We are a quarter of the way through this short session, but the days have been long.  Mornings are used for floor debate and afternoons for committee hearings. Since our first day of floor debate, we have focused on priority bills, some carried over from last year, and some newly designated by senators as their 2022 priorities. While most of our conversations have been lengthy, they have been mainly cordial, and I hope to see it stay that way.

Committee hearings have generated a lot of interest and testimony. The Judiciary Committee typically has the most bills and that has not changed in this session, with increased urgency to act on Corrections issues.  This session, due to the federal funds known as the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA), the Appropriations Committee has followed suit with a large number of bills. 

The Legislative Fiscal Office released a list of the 86 bills requesting ARPA funds, along with 14 requests sent to other committees. A quick toting up of those 100 bills shows just over $3.7 billion in requests, out of the $1.4 billion available. Some of the larger bills include one by Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, which would direct $520M to go out in debit cards to people in the state of Nebraska.  Senators Wayne and McKinney have proposed around $420M for north Omaha neighborhoods which really struggled during covid. Sen. McDonnell’s “shovel ready” bill would grow with $100M in assistance in the Governor’s ARPA’s proposal. One item that caught my eye in the Governor’s plan was to fund the law enforcement training facilities in Grand Island with $47.7M. I have heard from a few of the local law enforcement agencies regarding the difficulty in hiring officers only to see delays in their ability to receive training at the training facilities.

Which brings me to a couple of important considerations as we look at ways to distribute ARPA funds.  There are strict guidelines for how the money is to be spent. Use of the funds must be related to Covid-19 prevention and mitigation of its effects, medical services, behavioral health care, and preventing and responding to violence.  Some of the entities which can be considered include households, small businesses with less than 500 employees, non profits, impacted industries such as travel, tourism, hospitality and similar industries, and public sector capacity  –  broadband and internet access, and vital services such as water and sewer projects. 

There are also some budgetary stipulations. First, the dollars have to be allocated by the end of 2024; and they must be used by the end of 2026. Secondly, if the federal government questions the proper and timely use of the funds, they must be repaid within 120 days and then an appeals process can take place. 

The Appropriations Committee heard nearly eight hours of testimony on Tuesday on just one bill, LB 1014, the Governor’s proposals for the ARPA money. More than 80 people testified and we finished up about 9:30 pm that night. We haven’t even started putting the puzzle together yet. Eventually, when the remaining hearings are finished, things will start to fall into place. Some issues will rise to the top. Others will be weeded out.

Two important bills were heard by the Education and Revenue Committees this week. LB 890 and LB 891, introduced by Senators Walz and Lindstrom respectively, which work hand in hand to make changes to public school funding. There was significant support from the schools for the formula portion of the bill. However the superintendent for Omaha Public Schools testified in opposition to both bills. I have been in conversation with senators on both the Education and Revenue committees to learn more. If the bills stay in current form, they will face challenges to get out of committee or to go on to have success on the floor. However, there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes, as with most higher level bills like this. It will be interesting to see what amendments or changes come out in the future on this major and recurring issue.

I encourage you to read through the funding bills or any other topics of legislation that concern you. You can contact me at mdorn@leg.ne.gov, call 402-471-2620, or send mail to District 30, PO Box 94604, Lincoln, NE 68509-4604.  The text of all bills and a complete schedule can be found at www.nebraskalegislature.gov

Bill introduction is complete, and public hearings have begun at the Legislature. The total number of bills introduced from the previous session and this current one (which comprise one biennium) is 1277. Each bill will be heard by a committee. However, with our limited time in this 60 day session, I predict that only the easiest bills with minimal impact, and the biggest bills which affect the most people or the budget, will make it to the floor for debate.

There are quite a few “big” issues before us, and I admire and appreciate the passion and support constituents have, both pro and con. I would like to suggest a few tips for communicating your views to senators and staff, and perhaps anyone with whom you interact on a “hot topic” for that matter.  I know we can all benefit from these ideas, myself included.

