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. 

This week, on February 24th, the Judiciary Committee heard three pieces of pro-life legislation– LB 933, LB 1086, and my LB 781. These three bills will protect the most innocent among us from murder.

LB 933, introduced by Senator Albrecht will completely erase the scourge of abortion in our state after the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Currently, eight states have abortion bans that were in place prior to Roe. When Roe is overturned, abortion will be illegal again in these states. Since the State of Nebraska repealed our abortion ban in response to the Roe decision, we now need to join the twelve states that have laws in place that will ban abortion when Roe is overturned. LB 933 would do just that as a “trigger bill.”

Senator Geist’s LB 1086 would protect both women and babies from the dangerous drugs that induce abortions by adopting regulations to these prescriptions. These regulations include an in-person screening of women before dispensing the drug, a follow-up after abortion appointment to ensure treatment for serious complications, and a prohibition of sending abortion-inducing drugs through the mail. This bill would also require abortion providers to report any complications that occur due to the abortion-inducing drugs. Finally, LB 1086 would prohibit physicians from providing abortion-inducing drugs to women who are more than seven weeks pregnant because, by this time, the risk of complications to the woman is dramatically increased. 70%  of abortions in Nebraska are committed using these underregulated drugs. LB 1086 would protect women from harm, and save countless lives in the meantime.

LB 781 is my Heartbeat Bill. This piece of legislation requires an ultrasound be performed before an abortion to determine whether a fetal heartbeat is detectable. If a heartbeat is detected, this bill would make it illegal to perform an abortion. We often hear of the emotion parents feel when they get to hear their baby’s heartbeat for the first time. When we hear his sound, we know that we are listening to the rhythm of life coming from a tiny human being in his or her earliest moments. This bill is in response to what we all know to be true– at just 6 weeks gestation, a baby’s heart is formed and beating. Abortion stops this beating heart and kills that baby. 

Abortion has killed over 63 million babies nationwide since Roe v. Wade, and over 200,000 here in Nebraska. Nebraska is a pro-life state, and it’s long overdue that our laws reflect it. In addition to these bills, we must continue to support pro-life and pro-family policies to streamline adoption and support women and families.

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.

We will officially be halfway through our legislative session on February 23rd. This column will highlight some of the bills that I presented to committees in the past couple of weeks that will directly benefit rural Nebraska and District One.

First, LB 942 was heard in front of the Judiciary Committee on February 10th. This bill would help our rural law enforcement agencies by changing some of the certification requirements for rural law enforcement officers. This is in response to the negative effect last year’s LB 51 had on our rural law enforcement agencies. LB 942 is still in committee and has not yet been voted on.

On Valentine’s Day, I introduced three different bills to three different committees. The first committee was Education, where I introduced LB 887, a bill that would authorize Peru State College to offer graduate programs. Currently, Wayne and Chadron State are able to offer a wide variety of graduate programs, while Peru State is only able to provide master’s programs in two different areas. LB 887 has already been voted out of the Education Committee unanimously and is currently on General File.

I also introduced LB 1110 to the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee on the 14th, which would make ATVs and UTVs street-legal statewide. This bill would be a huge benefit to our rural communities where many people use side-by-sides just as much as they do cars. There is no reason why Nebraskans should be labeled as criminals for driving their preferred vehicles, especially when we already allow the use of bikes on our state highways. The committee has not voted on LB 1110 yet, but I am hopeful to see what happens with this bill.

The last of the Valentine’s Day bills was LB 1210, a bill before the Appropriations Committee that would give American Rescue Plan (ARPA) dollars to revitalize main street businesses in rural areas across the state. This ten million dollar investment would allow businesses located in old, historical buildings to do any structural work they might need. It also would promote businesses moving into these downtown areas that are vital to our rural communities. So much money goes to Lincoln and Omaha, and it is time that we are able to invest in our small towns.

Finally, just this past Thursday, the Appropriations Committee held a hearing on LB 977, a bill that would allocate ARPA dollars to Falls City to help them upgrade their electrical infrastructure. Falls City has almost everything going for it to be the next site to grow Nebraska’s economy. However, their electrical grid has kept away many potential development prospects because of their inability to secure reliable access to power. By investing ARPA dollars in this program, we will be able to bring more business to Richardson County, creating countless jobs and strengthening our district’s economy as a whole.

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.

South Dakota offers some of the best ATV and UTV tourism in the United States, thanks in part to their legal framework to balance safety and freedom of use. Nebraska could soon follow suit if my bill, LB 1110, passes. On February 14th at 1:30 p.m., LB 1110 will have its public hearing in front of the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee. This bill would clarify our laws on ATVs and UTVs with a regulatory framework like South Dakota’s.

The idea for LB 1110 came from you, District 1. ATVs and UTVs are critical to Nebraskans in our rural areas. They are used for checking fields, plowing snow, recreational activities, and taking quick trips into town. Current laws make ATVs and UTVs street-legal for some ag-related tasks and in some towns, but it is a confusing and inconsistent legal patchwork. LB 1110 would keep well-intentioned Nebraskans from being labeled as criminals for driving their preferred vehicles.

Allowing ATVs and UTVs on the streets would also increase our state’s tourism. Currently, Nebraskans leave our state to go to South Dakota or other states with looser restrictions on these vehicles for vacations. By opening our roads to ATVs and UTVs with reasonable safety measures, we would also be opening our doors for any tourists that are wanting to get outdoors in their ATV or UTV.

Safety is at the heart of this bill. Under LB 1110, there would be requirements in place to make sure that Nebraskans are driving their vehicles safely, including mandating headlights, tail lights, and helmets. Also, ATVs and UTVs would not be permissible on the interstate, freeways, or expressways. Finally, counties and municipalities would be able to pass resolutions to forbid the street use of these vehicles in their jurisdictions.

