Since the end of the 108th Legislative session in April, I have devoted time to talking with various groups and fellow lawmakers about how to address the property tax issue. We ended the session without taking a vote on the one package that was before us, since the bill’s sponsor did not feel the votes were there to overcome the opposition. As you have heard, we are saving the last week in July and the first part of August for a potential special session to debate the latest Governor’s proposals.

My staff and I continue to field calls and requests throughout the interim months, and hope we can help to cut through some red tape and find constituents the answers they need on a wide range of issues. The calendar stays full, with or without that special session looming in the coming weeks.

Some of the activities I have participated in since the end of April include the ground breaking at Nebraska Innovation Campus (the old State Fairgrounds) for a new USDA agricultural research facility called the Center for Resilient & Regenerative Precision Agriculture. Closely connected is the need for quality broadband in rural areas. I, with a group of about nine others, met with the Governor about this in May.

A meet and greet for non profit organizations in Lincoln was held in May, and I am a member of a working group looking at inheritance tax and how it affects county budgets. I attended the annual firefighting school in Grand Island, and was honored with an award in mid May. The Building & Maintenance committee on which I serve, toured state owned facilities here in Lincoln, as well.

District 30 is well aware of the impact of the South Beltway project. Now we are gathering parties interested in moving the East Beltway project forward and holding meetings to look at that. Another exciting initiative was demonstrated to my staff and I in Pawnee City – a telehealth program to assist rural EMTs during emergency response and patient transport. They have access, with a monitor in the back of the ambulance, to live interaction with medical personnel, which was quite impressive.

I spoke to the statewide meeting of Cooperative Managers in Grand Island and attended the Governor’s town hall meeting in Seward. It was a pleasure to host fellow senator Rick Holdcroft in Adams, who spoke at the Memorial Day ceremony. Senator Holdcroft is a decorated and retired Naval officer who now represents District 36 (Gretna, Papillon area) in the Legislature.

In June I attended a meeting with Congressman Adrian Smith and health insurance providers to discuss that industry in Nebraska, as health care continues to be a major concern. When I am in the office, I meet frequently with staff from the Legislative Fiscal office to discuss state spending, and also the amount of unexpended funds that may expire in 2026 as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

It was an honor to attend the dedication of the VietNam Veterans Memorial in Papillion in early June. My staff and I met with the Gage County Sheriff and Gage County Attorney office about issues within the county. A milestone event in southeast Nebraska was the celebration of 75 years of broadcasting by KWBE radio, and we had an enjoyable evening with the radio personnel at their observance.

For a couple of very warm days in mid June, I joined in on the southeast Nebraska water tour, sponsored by the Daugherty Water for Food Institute at UNL. The importance of water use, management and conservation were on display with a number of excellent speakers.
I continue working with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) as Nebraska’s liaison. NCSL has been working for 50 years in all 50 states and is a solid resource and a great way to network and learn from other state representatives.

Most recently, I attended a regional development initiative meeting targeting southeast Nebraska. City and county officials and economic development organizations joined at the Governor’s request to share information and brainstorm ideas about employment, growth, workforce and housing. My staff was happy to fill in as the Governor proclaimed June as Dairy Month, with ice cream treats provided by Hiland Dairy and local producers from District 30.

It is always a highlight for my grandkids to join me for the Homestead Days Parade in Beatrice, a great event that draws a lot of people into the city and Gage County. On Monday, I served alongside other senators representing Lancaster County at the Center for People in Need in Lincoln; and later this past week, met with area mental health providers and DHHS officials about funding, and sat down with Sen. Ibach and new state broadband director Patrick Haggerty to discuss BEAD funding. I also met with local NRD officials this week about projects underway in southeast Nebraska.

As we move into July, I wish you all a meaningful and safe celebration of our nation’s birthday! County fairs will be here before we know it, and perhaps that special legislative session as well. My office is open at the Capitol but if we happen to miss you in person, you can always contact me at mdorn@leg.ne.gov or call 402-471-2620.