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  • Legislative budget discussions underway

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Feb 25, 2021

    The Legislature passed the one-third mark this week in the 90-day legislative session. The Appropriations Committee also presented its preliminary recommendations for the biennial budget. This provides a starting point for discussion of the various budget actions suggested so far. After the Appropriations Committee finishes its committee work, it will develop formal recommendations to be presented to the Legislature by mid to late March, at which time floor debate will take place. Although we...

  • Legislative committee bytes into broadband concerns

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Feb 18, 2021

    Governor Ricketts testified before the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee this past week, expressing his support for LB 388, the Nebraska Broadband Bridge Act. The purpose of the program is to facilitate and fund the development of broadband networks in unserved and underserved areas. LB 388 contains intent language to appropriate $20 million annually to the Public Service Commission to be distributed as grants. Providers, cooperatives or political subdivisions could apply for the...

  • Senator outlines bills introduced this session

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Jan 28, 2021

    In early December, the former chair of the executive board, along with chairs of standing committees, sent an email to senators suggesting they limit the number of bills introduced. This would assist with safety measures being developed for senators and the public, in preparation for the legislative session during a pandemic. However, 684 bills were still introduced during 10 days of bill introduction. Although this number was less than the 739 bills in 2019, it was more than the 667 bills...

  • Gragert outlines governor's budget recommendations

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Jan 21, 2021

    Governor Pete Ricketts delivered his State of the State address to the Legislature this past week. He highlighted 2021-23 state budget recommendations for senators. This will be his last biennial budget proposal, as his eight years in office will be completed at the end of next year. Ricketts recounted the devastating flood in 2019 and coronavirus pandemic that followed in 2020. He commended Nebraskans for responding in the Nebraska Way - by working together to overcome challenges. The...

  • State senators fill leadership positions

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Jan 14, 2021

    The 107th Legislature, first session, began Wednesday, Jan.6 under different circumstances from other years. Due to the pandemic, families of the newly-elected and re-elected senators were not allowed to sit on the floor but had to be seated in the balcony. The chief justice of the Supreme Court administered the oath to the newly-elected and re-elected senators, who remained at their seats instead of gathering up front for the swearing-in ceremony. Eight new senators took their oath, of which, t...

  • Compromise creates method for property tax relief

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Aug 13, 2020

    Emotions ran high again this week, as legislators tried to complete their priorities during the last few days of this legislative session. As I had hoped, the Revenue Committee advanced a package that joined property tax relief, business tax incentives and a major project at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. This proposal was contained in a compromise amendment to LB 1107, a placeholder bill introduced by the Speaker of the Legislature, Sen. Jim Scheer of Norfolk. The current Property T...

  • Legislators give nod for budget approval

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Aug 6, 2020

    The Legislature passed the budget bills this past week, containing their recommendations for adjustments to the biennial budget that was passed last year. Now it will be up to the governor whether he signs the legislation or uses his line-item veto authority. Earlier in the week, senators gave second-round approval to the budget bills after a lengthy debate. An amendment to LB 1008 was offered by Omaha Senator Machaela Cavanaugh to direct how the remaining funding from the federal Coronavirus...

  • Legislature debates priority bills

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Jul 30, 2020

    State senators resumed the legislative session July 20, after breaking for almost four months due to coronavirus. We are set to complete this 60-day session Aug. 13. During this first week back, we immediately began debating the major issues left pending. Senators voted 30-8 to pull LB 814 from the Judiciary Committee and place it on General File so it can be debated. LB 814 would prohibit live dismemberment abortion and provide for criminal penalties for physicians who perform such abortions....

  • Legislators pass emergency funding bill

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Apr 2, 2020

    The Legislature was called back into session March 23 to pass emergency funding relating to the spread of coronavirus. An amendment was added to LB 1198, a bill that originally sought to appropriate funding for the restoration of doors to the legislative chamber. LB 1198 had already received first-round approval. An amendment offered by the chair of the Appropriations Committee, Sen. John Stinner, struck the original content of the bill and replaced it with an appropriation of $83.6 million from...

  • Failure to follow directed health measures may result in misdemeanor charges

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Mar 26, 2020

    Many unprecedented events have taken place over this past week. In my March 13 newsletter, I wrote about the Legislature giving first-round approval to the budget bills. Since then, COVID-19 has completely overshadowed everything else. Terms such as community spread and social distancing have become part of our daily language. The Legislature postponed its session, beginning March 17, until it is safe and necessary to call members back into session. However, the speaker may call us back in soon...

