I am honored to continue my service as your State Senator and want to take a moment to thank everyone who assisted me with the campaign. I would also like to extend a special thank you to my wife, Julie. Running for office is a decision with a significant impact on one’s spouse. Julie was a steadfast supporter and went above and beyond to support the campaign.

Now that the election is over, Senators are preparing for the 2023 session in earnest. This week, I will be attending orientation for new Senators in Lincoln. Even though I am technically a returning Senator, I asked to be included to ensure I am fully prepared for next session. I am also looking forward to getting to know all of my new colleagues. Later in the week, the Legislative Council will hold its annual meeting in Nebraska City. Senators will discuss current issues and start the process of establishing the Committee on Committees, which determines committee membership.

The Unicameral has 14 standing committees that meet regularly, as well as several special and select committees. All legislative bills are afforded a public hearing. After a bill is introduced, it is referred to the standing committee with jurisdiction over the bill’s topic, and standing committees meet in the afternoons throughout the first several weeks of the session in order to hold bill hearings. After the end of bill hearings, committees only meet periodically for supplemental hearings or in an executive session to consider advancing bills for consideration by the whole Legislature.

Committees have approximately seven to nine members and always have representation from each of Nebraska’s three congressional districts. With the exception of the Appropriation Committee, which meets five days a week, standing committees meet either one, two, or three days a week on regular days. For example, the General Affairs Committee meets on Mondays, while the Judiciary Committee meets Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Senators’ committee assignments are organized so that they have a standing committee meeting five days a week during the bill hearing period, which means they can serve on one or several committees.

As a general rule, returning members can choose to remain on their existing committees. New Senators are assigned to open spots based on their interests, and the committees’ need to have fair congressional district representation. When I was appointed, I assumed Sen. Groene’s standing committee assignments: Agriculture, Natural Resources, and General Affairs. There are several Senators from the Third District, including myself, who are interested in serving on the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee. If there are not enough spots, I would be interested in staying on the General Affairs Committee. I have also expressed a desire to serve on the Revenue Committee, given the number of District 42 constituents who are concerned about Nebraska’s tax system. In the end, it is my goal to make a positive impact on District 42 regardless of my committee assignments.

In addition to thinking about committee assignments, I have also been working with my staff on bill drafting. We are in the process of finalizing micro-TIF legislation, and I plan to co-sponsor a bill requiring two-person crews on trains. There are several other issues that I am exploring as well that may become legislative bills.

Finally, Julie and I attended an information meeting on November 6 in Dunning to discuss the damage to the State 4-H Camp and Nebraska National Forest from the Bovee Fire. The Nebraska National Forest is one of the largest man-made forests in the world, and thousands of youth and families have visited the State 4-H Camp since it opened in 1959. University of Nebraska officials reassured us that 4-H camps would still be held in 2023 in other parts of the state; however, the decision about whether to rebuild the camp had not yet been made. I expressed my desire to see the camp rebuilt and am ready to assist with obtaining funding support from the Legislature, if necessary. It would be a tragedy to allow this state treasure, which has exposed many to the beauty of Nebraska’s Sandhills, to go away.

If you would like to discuss an issue impacting you or you have ideas for legislation, please feel free to reach out to me at mjacobson@leg.ne.gov or 402-471-2729. My door is always open!