Senator Lydia Brasch

Senator Lydia Brasch

Looking back on last week, Legislative days 18 through 22, multiple ongoing discussions continue to grow regarding legislation pending and in progress. The conversations happen not only at the State Capitol, but also with constituents and others across the state. Of my bills introduced this session the first one to be heard in committee was LB964. The Judiciary Committee hearing on Friday, the 7th was brief but effective. There were two bankruptcy attorneys who spoke in support of LB964. No one spoke in opposition or in a neutral capacity. This bill allows the bankruptcy homestead exemption to be extended to everyone, including single individuals under 65 years old. Current law applies only to single individuals 65 and older and heads of a family (single persons with dependents living in the same home). This bill allows all single people who file for bankruptcy to claim up to $60,000 of the equity they have on their home as an exemption. The committee members had only a few questions about the bill, including one from Chairperson Brad Ashford about why the law had not been amended a long time ago to include single individuals under 65. Please note LB964 has no effect on taxation and should not be confused with the similarly named homestead tax exemption.

Another of my bills from this session, LB1082, which allows all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility-type vehicles (UTVs) to be used as authorized emergency vehicles, was heard in the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee hearing on Monday, the 10th. Presently, ATVs and UTVs are restricted from crossing highways with more than two lanes unless they are used for electric utility purposes, but must be properly licensed and insured, must only be operated under 30 miles per hour, and must have the proper lighting and safety equipment, including a bright orange bicycle safety flag. LB1082 allows fire and police departments and volunteer rescue teams to outfit ATVs and UTVs for emergency response use on and around large highways during day and evening hours. This will be especially valuable to rural communities when their standard emergency vehicles cannot easily reach areas far off the beaten path.

Tuesday, February 4 marked the third day of debate on LB399, allowing amber lights on any public safety volunteer vehicle. After eight hours of debate and a bracket motion that failed 16-24, a vote for cloture (an action to cease debate on a bill and immediately vote for its advancement) failed by one vote (32-12). After a failed cloture vote, debate on that particular bill is prevented for the rest of the day. LB399 remains in Select File.

The Revenue Committee heard it’s first two 2014 ag property tax reduction bills this year with LBs 670 and 813. Currently at 75 percent of the land’s actual value, LB670 would gradually phase-in a 65 percent valuation by tax year 2017. The bill was heard by the Revenue Committee on Friday, the 7th, and committee action is pending. LB813 would drop the valuation from 75 to 65 percent immediately after 2015. Last year I introduced LB145, a bill I was asked to carry in 2013 on the behalf of the Farm Bureau, which offers an immediate 10 percent reduction similar to those that former State Senators Fischer and Heidemann introduced during their terms. LB145 is still being held in the Revenue Committee.

Please contact me, my administrative aide, Katie Wattermann, or my leglisative aide, Joe Neuhaus, with questions or thoughts at (402) 471-2728 or by email at lbrasch@leg.ne.gov.
If you are in Lincoln, please stop by Room 1016. We would love to welcome you. Otherwise, please catch the NETV coverage on your local station or at

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