Committee will examine committee system

Last session I was appointed to the LR 87 committee. The committee is tasked with continuing the work of the select interim committee created the year before, the LR 437 committee, the intention is to fully and comprehensively analyze possible improvements and changes to the standing committee system. Currently, there are 14 standing committees in the Legislature. In Nebraska, each bill introduced is assigned to a standing committee based on the subject matter of the bill and then it will be heard before that committee, at the hearing members of the public are welcome to come and testify on the bill. Every senator except for the Speaker of the Legislature are assigned to committees and based on the number of days that committee meets a senator may be on one to three committees. Every so often we must examine our current committee structure to find the most effective way to evenly distribute the bills introduced each session.

Over the interim I will continue to update you on upcoming interim studies that may be of interest to our district. Both of the LR’s outlined below will be heard by the Appropriations Committee on Friday, September 20, 2019 at 9:00 am in room 1003 in the State Capitol Building.

LR 116 introduced by Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha is a study to examine the long-term fiscal sustainability of the Nebraska Health Care Cash Fund. The NHCCF provides funds to over 20 government programs and it is slowly losing money. For long-term sustainability we have to set priorities for what the money will be spent on.

LR 184 introduced by Senator Dan Quick of Grand Island. It is a study to examine how to provide a sustainable and adequate stream of state funds to local public health departments to ensure they are able to meet their core responsibilities.

If you know of any college students who may be interested in getting involved in the legislature I would encourage them to apply to work as a page for the 2020 legislative session. Legislative pages do a variety of jobs in the legislature such as: assisting the presiding officer, assisting committee staff, running errands for the senators, etc. The deadline for submitting applications and letters of recommendation will be Friday, October 4, 2019 at 5:00 pm, do not wait until the last minute because a letter of recommendation from my office will also need to be included in the application. Please contact my office if you have any questions.

I always enjoy hearing from the Nebraskans I represent. Please feel free to contact my office with any questions or concerns that you might have. My email address is dhughes@leg.ne.gov and my phone number is (402) 471-2805. You can read more about bills and other work of the Legislature at www.nebraskalegislature.gov, and you can click on the Live Video Streaming NET logo to watch sessions, hearings, and other Capitol events.