Lawmakers reach halfway point in session

Lawmakers reach halfway point in session

Last week we passed the half-way mark for this year’s session. We were supposed to receive the proposed budget from the Appropriations Committee last week but there were a few minor changes they wanted to make before releasing it. We should get it sometime this week.

Two of my bills, LB 190 and LB 191 which are rolled into LB 507, were heard on the floor last week. The amendment that they were put into was adopted to LB507 and the bill advanced to Select File. Other bills that may be of interest to the 44th legislative district are:

LB 83, this bill was introduced by Senator Mike Flood of Norfolk. During declared emergencies, county boards, mayors and village boards could virtually hold meetings. Political subdivisions would be allowed to conduct half of their annual meetings virtually. There would still have to be at least one physical site for public participation and advanced notice would have to be given. This is different from what they can currently do, right now they can use virtual meetings in circumstances regarding the existing emergency only. This would allow them to discuss regular business virtually.

Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil introduced a bill, LB 390, at the request of the governor and he then selected it as his personal priority bill. The bill would amend Nebraska’s Uniform Credentialing Act which would allow certain people credentialed in other states to apply for expedited credential in Nebraska. Those eligible include dentists, optometrists, nurses, podiatrists, psychologists and others. Hopefully this would help with shortages that we see throughout the state. This bill is now on select file.

The Daylight Saving Time bill, or LB 283, introduced by Senator Tom Briese again this year, has been chosen as a speaker priority bill. Almost every state has introduced legislation to make this change but only 15 states have enacted legislation or passed a resolution to allow for year-round daylight savings time.

This could only happen if Congress were to allow this change. I have heard from a number of constituents on this issue both for and against but the one thing that most people agree on is that we need to either be in year-round daylight saving time or get rid of it. No one likes switching their clocks twice a year.

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.

My office is in room 2108 at the Capitol if you are in the Lincoln area. 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 the session, hearings, and other Capitol events.