. I also serve on the Building and Maintenance Committee, which has oversight for all state owned properties. With these and the studies mentioned above, I expect another very busy summer and fall before we reconvene next January.

The interim is a great time for you to communicate your ideas and concerns. My staff will be on duty, and the answering machine is always on. Contact me at mdorn@leg.ne.gov . Call 402-471-2620. Send mail to District 30, PO Box 94604, Lincoln, Ne 68509-4604. Updates will be sent on a monthly basis going forward. Wishing everyone in District 30 a safe and happy summer.