Did Cloture-Vote Failure Doom Additional Property Tax Relief for the Session?

Next week will mark the final two days of 2019 session of the Nebraska Legislature

State Director Bob Hallstrom reports from Lincoln on the small-business agenda for the legislative week ending May 24

Lawmakers adjourned for the Memorial Day weekend on Friday. When they return to action next Thursday, they will finish the last two days of the 2019 legislative session. At that time, bills on Final Reading and any vetoes issued by Gov. Pete Ricketts will be considered.

Property Tax Relief Falls Short

Efforts to boost property tax relief beyond the $51 million annual increase in the property tax credit fund contained within the state budget fell short of breaking a filibuster on Wednesday evening.

Sen. Tom Briese (Albion) had proposed amendments to Legislative Bill 183 that would have provided approximately $112 million in additional property tax relief. The Briese proposal would have eliminated 28 sales tax exemptions, including exemptions for candy, soft drinks, bottled water, and motor vehicle repairs, while increasing the earned income tax credit for low–income Nebraskans.

Following three hours of debate, the motion to invoke cloture failed on a vote of 23–7, likely signaling the end of debate on property tax relief measures this session.

Previous Legislative Reports

• May 17—Speaker: It’s Legislative Lights Out, May 31

• May 10—Pressure on to Find 33 Votes for Tax Increases

• May 1—Will the Largest Tax Increase in State’s History Pass?

• April 26—Will Increasing the Sales Tax and Adding it to Some Goods and Service Make Property Tax Relief Worth it?

• April 19—Nebraska Senators Await April 25 Findings from Economic Forecasting Board

• April 12—Senators Continue to Work on Property Tax Relief

• April 5—NFIB-Crafted Amendments Adopted in Employee Compensation Bill

• March 28—Nebraska Senators Break for Long Weekend

• March 22—NFIB Victory: Onerous Paid Leave Bill Stopped

• March 21—Paid Family Leave Bill Dies a Quiet Death

• March 15—Revenue Committee Leader Wants Tax-Relief Measure Ready for Vote by Mid-April

• March 8—Legislative Bill Seeks to Accelerate Collection of Online Sales Taxes

• March 1—NFIB Members Called to Action on Legislative Bill 487

• March 1 Web Story—Members Urged to Call in Support of Legislative Bill 487

• February 22—NFIB-Supported Amendment Adopted in Fair Chance Hiring Act

• February 15—Marijuana, Economic Development Measures Advance to Priority Bill Status

• February 11 News Release—Small Business Testifies Against Minimum-Wage Bill

• February 8—NFIB Amendment on Unemployment Insurance Bill Adopted

• February 1—Hearings on Paid Sick Time, Family Medical Leave Coming Up

• January 25—Bill Introduction Deadline Passes; Committee Hearings Commence

• January 18—Will Bill Introductions Set a Record?

• January 15—Comment on Today’s State-of-the-State Address

• January 11—Nebraska Legislature Convenes; Committee Chairmen Elected

[Photo courtesy of Unicameral Update, the Nebraska Legislature’s official news source since 1977]