On Wednesday, January 6th we began the first day of the 2021 Nebraska 107th Legislature. I find it so refreshing to be in a proactive season where the things that have made Nebraska a great place to live can be upheld and advanced. Like the past several years, I will be spending a great deal of my time in Lincoln during the Legislative session. But it is a high priority for me to stay connected with constituents in Legislative District 17 by phone, email, meetings and visits when I am home.

I am excited to welcome my colleagues, the new Senators I will have the privilege to work with.  During the first ten days of session we will drop our bills, elect Committee Chairs and work to place all Senators on committees. By unanimous vote, Senator Mike Hilgers, from District 21 of Lincoln, was unanimously elected Speaker.

I have been selected to sit on the Revenue Committee and Transportation and Telecommunications Committee. I always find it rewarding to be on the inside track and have more influence in areas that are dear to my heart. 

New Legislation

I have had the privilege of putting four bills on the docket for this session so far. 

LB111- Our First Responders and Public Protection Bill will address some of the concerns that emerged surrounding officer and public safety during riots this past summer. The bill will define and enact criminal violations related to rioting, inciting or recruiting, or participating in a riot, violence toward law enforcement officers, riot-related vandalism and blocking public roads.

LB112- The Public Comment at Open Meetings Act Change will require that members of the public to be allowed to speak at any public meeting that is subject to the Open Meetings Act. It will increase transparency and accountability by governing bodies, and offer members of the public an opportunity to trust in the process.

LB113- The DMV Bill will change important provisions relating to motor vehicles titling, licensing, registration, and fees and operators’ licenses and permits and authorize a new motor vehicle carrier services system.

LB149- State Patrol Bill will harmonize Nebraska Statute with federal regulations to avoid incompatibility and loss of funding. This is something that is important to update annually.

Nebraska Walk for Life

One of the most rewarding aspects for me of having the privilege of being a State Senator is the progress we have made in the realm of protecting the unborn. I will be speaking at the annual Nebraska Walk for Life Saturday, January 16th, and I would love to have you join me! The Walk begins at 10 a.m. on the north steps of the Capitol Building. 

Governor Pete Ricketts issued a proclamation declaring January 22, 2021 as a Statewide Day of Prayer.  January 22nd is the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a U.S. Supreme Court decision which struck down Nebraska’s laws protecting unborn babies. Governor Ricketts’ proclamation encourages Nebraskans to pray for an end to abortion and a deepening respect for the humanity of unborn children.

Maintaining Confidence in Nebraska’s Election Process

One of the most valuable privileges we have as Americans is the right to vote. For generations Nebraskans have trusted our election process to reveal the candidate that the majority of the people in our Nation believed should be their next leader. Recently, that trust has been broken. I will be leading an initiative to ensure that all Nebraskans have confidence in the elections throughout our state. Elections must be operated with complete integrity, accountability and excellence. In order to ensure those characteristics remain true for Nebraska’s elections, I am working to create an Election Review Resolution, which will establish a commission to oversee our elections. I want you, as a constituent in District 17, and the State of Nebraska, to feel completely confident that the integrity of our elections have not been compromised. Be watching for more information to come.

COVID-19 numbers in District 17

The number of positive tests reported for the periods January 1, 2021, and January 7, 2021 in District 17 are as follow:

Dakota County +54 (3654)

Thurston County: +45 (911)

Wayne County: +20 (953)

My Legislative Aide, Cyndi Lamb, is transitioned to serve as Legal Counsel for the Natural Resources Committee. I am so proud of her accomplishments and excited about all she will bring in her new role. I am excited to announce our new Legislative Aide,  Lisa Weeks, who will be a significant asset. Lisa is looking forward to answering your calls and emails!

As always, it is of great importance that I hear from my constituents to effectively do my job as your voice in the Legislature. I encourage you to contact me and I look forward to hearing from you. You can reach me by phone at 402-471-2716 or by email at jalbrecht@leg.ne.gov.

I am grateful and humbled to again be part of the opening week of the Nebraska Legislature. It is a week of time-honored tradition even in the midst of a global pandemic.

