UNICAMERAL UPDATE News published daily at Update.Legislature.ne.gov Vol. 44, Issue 20 / May 18 - 27, 2021 Legislature adjourns sine die he first new property tax session of relief and cutting T the107th taxes on military Legislature ad- retirement, Social journed sine die Security income, May 27, the 84th business inputs day of the sched- and residential wa- uled 90-day session. ter service. Lincoln Sen. “I think it’s the Mike Hilgers, most consequen- Speaker of the Leg- tial series of tax islature, thanked cut bills that this senators and staff Legislature has for their hard passed, maybe in work, acknowledg- decades,” he said. ing the efforts of “All of these things many to complete make Nebraska an uninterrupted more competitive and “tremendously and more afford- difficult” session able.” during the ongoing Looking ahead coronavirus pan- to the 2022 legisla- demic. tive session, Hil- “The things gers urged sena- we put in place — tors to think big all-day committee about how best to hearings, the sub- continue to move mitted written tes- Nebraska forward timony, everything with a sense of ur- Gov. Pete Ricketts addresses senators in the George W. Norris Chamber on the last day of else that made life the 2021 session. gency. so difficult for so “If this Legisla- many — were really the keys to allow us to get our work ture wants to be as transformative as I believe that it can done,” he said. be, we have to start with an historic first session, but we Among the challenges faced by lawmakers this year, have to end with a transformative second session,” he said. Hilgers said, were passing the state’s two-year budget and Gov. Pete Ricketts, in his address to lawmakers, praised approving significant tax reform. Hilgers credited the senators for approving nearly $1.7 billion in property tax Legislature’s Appropriations Committee for passing what relief over the next two years. Almost 18.5 percent of the he called one of the best budgets in years, which funded state’s biennial budget is dedicated to various tax relief many senators’ priorities while holding annual spending measures, he said. growth below 3 percent. “This is the most, the biggest, the greatest amount of tax Hilgers also praised lawmakers, and members of the relief any legislature has done in a quarter century — and Revenue Committee specifically, for their work in funding (continued page 2) INSIDE: Senators successfully override three gubernatorial vetoes • Redistricting guidelines adopted May 18 - 27, 2021 Legislature adjourns sine die (continued from front page) potentially in the history of the state of Nebraska,” Ricketts said. The governor said the Legisla- ture’s “quick and decisive” action empowered state agencies to respond effectively to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. “Throughout the pandemic, we were always able to provide that hospi- tal bed, that ICU bed or that ventilator to anyone who needed it, when they needed it,” he said. “That has allowed us ... to have one of the lowest fatality rates from coronavirus of any state in the nation.” Ricketts said many Nebraskans stepped up to take care of one another, allowing the state to emerge from the pandemic in a strong position. “Because of the great work of our educators, we have one of the highest rates of kids in classrooms throughout the course of this last school year,” he Lincoln Sen. Mike Hilgers, finishing his first session as Speaker of the Legislature, thanked said. “We had the lowest unemploy- senators for their service, dedication and sacrifice during a “historic” year. ment rate on average of any state in the nation throughout 2020, and we The Legislature is scheduled to con- ing process. The second session of have the lowest unemployment rate in vene in early fall for a special legislative the 107th Legislature is scheduled to the country today.” session to complete the 2021 redistrict- convene Jan. 5, 2022. n UNICAMERAL UPDATE The Unicameral Update is a free, weekly newsletter published during the legislative session. It is produced by the Clerk of the Legislature’s Office through the Unicameral Information Office. For print subscriptions, call 402-471-2788 or email [email protected]. Visit us online at Update.Legislature.ne.gov, twitter.com/UnicamUpdate and facebook.com/UnicameralUpdate. Clerk of the Legislature: Patrick J. O’Donnell Editor: Kate Heltzel; Writers: Kyle Harpster, Ami Johnson, Mike Malloy; Photographer: Bess Ghormley Printed copies of bills, resolutions and the Legislative Journal are available at the State Capitol room 1104, or by calling 402-471-2709 or 800-742-7456. Status of bills and resolutions can be requested at that number or can be found on NebraskaLegislature.gov. Live video of hearings and floor debate can be viewed on NET2 and at NetNebraska.org/capitol. Senators may be contacted by mail at this address: Senator Name, District #, State Capitol, P.O. Box 94604, Lincoln, NE 68509-4604 Assistance provided by the Clerk of the Legislature’s Office, the