Legislature News

Safety Advocates Urge Nebraska to Tighten Seat Belt Law

Published by Nikki Palmer on Fri, 01/29/2021 - 5:00am

Highway safety advocates urged Nebraska lawmakers to tighten state seat belt requirements that are among the loosest in the nation.

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Updates to Mobile Landlord Tenant Act Discussed

Published by Nikki Palmer on Fri, 01/29/2021 - 12:00am

Mobile home tenants would have the same rights as residential tenants under a proposal considered by members of the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

In 2019, the Legislature approved changes to the Uniform Residential Landlord Tenant Act. Legislative Bill 277, sponsored this year by Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt, would update the Mobile Home Landlord and Tenant Act to mirror those changes.

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Bill Would Drop Extremely Blighted Designation Cap

Published by Nikki Palmer on Fri, 01/29/2021 - 12:00am

Cities would have greater flexibility in designating areas as extremely blighted under a bill considered Tuesday by the Urban Affairs Committee.

Introduced by Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont, Legislative Bill 99 would exclude areas deemed extremely blighted from the percentage limitations placed on blighted areas under the Community Development Law.

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Legislative Bill Would Extend TIF Repayment

Published by Nikki Palmer on Fri, 01/29/2021 - 12:00am

The provisions of a constitutional amendment approved by Nebraska voters last November would be implemented under a bill considered Tuesday by the Urban Affairs Committee.

Legislative Bill 25, introduced by Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne, would extend the repayment period of tax-increment financing from 15 years to 20 if more than one half of the land in a project is designated as extremely blighted.

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State Senators Accepting Online Comments About Legislation

Published by Nikki Palmer on Wed, 01/27/2021 - 12:00am

Lincoln – Nebraska lawmakers have created a new way for the public to comment on proposals without attending a hearing in person.

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State Senators Preserve Secret Committee Chair Votes

Published by Nikki Palmer on Tue, 01/26/2021 - 3:00am

Nebraska lawmakers rejected a new effort to require a public vote when they choose legislative leaders, despite a push from some conservative senators who cast it as a matter of transparency.

Lawmakers voted 30-19 last Thursday against the motion to change their internal rules that allow for committee chairs and the speaker of the Legislature to be elected through a secret ballot.

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Proposal Would Give Nebraska Health Officials More Authority

Published by Nikki Palmer on Tue, 01/26/2021 - 12:00am

Lincoln – Local public health officials across the state could gain more authority to impose restrictions related to controlling the coronavirus – or other future pandemics – under a measure in the Legislature.

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Senator’s Bill Would Give $2,000 Tax Credit for Stillborn Child

Published by Nikki Palmer on Mon, 01/25/2021 - 3:00am

Lincoln – Women who deliver a stillborn baby could get a $2,000 tax credit from the state government under a new proposal.

Legislative Bill 597 from Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston would offer a refundable credit if the fetus had advanced to at least the 20th week of gestation and the child would have been a dependent of the person claiming the credit.

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Lawmaker's Bill Would Make Election Day a State Holiday

Published by Nikki Palmer on Fri, 01/22/2021 - 4:00am

A lawmaker introduced a bill Tuesday that would declare Election Day a state holiday and automatically register eligible residents as voters when they renew their driver’s licenses.

The bill by Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln follows a handful of states that have made it a holiday to help ensure that working people get a chance to vote.