Senators finished introducing new bills on Wednesday, reaching a total of 684 new bills and 12 constitutional amendments. Bills were introduced to limit valuation growth (LB622), make Election Day a holiday (LB577), eliminate cash bail bonds (LB636), and increase broadband access (LB604). A complete list of introduced legislation is available here.

 

On Thursday, Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Heavican presented his annual State of the Judiciary Address. He recognized counties for their collaboration with the courts to keep courts operating through Zoom and other technology during the pandemic.

 

Senators met briefly on Friday and will convene on Monday, January 25 at 9:00. The body will adjourn by 9:15 a.m. in order to attend committee hearings beginning at 9:30. With a few exceptions, this pattern is expected to continue until early March. A full day of floor debate is scheduled for February 16.

NACO's Legislative Committee will meet at 9:00 a.m. CST on Friday, January 29 to review and take positions on 2021 legislation. Due to COVID restrictions, the meeting will be conducted through Zoom. Each affiliate group has been asked to review bills pertinent to their office prior to the meeting and select one of their members to speak to their recommended positions on bills.

 

Register for the meeting here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

 

Don’t forget to check out NACO’s weekly video legislative update on our YouTube channel.

New options for submitting testimony at public hearings will take effect when hearings begin on Monday, January 25. In addition to in-person testimony, written testimony can be provided on the record in lieu of in-person testimony, as a position letter, or as an online comment.

 

To submit written testimony in lieu of appearing in person, the testimony must be presented by the individual offering the testimony between 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. in the hearing room where the bill will be heard. Twelve copies must be provided for the committee. No handouts or other letters can be included. The testimony will be handed out to the committee during the hearing and will be made available as part of the hearing transcript.

To submit position letters that will not be made part of the transcript but entered as an exhibit, the submission deadline is 12:00 p.m. CST on the last work day prior to the hearing. Letters can be hand-delivered, mailed or emailed to the legislative committee’s email account. Those account addresses are listed here. Letters must identify the bill, list the submitter’s name and address, state a position of for, against, or neutral on the bill, and request the letter to be included as part of the public hearing record.

A new feature on the Legislature's website allows online comments to be submitted at any stage of the process. Submissions will not be considered testimony or part of the public hearing record. Submitted statements will be available for access by senators and staff. There is no expectation of privacy in messages submitted this way. This feature is available with a button near the top of the page for each bill.

The full details are available here, with a memo from Speaker Mike Hilgers describing the new procedures here.

Legislative standing committees have begun scheduling public hearings on bills. Please note that some hearings will begin at 9:30 a.m. and others will begin at 1:30 p.m.

 

Business and Labor Committee - Room 1524, 9:30 a.m.

LB169 (M. Hansen) Repeal locksmith registration requirements

LB255 (M. Hansen) Adopt the In the Line of Duty Compensation Act

 

General Affairs Committee – Room 1510, 9:30 a.m.

LB75 (Gragert) Change provisions relating to township libraries

 

Transportation and Telecommunications Committee – Room 1113, 9:30 a.m.

LB106 (Friesen) Change fees relating to access to drivers' records and provide for a new motor vehicle operator's license services system

LB113 (Albrecht) Change provisions relating to motor vehicle titling, licensing, registration, and fees and operators' licenses and permits and authorize a new motor carrier services system

 

Transportation and Telecommunications Committee – Room 1113, 1:30 p.m.

LB174 (Friesen) Change provisions relating to highways and highway funding, road classifications, licensure of local highway and street superintendents, motor vehicle safety responsibility, accident reports, and the Nebraska Rules of the Road

LB78 (Gragert) Require applicants for certain license plates to register with the Department of Veterans' Affairs

Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committe – Room 1507, 9:30 a.m.

LB66 (Williams) Change deposit, bond, custodial official, and pooled collateral provisions under the Public Funds Deposit Security Act

Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee – Room 1507, 1:30 p.m.

LB23 (Williams) Change provisions of the Real Property Appraiser Act

Agriculture Committee – Room 1524, 1:30 p.m.

LB90 (Halloran) Change fee provisions under the Pesticide Act and the Nebraska Commercial Fertilizer and Soil Conditioner Act

Transportation and Telecommunications Committee – Room 1113, 1:30 p.m.

LB82 (Hilkemann) Change motor vehicle tax schedules

 

Urban Affairs Committee – Room 1510 ,1:30 p.m.

LB25 (Wayne) Change provisions relating to the division of ad valorem taxes under the Community Development Law

LB99 (Wayne) Change provisions of the Community Development Law relating to limitations on blighted areas

 

Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee – Room 1507, 1:30 p.m.

LB83 (Flood) Change the Open Meetings Act to provide for virtual conferencing

LB112 (Albrecht) Require members of the public to be allowed to speak at each meeting subject to the Open Meetings Act

 

Revenue Committee – Room 1524, 9:30 a.m.

LR22CA (Linehan) Constitutional amendment to limit the total amount of property tax revenue that may be raised by political subdivisions

 

Revenue Committee – Room 1524, 1:30 p.m.

LB408 (Briese) Adopt the Property Tax Request Act

 

Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee – Room 1507, 1:30 p.m.

LB43 (M. Hansen) Provide for election of election commissioners and eliminate certain deputy positions

LB224 (Aguilar) Change provisions for appointment of a county surveyor in certain counties

 

Judiciary Committee -- Room 1113, 1:30 p.m.

LB201 (Pansing Brooks) Change provisions relating to jurisdiction over juveniles

LB307 (Pansing Brooks) Change provisions relating to appointment of counsel for juveniles

LB308 (Pansing Brooks) Provide grants for juvenile indigent legal defense

LB357 (Hunt) Create the Nebraska Youth in Care Bill of Rights

 

Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee – Room 1507, 9:30 a.m.

LB368 (Sanders) Provide the Auditor of Public Accounts enforcement powers for failure of political subdivisions to file reports

LB369 (Sanders) Provide the Auditor of Public Accounts access to working papers and audit files

 

Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee – Room 1507, 1:30 p.m.

LB94 (Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee) Prohibit invalidation of certain online notarial acts performed under the Governor's Executive Order

LB93 (Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee) Eliminate a reporting requirement regarding marriages

 

Judiciary Committee – Room 1113, 9:30 a.m.

LB48 (M. Hansen) Change provisions relating to marriage and annulments

Revenue Committee -- Room 1524, 9:30 a.m.

LB10 (Blood) Change motor vehicle and property tax exemptions for disabled veterans