LINCOLN – On Thursday, Governor Pete Ricketts highlighted the results of the Second Session of the 106th Legislature in his annual “Sine Die” address to the Unicameral on the final day of its 2020 session.
During the address, the Governor thanked Senators for passing all four priorities set in January, including property tax relief, veterans tax relief, flood relief, and career scholarships. He praised Senators for convening in late March to authorize emergency funds for the State’s coronavirus pandemic response. The Governor also highlighted the Legislature’s successful passage of a ban on the gruesome practice of dismemberment abortion.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2020 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
- Canal Repair: Budget adjustments will provide funding to help repair the Gering-Fort Laramie and Goshen Irrigation Canal near Scottsbluff after it collapsed last year.
- Career Scholarships: New scholarships through the Community Colleges, State Colleges, and the University of Nebraska will connect students to career pathways with great-paying jobs.
- Corrections Workforce: A new partnership between Peru State College and the Nebraska Department of Corrections will help more Nebraskans take good opportunities in the field of public safety.
- Flood Relief: Budget adjustments will provide over $55 million in relief to help Nebraska continue to rebuild bigger and better than before the historic 2019 floods.
- Good Samaritans: Good Samaritans who take action to rescue a child stranded in a hot car will now be protected when taking lifesaving action.
- NExT Project: The state has pledged initial funds to support Nebraska’s bid for a major federal investment in the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
- Pro-Life: A new pro-life measure bans the gruesome practice of dismemberment abortion.
- Property Tax Relief: State support for property tax relief will increase to $650 million annually over the next few years. This is more than a four-fold increase in relief since Governor Ricketts took office.
- Tax Incentives Reform: New reforms to state tax incentives for businesses will take effect next year, replacing the state’s current business tax incentive program.
- Veterans Tax Relief: New tax relief will give Nebraska’s veterans a 50 percent tax cut on taxes paid on military retirement benefits.
Watch the Governor’s Sine Die address to the Legislature by clicking here.