The 107th Legislature has begun full day debate at the half-way mark of the ninety-day legislative session. This comes after forty-two days of full day committee hearings where more than seven hundred legislative bills and resolutions had their public hearing before an assigned standing committee of the Legislature. “Powering through all seven hundred bills in day-long committee hearings is unusual but it was seen as the best way to get through the required hearing on every bill while at the same time keeping Senators contact with each other as limited as possible,” said Brandon Luetkenhaus chief advocacy officer for the Nebraska Credit Union League.
Some legislative bills, with universal support, were advanced from their respective committees quickly and were taken up by the full Legislature in the first hour of each day for efficiency purposes. One of those bills was LB 363 introduced by Banking Committee Chairman Matt Williams of Gothenburg, Nebraska. LB 363 was introduced on behalf of the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance and included the annual parity or “wild card” provision for state-chartered credit unions that gives them the same right, powers, and privileges of their federal charter counterparts. The bill has been passed with the emergency clause attached and presented to Governor Pete Ricketts for his signature. Upon the Governor’s signature, LB 363 will be enacted immediately due to the emergency clause.
There are several other legislative bills that are making their way through the process.
LB 23 was introduced by Chairman Matt Williams and would amend the Real Property Appraisers Act (RPAA) by clarifying language that the RPAA does not apply to financial institution salaried employees who render an estimate or opinion of value of real estate when it is in connection with the employee’s duties at the financial institution. The bill has been passed and presented to the Governor.
LB 58 was introduced by West Omaha Senator Rich Pahls and would amend notification of property owners in the case of a lien for special assessment imposed by a city or village. It would provide for an alternate process whereby the city or village would notify every party appearing to have a direct legal interest in action or proceeding with the amount owed, the date due, and the date of the board of equalization meeting for an appeal. The bill has advanced from Judiciary Committee to General File for first round debate.
LB 94 was introduced by the Government, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee and would ensure that any online notarial acts performed between April 1, 2020 and July 1, 2020 pursuant to the Governor’s executive order could not be invalidated. The Governor’s executive order moved up the operable date of LB 186 passed in 2019. The bill is on Final Reading.
LB 388 was introduced by Hendersen Senator Curt Friesen at the request of Governor Ricketts and would create the Nebraska Broadband Bridge Act to develop the broadband network to unserved and underserved areas of the state. The program would be administered by the Public Service Commission and would be appropriated $20 million annually starting in 2021-2022. The bill has advanced from the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee to General File for first round debate.
View other legislative bills and resolutions that the Nebraska Credit Union League is tracking.
