Priority Bills Chosen
The legislature has completed its public hearing process and moves to full-day floor debate March 23. Speaker of the Legislature Galen Hadley (Kearney) has selected his 25 priority bills which, along with the priority bills previously designated by individual senators and committees will dominate the agenda for the balance of the 2015 legislative session.
Tipped Minimum-Wage Employees
The Business and Labor Committee of the Nebraska Legislature has advanced a bill to increase the minimum wage for tipped employees. As introduced, Legislative Bill 494 would have raised the minimum wage for tipped employees to $4.50 an hour by 2019, which would equal one-half of the overall minimum wage, which increases to $9.00 an hour in 2016.
As amended, the legislation would increase the tipped employee minimum wage from $2.13 per hour to $2.35 per hour in 2015 and to $2.64 per hour in 2016. The bill has been designated as a priority bill by Sen. Matt Hansen (Lincoln). In order to become law, the bill will need support from two-thirds of the Legislature, a constitutional requirement for the Legislature to modify any law enacted directly by the voters, who approved increases in the overall minimum wage in the November General Election. (NFIB Position – Oppose)
Small Business Day at the Capitol
NFIB/Nebraska will co-sponsor Small Business Day at the Capitol March 31 in Lincoln.
NFIB’s co-sponsors are the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, the Lincoln Independent Business Association and Nebraskans For Workers’ Compensation Equity and Fairness.
Small Business Day gives NFIB members an opportunity to network with other small business owners. Governor Ricketts is expected to speak, and there will be a legislative briefing by state senators.
Details on the time and location of Small Business Day at the Capitol can be found at www.NFIB.com/NE.
Past Reports
