UNICAMERAL UPDATE Stories published daily at Update.Legislature.ne.gov Vol. 40, Issue 20 / May 15 - 23, 2017 Legislature adjourns mid-biennium he first session of the 105th Legislature adjourned sine die TMay 23, the 86th day of the scheduled 90-day session. Speaker Jim Scheer said among their many accomplishments this session, senators passed legislation to add a juvenile court judge in Douglas County, authorize new economic development districts on riverfronts and add a definition of dyslexia to the state’s education law. Most importantly, he said, the Leg- islature addressed the budget shortfall and passed a balanced budget that does not raise taxes. “I think it’s fair to say that not a single member of this body was com- Speaker Jim Scheer said that, despite the session’s slow start, the Legislature was able to pletely happy with the final budget,” debate all bills advanced by committees and address a nearly $1 billion budget shortfall. Scheer said. “Many wanted more cuts, debate all the bills advanced to general changed significantly with the replace- some wanted fewer cuts, but we did file by the committees. ment of two-thirds of the senators who what we were able and what we had Scheer admitted that there were were in office when he was elected, to do.” times when the session seemed never- but he said the body is now in a better Despite the session’s slow start, ending, while other times it seemed position to address tough issues. Scheer said, the Legislature was able to too short. He said the body has “As a body, there is a greater push (continued page 2) Governor’s line-item budget vetoes sustained awmakers declined to override any of the governor’s would return the level of funding for provider rates to the line-item vetoes of the state budget package May 17. amounts recommended in his budget proposal. Ricketts L Several bills comprising the $8.9 billion, two-year said that prudent fiscal management calls for less general budget package were passed last week and sent to Gov. Pete fund spending in light of a recent downturn in state tax Ricketts. The governor vetoed $56.5 million in line items revenue. from the budget. The Appropriations Committee offered Gering Sen. John Stinner, chairperson of the Appropria- override motions on two of those vetoes. tions Committee, offered a motion to override $32.4 mil- Among the provisions vetoed in LB327, the mainline lion of those cuts to provider rates for Medicaid, behavioral budget bill, was $33.6 million in general funds that lawmak- health and developmental disability providers. ers had approved for Medicaid, child welfare, behavioral While a 3 percent cut may seem reasonable, Stinner health and developmental disability providers. The gover- said, rates for Nebraska Medicaid providers are the sixth nor’s veto amounts to a 3 percent cut in provider rates in lowest of all the states that provide such information. Nurs- the four categories. ing homes – particularly in rural areas of the state – are In his May 15 veto message, the governor said the change stressed financially by those low rates, he said. (continued page 3) INSIDE: Meet Sen. Briese • Corrections oversight committee named • City bankruptcy tied to pension funds May 15 - 23, 2017 Legislature adjourns mid-biennium (continued from front page) to challenge the status quo, to take a “Working together, we did some- and corporate tax rates and change step back and ask: ‘Why are we doing thing that was unprecedented,” Rick- the way agricultural land is valued in this,’ or ‘Why don’t we do things this etts said. “No one can ever remember an effort to reduce property taxes. The way?’” Scheer said. when we have passed two budget bills bill failed to advance from general file Gov. Pete Ricketts, in his address to in one legislative session.” this session. the Legislature, thanked senators for Ricketts said the biennium budget “We need to continue to work taking time away from their families prioritizes funding for public schools, on how we’re going to provide that to serve their fellow citizens. property tax relief and correctional tax relief to our Nebraska families,” He said the executive and legisla- services reform without raising taxes. Ricketts said. tive branches worked together this He said he would work with senators The second session of the 105th session to grow Nebraska’s economy over the interim to modify a proposal Legislature is scheduled to convene and make government more efficient to cut the state’s top personal income Jan. 3, 2018. g by creating a grant program to build workforce housing in rural counties, passing occupational licensing reform and combining the state Roads and Aeronautics departments. Ricketts thanked the Appropria- tions Committee and its chairperson, Gering Sen. John Stinner, for their work in making cuts to the current fiscal year’s state budget and in pass- ing a balanced budget for the next two fiscal years after facing a $900 million shortfall earlier this year. He especially appreciated the speed with which the committee recommended the initial round of budget cuts made in early February to begin addressing the shortfall. Gov. Pete Ricketts greets senators as he departs the Norris Chamber after his speech. 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: Heidi Uhing; Writers: Kyle Harpster, Kate Heltzel, Ami Johnson; 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 Unicameral Update is available as an audio recording from the Nebraska Library Commission’s Talking Book and Braille Service. Call (800) 742-7691 for more information. THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE’S OFFICIAL NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1977 PAGE 2 • UNICAMERAL UPDATE • 105TH LEGISLATURE May 15 - 23, 2017 Governor’s line-item budget vetoes sustained (continued from front page) “With an aging population, nurs- she said. “But if we take [the cash re- Sen. Matt Hansen of Lincoln sup- ing homes need to be preserved at least serve fund] down to 2.5 percent and ported the override motion, saying the at a flat rate,” Stinner said, which the have to come back in October and governor had an unlimited number bill as passed by the Legislature would make the very cuts that we’re doing of choices in how to re-balance the have done. today – painful as they are – they’re budget with his line-item vetoes but Sen. Mark Kolterman of Seward not going to be less painful in October. chose cuts that impact individuals who supported the motion, saying an over- They’ll be more painful,” she said. cannot advocate for themselves. ride was warranted in this case. Many “We have to face the reality that we’re “The governor had his choices and critical access hospitals and nursing in. We aren’t broke, but we shouldn’t he made them,” Hansen said. “And I homes in rural areas are the largest let ourselves get quite so close.” hope he is comfortable with [it].” employers in their towns, he said, and The motion failed on a vote of The motion failed on a vote of some are in danger of failing because 27-21. Thirty votes were required for 27-21. of Medicaid provider rates. adoption. A number of additional motions “How are we going to recruit people The other committee motion were offered and withdrawn, includ- to an area where the largest employer would have restored $300,000 vetoed ing motions to override vetoes of: in many cases is struggling to keep their from the Office of Probation Services. • $5.8 million for the University doors open?” Kolterman said. Stinner said the amount reflects a 0.5 of Nebraska; Omaha Sen. Robert Hilkemann percent across-the-board cut to most • $1.3 million for child welfare also supported the override motion, state agencies that was included in the provider funding; saying the state is not “broke” and governor’s line-item vetoes. • $716,00 for juvenile justice should not balance its budget by cut- “Probation services provides con- transportation funding; and ting rates to providers who take care structive change through rehabilita- • $26,800 in general funds for the of the state’s most vulnerable. tion, collaboration and partnership to state’s specialized court system. “Even if we do this override, we’re enhance and maintain the safety of our Following a vote on a second still going to have $350 million in our communities,” Stinner said. “Bringing motion to override the veto of child rainy day fund,” he said. “To what an additional cut to those services will welfare funding, which failed 19-23, end? It’s a rainy day.” not serve the mission of Nebraska.” all of the governor’s line-item vetoes Sen.