Unicameral Update - By the Numbers

Only 29 days left in the Legislative Session - 26 days remain to get bills advanced through the three stages of debate. This is the final five-day week and five days of morning debate and afternoon hearings. Full-day debate will begin on Tuesday, March 3. Late-night debate is expected to begin on March 18.  

The $471 million deficit will be modified by the nine-member Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board on Friday, February 27. While January tax receipts were up by $37 million, no one knows exactly how that will impact the new forecast. The Appropriation Committee will have one week after that to forward their budget to the full Legislature.

There are 49 Senator Priority Bills, 33 Committee Priority Bills, and 23 Speaker Priority Bills, more than half of which are still in Committee and more than a few are likely to stay there. More than 100 bills and only 26 days remain to work them through the process. If everything goes smoothly, this is very doable. Yes, I'm laughing right now. While things have been going reasonably well so far, it won't last. There are more than a dozen bills ripe for a filibuster. Regular filibuster rules require eight hours of debate on General File, four hours on Select File, and two hours on Final Reading before a cloture vote can be taken. Speaker Arch has said that he will follow a 4/2/1 rule for controversial social issue legislation.  

This is the time of year that can best be described as slow, punctuated by panic. This is when we read every amendment very closely because one word can matter. This is also when we might be calling or texting you asking for a quick turn-a-round review because minutes and hours matter. As I said last week, we are halfway through the session, but the majority of the work remains.

Always remember - this is a process, not an event. We will let you know when you need to worry and when you can safely celebrate!

Have a great week!

Korby M. Gilbertson
Radcliffe Gilbertson & Brady