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December 31, 2014 Leave a comment
A selfie with Senator Lydia Brasch and Denise Gilliland, Editor and Chief of Kat Country Hub. Senator Brasch visited Kat Country Hub while out on the campaign trail in the Spring, prior to the primary election in May. Photo Credit also of Denise Gilliland, Editor and Chief, Kat Country Hub.
July 29, 2014 Leave a comment
Nebraska state Sen. Lydia Brasch is one of 48 state policymakers from across the country selected as a Council of State Governments’ Henry Toll Fellow for the Class of 2014.
The Class of 2014 Toll Fellows represents 35 states and Puerto Rico, with 35 serving in the legislative branch, four serving in the judiciary and nine hailing from the executive. A nine-member committee of state leaders, many who are Toll Fellows themselves, reviewed a record number of applications to select the class.
“The Henry Toll Fellowship has a distinguished history of cultivating some of the nation’s top leaders and forging lasting relationships among a special few who serve without fear or favor,” said Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, the 2014 CSG national chair and a 2002 CSG Toll Fellow. “This year’s class is drawn from a very deep talent pool, and each of those selected will contribute significantly.”
The Toll Fellowship Program, named for CSG founder Henry Wolcott Toll, is one of the nation’s premier leadership development programs for state government officials. Each year, the program brings 48 of the nation’s top officials from all three branches of state government to Lexington, Ky., for an intensive six-day, five-night “intellectual boot camp.”
“Through Toll’s featured speakers, the exercises in crisis management, adaptive leadership and with an extensive exchange of ideas and information from leaders across our country,” Brasch said, “I hope to increase my ability to think outside of the box, to become more effective and efficient in working to deliver the best possible outcomes to our constituents in the legislation and services we provide to the citizens of our state.”
The program’s agenda includes a lineup of dynamic speakers and sessions designed to stimulate personal assessment and growth, while providing priceless networking and relationship-building opportunities. While each year’s program is unique, previous programs have included sessions on leadership personality assessment, media training, crisis management, appreciative inquiry, adaptive leadership and much more.
“The Toll Fellowship remains the oldest and most prestigious of all leadership development programs for elected officials,” said David Adkins, CSG’s executive director/CEO. “Its impact is profound and its quality is renowned. As a Toll Fellow from 1993, I know first hand the impact the program has on elected officials.”
Adkins was a 1993 Toll Fellow when he served as a Kansas state representative.
Toll Fellows alumni include U.S. Rep. John Carney, a former Delaware lieutenant governor; U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, a former Hawaii state Senate president; U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita, a former Indiana secretary of state; former North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue and former U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis.
Brasch said the kind of training offered by the Toll Fellowship Program is important for state policymakers.
“As we experience and encounter increased challenges, we face the need to provide sound, reliable solutions that are effective and affordable,” she said. “It is imperative that, as state officials, we have the ability to move quickly and decisively.”
This year’s program will be held Sept. 5-10 in Lexington.
Senator Lydia Brasch
May 13, 2014 Leave a comment
“I have been very busy since session closed the middle of April,” said Senator Lydia Brasch. She has been spending much of her time campaigning, going from town to town, visiting with her constituents and handing out signs for voters to place in their yards. “I also had students visit with me for three days in Lincoln,” Senator Brasch stated.
She thoroughly enjoyed visiting with the children. “They were such fun. I enjoyed visiting with them,” Senator Brasch said.
Scott Japp, a board member for the NRD is challenging Senator Brasch for her seat.
Remember to vote today. It is your right!
Senator Lydia Brasch and Kat Country Hub Editor and Chief Denise Gilliland take a selfie! Photo Credit Denise Gilliland, Editor and Chief, Kat Country Hub.
May 5, 2014 Leave a comment
Dear Editor and Readers, May 4, 2014
I have received two very disturbing pieces of mail recently that are so negative against State Senator Lydia Brasch I was truly upset. I can’t understand how a group by the name of “Coalition for Better Government” with just a post office box address has the right to say anything about anyone, much less attempt to annihilate the credibility of our current State Senator.
I did not know Lydia Brasch before she was elected, but since that time she has made more efforts to truly get to know the people of her district than most of her predecessors. She has made time to meet with public groups both large and small. She has volunteered her time more than once every year working in the 4-H Kitchen during the county fair not just to be a public figure, but to truly help when help was needed most. She has attended small church fundraisers and large corporate events never standing on a soapbox and trying to gain attention, but spending time listening to her constituents.
Her genuine interest in the feelings and needs of the people of her district is more than enough reason to keep her in office, despite the smear campaign of a post office box group. Lydia Brasch is a real person who represents real people. She has my support and my vote to make that happen.
