News

Reconvene That was a long short week. The Legislature's original agenda called for a four-day week, Tuesday through Friday. However, on Monday, Speaker Scheer responded to COVID-19 concerns and told senators to make like fruit haters and diss a pear until further...

Be Well! Speaker Jim Scheer announced new precautions for the Legislature in response to COVID-19 concerns. His decision to reconvene the body will be day-to-day, rather than adhering to the set schedule. Twenty days remain in this sixty-day session. Until further...

Campaigns Pause your TV and turn your attention (or lack thereof) away from the claptrap of federal campaigns. Especially those polyethylene media big mouths who believe we can't possibly understand what candidates tell us without their interpretation. Instead, let's...

Flu$h The Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board meets bi-annually to forecast future revenues headed to the State coffers. The Legislature then uses the board's best guess to craft the FY2020/2021 portion of the budget. NEFAB (another one of those clever...

Doo wah! Senator Lou Ann Linehan chairs the Revenue Committee and her committee designated LB 974 as one of their two priority bills. LB 974 would provide significant property tax relief. On General File debate, the bill received three hours against a filibuster...

BIG DARN DEAL Priority bills are a BIG DARN DEAL! Beginning this week, bills without a priority designation, move straight to the bottom of the floor debate agenda. It's quite similar to standing in the Priority Lane for a three-hour Southwest flight, only to learn...

Significant Lull There is significant lull at the Capitol. One-third of this legislative session is complete, and the luster of a new session has waned. The energy of debating unique and compelling issues begins tomorrow, but not for long. Last week, morning floor...

We're #9! According to WalletHub (and why would you distrust WalletHub) Nebraskans are a pretty happy group. We rank as their 9th happiest state in the country. What state is the most blissful? Hawaii...duh. Our public education is the sixth-best in the country. Don't...