The Legislative Session has begun and we are now preparing for committee hearings for the bills that I have introduced this Session. 

Here is a list of the bills I have introduced and a short description of each one:

• LB91 – LB91 is a bill to change the frequency of testing native flower and grass seed germination percentage from every nine months to every fifteen months and to allow tetrazolium (TZ) testing in lieu of germination testing for native seeds.

• LB134 – Require the posting and reporting of tax incentive information under the Taxpayer Transparency Act. This bill would change the Taxpayer Transparency Act to require the posting and reporting of information relating to tax incentive programs including the Nebraska Imagine Act.

• LB242 – This bill allows political subdivisions to utilize design-build in the cases of repair, retrofit, reconstruct, or to replace a bridge. Under this bill, political subdivisions may commit dollars in current budgets to get to work building bridges right away but be able to pay for it in full later. This does not increase property taxes or give any additional spending authority to political subdivisions but allows them to pay for these bridges over a longer period. This will benefit our rural counties with bridge problems.

• LB306 – LB306 would expand eligibility to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) program from 130% of the federal poverty level to 150%, making more Nebraska households eligible. LIHEAP provides federal financial assistance to those in need to offset the costs of heating and cooling. It would also stipulate that not less than 10% of LIHEAP funds be allocated to weatherization assistance.

• LB324 – LB324 makes it easier for the consumer to purchase individual packages of meat directly from the producer or processor. The bill allows the producer and consumer more flexibility when deciding where their meat is processed. It also creates the Independent Processor Assistance Program which provides a roadmap for increasing local processing capacity and expanding market access for small producers. Implementation of this program is not mandated and no funding is requested. 

• LB396 – Adopt the Nebraska Farm-to-School Program Act. This bill would expand the scale and reach of Nebraska-produced food by providing networking resources for Nebraska schools, local vegetable and fruit growers, and meat and dairy producers to increase the quantity of quality local food purchased by and served in our schools.

• LB460 – Authorize leasing of dark fiber and eliminate certain powers of the Public Service Commission. This bill would enable public power to lease their dark fiber and would lift major hurdles for utilities to partner with internet providers to provide high-speed connectivity to unserved and underserved communities. 

• LB524 – Change provisions relating to the calculation of credits under the Nebraska Property Tax Incentive Act. This bill would allow any 2019 school district taxes that were both levied and paid during calendar year 2019 be deemed to have been paid in calendar year 2020.

• LB543 – This bill would allow farmers to fix their own machinery under the Agricultural Equipment Right-To-Repair Act by enabling independent mechanics to access what they need for a repair, within reason. The bill would require the mechanic to purchase the needed tools or software from the local franchisee.

• LB600 – Provide powers and duties for political subdivisions regarding broadband facilities and infrastructure. This bill would expand financial resources and tools for the development of broadband infrastructure and facilities in rural areas by allowing public power districts and electric cooperatives financing authority, and by repurposing the Municipal Infrastructure Redevelopment Act for financing broadband.

• LR9 – Congratulate the Bruning-Davenport-Shickley Eagles football team for winning the 2020 Class D-2 state championship. This resolution has been adopted.

If you have questions or comments about these bills or others, feel free contact me or  my legislative staff. You can also stay up to speed by subscribing to the Unicameral Update free of charge by sending an email to uio@leg.ne.gov or calling 402-471-2788. If you feel strongly about a bill, I encourage you to testify in support or against it either by attending the hearing in person, or by the other options made available due to COVID-19. Stay safe out there!