Bills taking back seat to budget

McCOOK, Neb. -- State legislators focused on how to resolve a more than $250 million budgeted shortfall, or discontent with committee assignments for specific bills, are making little progress on the more than 650 bills introduced this session.

"We're not making much headway," said District 44 State Sen. Dan Hughes during his weekly Chamber of Commerce conference call this morning. The third-year senator said legislators passed one bill from General to Select File, legislation delaying the deadline for for certifying allowable reserve percentages under TEEOSA, and has otherwise been focused on budget debate.

Legislators are looking to make up some $150-$170 million with Gov. Pete Ricketts' proposed solution advancing out of committee, "pretty much intact," according to Sen. Hughes.

"I've looked at it. It's never good when you're taking money away from people's budget," said Sen. Hughes, adding it was the unfortunate reality of where the state was at.

"Reappropriated funds" have become a hot topic during recent budget debate. State departments that under-spend budgeted funds are allowed to roll those funds into the next year's budget, Sen. Hughes explained. The reappropriated funds often serve as a savings account for significant technology upgrades or remodels and have become the first casualty of the state's budgeted shortfall.

"Taking away those reappropriated funds is causing anxiety among those state agencies," said Sen. Hughes. He indicated the intent was to restore at least some of those funds at a later date.

District 11 State Sen. Ernie Chambers continues to gobble up floor debate with his unhappiness with committee assignment for certain bills. Sen. Chambers brought the fight to the senate floor for another three bills recently, according to Sen. Hughes.

Sen. Chambers has continued to express his unhappiness with bill referencing since he dominated debate time during the first week of the session, when he unsuccessfully lobbied for five bills to be redirected to the Judiciary Committee where he is a member and would have more input.

Several factors are weighed when determining which committee a bill is referred to, with the committee having a significant impact on whether the bill ever makes it out for debate on the floor, Sen. Hughes explained at the time.