http://www.nfib.com/Keep up with the latest news, politics and events for small business in Nebraska.en-usEM3 iOnwebmaster@nfib.orghttp://www.nfib.com/object/IO_37105.htmlJennifer Pospichal, co-owner of Outdoor Recreation Products in Elkhorn, has been named as the 2008 Small Business Champion for Nebraska by the National Federation of Independent Business and Solveras Payment Systems, one of the nation's leading payment processing companies for small business.Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_37087.htmlThe Nebraska Legislature enjoyed a productive 2008 session and held the line on spending. Lawmakers approved minor adjustments to the two-year budget under which growth remains at 4.6 percent, significantly below historical averages. Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_37000.htmlGov. Dave Heineman on Monday exercised his "pocket" veto authority on Legislative Bill 819. Since the Legislature adjourned on April 17, there will be no opportunity to override the veto. As adopted, the bill would, for the first time, have allowed recovery of workers' compensation benefits for mental injuries and mental illness unaccompanied by physical injury for employees who are "first responders." Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36920.htmlThe Nebraska Legislature Wednesday passed a resolution praising the National Federation of Independent Business and other groups for their efforts to reform the state and nation's healthcare system as part of the bipartisan Divided We Fail coalition.Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36880.htmlAs lawmakers adjourned for the four-day weekend recess, only three days remained in the 2008 legislative session. Tuesday, April 15, will be the final day on which bills may advance from Select File and still receive final consideration this session. Among the major issues still pending are Legislative Bill 895 (the so-called Super Advantage Act, calling for higher incentives for businesses that create high-paying jobs), LB 846 (the roads funding formula) and LB 1116 (State Fair relocation).Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36831.htmlWith only seven days remaining in the 2008 legislative session, lawmakers are putting the finishing touches on a productive year. Only a handful of individual senator and committee priority bills have yet to receive first-round debate, and the balance of the session will consist of giving final approval to bills on Final Reading and processing about 40 bills that remain on Select File. The Legislature ended this week's activities by engaging in five hours of debate prior to advancing the State Fair relocation legislation (Legislative Bill 1116) to Select File. Lawmakers will return next Monday to consider a motion to override Gov. Dave Heineman's veto of $14 million designed to cover health insurance and salary expenses for the Department of Roads.Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36666.htmlSpecial NFIB member report on workers' compensation, health insurance and umemployment insurance, April/May 2008 edition.Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36703.htmlWith only 12 days remaining, the Legislature has a great deal of work to be completed before calling it quits for the 2008 session. In major actions this week, the body rejected efforts to repeal the death penalty and advanced a school funding measure to Final Reading. The Legislature is expected to give final approval to adjustments to the biennial budget later today.Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36594.htmlLawmakers adjourned on Thursday for Easter weekend, having advanced revisions to the state budget to Final Reading. When lawmakers return on Tuesday, March 25, they will begin debate on a bill (Legislative Bill 1063) that would repeal the death penalty. The Legislature will remain in session until at least 8:30 p.m. most evenings for the balance of the session.Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36542.htmlA bill to reduce Nebraska's corporate income taxes for small businesses is on the agenda and could be debated on the floor of the Legislature in the next few days. Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36473.htmlAll-day floor debates in the Nebraska Legislature began on March 4. With only 24 days remaining in the 2008 legislative session, lawmakers are expected to spend a great deal of time discussing controversial issues such as the death penalty, state aid to education, relocation of the State Fair, tax relief, water issues, budget cuts and highway funding. Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36444.htmlWith the state legislatures in full swing, small business owners across the country are more tuned in than ever to issues affecting their companies' livelihood. As lawmakers discuss hot-button topics like healthcare, taxes and immigration, NFIB looks at what small business owners are focusing on in the states.Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36395.htmlThe balance of this year's legislative agenda has been set. Lawmakers have designated almost 100 pieces of legislation as "priority bills." With major issues invoving the budget, tax relief and school funding still pending, it's unlikely that bills that didn't receive priority status will receive further consideration. All committees, with the exception of the Judiciary and Appropriations Committee, have completed their public hearings, and floor debate is scheduled to begin the week of March 3.Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36317.htmlMonday, Feb. 25, is the midpoint in the 2008 legislative session. One of the first orders of business will be hearings by the Business and Labor Committee on a pair of workers' compensation reform bills that could help small business owners.Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36255.htmlLawmakers adjourned Thursday for a long weekend after spending the previous two days of floor debate on Legislative Bill 395, which would impose a statewide smoking ban. Lawmakers continue to process individual senator priority bills, and a few of the more controversial priority bills are expected to surface next week as the Legislature approaches the mid-point of the 2008 legislative session.Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36163.htmlFollowing a lull in the action during the early part of the week, lawmakers finished the week with a flurry by advancing a series of bills from General File to Select File. The Legislature has made its way through the list of "carryover" bills that were on General File at the end of the 2007 legislative session and has begun to process bills that have advanced from committee in 2008.Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36129.htmlMembers of the National Federation of Independent Business, the state's leading small-business advocacy group, overwhelmingly support a measure that would let small businesses form large groups, via associations or co-ops, in order to negotiate lower health insurance premiums, according to the results of the 2008 NFIB/Nebraska Member Ballot.Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_36059.htmlNFIB/Nebraska, the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI), the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce (GOCC) the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce (LCOC) and the Lincoln Independent Business Association (LIBA) will join forces to provide you with an opportunity to network with other small-business owners and to discuss issues of importance to small business. The NFIB/NCCI/GOCC/LCOC/LIBA Small-Business Day at the Capitol will be held on Feb. 20 in Lincoln at the state Capitol from 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35965.htmlSpecial NFIB member report on workers' compensation, fees and the current legislative session, February/March 2008 edition.Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35894.htmlRegister today for the 2008 NFIB National Small-Business Summit! NFIB and eBay have joined forces to create an event you won't want to miss. At the Summit, you'll interact with policymakers, business leaders and fellow entrepreneurs while sharing your experiences and finding new ideas to boost your business. Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35932.htmlThe time for introducing new bills expired on Wednesday with the introduction of an additional 85 measures. When the smoke had cleared, a total of 470 new bills had been placed before the Legislature for consideration. Committee hearings began on Tuesday, Jan. 22, and will continue for approximately the next six weeks. Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35905.htmlLawmakers began the second week of the 2008 legislative session by commencing floor debate on "carryover" legislation. After adopting the "permanent" rules to govern the legislative session, lawmakers advanced a contractor registration bill (Legislative Bill 204) to Select File with the minimum 25 votes required. Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35832.htmlThe gavel fell at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 9, marking the beginning of the second session of the 100th Legislature. The first day of the short, 60-day session consisted primarily of bill introductions, with 87 new bills dropped into the hopper. Combined with the 307 bills carried over from the 2007 legislative session, lawmakers will face a healthy agenda of issues once again this session. After dealing exclusively with bill introductions during the first three days of the session, floor debate will begin in earnest next week as debate on controversial, senator priority bills will commence.Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35828.html"We are pleased that the governor recognizes that taxes in our state, despite last year's tax relief package, are still too high. Small-business owners would certainly agree with this sentiment. Property tax relief will help, but we still should take a hard look not only at corporate tax rates, but also individual income rates, since that is how the majority of NFIB members file."Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35400.htmlSpecial NFIB member report on looking ahead to 2008 in Nebraska, December/January 2008.Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_35127.htmlDespite ill-informed rhetoric that often cites the federal death tax as only affecting wealthy people, this tax affects all Americans, and it strikes no one harder than the small-business community.Tue, 23 Oct 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_34886.htmlSpecial NFIB member report on small-business issues such as family military leave and interim study resolutions in Nebraska, October/November 2007.Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_34769.htmlNFIB is partnering with SmartBrief, Inc. to publish a daily electronic newsletter, NFIB SmartBrief, a new free service for members and other small- and independent-business owners who want to be in the know on issues, trends and other information critical to helping them run their business.Mon, 17 Sep 2007 00:00:00 PST http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_34744.htmlThe recent announcement that Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel will retire at the end of his current term has triggered a number of candidates to begin vying to succeed him. Hagel has been a consistent ally for the small-business community during his 12 years in the U.S. Senate.Wed, 12 Sep 2007 00:00:00 PST