Very Sincerely,
Mary Loftis
Mary Loftis
Craig, NE
April 8, 2014 Leave a comment
April Fools’ Day marked the 51st Legislative Day of the 103rd Legislature, Second Session. There are five legislative days remaining until we adjourn Sine Die on April 17. Thank you to Pastor Shawn Linnell of Trinity Lutheran Church in Blair for joining us as Chaplain of the Day on Tuesday, April 1 and to Pastor Coral Parmenter of United Methodist Church of Christ in Wisner for joining us as Chaplain on April 2. We always appreciate the clergy from District 16 who volunteer to travel to Lincoln and offer their prayers.
After the passage of LBs 130, 905, and 906 (budget appropriation bills), Governor Heineman returned them to the Legislature with line-item vetoes. On Tuesday, we carefully examined these bills and fully debated the potential outcomes. The Governor stated his line-item vetoes returns $65 million dollars to taxpayers for the property tax relief they requested. Among some of the vetoed items were:
All vetoes were overridden Tuesday by the Legislature. I supported the Governor’s vetoes and not the override of the Legislature, as I believe more extensive tax relief is possible for our taxpayers. However, I appreciated the privilege of attending the bill signing press conference with the Governor in support of valuable tax relief efforts for Nebraskans.
Senator Chambers introduced a motion Wednesday to override Governor Heineman’s veto of his mountain lion hunting bill, LB671. The motion failed on a 24-21-4 vote. Senator Chambers has taken a firm stand that it will be a “rough rest of the session” for those of us who voted for the override.
We enjoyed welcoming Lyons-Decatur Northeast High School seniors and two of their teachers Wednesday. Unfortunately, I was unable to meet the Lyons-Decatur 4th graders who visited the next day, as they were pressed for time. We also had student visitors from the Federation of Women’s Club of Nebraska. I was able to sit down for lunch at the Governor’s Residence with a Cuming County student and his Dodge County friends, and we enjoyed a refreshing trip together to the top of the tower and looked out across a brisk, extremely breezy capital city.
Our session is winding down as the issues continue heating up. As always, I encourage you to share your thoughts on pending legislation before we adjourn sine die. Please continue to contact me, my administrative aide, Katie Wattermann, or my legislative aide, Joe Neuhaus, with questions or thoughts at (402) 471-2728 or by email at lbrasch@leg.ne.gov; or stop by Room 1016 if you are at the Capitol.
Keeping the Good Life growing in Nebraska,
Senator Lydia Brasch, District 16
Senator Lydia Brasch
March 26, 2014 Leave a comment
Legislative debate and the temperature outside heated up during the second week of March, Legislative Days 40-43. We have started to gain momentum as we prepare for the last 17 days of the 103rd Legislature. While a majority of the 1,105 bills have failed to advance from committee, we saw a fair amount advance this past week, and the first bills of the year were signed into law by Governor Heineman. Here are some signed bills of interest:
Senator Scheer bracketed his bill, LB682, which addresses statewide allied school systems, until April 17 after facing opposition from various school representatives.
Constituents asked questions and addressed issues at the town hall meetings across the district this past weekend. Here are some of the items we discussed by general topic:
TAXES/REVENUE
○ Status: Killed in committee. Similar bills: LBs 670, 101, 813, 721, and 618
○ Status: Revenue priority bill, on E&R Initial (passed from General File)
○ Status: Dubas priority bill on General File with AM2067
○ Note: Department of Roads Director, Randy Peters opposed LB1092, stating the “traditional ‘pay-as-we-go’ practices of our state have served us well.”
HEALTH CARE
○ Status: Pending debate Tuesday, March 18, 1:30 p.m.
○ Status: Watermeier priority bill pending AM1916 on General File
AGRICULTURE
○ Status: ER163 pending, Agriculture priority
○ Status: Signed by the Governor, February 13, 2014
VETERANS AFFAIRS AND ELECTIONS
○ Status: Killed in committee
○ Status: Janssen priority bill on General File
○ Status: Signed by Governor, February 18, 2014
○ Status: Final reading, March 10, 2014
○ Status: On General File with AM2392 pending
Thank you to Chaplain Rebecca Hjelle from Blair First United Methodist Church in Blair for coming to Lincoln to lead the Wednesday morning prayer.
The Unicameral Youth Legislature will be held at the Capitol June 8-11. I encourage all high school students interested in public office, government, politics, law, public policy, debate, or public speaking to attend. Please contact Ami Johnson at (402) 471-0764 or ajohnson@leg.ne.gov for more details.
Please contact me, my administrative aide, Katie Wattermann, or my legislative aide, Joe Neuhaus, with questions or thoughts at (402) 471-2728 or by email at lbrasch@leg.ne.gov; or stop by Room 1016 if you are at the Capitol.
Keeping the Good Life growing in Nebraska,
Senator Lydia Brasch, District 16
Senator Lydia Brasch
Kat Country Hub 
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