First, tell your personal story and try to avoid form letters, forwarded emails, or pre-printed postcards.  Secondly, while frustration is normal, try to discuss the matter at hand and remember it is just another human being taking your call, reading your letter, or listening to your committee presentation.  Be calm. Be honest, share as many facts as you can. And be as patient as possible, because sometimes the wheels turn slow, whether we like it or not. For our part, my staff and I will listen and read and respond to the best of our abilities.

The Appropriations Committee on which I serve, has already begun the process of reviewing agency budgets and requests for adjustments. The main budget was passed last year, so this second year of a session is typically for small modifications.  Of course, all of that went out the door with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds coming into Nebraska.  Nearly every bill that requests assistance from this fund will pass through the Appropriations Committee process, including the Governor’s plan. We will begin hearing those bills on the 24th and continue to mid February.

One of my own bills had a public hearing on Friday before the Judiciary committee. LB 763 would add private airstrips or runways and noncommercial aviation activities to the protections provided under the recreation liability statutes. The next step will be for the committee to decide whether to send the bill to the floor for first round debate, hold it, or indefinitely postpone (kill) the bill.

Another of my bills, LB 1091 is The Nebraska Nursing Incentive Act bill. Our state’s hospitals struggle to attract and retain healthcare professionals, which affects both our physical and economic health.  Lack of care ripples out through communities across the state as they work to draw and retain residents and the businesses that employ them. As we all know, this issue has only become more crucial during the pandemic. LB 1091 appropriates $5 million from ARPA for scholarships to public or private postsecondary institutions for approved nursing programs.

So far, our morning debates on the floor have focused on just a few bills. LR 14, introduced by Sen. Halloran, would include Nebraska in a constitutional convention. In the second round debate this bill was amended to sunset by 2027 and I support this bill.  LB 496, brought by Sen. Hilkeman, allows for collection of DNA when someone is placed under arrest for certain felonies. I support this bill as well. LB 310 is carried by Sen. Clements and makes adjustments to the categories and amount of the inheritance tax. My position is that these are tax dollars that go directly to counties, and are not the state’s tax dollars in the first place. I also know from my time on the county board how important these funds can be to a county. For those reasons, I did not support the bill in the first round; however it has advanced to final reading. I would support any elimination of the inheritance tax if the state would replace the funding. 

For hearing and debate schedules, text and status of all bills and contact information for all senators, go to www.nebraskalegislature.gov.  Contact me directly at 402-471-2620  mdorn@leg.ne.gov  District 30, State Capitol, PO Box 94604, Lincoln NE  68509-4606

The second session of the 107th Legislature is off and running. This is the “short” 60 day session and the second half of a two-year biennium. The first ten days are used for new bill introduction, and all of those bills will have a public hearing in coming weeks. But we also began right away debating bills that were carried over from the first session in 2021. 

Earlier this week, discussion was held on LR 14 by Sen. Halloran, which would include Nebraska in a convention of the states. That bill advanced to the second round of debate.  We also took up Sen. Linehan’s bill LB364 to give tax credits for charitable contributions to private school scholarships. That bill did not advance. LB364 was taken to eight hours of debate and consumed a good part of the week.

The Legislature will convene in the mornings starting on the 18th for floor debate; and will hold committee hearings on new bills each afternoon. We will continue with the bill introduction until the 20th.

At this point, I have a couple of bills that carried over from last year, and have introduced several new bills.  My carry over legislation includes LB102, which would provide for the transfer of duties of clerks of the district court to clerk magistrates to streamline this part of the court system as well as save some money.

Another carry over bill is LB361 which deals with funding for our Educational Service Units. In the past ten years, funding for ESUs has decreased. The bill attempts to restore core service funds to the ESUs.

Many of my new proposals deal with the way we allocate the federal funds known as ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) available to Nebrakans as a result of the pandemic. A couple of other bills make minor changes to existing law to allow full access to appropriated grant fund dollars. We need to take advantage of this one-time influx of cash to our state, and stretch those dollars as far as possible, for as many as possible.

