Lawmakers adjourned on Thursday for the long four-day Easter weekend. When the Legislature reconvenes on Tuesday, April 7, nearly two-thirds of the 2015 legislative session will have been completed.
Commencement of debate on the state budget, which must occur no later than April 28, looms on the horizon. With a slew of priority bills yet to receive first round debate, the speaker of the Legislature is expected to announce a schedule of “late night sessions” to provide additional time for lawmakers to address the state budget and priority bills.
Minimum Wage
Among the bills that have surfaced on the legislative agenda for Tuesday, April 7, are the following two measures that would make revisions to Nebraska’s minimum wage.
- Legislative Bill 599–Minimum Wage: Sen. Laura Ebke (Crete) is the sponsor of LB 599, which would authorize a lower minimum wage for younger workers. As amended, the bill would retain the current minimum wage at $8 per hour for people younger than 19 who attend school and don’t have dependent children, when the overall minimum wage increases to $9.00 an hour next year. (NFIB Position–Support)
- Legislative Bill 494–Minimum Wage: Introduced by Sen. Jeremy Nordquist (Omaha), LB 494 would gradually increase the state minimum-wage rate for tipped employees from the current rate of $2.13 per hour to $2.35 per hour in 2015 and to $2.64 per hour in 2016. (NFIB Position – Oppose)
Tax Relief
A number of tax relief proposals are poised for debate by the Legislature. The Appropriations Committee has announced that the proposed state budget will contain a $60 million increase in funding for the state Property Tax Credit Cash Fund in each of the next two years. NFIB supports the additional infusion of funds to provide property tax relief.
Under Legislative Bill 259, introduced by Sen. Mike Gloor (Grand Island), businesses would benefit from a $15,000 personal property tax exemption, which would provide aggregate tax relief in the approximate amount of $26 million.
Fuel Tax
Lawmakers have given first-round approval to Legislative Bill 610, a measure introduced by Sen. Jim Smith (Papillion) and designated as a priority bill by Sen. Curt Friesen (Henderson) that would increase Nebraska’s fuel tax by six cents over the next four years. While the bill has advanced, it failed to garner the 30 votes required to override an anticipated veto by Gov. Pete Ricketts. The measure would increase Nebraska’s fuel tax by 1.5 cents a year over the next four years, raising Nebraska’s total fuel tax to 31.6 cents per gallon.
Small Business Day at the Capitol
The 25th annual Small Business Day at the Capitol, co-hosted by NFIB, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, Lincoln Independent Business Association and Nebraskans for Workers’ Compensation Equity and Fairness was a success with more than 65 small business owners in attendance. Participants heard presentations from Governor Pete Ricketts, Speaker of the Legislature Galen Hadley (Kearney), Chairman of the Revenue Committee Senator Mike Gloor (Grand Island), and Chairman of the Business and Labor Committee Senator Burke Harr (Omaha). NFIB State Director Bob Hallstrom provided a review of bills pending before the state legislature that are of significance to small business owners.
Past Reports