  • Work on flooding projects not complete

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Mar 19, 2020

    The Appropriations Committee presented its recommendations for the budget to the Legislature this past week. Budget bills were also given first-round approval from the Legislature. Over the interim, the financial status of the current biennium has improved significantly. The variance from the minimum General Fund reserve was estimated at only $0.2 million when we adjourned last year, but has since grown to $133.8 million. Furthermore, the rainy day fund increased from $322.4 million to $731...

  • Advisory board reviews economic forecast

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Mar 12, 2020

    The Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board met Feb. 28, to review their forecast for the current and next fiscal years. The board increased the previous forecast by $115 million for fiscal year 2019-20 and by $25 million for fiscal year 2020-21, for a total increase of $140 million over the two-year period. Most of the increase can be attributed to year-to-date actual receipts, as revenues from November through February were $111 million above the October forecast. The $115 million...

  • Land bank discussion underway in Legislature

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Mar 5, 2020

    This past week, the Legislature hit the half way mark in this year’s 60-day legislation session. The public hearing process is complete and senators will now meet in full-day session. Discussion will focus on bills that have been given priority status either by a senator, a committee or the speaker. The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn April 23. LB 424, introduced by Grand Island Senator Dan Quick, proposes to allow municipalities throughout Nebraska to create a joint land bank with one or m...

  • Priority bills, tax relief discussions underway in Legislature

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Feb 27, 2020

    It’s that point in the legislative session when only bills with priority status make the agenda. The deadline for selecting priority bills was Feb. 21. Every senator is authorized to select one bill as his/her personal priority bill. Committees are allowed to select two bills and the speaker of the Legislature can designate up to 25 bills as speaker priority bills. Since committees are limited in the number of bills that they can select, they tend to incorporate a number of other bills into t...

  • Disabled veterans would receive lifetime park permits if bill passes

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Feb 20, 2020

    One of the bills that I introduced this session was LB 770. It authorizes a free lifetime park permit for disabled veterans. This past week, LB 770 was advanced from the Natural Resources Committee on an 8-0 vote. I designated it as my priority bill and the Legislature gave it first-round approval on a 38-0 vote. Under LB 770, a veteran would be eligible for the free permit if they are a Nebraska resident, honorably discharged, and rated 50% or more service-connected disabled or 100% disabled, n...

  • Number of state senators could increase

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Feb 13, 2020

    Currently, forty-nine state senators serve in the Nebraska Legislature. Under the Nebraska Constitution, this number could be increased to 50 senators, but an even number of senators could result in a vote ending in a tie, requiring the lieutenant governor to cast the deciding vote. Speaker of the Legislature, Sen. Jim Scheer, introduced LR 279, a constitutional amendment authorizing the Legislature to increase the number of state senators up to fifty-five. If LR 279 is passed by the...

  • Task force developing comprehensive plan

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Feb 6, 2020

    Last year, I introduced and prioritized LB 243, which created the Healthy Soils Task Force. Since the bill’s passage last April, the governor has appointed 14 members to the task force, representing production agriculture, agribusiness, natural resource districts, environmental organizations and academic experts in the fields of agriculture and natural resources. In addition, the director of the department of agriculture serves on the task force, along with representatives of the Agriculture C...

  • Gragert introduces five bills in legislature

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Jan 30, 2020

    Almost 500 new bills were introduced by members of the Legislature during the first 10 days of the legislative session. Each proposed legislation will have a public hearing before the relevant committee. The public hearing process has already started and will continue through February. I introduced five bills this year. The first three will have public hearings next week before the Natural Resources Committee and the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee. LB 769 requires that each...

  • Property tax dominates legislative session

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Jan 23, 2020

    On Wednesday, Jan. 15, Governor Ricketts presented his State of the State Address to the Nebraska Legislature. The beginning of his speech focused on the events of last year. Although there was much devastation, he emphasized how Nebraskans responded with determination and generosity. A recent federal report pegged the losses stemming from last year’s weather at more than $3.4 billion. This figure does not include all the damages to the private sector, creating hardship for many homeowners, busi...

  • Gragert prepared to tackle property tax relief in legislature

    Sen. Tim Gragert|Jan 16, 2020

    Wednesday, Jan. 8 marked the first day of the One Hundred Sixth Legislature, second session. This also marks the beginning of the second year that I am serving as the representative of the 40th Legislative District. The 40th district covers the counties of Boyd, Cedar, Dixon, Holt, Knox and Rock. Legislative sessions in even-numbered years last for 60 days. During the short session, senators will make any necessary adjustments to the two-year budget that was developed during the 90-day session...