A Spending Frenzy

Sorry about the delay! Stupid human error.

Can you feel it? Do you sense the impending hurricane of somewhat fettered spending unlike this state has seen before? Ever! Do you have a sense that billions of dollars are about to be divvied up within state and local government jurisdictions?

As context, do you remember frenzy and elation when Kmart announced their in-store Blue Light Special? Analogous, now picture elected officials clamoring for a piece of the $2.3 billion federal ARPA funds, $1.08 billion federal CARES cash, and the excess in the state budget and cash reserve funds totaling almost $1.3 billion. Can you feel it now?

The governor’s general budget recommendations total $847.5. However, the actual spending begins upon delivery of the budget to the floor of the Legislature, no later than Day 40. That’s March 11 for our friends who have actual lives.

$75.3 million – Department of Health and Human Services
$5 million – Governor’s Emergency Cash Fund
$40.7 million – Nebraska Capital Construction Fund
$150 million – Statewide Tourism And Recreational Water Access and Resource Sustainability (yes, the acronym is STARWARS!)
$1.5 million – Community College State Dependents Fund.
$400 million – Perkins County Canal Project Fund
$155 million – Replace Nebraska State Penitentiary
$20 million – Mental Health Beds in the Correction System

Coincidentally, this 60-day legislative session has forty days remaining.

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Introduced Bills

LB694 (Blood) Hearing 01/21/22 Provides a statute of limitations for exposure to hazardous or toxic chemicals, prescription drugs, or medical devices.
LB730 (Lindstrom) Hearing 02/09/22 An employer employing a qualified apprentice or trainee for at least 7 months of a taxable year is allowed a $1,000 nonrefundable credit against the income tax paid.
LB761 (Dorn) Hearing 02/15/22 The Precision Agriculture Infrastructure Grant Act provides $10 million for agricultural producers to lead the nation in precision ag connectivity, sustainability, traceability, and autonomy. In addition, to provide high-speed internet service to high-cost and remote areas.
LB805 (Hughes) Hearing 01/18/22 Change provisions relating to prioritization for applications and intent to appropriate under the Noxious Weed Control Act.
LB806 (Bostelman) Hearing 01/28/22 Provisions relating to land drainage by the landowner.
LB941 (Slama) Sales and use tax exemption for net wrap.
LB987 (Briese) Hearing 01/20/22 Prohibits school districts from raising property taxes beyond 3% growth.
LB1023 (Hilgers) Hearing 02/10/22 / McDonnell Priority 3,600 surface acre lake near Linoma.
LB1030 (Friesen) Hearing 02/11/22 Exempts all tangible personal property from property tax.
LB1074 (Bostelman) Hearing 02/01/22 Would provide $50 million in grants to irrigation districts to be used for repair or construction of any headgate, flume, diversion structure, check valve or any other physical structure used for irrigation projects.
LR264CA (Erdman) Hearing 02/03/22 Constitutional amendment prohibits the imposition of taxes other than retail consumption taxes and excise taxes.

General File

LB91 (Brandt) Monitor – Expands the date after germination or viability testing that native flower and grass seeds may continue to be sold or offered for sale without retesting and allowing seed viability testing instead of germination rate testing for certain seeds. AM96 Defines native and nonnative plant species, seed germination, storage, testing, viability, and sales.
LB290 (M. Cavanaugh) Oppose – Adopts the Paid Family & Medical Leave Insurance Act.
LB925 (Gragert) Gragert Priority Bill Resilient Soils and Water Quality Act and state intent regarding appropriations of $250,000 per year for five years.
LB939 (Linehan) As amended by the Committee, the 6.84% top individual tax rate would reduce to 6.34% in 2023, 6.14% in 2024, and 5.84% in 2025. The 5.58% tax rate on corporate income under $100,000 remains. The corporate tax rate on income over $100,000 is 7.5%. In 2023, that top rate would be 7%. In 2024, 6.5%. In 2025, 6.14%, and in 2026, 5.84%.
LB986 (Briese) Briese Priority – Limits the property tax request for a school district by its property tax request authority. The limit does not apply to the tax request required to retire bonded indebtedness.

Held In Committee

LB52 (Lathrop) Monitor – Immunity for injury or death resulting from COVID-19 exposure.
LB79 (Briese) Monitor – Changes the minimum amount of relief provided in the Property Tax Credit Act.
LB133 (Erdman) Monitor – Adopts a consumption tax and eliminates other taxes.
LB329 (Wayne) Monitor – The minimum average wholesale gasoline price would be $2.44.
AM411 The amendment provides employers with tax incentives for hiring felons, including those on parole or probation.
LB422 (Briese) Monitor – Reduces state sales tax from 5.5 cents to 5 cents and eliminates several sales tax exemptions.
LB483 (J Cavanaugh) Monitor – Creates a $250,000 climate change study and plan.
LB543 (Brandt) Support – Agricultural Equipment Right-To-Repair-Act.
AM284 – Comprehensive rewrite, including definitions of documentation, fair and reasonable terms, software, etc.