Weekly Legislative Report for January 11, 2013

Weekly Legislative Report for January 11, 2013

Keigher & Associates, L.L.C. 1320 Lincoln Mall, Suite 100, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508 KK Timothy P. Keigher tkeigher@keigherassociates.com Phone: (402)-474-3810 Fax: (402)-474-3812 Weekly Legislative Report for January 11, 2013 HAPPENINGS IN THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE THIS WEEK The 103rd Nebraska Legislature, First Session, convened on Wednesday, January 9, 2013. This year will be a 90 day session with tentative Sine Die scheduled for June 5, 2013. Last November’s election resulted in some changes to the composition of the Nebraska Legislature resulting in 11 new members of the body. Some highlights include: Republican’s held a 33-15 advantage over fellow Democrats going into November’s election. The Republican advantage now stands at 30-17 but of the 11 open seats three went from Republican to Democrat, those being: o Sue Crawford (D), Bellevue, Professor at Creighton University in political science - victory over Republican challenger Richard Carter, o Rick Kolowski (D), Omaha, District 31,retired educator and principal of Millard West High School, defeat of Republican Acela Turco, and o Kate Bolz (D), District 29, trained social worker who works for Nebraska Appleseed Center, defeat of Larry Zimmerman Incumbent Senator Ken Harr (D) retained his seat defeating Republican challenger Mike Hilgers. In an open seat Dan Watermeier (R), Syracuse, District 1, farmer, defeated Jerry Joy. In the open seat in District 23, formally held by term limited Senator Chris Langemeier, former Wahoo Mayor, Jerry Johnson (R) defeated Vern Barrett. In District 49, which was moved from the western part of the State to Omaha, as a part of redistricting saw John Murante (R), former aid and campaign manager to current Senator John Nelson, win over challenger Frank Wellenstein? In outgoing Speaker Mike Flood’s District 19, former mayor Jim Sheer (R), Norfolk, District 19, former mayor of Norfolk and local school board member, defeated William Goodpastrue. Outgoing Senator Gwen Howard’s seat was filled by her daughter, Sara Howard, (D) Omaha, District 9, development specialist with OneWorld Community Health Centers, defeated challenger, Erica Fish, stepdaughter to current Senator Mark Christensen. Al Davis (R), Hyannis, District 43, operates the OLO Ranch and owns the Verde Valley Ranch, replaces the term limited seat by U.S. Senator Deb Fischer. Only two incumbents were unable to retain the seats: o Incumbent Senator Paul Lambert (R) lost his appointed seat to challenger bill Kintner, Papillion, District 2, self-employed sales and market research professional. o The election also saw the Democrats losing a seat held by Brenda Council to Independent Ernie Chambers (I). Incumbent Senators Tanya Cook, Beau McCoy, Jeremy Nordquist, Scott Price, Colby Coash, Dave Bloomfield, Charlie Janssen, Galen Hadley, Katie Sullivan and Les Seiler all retained their seats. January 9th also marked the election of a new Speaker and committee chairs, as is done the first session of each new legislature. Many of the committee races, as well as that of Speaker, were uncontested. Of the 14 standing committees (listed below), seven saw leadership changes. Many of these changes were due to term limits, including Appropriations, Banking, Commerce and Insurance, Education, Natural Resources, Revenue, Transportation and Telecommunications. Election Results and Committee Assignments are as follows: Speaker Greg Adams 2013 LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES Committee on Committees Final Report Standing Committees Updated 1/10/13 (C indicates chair of the committee and VC is vice chair) Agriculture (8) Rm. 2102 - Tuesday Schilz (C), Bloomfield, Chambers, Hansen, Harr, B., Johnson, Lathrop, Wallman Appropriations (9) Rm. 1524 - Monday & Tuesday Rm. 1003 - Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday Mello (C), Bolz, Conrad, Harms, Kintner, Larson, Nelson, Nordquist, Wightman Banking, Commerce and Insurance (8) Rm. 1507 - Monday & Tuesday Gloor (C), Campbell, Carlson, Christensen, Crawford, Howard, Pirsch, Schumacher Business and Labor (7) Rm. 2102 - Monday Lathrop (C), Ashford, Chambers, Hansen, Harr, B., McGill, Wallman Education (8) Rm. 1525 - Monday & Tuesday Sullivan (C), Avery, Cook, Davis, Haar, K., Kolowski, Scheer, Seiler Genera l Affairs (8) Rm. 1510 - Monday Karpisek (C), Bloomfield, Coash, Johnson, Krist, Lautenbaugh, Murante, Schilz Government, Military and Veterans Affairs (8) Rm. 1507 - Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday Avery (C), Bloomfield, Karpisek, Lautenbaugh, Murante, Price, Scheer, Wallman Health and Human Services (7) Rm. 1510 - Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday Campbell (C), Cook, Crawford, Gloor, Howard, Krist, Watermeier Judiciary (8) Rm. 1113 - Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday Ashford (C), Chambers, Christensen, Coash, Davis, Lathrop, McGill, Seiler Natural Resources (8) Rm. 1525 - Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday Carlson (C), Brasch, Dubas, Haar, K., Johnson, Kolowski, Schilz, Smith Nebraska Retirement Systems (6) Rm. 1525 - At call of Chair Nordquist (C), Conrad, Davis, Karpisek, Kolowski, Mello Revenue (8) Rm. 1524 - Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday Hadley (C), Hansen, Harr, B., Janssen, McCoy, Pirsch, Schumacher, Sullivan Transportation and Telecommunications (8) Rm. 1113 - Monday & Tuesday Dubas (C), Brasch, Hadley, Janssen, McCoy, Price, Smith, Watermeier Urban Affairs (7) Rm. 1510 - Tuesday McGill (C), Ashford, Coash, Karpisek, Krist, Lautenbaugh, Murante Select Committees Committee on Committees (13) McCoy (C) District 1: District 2: District 3: Adams Ashford Carlson Campbell Krist Davis Coash (VC) Lathrop Hadley Conrad Mello Sullivan Enrollment and Review (1) Murante (C) Reference (9) Wightman (C), Krist (VC), Adams, Avery, Campbell, Chambers, Christensen, Karpisek, Lathrop, Mello (nonvoting ex officio) Rules (6) Lautenbaugh (C), Brasch, Dubas, Lathrop, Schumacher, Adams (ex officio) Special Committees Building Maintenance (6) Education Commission of the States (3) Executive Board of the Legislative Council (9) Wightman (C), Krist (VC), Adams, Avery, Campbell, Chambers, Christensen, Karpisek, Lathrop, Mello (nonvoting ex officio) Legislative Performance Audit (7) Legislature’s Planning (9) Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact (2) Midwestern Higher Education Commission (Midwest Compact) (2) State-Tribal Relations (7) In the first two days of bill introduction there were 155 bills introduced. Lawmakers have the first ten days in which to introduce legislation, with the last day of bill introduction being January 23rd. Bills of interest are listed below. Important dates/information for the 2013 Legislative Session: The Governor’s State of the State Address will be January 15th at 10:00AM. Chef Justice Heavican’s State of the Judiciary will be at 10:00AM, on January 17th. January 18th is the last day to submit bills request to bill drafting. January 22nd will be the first day of public hearings on bills introduced, beginning at 1:30PM. January 28th will mark the first day of floor debate. Floor debate will be in the mornings followed by committee hearings. February 25th the Speaker’s office will begin accepting senator and committee priority bills and requests for speaker priority bills. March 14th will mark the deadline for letters request a bill be designated as a speaker priority bill. March 15th will mark the deadline for letters request a bill be designated as committee or senator priority bills. March 18th speaker priority bills will be announced prior to adjournment for the day. March 21st is the tentative last day for public hearings. Additionally, beginning January 28th, the Legislature will begin the first day of the work week at 10:00 a.m, unless otherwise announced. The remaining days of the week we will convene session at 9:00 a.m. First Middle District Phone (all Home Last Name Name Initial Number 402 Prefix) Room Town email Adams Greg L. 24 471-2756 2103 York gadams@leg.ne.gov Ashford Brad 20 471-2622 1103 Omaha bashford@leg.ne.gov Avery Bill 28 471-2633 1423 Lincoln bavery@leg.ne.gov Bloomfield Dave 17 471-2716 1206 Hoskins dbloomfield@leg.ne.gov Bolz Kate 29 471-2734 1522 Lincoln kbolz@leg.ne.gov Brasch Lydia 16 471-2728 1016 Bancroft lbrasch@leg.ne.gov Campbell Kathy 25 471-2731 1402 Lincoln kcampbell@leg.ne.gov Carlson Tom 38 471-2732 1210 Holdrege tcarlson@leg.ne.gov Chambers Ernie 11 471-2612 1114 Omaha chambers@leg.ne.gov Christensen Mark R. 44 471-2805 1000 Imperial mchristensen@leg.ne.gov Coash Colby 27 471-2632 2028 Lincoln ccoash@leg.ne.gov Conrad Danielle 46 471-2720 1008 Lincoln dconrad@leg.ne.gov Cook Tanya 13 471-2727 1208 Omaha tcook@leg.ne.gov Crawford Sue 45 471-2615 2104 Bellevue scrawford@leg.ne.gov Davis Al 43 471-2628 1117 Hyannis adavis@leg.ne.gov Dubas Annette 34 471-2630 1110 Fullerton adubas@leg.ne.gov Grand Gloor Mike 35 471-2617 1401 Island mgloor@leg.ne.gov Haar Ken 21 471-2673 1018 Malcolm khaar@leg.ne.gov Hadley Galen 37 471-2726 1116 Kearney ghadley@leg.ne.gov North Hansen Tom 42 471-2729 1012 Platte thansen@leg.ne.gov Harms John N. 48 471-2802 2011 Scottsbluff jharms@leg.ne.gov Harr Burke J. 8 471-2722 1120 Omaha bharr@leg.ne.gov Howard Sara 9 471-2723 1523 Omaha showard@leg.ne.gov Janssen Charlie 15 471-2625 1403 Fremont cjanssen@leg.ne.gov Johnson Jerry 23 471-2719 1529 Wahoo jjohnson@leg.ne.gov Karpisek Russ 32 471-2711 1015 Wilber rkarpisek@leg.ne.gov Kintner Bill 2 471-2613 1115 Papillion bkintner@leg.ne.gov Kolowski Rick 31 471-2327 1528 Omaha rkolowski@leg.ne.gov Krist Bob 10 471-2718 2108 Omaha bkrist@leg.ne.gov Larson Tyson 40 471-2801 1019 O’Neill tlarson@leg.ne.gov Lathrop Steve 12 471-2623 2000 Omaha slathrop@leg.ne.gov

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