This week marked the last week of hearings for the 107th Legislature. Next week, we will begin full-day floor debates. Previously, during hearing days, we had floor debates in the mornings and hearings in the afternoon. This column will highlight four of my bills that advanced this week during morning debate.

First, the Legislature debated and advanced LB 887 on Tuesday. This bill would authorize Peru State to offer more graduate programs, along with making minor changes to the Nebraska State College System statutes. Peru State College is the only state college or university that must come to the Legislature for approval of new advanced degree programs. It is high time that Peru State gets the flexibility to offer more degree programs so they can better serve the needs of Southeast Nebraska. LB 887 advanced on a 37-0 vote to the second-round debate.

Last year, I introduced LB 204, which would add sex trafficking and sex trafficking of a minor to the Sex Offender Registry. This is a common-sense bill that would allow Nebraska to treat sex trafficking the same as we treat other sex crimes. LB 204 was amended into Senator Pansing Brooks’s LB 1246 on Wednesday and the bill passed with a 41-0 vote. It is also onto the second round of debate.

Finally, the Legislature advanced two of my bills, LB 846 and LB 1017 on Thursday. LB 846 would allow a bank board of directors to submit its annual audit to the Department of Banking within 120 days after the end of the calendar year. The current requirement is 90 days. This bill was recommended to me by several banks in District 1. LB 1017 would authorize a trustee to pay or reimburse a settlor for income tax liability that arises as a result of income earned on assets held in trust. These two bills were part of a larger banking package of bills, LB 707, which passed on a 36-0 vote.

The rest of session will fly by, considering there are only 24 more legislative days left. Starting next week, we will go into full-day floor debate, with evening debates starting in two weeks and covering issues from Constitutional Carry to providing more property tax relief. Let’s get to work!

As always, I welcome your input on issues important to you. Follow along on my Facebook and Twitter pages, both entitled “Senator Julie Slama” for more updates, or contact me directly at Senator Julie Slama, District 1 State Capitol, PO Box 94604, Lincoln NE 68509-4604; telephone: 402-471-2733; email: jslama@leg.ne.gov.