Throughout my time in the legislature, I have heard countless stories from across Nebraska of working people being driven off of their farms and out of their homes because of the rising burden of property taxes. Working with Governor Pillen, I am proud to be the lead sponsor of LB 783, which would eliminate the property tax levy authority of community college boards...

The Nebraska Legislature is a unique institution, given its status as the country’s only unicameral and nonpartisan legislature. While there are certainly drawbacks to a unicameral system, an added benefit of our legislature gives every member a fairly equal set of responsibilities. ...

In 2021, the Nebraska Legislature adopted LB 644, titled the Property Tax Request Act and more commonly dubbed the Truth in Taxation Act. The bill requires counties to inform their citizens of an increase in property tax from the year prior of 2.0% or more. The legislation also requires the counties to hold a public hearing where citizens can ask questions, express discontent, or air grievances about any increases...

In 2021, the Nebraska Legislature adopted LB 644, titled the Property Tax Request Act and more commonly dubbed the Truth in Taxation Act. The bill requires counties to inform their citizens of an increase in property tax from the year prior of 2.0% or more. The legislation also requires the counties to hold a public hearing where citizens can ask questions, express discontent, or air grievances about any increases...

Over the last few years, communities across Legislative District 38 (LD-38) have been recognized by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and the Nebraska Diplomats for achievements in growth, modernization, business expansion, retention, leadership, agri-business, and preparation to succeed in competitive environments. Today, I’m recognizing some of those achievements and putting the great success across our district into context...

Friends, During my time in the Nebraska Unicameral, I’ve had the opportunity to serve on the Education Committee. During this time, I’ve strongly advocated for teaching American exceptionalism in the classroom, so that students may foster an appreciation for the God-given freedoms our country protects and defends. This is largely thanks to our founders’ foresight when drafting the United States Constitution, broadly considered to be the world’s longest-surviving governing document...

This Memorial Day 2022, we honor the U.S. military personnel who have died while serving in the United States armed forces. Community observances of the holiday will be held throughout the state at local cemeteries and memorial gardens with members of local American Legion, VFW and DAV posts paying tribute to the fallen men and women who sacrificed their lives serving our country...

The National Day of Prayer Last Thursday, May 5th, was the National Day of Prayer in the United States. I had the privilege of being the sponsoring senator for the event held in the Capitol rotunda in Lincoln. The prayer gathering was sponsored by Nebraska Family Alliance. ...

Former President Barrack Obama famously said shortly after his first inauguration that “Elections have consequences”. That was true back in 2009 and it is certainly true today. Although we are not voting for a United States President this election cycle, a lot of important races will be held next Tuesday, May 10th. These will have important consequences on the national, state and local scene...

The final gavel and the adjournment of the second session of the 107th Nebraska Legislature occurred last Wednesday, April 20. The last day of a session is referred to as “Sine Die,” Latin for “without a day.” This was a sixty-day session, but it was packed full of issues, chief among them the allocation of the federal ARPA funds...

Over 40,000 acres. At this writing, that is the amount of pasture and cropland that has burned in Gosper and Furnas counties, as well as just south of the border in northern Kansas. At least eight families have lost their homes. Dozens of other structures were also destroyed. ...

As this update goes to press, the Nebraska Legislature will have completed fifty-seven days of this year’s sixty-day legislative session. Much of the focus and debate this week has been on taxes. The road to tax relief this year has been difficult and circuitous as every effort has been challenged and delayed through the filibuster process. ...

One of the committees that I’ve served on for the past four years is the Education Committee. In this legislative session the Education Committee has heard a multitude of bills addressing a wide variety of topics. This week I would like to discuss several bills that I anticipate will be debated in the remaining days of this year’s session...

After this week, the Nebraska Legislature has only fifteen working days left in this year’s sixty-day Legislative session. Most of the debate this week and next week has centered on (and will focus on) the State’s budget and how we spend the federal ARPA funds. A major component of these discussions this week has involved whether to build a new state prison and whether the state should adopt criminal justice reform measures that aim to reduce crime and recidivism...

During this second session of the 107th Legislature, I have introduced twelve bills and one proposed constitutional amendment. Additionally, I have cosponsored several other bills from other senators that I believe deserve to be debated on the legislative floor, and ultimately passed. Here are highlights of a few of those bills...

One thing that COVID-19 has highlighted is a shortage of medical personnel in rural Nebraska. The number of COVID patients put a strain on an already burdened healthcare workforce. I have introduced legislation this session to try and combat this shortage...

Cutting taxes. This is a perennial issue that most senators promise to address in the legislature. They campaign on this issue and make promises, usually with good intentions. But then, year after year, little, if anything, is accomplished. Much time on the floor this week was spent on an income tax cutting bill, LB 939. ...

This year, I have designated LB 723 as my priority bill for the session. Each senator is allowed one priority bill during each session. This bill was introduced by Senator Tom Briese of Albion, District 41. LB 1107 from 2020 created the refundable income tax credit, and as Senator Briese has stated, LB 723 intends to protect at least $173 million dollars in property tax relief in 2024 by eliminating the requirement that the available dollars be lowered to $375 million...

As 2021 draws to a close, I want to wish all of you a Happy New Year for 2022. The next session of the Nebraska Legislature will begin next Wednesday, January 5th. This will be a “short” 60-day session that is scheduled to end on April 20, 2022. A number of bills from last year that did not pass will “carry over” to this next session, and senators will have ten legislative days to introduce new bills...

Fall is here. Crisp autumn evenings, the changing of the leaves, and the mad dash to get the crops out of the field. It can’t be said often enough—there is no place like Nebraska. Some of the discussion during the recent special session on redistricting brought up what appears to be a growing divide between urban and rural areas of our state. In this frame of mind, Lincoln and everything east is considered “urban” and everything west of Lincoln is “rural”...

I think it is important to tell my constituents where I stand on Covid-19 vaccine and mask mandates. As you might imagine, I have received several calls and emails lately on this topic. There is great concern about federal overreach and the idea of being forced to do something that violates personal choice and possibly religious beliefs...