Status of the Session – April 30, 2021
The Legislature has completed 70 of the planned 90 days of the 2021 session. Senators have been busy, so far approving 92 measures. That includes the new two-year state budget, so they could theoretically go home for the year at any time. Note that the budget was successfully amended to include Chamber priorities such as […]
Status of the Session – March 29, 2021
Senators have completed 50 of the scheduled 90 days of the 2021 session. Regular committee hearings have given way to day-long floor debate, and most time allotments go to bills that have been designated as priorities by senators and committees. Expected shortly is the new two-year state budget. Under the rules of the legislature, the […]
Status of the Session – March 2, 2021
Welcome to March and day 36 of the Legislature’s session. Day-long committee hearings continue (and the Capitol ballet of getting from room to room on time). An end, though, is in sight. The final meeting is scheduled for the morning of March 12. Then it will be on to day-long floor debate. March 11 is […]
Status of the Session – February 8, 2021
On Friday, the Legislature completed the fifth week of the session. The day-long hearing schedule continues, with testifiers running from room to room in the Capitol as there are more than usual timing conflicts. They also have to comply with COVID rules that restrict attendance in hearing rooms, as well as strict requirements for submission […]
Status of the Session – January 11, 2021
The Nebraska Legislature convened for the 2021 session on January 3. The order of business on the first day included swearing in eight new senators and the selection of a new Speaker and committee chairs. Senator Mike Hilgers of Lincoln was elected as Speaker. Committee chairs are: Agriculture: Steve Halloran, Hastings. Reelected. Appropriations: John Stinner, […]
Status of the Session – March 16, 2020
The status of the Legislature’s 2020 session is . . . uncertain, unsettled, fluid, This morning, Speaker Scheer announced that proceedings have been postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 situation. Senators might reconvene next week if emergency appropriations are necessary. We are in a sixty-day session, and 20 meeting days remain. There is no constitutional […]
Status of the Session – March 3, 2020
Senators have passed the halfway point in the 2020 session, and there is a bit of heavy lifting to do before the scheduled April 23 adjournment. Committee hearings concluded at the end of last week and full day floor debate begins today. With senator and committee priority bills designated, the way forward is a little […]
Status of the Session – January 31, 2020
The 2020 session of the Legislature is in its fourth week, and days are split between morning floor debate and afternoon hearings. In each case, proceedings swing between the quick and decisive and the stalemate. With a total of over 490 substantive new bills and resolutions introduced—each requiring a committee hearing—senators, staff, and testifiers are […]
Status of the Session – January 16, 2020
Senators returned for the 2020 session on January 8. This is called the short session, but even before the April 23 target adjournment date it is bound to feel very long. On just the opening day, 120 new bills were introduced, and by noon today the total surpassed 300. On Monday, floor consideration began […]
Status of the Session
It’s over. Even after such a grueling session, where daily agendas shifted from quick advancement of bills to breakdowns fueled by frustration over not making progress on certain issues, and at times personal animosities, not all senators were pleased that it ended six days early. Some felt that sticking it out for the full 90 […]