April 4, 2025

109th Legislature, 1st Session

All Day Floor Debate Commences

The Legislature wrapped up a contentious week of floor debate on Thursday afternoon. The four-day weekend will provide a much-needed break for the senators. LB 258, introduced by Senator Jane Raybould (Lincoln), was the focus on Monday and Tuesday of this week. Upon the minimum wage reaching $15.00 per hour next year, LB 258 would cap the minimum wage increase at 1.5% per year and establish a youth wage for 14- to 15-year-olds and a 90-day training wage for 16- to 19 -year-olds, unless they are emancipated. Debate quickly turned negative, including personal attacks on supporters of the bill. The Motion to Invoke Cloture passed on a vote of 33-16, and the bill advanced to Select File on a vote of 32-17, with Senator Stan Clouse (Kearney) flipping his vote to "no." Senator Raybould filed an amendment to up the increase from 1.5% to 2.5% in an attempt to garner more support.

Following the advancement of LB 258 on Tuesday evening, the Legislature returned Wednesday morning to debate LB 646, introduced by Senator Teresa Ibach (Sumner). LB 646, as introduced, would have exempted all feedlots from the Livestock Brand Act, and thus from brand inspections. This divided the agricultural industry with support and opposition closely aligned to geography. The bill advanced after adopting an amendment offered by Senator Ibach to maintain brand inspections, while capping annual feedlot registration fees at $1,000 and eliminating inspection requirements for "affiliated grow yards."

The Legislature will return on Tuesday and take up LB 3, introduced by Senator Loren Lippincott (Central City) to reinstate the "winner-take-all" system for awarding electoral votes. With just over 30 working days remaining, it appears many of the priority bills will not be heard. Speaker of the Legislature John Arch (La Vista) announced Monday that he estimates the budget and tax bills will take up to 20 days of debate.

The Judiciary Committee advanced LB 559 to General File on Wednesday. LB 559, introduced by Senator Carolyn Bosn (Lincoln), modernizes criminal statues to combat fraud. The bill defines skimmer devices and creates a new criminal offense for installation of a skimmer device. Additionally, the bill would enact a "kingpin" law for organized financial crimes. (NBA Position: Support)

A list of all designated priority bills can be found here.

The most recent General Fund Financial Status can be found here.

Date of Importance

June 9: Day 90 of the legislative session

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