The legislative process has been running smoothly this week, with good discussion on the issues and movement on a number of bills. I had three pieces of legislation advance to second round debate.

LB 47 was incorporated into a Government Committee bill, dealing with open meeting laws and posting of notices. LB 130 concerns statutory language about Medicaid nursing facility rates, the calculation and an annual inflation factor. LB 940 permits a county to pay for programs or services that provide assistance to survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault. These agencies are typically non profit organizations and the bill makes it clear that a county is allowed to contract for these services.

On Thursday, I participated in a press conference to explain the critical need for access to health care across Nebraska. Right now, fifteen Nebraska counties have no nursing home or assisted living facility. Nebraskans’ access to this care is becoming increasingly limited due to inadequate funding, a depleted workforce and an increase in the cost of goods and services needed to operate. These care settings are activity hubs and major economic drivers for their towns. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities support more than $3 billion of Nebraska’s economic activity.

The goal of the press conference was to communicate the importance of all Nebraskans having access to care in a nursing home or assisted living facility, when and where they need it (right care, right time, right place.). Maps illustrated geographic “care deserts” in Nebraska and the challenges that situation brings to quality of life for patients, their family members and the care staff.

Two of the speakers shared their first hand experience of living in a “care desert”. First was a health care provider who had to find employment at a great distance from home after a facility closed in her area. The second was a patient who could only find recuperative care at a facility two and half hours from the family’s ranch home. I appreciated their willingness to share their stories and help illustrate the vital need for improved access. My bills addressing these concerns, LBs 941, 942, 943 and 944 will be heard in committee next week.

Several bills generated a great deal of interest in public hearings this past week. One of those was Sen. Brewer’s LB 1339 that would broaden state law as to who can carry a firearm on Nebraska school property. Districts could also voluntarily establish a written policy for their own schools. There are very passionate people on both sides of this issue. We also have such a diverse array of schools across the state. Lincoln and Omaha have a police force that can respond in minutes. Some rural schools could be an hour away from a response to an emergency situation. We have about 250 school districts in Nebraska, so when we develop policy, we need to remember all of them and allow guidelines to be in place so every school can be considered a safe place.

There are several proposals for property tax relief, most heard in the Revenue Committee. LB 1308 by Sen. Von Gillern would remove the exemption of sales and use tax on ag repairs and parts. I am hearing a lot of feedback from suppliers that the parts business would then go to Kansas or other states.

I am not sure how this will fit into the bigger picture – property tax will be part of a package that comes to the floor, but I can say a lot of work is yet to be done. It will take discussion and a willingness to give from all sides. To get to the Governor’s goal of a 40% reduction in property tax, will exemptions be enough? Will a raise in sales tax help? Will it be 1% or a half percent? What can be done to rebalance the “three legged stool” of taxation? Any tax measure that is offered could be filibustered and would take 33 votes to move forward as well.

As we take up all these bills, I appreciate your communication. Contact me at 402-471-2620, mdorn@leg.ne.gov and check the website for more information: www.nebraskalegislature.gov