Last Thursday we completed the 71st day of the first regular session of the 100th Legislature. With only 19 legislative days left this year, it seems like the session has gone very quickly. I have appreciated this honor of representing you in the Nebraska Legislature and I will continue to due my best to represent the 44th District.

This week, the budget is up for discussion. The Appropriations Committee has proposed a 4.5 percent average increase over the next two years, which is higher than the governor's proposal of a 3.8 percent average increase, but much lower than the 7.4 percent average of the last biennium.

Last week, Legislative Bill 343, which creates an income tax credit for investment into new biodiesel facilities, advanced to Final Reading. Starting Jan. 1, 2008 and ending Jan. 1, 2015 it allows for an income tax credit equal to 30 percent of any investment taken over at least four years with a $250,000 maximum.

LB603, which changes the formula for funding Educational Service Units, advanced to Select File. It would combine core services and technology infrastructure funding for ESUs beginning with the 2008-09 school fiscal year. The new formula would be an equalized formula that would take into account distance education and telecommunications costs, satellite offices, sparsity, the number of students served, and a base amount for each ESU. The estimates with the current appropriation show a slight decrease in funding for ESUs 11 and 15, and an increase in funding for ESU 16 according to the new formula. In addition, the bill would transfer responsibilities, assets, and liabilities from the Distance Education Council to the newly created Educational Service Unit Coordinating Council starting July 2008.

LB415, which prohibits young people with a school permit, a learner's permit, or a provisional operator's permit from using a cell phone while operating a car, was vetoed by the governor and overridden by the Legislature 33-7-9. The new requirements will start Jan. 1, 2008. The law will be enforcement as a secondary offense.

Finally, LB218 harmonizes the recent state law restricting the amount of pseudoephedrine or phenylpropanolamine a person can buy at one time with new federal restrictions. The changes would increase the daily purchase amount from 1.44 grams to 3.6 grams, and add a 30-day restriction of 9 grams. This simplifies the compliance and implementation for retailers, so they are not dealing with two sets of laws.

The Legislature is revisiting the Class I school district issue this week by discussing LB658 on Select File. This bill would require a plan and other requirements for Class I schools to be reorganized. It would also include a certain percentage of the vote of the K12 district to reestablish any Class I school district existing before the enactment of LB126 of 2005. Another amendment being offered would reorganize all the Class I's and allow them to decide whether they would like to continue as a Class I district.

As always, I appreciate hearing from you. Please contact me with any questions or concerns.