Capitol Updates

Friday, January 17, 2025

DOWNLOAD THE NSEA CAPITOL UPDATE APP to receive alerts during the legislative session and stay up to date on events and education news from the Legislature. Click here for Apple or Android – or search for “NSEA Capitol Update.” 

Spread the News! NSEA members may click here to sign up and receive our Capitol Update newsletter to provide you with the latest information on education legislation and funding. You may also forward this to the personal email address of your NSEA colleagues and encourage them to sign up. 

Please join NSEA President Tim Royers for an all-member Zoom as he reviews the 2025 NSEA Policy Agenda on Sunday, January 19 at 4:30 PM (CT). Zoom details will be sent to the email address provided on the day of the event.  

Sign up here: www.nsea.org/PolicyZoom 

Day 8 Legislative Activity and Bill Introductions

As of January 17, senators have introduced 432 legislative bills and 12 constitutional amendments. The introduction of new bills will continue for two more legislative days, concluding on Wednesday, January 22. An up-to-date list of all introduced bills is available online here, and members are encouraged to review it to stay informed. 

The NSEA Government Relations (GR) Committee has already begun its comprehensive review of these bills. By Friday, January 24, after the introduction period closes, the committee aims to have evaluated all new proposals. The GR Committee’s focus is to identify bills that may affect NSEA members, the education profession, and students, and to develop positions on these bills as necessary. It is important to note that our positions may shift as amendments are added or as the impact of the legislation becomes clearer. Here’s an overview of a few education and school finance bills that our NSEA Government Relations Committee is currently reviewing: 

  • LB14 (M. Cavanaugh) Adopt the Hunger-Free Schools Act 
  • LB49 (McKinney) Provide for a model ban and bar policy for school districts 
  • LB84 (Rountree) Adopt the School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact 
  • LB89 (Kauth) Adopt the Stand with Women Act 
  • LB131 (Sorrentino) Include K-12 schools in Nebraska educational savings plan trust 
  • LB135 (Holdcroft) Change elections related to bonds and tax levies 
  • LB140 (Sanders) Require policies relating to communication devices by students 
  • LB143 (Rountree) Change provisions relating to student enrollment 
  • LB161 (Juarez) Redefine formula students under TEEOSA 
  • LB173 (Prokop) Appropriate funds for aid to community colleges 
  • LB282 (Prokop) Provide for reimbursement for teachers for school supplies 
  • LB300 (Murman) Change provisions relating to the Superintendent Pay 
  • LB303 (Hughes) Change provisions relating to TEEOSA 
  • LB307 (Ibach) State intent regarding appropriations for tuition waivers 
  • LB353 (Lonowski) Allow public school employees to terminate union membership 
  • LB389 (Murman) Eliminate the levy authority of ESU and provide state funding 
  • LB390 (Murman) Require school adopt policy on parental access to library info 
  • LB391 (Murman) Adopt the Give to Enable Scholarship Act 
  • LB408 (Dungan) Adopt Special Education Teacher Forgivable Loan Program Act 
  • LB411 (Dungan) Change the Nebraska Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act 
  • LB426 (Andersen) Authorize an American flag education program  
  • LB427 (Andersen) Establish educational savings accounts for private schools 
  • LB428 (Murman) Change school policies on involvement of parents and guardians 
  • LB429 (Murman) Restrictions for school boards relating to employee organizations 
  • LB430 (Murman) Provide exception to prohibition on suspending P-2 students ​

New Rule Limiting Bill Introductions

This year, a significant procedural change is in effect: Each senator may submit no more than 20 bills during the session. This rule change, approved in 2024, aims to streamline legislative proceedings. However, it has led to senators combining multiple issues under single bill numbers. As a result, legislation may be broader in scope and could have unforeseen implications. This development underscores the importance of closely monitoring bills and amendments to understand their potential impact on education. 

