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Nebraska files 715 bills as committees take up county-focused measures
Summary
A weekly legislative report said 715 bills and 18 constitutional amendments were filed this session and previewed committee hearings on matters affecting counties, including veterans' homestead exemptions, county bond rules ("LB 1 26"), repeal of jeweler's liens ("LB 58"), privacy protections for officials' addresses and ATV/UTV registration changes.
A weekly legislative report said the Nebraska Legislature wrapped up bill introductions this week with 715 bills and 18 constitutional amendments offered during the session. "Bill introductions wrapped up this week with a total of 715 bills and 18 constitutional amendments offered this session," the reporter said.
The report said many measures could affect counties, noting topics from property taxes and zoning to juvenile justice and motor vehicle rules. Committees will hear bills in afternoon public hearings, with floor debate in the mornings.
Revenue Committee action was highlighted: the committee heard bills to clarify veterans' homestead exemptions and to reinstate a personal property tax credit that the report said was repealed "four years ago." The report added that next week the Revenue Committee will consider two bills to expand homestead exemptions for disabled veterans and a separate bill to clarify tax sale procedures.
The Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee heard two bills introduced on behalf of the National Association of Counties (NACo). The report identified one measure as "LB 1 26," described as a bill to allow extended call periods for county bonds sold on a competitive basis, and another as "LB 58," described as repealing an antiquated jeweler's lien. The committee also heard a proposal to shield residential addresses of law enforcement officers and judges from disclosure in county treasurer records.
Other items the report said are scheduled for committee consideration include allowing abandonment of section line roads without a traffic study and raising the maximum grant amount that can be distributed from county visitor improvement funds. The Agriculture Committee will take up a bill on funding for riparian weed management, and the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee will hear measures to remove weight limits and alter the definition of all-terrain and utility-terrain vehicles to allow titling, plus a separate bill to provide for ATV/UTV registration.
The report directed the public to the Legislature’s website for the full schedule and provided instructions on submitting testimony. Interested parties may testify in person at the Capitol at a bill’s hearing or submit electronic testimony through the Bills page; the site sends a confirmation email that must be replied to in order to complete submission. The report noted that to be part of the hearing record, comments must be submitted by 8 a.m. on the day of the hearing, and that contacting senators or committees directly by phone or email will not place comments into the hearing record.
The report also previewed the annual state of the judiciary address, saying Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Jeffrey Funk will deliver that address next Tuesday. The weekly report closed by directing listeners to the Legislature’s website for contact information and the full hearing schedule.
