Hunting Fresh Meat
In eight days, senators introduced 478 bills, a handful of constitutional amendments and some other nonsense. Senators Wayne (28) and Kolterman (25) lead the pack for most bills introduced.
Fresh Meat senators are new. They want to be taken seriously. High profile bills that effect change to (pick an agenda) or big deliverables for (pick a constituency) are perfect. Even if Fresh Meat did not help write, or heaven forbid, read the bill.
Fresh Meat is attractive to desperate and wily lobbyists (this writer obviously excluded) hunting a sponsor for legislation that’s older than Senator Slama (22), and smells from the Scrapheap of Great Ideas. Several Freshmen ignored the smell and took the bait this session. Poor Fresh Meat.
Martin Luther King holiday delayed the final two days of bill introductions to Tuesday and Wednesday.
Positive State of the State Address by Governor Ricketts last Tuesday. Look for dustups over money….. again. Three months ago, the Nebraska Economic Forecasting Board projected a $232 million shortfall between projected revenues and estimated expenses through June 30, 2021. That’s a lonely start for the Appropriations Committee.
Other headliners this session will be: Medicaid expansion, property tax relief, lowering income tax, Blueprint Nebraska hopes to replace the Nebraska Advantage Act, overcrowded prisons and K-12 and higher education…..again.
Committee hearings begin Tuesday. See the link below.
What They’re Doing To For You
LB18 adopts the Remote Seller Sales Tax Collection Act and directs certain sales tax revenue to the Property Tax Credit Cash Fund.
LB158 changes provisions relating to the assessed value of real property.
LB182 adopts the School District Local Option Income Surtax Act.
LB184 adopts the Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act.
LB227 (Hughes) Changes provisions relating to a determination of a public or private nuisance under the Nebraska Right to Farm Act.
LB284 (McCollister) Adopts the Remote Seller an Marketplace Facilitator Act.
LB303 (Lindstrom) At the Request of the Governor. Would add $51 million to the Property Tax Credit Relief Fund.
LB314 (Briese) Adopts the Remote Seller Sales Tax Collection Act. that removes a property tax exemption for fraternal benefit societies; to increase taxes on alcohol; to increase the documentary stamp tax and the cigarette tax; to provide sunset dates for the Personal Property Tax Relief Act and the New Markets Job Growth Investment Act; to impose a surtax on certain individuals; to increase the sales tax rate; to impose sales and use taxes on certain services; to eliminate certain sales and use tax exemptions; to change provisions relating to the alternative minimum tax, the earned income tax credit, the tax on certain extraordinary dividends and capital gains, the tax on certain small business corporation and limited liability company income, and itemized deductions; to provide an income tax credit for certain renters; to change the distribution of certain revenue; to tax vapor products under the Tobacco Products Tax Act; to change provisions relating to allocated income tax funds and special education; to create the School Financing Review Commission and provide duties; to change provisions of the Nebraska Visitors Development Act.
LB320 (Albrecht) To redefine terms; to update federal references; to change Department of Agriculture powers and duties; to change provisions relating to registration requirements and applications, service of process, labeling requirements, application fees, pesticide applicator and restricted-use pesticide provisions, commercial, noncommercial, and private applicator licenses, non-certified applicator restrictions, records requirements, license holder duties, violations, claims of damages, inspections, and prohibited acts.
LB321 (Hansen B.)Relates to the Weights and Measures Act; to update certain standards and regulations; to change provisions relating to Director of Agriculture duties and Department of Agriculture device inspection fees; to remove obsolete provisions; to eliminate a signature requirement on a permit application.
LB371 (Erdman) Allow an all-terrain vehicle or utility-type vehicle to operate on a roadway or shoulder of any public road and to cross all public roads. Operators must be at least 12 years old.
LR3CA refundable credit against the income tax imposed by the State of Nebraska in an amount equal to thirty-five percent of the property taxes.
LR5CA Constitutional Amendment that no more than 33% of the funding for such free instruction in the common schools shall come from property taxes.