Sen. Williams:

Back in session

Greetings District 36. After an unexpected break due to the pandemic, the Legislature is back in session. The body will meet for its final 17 days, beginning July 20th and ending on August 13th. There are several important issues that must be debated and voted upon, among which include the adoption of a new economic development tax incentive program; the adoption of the NExT Project at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC)/Nebraska Medicine; property taxes; and funding the State’s budget. I’m positive Senators are ready and willing to resume the session and work through these and other pressing issues.

I wholeheartedly support LB720, the ImagiNE Nebraska Act, which is designed to improve the expiring Nebraska Advantage Act, and provides incentives designed to propel Nebraska’s economy into the future. In addition, I support LB1084, which includes UNMC’s NExT Project, which would authorize the project to qualify for tax incentives if there is a federal $1 billion investment in the UNMC/University of Nebraska Medicine. The NExT project would be an economic driver for the state and expand the UNMC/Nebraska Medicine campus and its educational, research, and health care missions. I also strongly support efforts to reduce property taxes.

The budget as crafted by the Appropriations Committee was advanced before the session was suspended in March. There may be some needed adjustments to the budget after we hear from the Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board on July 23rd. The Board predicts and advises the Legislature about how much revenue will be generated and available to fund State programs. In addition to public health, COVID-19 has negatively affected State budgets across the country. The information made available by the Forecasting board will set the bar for money available to fund not only existing programs, but also for any new funding.

As the session resumes, however, the first day will see debate on bills introduced by the Health and Human Services Committee related to Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Centers. I serve on the Health and Human Services Committee and am very concerned about recent action taken by the Department of Health and Human Services that will move girls from the Kearney and Geneva Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Centers to a new building on the Hastings Regional Center Campus and move boys being treated in a substance abuse program to Lincoln. I share the concerns many Senators have expressed about the Department’s action that was taken without stakeholder input from the affected communities and without keeping the Legislature informed of its intentions.

The Banking, Commerce, and Insurance Committee, of which I am Chairman, also has three bills that will move through the system in these final 17 days of the session. LB774, LB808, and LB909 are noncontroversial bills and include legislation important to the business community in the State.

As always, feel free to contact me anytime at (402) 471-2642 or mwilliams@leg. ne.gov. Thanks again for your continued support.