This past Friday marked Day 60 of the first session of the 109^th Legislature. The last of the non-priority bills are finishing their way through the process, and attention has largely turned to priority bills. However, the Speaker did announce this week that he also plans to hold one or two consent calendars.

Under the rules and the Speaker’s guidelines, Senators can request a non-priority bill be considered for a consent calendar bill if it is non-controversial, has no fiscal note, was advanced out of committee, and if any opposition at the bill hearing is resolved by the committee amendment. Generally, bills that are entirely new laws will not be included on a consent calendar. If your bill is selected for a consent calendar, it will be allowed up to 15 minutes of floor debate and cannot be amended beyond any committee amendment. This is a way to pass simple bills. Since the bills I sponsored are moving on their own, I will not be submitting a bill for consideration for a consent calendar.

As we move closer to Day 70, attention will turn to passing a two-year budget. In the meantime, several revenue-generating bills will be considered to help balance the budget. Although the number continues to evolve, Nebraska is facing a sizable budget deficit. We are getting to a balance through cuts to state spending in the Appropriations Committee and several bills for new revenues. Among those bills is LB527, my bill to draw down more federal Medicaid dollars for healthcare providers in Nebraska. Original estimates project that Nebraska would receive $117 million in the first budget cycle from LB527.

Last week, we debated LB650 as amended by AM923. LB650 was introduced by Senator von Gillern on behalf of the Governor and primarily repeals certain business incentives passed over the past two years. It also reduces funding to certain underutilized programs. In the end, this bill is a straightforward measure that makes changes we lived without prior to the original provisions’ passage. This bill is estimated to bring $71 million in additional revenue or savings during the budget period.

I consider most of the savings in LB650 as “low-hanging fruit,” but the rhetoric in the bill’s debate was much more dramatic. The next bills coming up for debate will include LB169 and LB170 introduced by Senator Brandt. These bills were amended in committee, but repeal several sales tax exemptions or add sales taxes to certain items not yet on the sales tax rolls. The items included on the list primarily focus on non-business inputs and not essential items, but anyone who has a dog in this fight is strongly opposed.

LB170 primarily focused on repealing the sales tax exemption on soft drinks in a bottle or can. Believe it or not, pop in a bottle or can is not subject to sales tax today, but if you buy it from a fountain where it is dispensed into a cup with ice, sales tax is charged today. These bills are sure to go through many changes before getting past the finish line. You can expect strong push back from many saying that we are increasing taxes. The fact is, we are balancing the budget without reducing the State’s commitment to property relief.

It is a privilege to represent you in the Nebraska Legislature, and I look forward to hearing from you regarding issues that are important to you. I can be reached at 402-471-2729 or by emailing me at mjacobson@leg.ne.gov.