A look back at the 2024 session

When the 2024 session of the Nebraska Legislature ended on April 18 we had passed less than 30 percent of the 1,240 bills before us this year. In this 60-day short session we passed a total of 370 bills. Since we operate on a biennium basis, there were a lot of bills that carried over into this year from last, and when one adds in new bills introduced this year, the end result was that the Unicameral passed less than one-third of the bills up for consideration.

One of the priorities for the session—the Gov. Jim Pillen’s property tax relief proposal— did not have enough votes on the third and final round, so it was passed over and will await a special session this summer.

Among the bills passed this year are many that impact the lives of Nebraska families.

For instance, an education bill passed with a supermajority providing $10 million in state dollars to fund private school scholarships. LB1402 requires the state treasurer to establish a program to provide scholarships to eligible students to pay costs associated with attending a qualified school, defined as any non-governmental, privately operated nonprofit elementary or secondary school that complies with certain federal anti-discrimination provisions and fulfills the applicable accreditation or approval requirements established by the State Board of Education. This bill also repeals the Opportunity Scholarships Act passed last year. The bill appropriates general funds for the next two school years.

Meanwhile, LB126 allows current homestead exemption recipients to remain eligible for an exemption if a valuation increase pushes the value of their homestead above the allowed maximum. Another bill, LB937 provides that a family caregiver is eligible for a nonrefundable income tax credit equal to 50 percent of expenses incurred that are directly related to the care and support of an eligible family member.

Also, LB1394 allows Nebraska Army or Air Guard members to exclude certain income — including income received for attending drills, annual training and military schools — from their federal adjusted gross income for state tax purposes beginning with tax year 2025.

Additionally, my LB52, which was introduced last year, passed this year. It increases the amount of money available to ensure students who are members of the Nebraska Army or Air National Guard will have their in-state tuition paid in full for undergraduate studies, and half paid for graduate level tuition.

I also carried a bill which allows our military veterans to hunt on Veteran’s Day for free when showing proof of service to the Game and Parks Commission. It passed and I am so grateful for the support my fellow Nebraskans offer our military troops!

Another success in this year’s session is that Rural Workforce Housing will be receiving $12.5 million to help rural towns— those smaller than Lincoln or Omaha—to compete for twoyear interest free loans to build homes. The unavailability of housing is seen as the greatest problem in keeping or attracting residents to our vast rural areas of Nebraska.

I’m happy to report that my priority bill (LB600) was passed into law. It will secure $5 million for a city similar in size to Grand Island, to compete for funds for infrastructure expansion such as streets, sewer lines and electrical service.

Unfortunately, my Winner Take All bill (LB764) stalled in committee due to the lack of votes available to overcome a supermajority required to break a filibuster once it came to the floor. However, it is questionable whether the Governor will want to resurrect it in the expected special session. As you know, only Maine and Nebraska split our electoral votes along our congressional districts. All the other 48 states’ electoral votes are given to the statewide winner in that state.

This ensures rural areas are not unrepresented, which is one of the reasons the electoral college was instituted in the first place.

Nebraska adopted this so-called “District Plan” in 1992 and numerous attempts to change back to Winner Take All have failed by one vote on each try, or have been vetoed by the democrat Governor at the time.

It is my hope that the issue will be one of the things addressed in the special session to be announced soon by the governor to deal with reducing the property tax burden on Nebraskans.

Loren Lippincott represents Legislative District 34 in the Nebraska State Senate. Read his column in the Nance County Journal.