If you, or anyone you know, would be interested in testifying in support of LB 1110 at the public hearing on February 14th, please contact my office with the contact information below. We would love to have you share your opinion either in-person or online.

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.

Our law enforcement officials are absolutely vital to our security and safety as Nebraskans. We should be doing whatever we can as a Legislature to give our law enforcement the support necessary to carry out their roles. 

On January 26th, the Judiciary Committee sat through over five hours of testimony on “criminal justice reform bills.” This includes Senator McKinney’s LB 980 and Senator Wayne’s LB 918. LB 980 would make anyone with a lengthy prison sentence, including mandatory life sentences, eligible for parole after only serving 25 years. This means that the most violent criminals such as rapists and murderers would have the opportunity to leave prison early and victimize more people. 

LB 918 would double the cash values required for a crime to be considered a felony. The argument for this bill is that inflation is creating felons out of people committing small-scale crimes. However, this is not true. There are only six states that have a felony theft threshold higher than us, and, if this bill were to pass, it would put us at number one. Currently, our felony theft threshold is even higher than in California. This is simply a bill that softens Nebraska’s response to crime and makes our state vulnerable to “smash and grab” robberies that plague other cities. I opposed LBs 980 and 918. Being soft on crime does not keep crime from happening, and it will exacerbate the issues our agencies are facing.

There are better ways to deal with criminals than by letting inmates out early. Though LB 920 has many problematic parts to it, there are a few ideas in there worth pursuing. One of these ideas is to expand problem-solving and drug courts. These courts operate within judicial districts and are established for the treatment of problems related to substance use, mental health, domestic violence, and inmates reentering society after incarceration. They are an innovative way to address the root causes of incarceration and recidivism. We have one of these courts in Nemaha County, and it has been an absolute blessing to our community. People are less likely to recommit crimes after participating in these courts, which helps our law enforcement protect our communities.

We should still go even further in helping our law enforcement agencies. That is why I brought LB 942 this session. After surveying law enforcement agencies across the state, I found some key issues that they are facing in staffing their agencies. LB 942 would give law enforcement agencies in rural areas the opportunity to utilize non-certified and reserve officers for law enforcement purposes. It also would remove the reciprocity program for law enforcement statewide. I look forward to getting this bill passed and giving our officers the resources they need to best protect us.

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. 

The second week of the 2022 legislative session wrapped up Friday, and senators only have a few more days to introduce new bills. This column will highlight one of my bills this session that will have a direct, positive impact District 1– LB 887.

LB 887 authorizes Peru State College to provide a larger selection of master’s degree programs. Currently, Peru State offers two graduate programs: a Master of Science in Education and a Master of Science in Organizational Management. However, these two programs are the only programs that Peru State is authorized to offer under our state’s laws.

This bill has an interesting backstory to it, as all other public state colleges and universities in Nebraska are free to authorize new master’s degree programs as they see fit, while Peru State is forced to seek approval through the Legislature for any new advanced degree programs. That restrictive language was added decades ago to prevent Peru State’s programs from overlapping with other higher education institutions in Southeast Nebraska, like the University of Nebraska-Omaha and Lincoln. The reasoning was Peru State should remain strictly a “Teacher’s College.” A Peru State alum reached out to me this interim to explain the quirk in statute, and I introduced LB 887 to ensure Peru State has the same freedom to offer advanced degrees as any other public state college or university.

Our office worked closely with Paul Turman, the Chancellor of the Nebraska State College System, representatives from Peru State, and with the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education to get the research needed for us to draft the language for LB 887. Peru State is a key economic driver in District 1, and we will continue to work to get this bill across the finish line.

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.

On January 5th, the 107th Nebraska Legislature convened for its second regular session. The Legislature’s second session is a bit different in that all bills from the first session carry over to the second. Instead of considering around 700 bills, we will likely be considering over 1,200.

Four senators have already prioritized bills from 2021, and this column will focus on the first piece of legislation up for debate early this week– Senator Halloran’s LR 14– a Resolution to Congress for convention of the states to propose a narrow set of amendments to the United States Constitution. This resolution would give Nebraska a seat at the table during the Convention of States. LR 14 brings up three specific amendment proposals: limiting the size and scope of the federal government, spending limits on the federal government, and term limits for Congress.

The federal government’s power has rocketed to the front of everyone’s minds with COVID-19, when we have seen multiple examples of the federal government destroying individual liberties for the sake of a perceived “common good.” An overreaching federal government is an affront to the foundation of the United States.

LR 14 calls for the Convention of States to consider putting fiscal restraints, like a balanced budget requirement, on the federal government. As I write this, the US National Debt is over 29 trillion dollars (you can always see the current national debt at www.usdebtclock.org). The federal government’s reckless spending threatens the financial stability of our country for now and for future generations.

Finally, LR 14 calls for the Convention of States to consider term limits for U.S. Representatives and Senators. Don Young of Alaska is currently the longest-serving congressman, serving for nearly 49 years. Patrick Leahy of Vermont follows right behind as the longest-serving member of the Senate, serving for 46 years. Former President Harry S. Truman is famously quoted as saying “term limits would cure both senility and seniority– both terrible legislative diseases.” Entrenched federal representatives lack the basic life experiences needed to serve their districts well. The last few decades of dysfunction in Washington underscore the need for term limits.

If LR 14 passes, the Convention of States could address many of the structural issues in our country. LR 14 fights for the rights of individual states and the freedoms Americans enjoy by setting clear limits on the federal government’s power, balancing our country’s budget, and stopping career politicians in their tracks.

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.