field notes NEBRASKA
RECAP OF 2017 The Beginning
The 2017 session of the Nebraska Unicameral began on January 4, 2017 with 17 newly elected senators. With the addition of these freshman senators, there were now 34 sitting senators with two years or less lawmaking experience. By one month into the session, Senator Kintner resigned under great pressure from his colleagues and was replaced by a Governor Ricketts’ appointed Senator, making it 35 senators with two years or less experience.
The freshman senators wasted no time exercising their influence on the Unicameral, linking up with several sitting senators to totally reconstruct the make-up of the standing committee chairmanships. A “Group of 27” was formed that placed their preferred colleagues in chairmanship positions, in some cases removing current chairs. In all instances, it was obvious that more conservative senators were placed at the head of all standing committees, much to the displeasure of the liberal senators. This set the stage for an extended battle over the rules of the legislature, which must be approved before any business can take place. After 30 days of stalemate, Speaker Scheer, showing his leadership, offered a motion to extend temporary rules from the previous session until day 50, which was accepted by the body. Once day 50 arrived the Unicam- eral, seeing that the session was moving along as needed, decided to make the temporary rules permanent for the remainder of this legislature.
Real Work Moves On
The biggest issues the lawmakers had to deal with this session were 1) the budget deficit for the current fiscal year which ended June 30, 2) a new balanced budget for fiscal years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019, and 3) property tax relief. The Governor stressed that he felt income tax relief should also be a major issue for this session. The session was successful on the first two items, closing the current fiscal year deficit and approving a balanced budget for the next two fiscal years. Unfortunately the last two items, property tax relief and income tax relief, both failed and will remain a priority for the next session.
Items of particular interest to INEDA members were the Right to Repair initiative offered by Senator Lydia Brasch in the form of LB 67, and a property tax exemption for rental machine inventory, offered by Senator Burke Harr in the form of LB 249. LB 67 was opposed by INEDA and LB 249 was supported.
LB 67
This bill was assigned to the Judiciary Committee since it had a penalty clause. Senator Chambers de- manded that all bills with a penalty come through the Judiciary Committee and in this instance it was a very good thing for INEDA. During the hearing on this bill, which included excellent testimony from Nebraska dealers and AEM representatives, Senator Chambers often asked proponents for the bill why
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
MARK OTHMER, Nebraska Field Director [
mothmer@neb.rr.com]
4 | The Retailer Magazine | July/Aug
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