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Lawmakers return to Lincoln with full slate of issues
The Nebraska state capitol was filled with action Wednesday as work began on the 103rd legislative session.
Wednesday marked the beginning of the 90-day session that is expected to be filled with some big issues. News 5 political reporter Josh Egbert has more from the capitol. It's where Nebraska state senators will gather over the course of the next 6 months as they make and ratify the bills that affect us here in Nebraska and according to the senators News 5 spoke with Wednesday, they have their work cut out for them. And with the crack of the gavel, the 103rd Legislative Session was underway. Hadley-"It's kind of like going to kindergarten again, you're kind of excited for it to all start again," said Senator Galen Hadley. District 37 Senator Galen Hadley is returning to the Unicameral for the 5th time. "I think it's kind of like a jig saw puzzle and we're going to try and make sure when we're done all the pieces fit that we don't have to cut up a piece to fit," Hadley said. And there are a lot of pieces to be discussed this session. "Medicaid expansion, health care reform, state aid to education," said Senator Annette Dubas. "Health and human service funding of education," said Hadley. "Money, money, money," said Senator Les Seiler. Before those issues can be discussed, those newly elected and those returning to the floor had to be sworn in. One of those newly affirmed, District 33 Senator Les Seiler, who was appointed last year and elected in the November election. "I'm looking forward to the committees I'm getting on, the feedback I'm getting is I'll be on judiciary and education," Seiler said. Also being assigned to committees, Ernie Chambers, who served 38 years in the Legislature before being term limited but returned after a 4 year absent. Senators also voted on committee chair person's with Hadley elected as chair of the Revenue committee and Senator Dubas as chair of the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee taking over the position from Senator Deb Fischer. "I hope to be able to live up to that expectation," said Dubas. Those committees will begin to meet in the next few days and then start to hear the bills that senators introduce in the next few weeks. News 5 will of course bring you all the happenings from here at the capitol. |
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