"We do have an aging demographic in our state," Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha told the Legislature s Revenue Committee in urging action to encourage retirees to remain in Nebraska.
At the Legislature: Initial bills introduced northplattebulletin.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from northplattebulletin.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Martha Stoddard and Paul Hammel
World-Herald Bureau
LINCOLN â State lawmakers ousted a controversial Education Committee chairman, elected a new speaker and welcomed new members as the Nebraska Legislature got underway Wednesday.
It took two ballots before State Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont, a former teacher, was declared the winner over Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte, who chaired the committee for the past four years.
Lynne Walz
Mike Groene
The first ballot ended in an unusual tie vote, as one senator submitted a blank ballot. Walz won 25-23 on the second try.
Four other contested leadership races were decided by similarly narrow votes. Two of the four went to Republicans and two to Democrats in the officially nonpartisan Legislature.
Among the 143 proposals introduced by Senators were:
LB18, sponsored by Seward Sen. Mark Kolterman, which would change provisions relating to equivalent employees and qualified locations under the ImagiNE Nebraska Act;
LB40, sponsored by North Platte Sen. Mike Groene, which would adopt the Nebraska Rural Projects Act;
LB43, sponsored by Lincoln Sen. Matt Hansen, which would provide for election of election commissioners and eliminate certain deputy positions;
LB52, sponsored by Omaha Sen. Steve Lathrop, which would provide for immunity for injury or death resulting from COVID-19 exposure;
LB64, sponsored by Omaha Sen. Brett Lindstrom, which would change provisions relating to the taxation of Social Security benefits;