I introduced LB759 to change a limitation relating to microloans under the Business Innovation Act. The cap was last raised in 2015. With inflation, the cap should be closer to $150,000. LB760 requests $5 million in ARPA funds for grants to licensed emergency medical services programs to replace old ambulances and medical equipment. This concept is also a part of the Governor’s proposal.

My bill, LB761 would create the Precision Agriculture Infrastructure Grant Act with $10 million in ARPA funds to provide broadband to ag producers for precision agriculture connectivity, sustainability, traceability and autonomy to accelerate rural economic development.

Provider rates are always of concern in District 30, and I introduced LB762 to appropriate funds for a 10% provider rate increase for behavioral health services through the Department of Health and Human Services. 

A couple of my bills deal with liability and licensing. LB763 would place private airstrips or runways and noncommercial aviation activities under the protection of the recreational liability act.  LB811 would require  out-of-state auctioneers to comply with the Nebraska Real Estate License Act before selling property here in our state.

We have all seen the increase in threats to the grids and networks we rely on. I introduced LB904 to use ARPA funds for an artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity and computer center facility, with a focus on agriculture.  My bill LB969 asks for ARPA funds for the Department of Environment and Energy to improve reliability and resiliency of the electric grid.

Another ARPA fund request is in my bill LB968, allocating federal funds to the Department of Economic Development for affordable housing and job training including housing for refugees, and $2 million for job training. The Governor also has workforce housing development and job training in his proposed budget package.

LB996 is my bill to send federal funds to the Department of Health and Human Services for assisted-living facilities impacted by COVID, incentives for staff recruitment and retention, and assistance with cost of supplies and equipment.

I have two more bills which I will introduce next week (bill numbers have not yet been assigned). The first would direct $5 million in ARPA for scholarships to students entering into nursing programs because of severe nursing shortages now and into the future; and the second one would change the cap in the existing microenterprise program from the current $2 million dollar cap to $3 million and allow access to funds already there.

This will be an extremely busy session, thanks in large part to those federal funds. As a result, I have introduced more bills than I had anticipated. But as I said, we need to take advantage of this significant and rare opportunity, nearly all of them will have a beneficial multiplier effect on our local economy.

The text of every bill introduced, a schedule for hearings, and a means to submit your own written testimony, can all be found at the Legislature’s website:  nebraskalegislature.gov.  I encourage you to weigh in on any issue that concerns you as we progress through the session.  mdorn@leg.ne.gov  402-471-2620 District 30, PO Box 94604, Lincoln, NE 68509-4604

The holiday season always seems to be the busiest time of year. When you add in a legislative session that begins in about three weeks, the calendar fills up even faster.  The past couple of months I have been meeting with constituents and organizations about their requests and suggestions for bills. 

To be honest, having money in the budget and extra federal money coming into Nebraska, makes things far more complicated. The key is to remember that robust state revenues are always on a cycle, and an infusion of cash from federal sources often comes with restrictions. That means we need to be extremely thoughtful and cautious about our spending in the coming session.

Meetings in the past month have included several health organizations and health care provider groups. The pandemic has placed additional stress on scarce resources and understaffed institutions, and I will be working with other senators to find solutions.  I continue to meet with the Courts and our counties to find a way to streamline services, making them more cost efficient without sacrificing jobs or accessibility to the public. 

As a member of the school funding interim study committee, I have attended several briefings and brainstorming sessions. Once again, we find there is no simple answer to the linkage between school funding and taxation. Added to that is the vast difference between school districts across our state, even within our own legislative district. Remembering the phrase “if it was easy, it would be done by now”, I anticipate much debate on this issue again on the floor of the Legislature, but hold out hope that we can find a good solution.

I toured some of the correctional facilities in Lincoln this past month, and will visit some sites in Omaha yet before the end of December. The recent wage increase is showing some promise in alleviating the staffing crisis, but facility ages and conditions are also a concern. This too will be a ‘hot topic’ when we convene in January.

Small business and local economic development continue to be crucial in every city and town in District 30. I have met with a couple of groups who have proposals to boost opportunities and will be supporting their efforts with legislation. The power grid and state infrastructure will also be addressed during the session. The University of Nebraska system has some proposed legislation dealing with cyber security and its importance in profitability for agriculture that I believe will be very beneficial. I continue to monitor the ‘right-to-repair’ topic regarding agricultural machinery and technology and expect some work to be done there as well.

