DeKay introduces 15 bills in legislature

This past week, the legislature concluded bill introduction for this year’s legislative session. A total of 715 bills and 22 resolutions were introduced. Compared to 2023, the legislature saw fewer bills and resolutions introduced, partially the result of a rule change passed in 2024 to ensure each bill introduced has more time to be heard and considered during the committee hearing process. This year, I introduced 15 bills covering a variety of topics ranging from reducing the number of burdensome continuing education hours for rural law enforcement officers to tackling technical issues in the public power industry. I also agreed to co-sponsor a number of bills including LB62 to try to get more funding for volunteer fire department radios, LB168 to reduce pharmacy drug costs for rural hospitals and LB665 to ensure livestock electronic ID devices cannot be sourced from foreign adversarial countries.

During debate, the legislature considered amendments to the permanent rules. Three changes were ultimately adopted. One change would allow the legislature to approve gubernatorial appointees in groups rather than individually, although a controversial appointee could still be individually debated. A second change would require senators to submit a statement of intent within three days of their bills being assigned to committee. This change would ensure that the public can see the intent of each bill early in the session, since under the current system, a statement of intent might not be available until March when the bill’s public hearing is scheduled. A third rule change, proposed by Sen. Kauth, to eliminate present, not voting votes on cloture (to break filibusters) and Final Reading (final passage) was also adopted. Kauth’s rule change would allow voters to easily see where a senator stood on issues important to the state. After three days of debate, the legislature ultimately voted to adopt the permanent rules for the 2025-2026 biennium.

The legislature also began holding public hearings on bills as part of the committee process. Two of my bills were heard this week: LB43 and LB184. LB43 was heard in the Natural Resources Committee and is an update bill to legislation passed last year, LB1370, to try to address situations involving components and equipment manufactured by foreign adversaries that are being placed in electric infrastructure near Offutt Air Force Base and the panhandle missile silos. LB43 tries to address a number of technical problems in LB1370 and make the implementation of the existing law more workable for public and private electric suppliers to comply with as well as for the Nebraska Power Review Board to enforce.

LB184 was heard in the Judiciary Committee and would prohibit the physical and online sale of nitrous oxide and related products at tobacco shops and vape stores. The intent of this legislation is to try to get ahead of the growing national problem of nitrous oxide abuse before it reaches the mainstream in Nebraska. Long-term inhaling of nitrous oxide does irreversible brain damage, and studies are now beginning to show that nitrous oxide use is an increasing trend among youth.

Nationally, tobacco shops and vape stores are a common point of sale where nitrous oxide products are sold, and I contend that the locations selling these products are overstepping what their tobacco license allows. The abuse of nitrous oxide products does extensive harm, and I would like to see the sale of such products curbed. Simply put, there needs to be some guardrails in place since, right now, Nebraska only has a few outdated statutes regulating the sale or consumption of nitrous oxide and similar inhalants outside of the medical context.

If you would like to make sure your voice is heard on a specific bill or resolution but cannot make it to Lincoln for the public hearings, you can leave a written comment by going to the Legislature’s website, http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov, typing in the specific bill or resolution number at the right-hand corner of the website, and clicking on the link to submit a written comment. Please be aware that the option to leave a public comment is only available once the bill or resolution has been scheduled for a public hearing.

Contacting my office and hearing insights from you is always appreciated. Call my Capitol office telephone number at 402-471-2801 or send email to [email protected]. My mailing address is: Senator Barry DeKay, District #40, P.O. Box 94604, State Capitol, Lincoln, NE 68509.