Legislative Technology Center, committee clerks, legal counsels, journal clerks, pages, transcribers, mail room and bill room staff and the State Print Shop. THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE’S OFFICIAL NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1977 PAGE 2 • UNICAMERAL UPDATE • 107TH LEGISLATURE May 18 - 27, 2021 107TH LEGISLATURE • UNICAMERAL UPDATE • PAGE 3 May 18 - 27, 2021 building rentals, costs associated with first must provide required informa- increased inspections and educational tion electronically to the committee. and workforce training. LB572 also makes violations of Lawmakers voted 48-0 to pass several Livestock Brand Act provisions Animal shares, independent LB324. infractions enforceable by citation. processor assistance approved The bill makes it a Class III felony to Livestock Brand Act changes willfully or knowingly apply, remove, Senators passed a bill May 19 approved damage or alter an approved nonvisual that allows farmers and ranchers to identifier — or corrupt the informa- offer livestock ownership shares to The Nebraska Brand Commit- tion recorded on an identifier — if it customers. tee may use electronic devices, nose is done to steal or falsely assert owner- Introduced by Plymouth Sen. Tom prints, retinal scans or DNA matches ship of livestock. Brandt, LB324 allows the acquisition to identify cattle under a bill passed Finally, under LB572, appoint- of meat through by lawmakers May 20. ments to the committee are subject to an animal share LB572, introduced by Hastings Sen. confirmation by the Legislature. — an ownership in- Steve Halloran, allows the committee The bill passed on a vote of 47-1. terest in an animal to provide for elec- or herd of animals tronic inspection created by a writ- of enrolled cattle ten contract be- identified by cer- tween a consumer Sen. Tom Brandt tain approved non- and a farmer or rancher — under visual identifiers. State aid to counties for certain conditions. The committee certain federal judgments Among other requirements, the will establish pro- Sen. Steve Halloran authorized animal share owner, or someone cedures for cattle enrollment that acting on their behalf, must receive include providing acceptable certifi- Lawmakers gave final approval the meat, and the farmer or rancher cation or evidence of ownership and May 20 to a bill that provides state must provide the consumer with a submit a report to the Legislature general funds to counties to pay cer- description of their livestock health describing actions taken to implement tain federal judgments. and processing standards. electronic inspection. Electronic in- LB103, sponsored by Sen. My- A farmer or rancher who offers spection does not require committee ron Dorn of Adams, appropriates an animal share must be a Nebraska employees to be present. $2 million in gen- resident and maintain a record of The bill creates an electronic inspec- eral funds in fiscal each animal share sold. The name tion fee of no more than 85 cents per year 2021-22 and and address of each individual with head and lowers the physical brand FY2022-23 to any an ownership interest in the particu- inspection fee to the same amount. The county that has a lar livestock must be presented to the new fee schedule takes effect Oct. 1, judgment against processor prior to slaughter. 2021, and ends June 30, 2023. it from a federal LB324 also creates an independent LB572 also increases fees for new court of more than Sen. Myron Dorn processor assistance program that, if brand applications and brand renewals $25 million if the total cost of the funds are made available, will provide and authorizes the committee to charge judgment exceeds 20 percent of the funding to certain federally inspected, for actual mileage incurred by an inspec- county’s annual budget. state inspected or custom-exempt tor to perform a physical inspection. An eligible county must set its prop- slaughter and processing facilities in Additionally, the bill requires the erty tax levy at the maximum for each Nebraska that employ fewer than 25 committee to provide a certified bill year that it receives aid under the bill people. of sale and a certified transportation and any state funds received may be Recipients may use the funds to permit to qualified dairies that sell or used only for payment of a qualifying pay for capital improvements, utilities move calves under 30 days of age out judgment. upgrades, equipment, technology, of the brand inspection area. Dairies The bill passed 44-3. PAGE 4 • UNICAMERAL UPDATE • 107TH LEGISLATURE May 18 - 27, 2021 State funding for tribal health by the state Department of Economic center passed Development, with an application pe- riod beginning July 1, 2021, and end- Lawmakers gave final approval May ing July 15, 2021. Grants will require a 20 to a bill that provides state funds to one-to-one match from private sources one of Nebraska’s federally qualified and are capped as follows: Digital asset depository bill health centers.