Again, nearly everything my staff and I are working on will come down to funding. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I know our work will be more intense this coming year than ever before. Putting together a budget in a lean year is sometimes easier than having resources where everyone wants a portion.  The main budget work was done last year, which was the first half of this biennium (two year) legislative session. So technically, we will be working on “adjustments”. I anticipate there to be several adjustments. 

In the midst of the hustle and bustle, may you find moments of real peace and joy as we celebrate Christmas. Wishing you all good health and happiness, and all the best in the new year ahead.

Please contact me at any time at mdorn@leg.ne.gov, 402-471-2620. Follow me on Facebook at Senator Myron Dorn, and check my state website at http://news.legislature.ne.gov/dist30/. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The special session for redistricting wrapped up on Thursday with final reading. After a slow start, and many discussions and negotiations, the districts were redrawn as required by the state constitution. As is always the case, not everyone is totally happy with the results – but that probably indicates that the necessary give-and-take played a role in getting the work done.

The six district maps included the Public Service Commission, Supreme Court judicial districts, State Board of Education, Board of Regents for the University of Nebraska System, Congress and the Legislature.  Those last two on the list generated the most debate. 

As far as electing members of Congress, our area is split between congressional districts 1 and 3. The third district includes most of the entire state outside of Lincoln or Omaha and encompasses 80 of the state’s 93 counties. Much of the discussion on this bill focused on splitting Sarpy County or Douglas County. 

There are good arguments for keeping counties whole; likewise, there are good reasons for splitting counties to achieve the correct population in each district. The ideal congressional district, based on the state population from the 2020 census, divided by three, is 653,835 people. Due to the shift in population from west to eastern areas, the third district needed an additional 53,000 people to meet the ideal number. Lancaster County did remain in the first district, and Gage County remained in the third district.

The legislative map was by far the most complicated with 49 districts. District 30 had grown to be the fifth largest district with over 43,000 people, and had to be redrawn to bring the number down closer to the ideal of 40,031 people. The new map includes all of Gage County, a small portion of southeast Lancaster County and a narrow part of Lincoln. Regrettably, the Bennet area had to be moved into District 25; and the Firth area moved into District 32.  A verbal description of the district is really difficult to follow, so I would recommend viewing the map online:  http://news.legislature.ne.gov/red/  

Once the new maps are completed and in force, and posted to the Legislature’s website, you can always use the “find your senator” feature along the right side of the home page. Simply enter your street address.

The other four maps referenced above range from having just five to eight districts, so most of those have at least one district with a vast territory in the western half of the state. The truth of the matter is that once you get past Grand Island, the population totals drop off rapidly. One good point brought up repeatedly in our debates was the need to focus on and fund the sections of rural Nebraska that are losing population. We also need to be aware of the needs in our urban areas. Nebraska works best when all our citizens are given attention.

As our focus turns to the coming session in January, I urge you to be in contact with my office about your concerns and with your ideas. mdorn@leg.ne.gov  402.471-2620  P.O Box 94604, Lincoln, NE 68509. Remember to watch out for harvest equipment moving slowly through the area these next few weeks and stay safe.

Most of this first week of special session was taken up by legislative procedures for redistricting, introducing bills and holding hearings, and talking with fellow senators and residents of District 30.  The only topics allowed in this session are the specifics of drawing the lines that will delineate six entities:  Congressional districts, the Legislature, Public Service Commission, Nebraska Board of Education, the Supreme Court and the Board of Regents. 

The Redistricting Committee, which drew the first set of maps, had to have three members representing each congressional district; as well as a balance of Republicans and Democrats. The 3rd congressional district, which includes District 30, has 17 senators and all of them are Republicans. This resulted in three members from Lincoln and three from Omaha, each sending one Republican and two Democrats.  The committee elected Sen. Linehan, a Republican, as Chair, and Sen. Wayne, a Democrat, as Vice Chair.

