We'll curate the latest news from the Nebraska Legislature during the COVID-19 emergency and post it here along with links to more details.
April 8, 2020
- Senator John Stinner, chair of the Nebraska Legislature's Appropriations Committee, said today in a webinar hosted by the Platte Institute that the state will not be getting the $520 million in revenues the Legislature had previously planned to use for property tax relief. Although federal stimulus legislation is expected to help, Moody’s Analytics expects Nebraska’s tax revenues to drop at least 10% as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Omaha World-Herald article
April 7, 2020
- The Legislature's Appropriations Committee chair Senator John Stinner will participate in a free webinar hosted by the Platte Institute tomorrow, April 8, at 11 a.m. CDT. The webinar, “Nebraska's Budget & the COVID-19 Crisis,” will feature a discussion on how a recession due to the pandemic may impact state policy priorities. To register: https://www.platteinstitute.org/library/doclib/Nebraska-s-Budget-Webinar-Flyer.pdf.
March 25, 2020
- The Legislature today approved emergency funding to combat the coronavirus pandemic in Nebraska. LB1198 passed with a vote of 45-0-0. It appropriates $83.6 million to help the state combat the current economic and health crisis. Included in the bill are provisions for UNMC COVID-19 testing and a statewide communication system to share information related to response efforts. The bill also includes $25 million in unobligated funds to be held in reserve for unforeseen needs that may arise due to the pandemic. Governor Pete Ricketts signed the bill today and it took effect immediately. Learn more at Unicameral Update