Committee Chairs and Education Committee

Last week, the speaker and committee chairs were elected in secret ballot votes by their peers. In an odd-year, 90-day session occurring after new senators are elected, committee chairs are chosen for every committee. Here are the newly elected officers and committee chairs: 

  • Speaker of the Legislature – Sen. John Arch, Omaha 
  • Agriculture – Sen. Barry DeKay, Niobrara 
  • Appropriations – Sen. Robert Clements, Elmwood 
  • Banking, Commerce and Insurance – Sen. Mike Jacobson, North Platte 
  • Business and Labor – Sen. Kathleen Kauth, Omaha 
  • Education – Sen. Dave Murman, Glenvil 
  • General Affairs – Sen. Rick Holdcroft, Bellevue 
  • Government, Military and Veterans Affairs – Sen. Rita Sanders, Bellevue 
  • Health and Human Services – Sen. Brian Hardin, Gering 
  • Judiciary – Sen. Carolyn Bosn, Lincoln 
  • Natural Resources – Sen. Tom Brandt, Plymouth 
  • Nebraska Retirement Systems – Sen. Beau Ballard, Lincoln 
  • Revenue – Sen. Brad von Gillern, Elkhorn 
  • Transportation and Telecommunications – Sen. Mike Moser, Columbus 
  • Urban Affairs – Sen. Terrell McKinney, Omaha 
  • Exec Bd of the Legislative – Sen. Ben Hansen (Chair), Blair 
  • Exec Bd of the Legislative – Sen. Teresa Ibach (Vice Chair), Sumner 

The Legislature has re-elected Senator Dave Murman of Glenvil as the chair of the Education Committee. He secured a 29-20 victory over Senator Jana Hughes of Seward. During the 2025-26 biennium sessions, the following senators will constitute the Education Committee: 

  • Chair: Sen. Dave Murman, Glenvil 
  • Sen. Danielle Conrad, Lincoln 
  • Sen. Jana Hughes, Seward 
  • Sen. Megan Hunt, Omaha 
  • Sen. Margo Juarez, Omaha 
  • Sen. Dan Lonowski, Hastings 
  • Sen. Glen Meyer, Pender 
  • Sen. Rita Sanders, Bellevue 

Rules Debate: Protecting Our Legislative Integrity

On Thursday, January 16, the Nebraska Legislature’s Rules Committee held a hearing on 24 proposed changes to its procedural rules, marking a critical moment for shaping how our unique nonpartisan unicameral system functions. These internal rules determine how the Legislature conducts its business, and several of the proposed changes raise significant concerns about the future of representative governance in Nebraska. 

Among the most consequential proposals are three rule changes that would lower the threshold for cloture votes—the process used to end debate and advance legislation: 

  • Proposed Rule Change 8: Reduce the cloture vote threshold from 33 votes to 30 votes. 

  • Proposed Rule Change 9: Reduce the cloture vote threshold from 33 votes to two-thirds of members with no fewer than 25 affirmative votes. A vote of present or not voting shall not be counted. 

  • Proposed Rule Change 22: Another proposal aimed at lowering the cloture vote threshold requiring two-thirds of members present and voting. 

Currently, a bill requires 33 votes to invoke cloture, ensuring that significant legislation garners broad bipartisan support before moving forward. However, these proposed changes would reduce this threshold, effectively allowing a simple majority to advance controversial bills without broader consensus. 

Why This Matters for Public Education

The existing 33-vote threshold has served as a safeguard, enabling the Legislature to block harmful or radical proposals when a sufficient majority of senators from both parties agree that a bill is not in the best interest of Nebraska. Over the years, this rule has helped protect public education by preventing bills that could have caused significant harm or upheaval. Lowering the cloture vote threshold would erode this protection, enabling a narrow majority to push through measures without adequate debate or bipartisan agreement. 

What You Can Do

We urge all members of the Nebraska State Education Association to make their voices heard. The Rules Committee has completed its hearing, but the proposed rule changes will be debated on the floor of the Legislature beginning Wednesday, January 22, and possibly continuing through Friday, January 24. This is your opportunity to contact your state senator and express your concerns about these proposals. This is a critical time to defend the principles of transparency, fairness, and bipartisan cooperation that underpin Nebraska’s legislative process. Please take a moment to share your perspective on these proposed rule changes and help ensure that our state’s governance remains inclusive and effective. Contact your senator here. 

Committee Hearings Begin Next Week

Public hearings on newly introduced bills commence on Wednesday, January 22. We will keep you updated on the scheduling of hearings throughout the session. Unless otherwise specified, hearings commence at 1:30 p.m. and will be live-streamed on NET. Watch the hearings online here.

Wednesday, January 22, 2025 

LB135 (Holdcroft) Change elections for certain purposes related to bonds and tax levies 

NSEA Position: Oppose (submit comments here by 1/22/2025 at 8:00am) 

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