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February 16, 2012 Greetings from the State Capitol. This the 29th day of session and we are nearly half way through this year's session. Bills are quickly moving through Select File and the morning debates with 69 bills on General File; and 34 bills on Select File. Public hearings continue in the afternoons as Committees look to wrap up bill introductions by the end of next week. All day floor debate is tentatively scheduled to begin on February 27. Two of my bills, LB 498, which would change water resources provisions relating to in situ uranium mining; and LB 800, which would change provisions relating to appraised value of school lands, were both advanced to Enrollment and Review for Engrossment. This is the Enrollment and Review process that a bill undergoes after it is advanced from Select File. During this stage, the bill is engrossed and reprinted for Final Reading. This week is the last week that a senator may designate a priority bill. If the bill is advanced out of committee it is guaranteed debate time on the floor before the end of this session. On February 21, we will begin debate on priority bills. During a short, 60 day legislative session, it is important that legislation have priority in order to be debated and passed. LB 686 that was introduced would allow embryo transfer in bovines. There was considerable debate on the necessity of this bill. LB 686 provides an exception from the Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act. I offered an amendment to the bill that inserts language that an owner may perform this procedure on their own livestock. That amendment was adopted. We are continuing to receive numerous calls and emails from all over the state opposing LB 970, introduced by Omaha Senator Abbie Cornett on behalf of the Governor. The bill reduces individual income tax rates, widens the tax brackets, reduces the top corporation income tax rate, and repeals the county inheritance tax. The proposed income tax changes are to go into effect for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2013, and the change in the inheritance tax applies to estates on January 1, 2013. The bill eliminates the primary income tax rate (currently 3.70%) and the factors used to compute the tax rates and replaces them with a set of brackets and tax rates. The inheritance tax, levied on estate recipients, is used by counties to build rainy day funds. Many county officials across the state are concerned about losing this inheritance revenue, as it helps fund public programs and services, and counties would have to raise property taxes if this bill were passed. The Revenue Committee, of which I'm Vice-Chairman, is holding the bill until the Economic Forecasting Board meets later this month. As always, you may contact me by mail at District 49, State Capitol, Lincoln, NE 68509-4604; Telephone (402) 471-2725; go to the web site at www.nebraskalegislature.gov, or e-mail llouden@leg.ne.gov. Please feel free to stop by my office on the first floor of the Capitol, in Room 1016. |
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