News Updates

A rundown of the past week in the Nebraska Legislature from the chairman of the Banking Committee.

National Student Clearinghouse data reveals a 7.3% year-over-year increase for the fall semester, more than six times the increase across all majors.

His proposal aims to fill Nebraska’s projected budget deficit and push for new property tax relief in short session.

Read the full text of Gov. Pillen's annual address to the state.

On Jan. 14, the House Ways and Means Committee advanced a bipartisan bill that would require the IRS to adopt modern technology for tax return intake, setting the measure up for floor consideration.

While the potential fix would not change the amount Nebraskans pay to support their local schools, Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward said her bill (LB1038) would better reflect the efforts of lawmakers to reduce property tax burdens.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen unveiled a plan to cut spending and boost efficiency as the state confronts a $471 million deficit.

The Nebraska Legislature will launch into floor debate on Wednesday as senators settle into the 60-day session set to conclude sometime in mid-April.

As Nebraska lawmakers consider possibly expelling a fellow lawmaker for the first time in state history, senators introduced more than 100 bills Wednesday, Jan. 7, the first day of the 2026 legislative session.

The recommendation aims to cut delays that leave taxpayers uncertain about disaster-related replacement deadlines for property.

Speaker of the Legislature John Arch of La Vista told the Journal Star he expects his final session in the Legislature will go fast with no shortage of issues to fill out the short session.

Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte has introduced LB 718, which would create an alternative pathway to CPA.

Relying on a postmark to prove that a tax return or any other time-sensitive document was mailed by a specific date may no longer work as usual.

For retirees and those planning for retirement, changes this year beyond inflation adjustments for retirement contributions include higher SALT deduction amounts.

Students completing certain degrees, including accounting, may no longer receive the same amount of reimbursement for their studies now that the U.S. Department of Education is implementing various measures from President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill. Effective July 2026, degrees that are not considered "professional" will mean less financial aid for those students, which could result in fewer young people enrolled in those degrees.

The IRS also is updating some income tax forms and instructions to help taxpayers claim the deductions.

The amount of state tax obligations Nebraska taxpayers have evaded has soared beyond $310 million, growing by 15% this past year, according to a letter released Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, by the Nebraska State Auditor.

On January 7th, we will hit the ground running for what is always a fast-track short session schedule. If things go as Speaker Arch has planned, we could be done with session as early as April 10th.

, President Donald J. Trump approved the distribution of $15 million in funding to support recovery efforts from a summer storm system that resulted in extremely strong winds and flash flooding. The Aug. 8-10, 2025, event caused extensive damage to schools and public facilities. Public power infrastructure took the hardest hit.

The Trump administration's proposed $100,000 increase in H-1B visa fees could jeopardize the program, prompting calls for better guest worker systems that protect workers' rights. Peter Norlander, an associate professor at Loyola University Chicago, argues that the current structure ties workers to employers, limiting their ability to leave unsatisfactory jobs. Research indicates that H-1B workers earn about 37% less than they would in a competitive market. Norlander suggests replacing the current hiring tax with a payroll tax to enhance visa portability and improve wage conditions. He emphasizes that "switching to a payroll tax could be compatible with proposals to raise the cap on H-1B visas," ultimately benefiting both workers and the economy.