The base plans for all six maps can be found here:/http://news.legislature.ne.gov/red/proposed-base-plans/ 

The maps on the website above are the proposals developed by the redistricting committee. After the last census, a legislative district represented about 36,800 people. With the 2020 census, the ideal number in a district is now 40,031 people (the total state population divided by 49). District 30 was the 5th largest in growth. 

We have to be within 5% above or below the 40,031, a range roughly of 38,000 to 42,000. All legislative districts have to be within that range to avoid a possible court challenge. So District 30, standing right now at a population of 43,804, is 9.4% over and will have to be redrawn to get closer to that ideal number. 

It is important to know that any map has to be drawn using “census blocks”, and not precincts. In working on our own maps of District 30, we found that a census block can vary in population from four people to several hundred. This sometimes results in unusual boundaries and not the nice clean lines we would prefer.

Because quite a few senators, including myself, are working on maps, there are lots of alternative plans floating around which can be offered as amendments to the committee’s bills. The “Linehan” map keeps District 30 mostly intact, but does move sections of southern Gage county into District 32. The “Wayne” map leaves Gage county whole but moves the city of HIckman into District 32.

On most maps I have seen, Gage county is divided, with one even dividing Beatrice down highway 77. My staff worked with Senators Brandt and Kolterman, as well as the Lincoln delegation, to develop a map of District 30 that keeps the county whole and simply drops our northern boundary down to compensate for the explosive growth in southern areas of Lincoln. 

Any map you draw has to take all 49 districts into account. As an example, three districts within the city of Omaha have grown to a population well over 50,000. All of those lines have to be redrawn, with a definite domino effect on the remaining districts. It is interesting to note that those three districts have enough growth in population to create one whole new district. To deal with that, either a rural district “disappears” or a variation of  cutting up neighboring districts must be done in order to not “lose” a rural district. 

Another alternative was presented in a bill by Sen. Kolterman, to add a 50th district as allowable under the Constitution, put it in Omaha, and make only small adjustments to remaining districts. An opinion by the Attorney General indicated this bill was not germane to the existing call of the special session. It is possible to expand the call, but I do not see that happening. I do believe the idea of a 50th senator might be offered again in January as a new bill. 

I do not know how many amendments will be offered, who will submit them, or even what the attitude of working together will be. I sincerely do not want to see Gage county split, but in the end, due to the loss of population in the western part of the state and the shift toward Omaha, the probability is greater than it was 10 years ago. 

Despite the focused attention on redistricting, being in session in Lincoln has resulted in some good opportunities to talk with quite a few organizations and constituents about other issues. I have been able to discuss school finance and tax policy, rural broadband, agricultural concerns and federal funding, as well as early childhood, public power and public health. These conversations are really valuable as this is the time of year we begin to put together legislation for next year. 

Please let me know your thoughts and concerns as we go forward with special session, and as we form bills to introduce next January.  You can contact me at mdorn@leg.ne.gov, 402-471-2620, or send mail to PO Box  94604, Lincoln, NE 68509-4604.

The “interim”, those months between legislative sessions, allow senators and staff to spend more time meeting with constituents and to study the issues more intensely. However the past couple of summers have been broken up with unusual legislative activities. In 2020, we reconvened to complete the session in late July and early August. This year, we will meet in a special session to complete the constitutionally required work of redistricting, based on census figures. 

The census, like many other things in the past two years, was delayed due to covid. The data became available just a few weeks ago, and the Legislative Research Office has been diligently compiling numbers and creating maps to show which districts gained population, and those that saw decreases.  

The special session has officially been called by the Governor and will begin on September 13th. The call is limited to only enacting legislation to redistrict the boundaries of the Supreme Court judicial districts, the Public Service Commission, the University system Board of Regents, the State Board of Education, the Nebraska Legislature and Representatives of Congress.  

While there has been some limited talk of taking up other subjects, mainly concerning the pandemic, the Governor’s call, as well as Speaker Hilgers, make it clear we will only work on redistricting. This task must be completed by September 24th to allow election officials to be prepared for the first elections of 2022.  

