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This week saw the legislature begin the first of two weeks of all-day committee hearings. Traditionally, senators would meet as a body in the morning and split into different committees in the afternoons. However, Speaker Arch wanted to try to front-load the session with hearings so there will be more time for debate later in the session. Therefore, senators will not have an opportunity for floor debate until the week of Feb. 13.

Two of my bills are scheduled for a public hearing later this month. LB 453 would allow the Nebraska Department of Transportation to change how the administrative costs of the Division of Aeronautics are paid out to free up about $2 million for grants to small airports, change the required county contribution for bridge replacement from 50% to “up to 20%,” to give NDOT flexibility in assisting smaller counties with bridge repairs, and raise the threshold amount for road construction contracts to encourage smaller companies to bid on projects without needing to go through the burdensome formal bidding process. LB 454 would begin the process of finishing the expansion of U.S. 81 to a four-lane highway in the state, including between Norfolk and Yankton. Both bills are scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 28, before the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee.

The Judiciary Committee, on which I serve, heard two proposals this week to try and address Nebraska’s prison overcrowding situation. Last year’s prison reform bill, LB 920 by former Sen. Lathrop, fell to a filibuster and died at the end of the session. This year, Sen. Geist introduced LB 50, which would implement the consensus items brought forward by the Nebraska Criminal Justice Reinvestment Working Group last session and generally agreed upon in LB 920. Meanwhile, Sen. Wayne introduced LB 352, which includes several non-consensus items from the CJI Working Group that were a source of disagreement in last year’s debate. The committee will now have the task of negotiating over both proposals in the weeks ahead.

Sen. Albrecht introduced LB 626 before the Health and Human Services Committee. Current Nebraska law prohibits abortions at 20 weeks post-fertilization. Under LB 626, abortions would be restricted once a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually around six weeks gestation. This bill includes exceptions for the health and life of the mother or in cases of sexual assault, incest or medical emergency. An unlawful abortion by a physician in violation of LB626 would constitute unprofessional conduct and could result in the revocation of medical license.

The Revenue Committee heard several bills that comprise parts of the governor’s tax reform package. Sen. Linehan, chair of the committee, presented LB 754, at the governor’s request, that would gradually reduce the state’s top-tier individual income tax rate from 6.27% to 3.99%, with the lower corporate rate targeted at earnings exceeding $100,000. This proposal would move Nebraska into the top 15 states in terms of the lowest individual and corporate income tax rates. Two other bills heard by the committee, LB 804 and LB 806, by Sen. von Gillern, at the request of the governor, would accelerate personal income tax cuts and corporate income tax cuts that were enacted by the legislature in 2022.

In the Government and Military Affairs Committee, Sen. Slama presented the first major proposal to try and reshape Nebraska elections. Her bill, LB 535, would create a framework to implement voter ID following last year’s successful ballot initiative. This proposal would require the inclusion of the identification number of the voter’s valid photographic identification issued by the State of Nebraska or, if none, a photocopy of any other valid photographic identification issued to the voter when a request for a ballot is made to the election commissioner or county clerk. Slama also brought forward an amendment that would require persons wishing to vote by mail to get the ballot notarized before turning them in. Following the hearing, Sen. Brewer, who chairs the committee, indicated the bill would need to go through a lot of changes before it would be advanced to the full legislature.

Finally, I would like to thank Pastor Peter Sample of Calvary Bible Church in Neligh and Pastor John Nelson, Jr. of Christ Lutheran Church in O’Neill for participating in the Chaplain of the Day program this week and offering an opening prayer before the legislature.

As my first legislative session gets underway, I invite you to contact me with your thoughts and opinions on legislation that is before us. I can be reached at [email protected]. My state capitol telephone number is 402- 471-2801 and my mailing address is: Senator Barry DeKay, District #40, P.O. Box 94604, State Capitol, Lincoln, NE 68509.