Piles of Money

The Appropriations Committee sent their $9.7 billion biennial budget to the printer. That means floor debate will soon turn to the distribution of piles-o-money over the next two fiscal years.

K-12 education stands at the head of that line. Their $2.65 billion stake is 27% of the state’s budget (not to mention their cut of property taxes), so their lobbyists and administrators will “be available” to lend senators a hand.

Good news for property owners! The property tax credit program for residential and commercial property should increase to $108.95 (FY 21/22) and $110.95 (FY 22/23) per $100,000 of valuation. Agricultural & horticultural land tax credits will likely increase to $130.73 (21/22) and $135.86 (22/23). It’s anybody’s guess what the gambling tax will do for property tax relief.

Rumor has it that Governor Rickett’s $230ish million appropriation for a new prison is included in the proposed budget. The ACLU passed a kidney stone upon learning of the appropriation. Prepare for a doozie of a filibuster during floor debate.

Senator Tom Briese’s LB283 may not sit atop anyone’s list, but Speaker Hilgers awarded it one of his 25 priorities. If passed, the bill would implement year-round Daylight Saving Time in Nebraska, but not until the Federal Government allows states to do so, and two neighboring states adopt similar year-round time legislation. So far, fifteen states have agreed to switch upon approval by the Feds. Bet you could argue either side of this one, Sunshine.

Bill Tracker

Final Reading

LB177 (Lindstrom) SUPPORT – Increases the time for the perfection of Fertilizer and Agricultural Chemical Liens, and increases the time for the perfection of Seed Lien or Electrical Power/Energy Liens from the current sixty (60) days to one hundred twenty (120) days after the last delivery of goods or services covered by these respective liens.

Select File

General File

LB84 (Bostelman) (Speaker Priority) MONITOR – Changes provisions relating to tax incentive performance audits and redefines a term under the ImagiNE Nebraska Act
LB90 (Halloran) MONITOR – Amends the Nebraska Pesticide Act by reallocating the pesticide registration fee distribution. It further amends the Nebraska Commercial Fertilizer and Soil Conditioner Act by allowing the Director to adjust the inspection fee each July 1.
LB91 see AM96 (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.
LB507 see AM256 see AM323 see AM365 see AM567 (Bostelman) (Natural Resources Priority) SUPPORT – AM 567 amends the Ethanol Development Act to prohibit the use of treated seed corn in the production of ethanol if the use of the treated seed corn generates a byproduct that is deemed unsafe for livestock consumption or for land application.
Amendment 507 further defines the use of treated seed: The use of seed that is treated, as defined in section 81-2,147.01, in the production of agricultural ethyl alcohol shall be prohibited if such use results in the generation of a byproduct that is deemed unsafe for livestock consumption or land application.

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 under the Property Tax Credit Act.
LB133 (Erdman) MONITOR – Adopts a consumption tax and eliminates other taxes.
LB139 (Briese) (Slama Priority) MONITOR – Provides general safe harbor and premises liability protections on potential COVID-19 lawsuits.
LB239 (Hilkemann) INDEFINITELY POSTPONED – MONITOR – Restricts phone use while driving to hands-free only.
LB290 (M. Cavanaugh) OPPOSE – Adopts the Paid Family & Medical Leave Insurance Act.
LB329 (Wayne) MONITOR – The minimum average wholesale price of gasoline to be used to calculate the state gas tax shall be $2.44.
LB422 (Briese) MONITOR – Reduce state sales tax from 5.5 cents to 5 cents and eliminate some sales tax exemptions.
LB430 (Revenue) MONITOR – Property tax shell bill.
LB432 (Revenue Priority) MONITOR – Income tax shell bill.
LB433 (Revenue) MONITOR – Sales tax shell bill.
LB483 (J Cavanaugh) MONITOR – Creates a $250,000 climate change study and plan.
LB543 see AM284 (Brandt) MONITOR – Adopts the Agricultural Equipment Right-To-Repair Act.
LB622 (Friesen) MONITOR – Limits real property valuations’ growth and provides adjustments to assessed values.
LB625 (Vargas) MONITOR – Imposes a surtax on certain taxable income and uses the tax proceeds for early childhood education.
LB634 (J. Cavanaugh) OPPOSE – Provides a cause of action for unsafe disposal of treated seed.
LB644 (B. Hansen Priority) MONITOR – Property Tax Request Act to increase transparency for impacted political subdivisions to raise their property tax levies.
LB672 (Murman) SUPPORT – Changes the sales and use tax exemption on agricultural machinery and equipment.
LR5 (Graegert) MONITOR – Recommendations from the Healthy Soils Task Force delivered to the Legislature.