Based on the Nebraska census data, each state senator will now represent about 40,000 people. This number is determined by dividing the state’s total population by 49, our current number of state senators. 

District 30, which includes all of Gage county and portions of southeastern Lancaster county, grew in population, coming in at 43,804. District 30 is now the 5th largest legislative district by population; the 49 districts range from 59,542 (northwest Douglas county, Elkhorn area) down to 33,841 (Panhandle area).  I cannot say with any certainty whatsoever how the outline of our district will change, but some adjustments will be made to get as close as possible to that target of 40,000 residents.

As a member of the LR 141 Interim Study committee, I have attended several hearings dealing with school finance. To date, we have met twice in Lincoln and once in Kearney. We have been brought up to date on how the TEEOSA program was originally enacted and how it has worked to this point. Many stakeholders have provided input on both local and state funding for education.

My second interim committee assignment is the Building and Maintenance Committee, which oversees state properties all over Nebraska. We have traveled to UNMC in Omaha, UNL East Campus in Lincoln and the State Patrol Headquarters North Platte, including a Veterans Administration site. We will also tour the Youth Rehabilitation Treatment Center (YRTC)  facility in the Hastings area. Our job is to review the condition and use of these facilities and assure state funds are being applied wisely.

The third appointment I had was to the Nebraska Children’s Commission, representing the Legislature’s Appropriation Committee. Thus far our meetings have utilized a combination of in person and online platforms, allowing us to keep up with the schedule, which will continue throughout the year. 

I am closely following the work of the interim study group looking at the Eastern Service Area Child Welfare Contract. The Legislature’s Health and Human Services committee is spearheading this oversight, looking into how foster care is provided and the issues surrounding that program. 

On Aug. 25, the Department of Treasury issued further guidance to expedite the distribution of the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA). An updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page highlights additional policies designed to encourage state and local governments to deliver those rental assistance funds more readily to eligible households. The FAQ page lists seven additional policies meant to provide more flexibility to states, including further guidance on self-attestation for households at risk for eviction and homelessness. Both landlords and renters are encouraged to utilize this program. Go to the US Treasury website for more information.  Click here. 

Another important study, LR 178, is looking at ways to best utilize the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds available to Nebraska. My staff has been participating in working groups, and public hearings will be held this fall. I urge you to bring your ideas for one time expenditures that could benefit our District to that committee, as I will. Information about hearings and a portal for submitting testimony can be found at nebraskalegislature.gov.

At the national level, I am a member of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee of the Council of State Governments (CSG). The summer meeting was held in Rapid City, SD, where our committee toured a bison ranch and fish hatchery facilities. Then the whole Council met for keynote speakers and workshops. It was an excellent opportunity to talk with legislators from neighboring states, to hear how similar their concerns are and how they are handling those issues in their states.

I hosted a tour of the Beatrice State Developmental Center (BSDC) and Mosaic, for members of the Health and Human Services Committee in July. The staff and residents at both facilities did a great job presenting their programming to the senators and legislative aides.

Always of importance in District 30, I have kept in contact with NDOT Director Selmer and monitored progress on the South Beltway. I also continue to be briefed on pandemic conditions by UNMC, and both Lincoln Lancaster Public Health, and Public Health Solutions, which serves Gage County. 

As we begin the special session and head into the remaining weeks of the interim, I encourage your communication about any concerns you may have. Contact me at mdorn@leg.ne.gov, call me at 402-471-2620, or send your letters to PO Box 94064, Lincoln NE 68509-4604. I look forward to hearing from you and working together on the issues facing our great state.

Sen. Dorn participated in the name change ceremony

at Homestead National Historical Park on Wednesday.

Former U.S. Ambassador to China/former Governor of Iowa, Terry Branstad with Gov. Pete Ricketts at the Governor’s Ag Conference in Kearney, NE on August 4th.

For several years running, Sen. Dorn has been voted Gage County’s Most Popular Politician in a contest held by the Beatrice Daily Sun newspaper.
Congrats, Sen. Dorn!