Last week was shortened due to the Martin Luther King holiday on Monday, but it was a busy week in the Legislature as we began afternoon committee hearings. Since the Banking, Commerce, and Insurance Committee meets on Monday and Tuesday, we only met on Tuesday this week. I had three of my bills scheduled for hearings that day, as I mentioned last week. As predicted, all three bills were voted out of the committee unanimously and sent to the Speaker for floor debate. I later met with the Speaker to see how quickly the bills can get scheduled. He was optimistic that they could be scheduled as early as this week since the remaining carryover bills from last year are all controversial bills that will likely take eight hours of debate.

Given the limited time we have for floor debate, and the fact that over 500 bills have been introduced this session, debate time will be precious. I fully expect the Speaker to require a priority designation for bills going forward to be scheduled for debate, or for bills to have been voted out of committee unanimously and noncontroversial. My three bills fit that requirement. Of the three bills, I would prioritize the rail park bill, if necessary, to keep it moving.

LB525 is the agricultural data bill I introduced last year on behalf of the Governor. It needed significant changes, so I held an interim study earlier during the fall and have now introduced a “white copy” amendment to completely rewrite the bill and make important changes. We will hold a hearing on the amendment in early February, and it could be a bill I use my priority designation on this session. The bill is important to the Governor and has been widely endorsed by most farm organizations.

Although there is other work to be done as well, rebalancing the budget is going to be a huge task for the Appropriations Committee and the Legislature. Now that the Governor’s budget recommendations have been released, I have received many calls and emails from constituents who want certain programs protected from spending cuts. I have taken all the input into consideration and will keep it in mind as the process unfolds. I would also encourage individuals with a particular budget concern to reach out to members of the Appropriations Committee and provide information to the Committee – whether through in-person testimony or written comments through the Legislature’s comment portal. It is always very challenging to make changes to the budget on the floor, so getting changes made through the Appropriations Committee is the ideal situation.

The Appropriations Committee is the Legislature’s only five-day committee and is constantly evaluating the budget numbers as they receive input along the way. We’ll also know more about how big the balanced budget challenge is (currently an estimated $471 million shortfall) when the Forecasting Board meets again in February. It is unclear how the closure of the Tyson plant in Lexington will affect projections, in addition to the other data considered by the Board. We may see the shortfall grow before we reach the bottom.

Meanwhile, there are other bills introduced that will require a separate appropriation (i.e., have an “A” bill). The Appropriations Committee usually tries to reserve some money in the budget for these types of bills, but that’s much easier without such a large shortfall. I would not want to be a Senator carrying a bill that requires funding.

The Revenue Committee will also be exploring ways to improve revenues without increasing tax rates or adding new taxes. Growth is the best solution to accomplishing this.

As I look at bills introduced, I was disappointed to see that Senator Ben Hansen introduced LB1258, a bill to eliminate the Brand Committee and make substantial changes to the brand law. I strongly oppose the bill and believe it goes way too far. I will be joining Senator Storer in opposing this bill. I fully understand the degree to which cow/calf producers in the Nebraska Sandhills want to preserve the brand laws and the protections that they bring. There have been several meetings over the summer with the Brand Committee to make modifications to the fee schedules and the inspection processes that keep the integrity of the brand law in place while addressing the concerns raised last session. LB1258 radically changes the law and would gut the protections the brand law brings.

We will see if the bill is prioritized, but it will likely find its way back next year, even though Senator Hansen is term-limited.

It is a pleasure serving as your State Senator. I enjoy the challenge and will continue to do my best to serve the interests of District 42. Please continue to reach out to me about issues important to you at 402-471-2729 or by emailing me at mjacobson@leg.ne.gov.