Everything is a work in progress as special session is set to reconvene

This week, the Legislature concluded bill introduction and public hearings in this special session.

Generally, in a special session, few bills are introduced and public hearings are finished in a couple of days. In this special session, a total of 81 bills and 24 constitutional amendments were introduced during the three days of bill introduction, the most proposed during any special session since 1937. The large number of introduced proposals required six days of public hearings.

Speaker Arch announced the Legislature will reconvene beginning Wednesday, Aug. 7 and hold floor debate through Saturday, Aug. 10.

This schedule change is intended to provide time for the Revenue Committee to review testimony heard and craft a series of one or more tax packages. Senators will then begin debate on tax and appropriations bills.

The Legislature will also consider the gubernatorial appointments advanced from the different committees Although I do not serve on the Revenue Committee, I have been kept busy with my committee assignments. I currently serve on the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee and the Judiciary Committee. In the Transportation Committee, senators heard two gubernatorial appointments to the Nebraska Information Technology Commission as well as LB29 by Senator Day which proposes to sell the State of Nebraska’s government airplane.

The Committee advanced the two appointments to the floor while LB29 awaits further discussion by committee members.

In the Judiciary Committee, the Legislature heard eight bills covering topics including transferring the duties of clerks of the district court to clerk magistrates (LB46), creating a pathway for prison inmates serving life sentences to be released on parole (LB25), and legalizing recreational marijuana (LB52 and LB71).

As of this writing, the Committee has not met in executive session to discuss any of these eight bills or made any decisions on what will or will not be advanced to the floor for consideration.

At this time, everything remains a work in progress while the various committees complete their work and bring bills to the floor. I anticipate heavy opposition to any proposal brought to the floor, whether it be the EPIC Option (LB16, LR4CA, and LR5CA), the Governor’s proposal (LB1, LB2, and LB3), the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (LR7CA to LR22CA), or authorizing new sources of revenue such as online sports wagering (LB13 and LR6CA) and delivery sales excise taxes (LB19 and LB48).