With a prayer, the presentation of colors, and the swearing in of newly elected members, the 107th Legislature begins. The welcome looks a bit different this year because of COVID. Family members who usually accompany Senators at their seats will not this year. They will be able to attend and view the proceedings from the balconies. The dividers installed last year to prepare for the July return of the Legislature remain. Senators are socially distanced, and procedures concerning the actual workings of the Legislature may be modified as we begin to deal with “housekeeping.”

Time-honored traditions remain. The first order of businesses, like in opening sessions past, is adoption of temporary rules, election of Officers, election of the Speaker of the Legislature and election of Committee chairpersons. Senators may introduce Bills during the first ten (10) days of Session. If the current tentative schedule stands, that means January 20, 2021.

Watch for other differences this year as we work through the rules and legislation that addresses COVID challenges, a 2-year budget, re-districting following last years’ Census, and my own Bill to provide tools to keep the public and Nebraska’s law enforcement and other first responders safer.

My office will be experiencing change also. My Legislative Aide Cyndi will be leaving the office for another position within the Capitol. We in the office are happy for this next chapter in Cyndi’s career and will miss her.

Bills to be introduced:
Below is a list of some bills I will be introducing in the 2021 Session. As they are introduced and scheduled for hearings, I will provide more details in this column.

My First Responder and Public Safety Bill will address some of the concerns that emerged surrounding officer and public safety during riots this past summer. The bill will define and enact criminal violations related to rioting, inciting or recruiting, or participating in a riot, violence towards law enforcement officers, riot-related vandalism, and blocking public roads.

Erin’s Law will require that public schools provide students and staff in K-5 age-appropriate body safety and awareness education to prevent child sexual abuse. Erin’s Law has already been adopted in 37 states. I was approached by a constituent of District 17 to introduce this Bill. My office has visited with many individuals, professionals, and educators who support the Bill.

I also plan to bring the Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Prevention Act. This Bill seeks to limit pornographic material that may be injurious to children or that may promote human trafficking by requiring retailers of internet enabled devices to ensure that their products contain activated filters that block by default websites that are known to facilitate human trafficking or display child pornography, revenge pornography, or X-rated material prior to those sites being enabled by a user. The Bill also creates a grant fund available for organizations fighting human trafficking.

I will once again introduce the Public Comment at Open Meetings Bill. This Bill will require that members of the public be given the opportunity to speak at any public meeting that is subject to the Nebraska Open Meetings Act. This Bill had incredible support at last year’s pre-COVID hearing and I expect that same support this year.

Again, it is important to note that each bill must receive a hearing and amendments may be recommended by the Committee and/or added on the floor when the Bill is being debated. I will continue to provide an updated status for constituents on these and other bills as the Session unfolds.

COVID-19 State Response Update.
At his press briefing on January 4, the Governor announced that the number of available hospital beds throughout Nebraska remains strong. As of that date, there are 36% of patient beds available, 36% of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds, and 76% of ventilators available.

The federal government has also responded by providing additional aid to individuals and businesses. Congress passed, and the President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. The Act provides new stimulus funding of $600 per person, including children to assist with economic damage and hardship caused by the pandemic. The payment is subject to the same qualifications and income limits of the checks received in early 2020. The Act also provides for Round 2 of Small Business Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding and other programs to assist businesses themselves. PPP funding will be available for businesses that saw a 20% or greater decline in revenues in a quarter of 2020 as measured against the same quarter in 2019. PPP funding available for hospitality industry businesses has been expanded and there are grants available for theaters, museums, concert halls and other venues that have had significant drops in revenue. New application forms for the PPP funding are set to be available by mid-January and the deadline for applications currently appears to be March 31, 2021. Meanwhile, it is likely that compiling the monthly revenue records for each business for 2019 and for 2020 will be most helpful to the application process. For more information on the past and new funding can be found on the SBA’s website online at: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/grants

COVID-19 numbers in District 17
The number of positive tests reported for the periods December 24, 2020, and December 31, 2020 in District 17 are as follow:
Dakota County +67 (3600)
Thurston County: +36 (911)
Wayne County: +11 (933)

As always, it is of great importance that I hear from my constituents to effectively do my job as your voice in the Legislature. I encourage you to contact me and I look forward to hearing from you. You can reach me by phone at 402-471-2716 or by email at jalbrecht@leg.ne.gov