Ibach introduces trio of bills in her first session

The first two weekly call-ins between Dist. 44 Senator Teresa Ibach and constituents updated the handful of people joining in the calls with activity happening since the first day of the Unicameral session Jan. 4.
This year is the long, 90-day session and will run through the month of May.
The freshman senator reported the first few weeks have been packed with bill introduction and now committee hearings, which started last week.
Ibach is serving on the Agriculture, Business and Labor, Judiciary, Nebraska Retirement Systems, Building Maintenance, Planning and Rules Committees.
IPP motion rule change
As part of the Rules Committee, Ibach was able to help debate 58 proposed rule changes this year, with only  a handful of those being accepted by the committee. One of the changes that was accepted was to the Indefinitely Postponed Motion, which Ibach introduced.
According to Ibach, the old IPP rule had allowed for any senator to place an IPP Motion on a bill seconds after it was introduced on the floor of the Legislature for debate. The senator that proposed the IPP Motion would then get 10 minutes to speak on why they put the IPP Motion on the bill, with the bill’s sponsor getting only five minutes to defend the bill.
Ibach’s new rule flipped this rule, with the senator who introduces a bill getting 10 minutes to open on the bill before any IPP Motion may be placed on the bill, with the person who brings the IPP Motion receiving only five minutes to defend their position.
“In the past, there have been a lot of bills that did not even make it out of committee because of that rule,” Ibach said.
Although contentious and without receiving a unanimous vote of approval by the Rules Committee, the revised IPP Motion bill passed.
“I am a proponent of courtesy, and believe at least every bill should be introduced,” she said. “I thought it was a really worthwhile rule change.”
Other bills
Ibach has also sponsored three other bills this session. They include:
• LB 218 - Change to appropriations for management of vegetation within the banks or flood plain of a natural stream. This bill will provide for funding to control the spread of evasive species. Amount requested is $6 million to be allocated by the Department of Agriculture.
• LB 219 - Require the Department of Health and Human Services to rebase rates for critical access hospitals. This bill will allow for rural critical access hospitals to be reimbursed a larger portion of Medicaid reimbursement on the “front side,” as opposed to receiving a small portion of the amount due from the state upon patient discharge and then waiting the standard 12-14 months for the balance of the payment. Currently, hospitals are forced to carry the financial burden while cases are being processed, creating strain on the financial status of the hospital.

• LB 220 - Change provisions relating to the Board of Pardons’ powers and duties and required notices to crime victims. This bill will require notification to victims of crimes 30 days prior to the release of the prisoner from the detention center.
Other committees
The following are some issues Ibach is following within other committees on which she serves:
• Judiciary Committee: Sen. Tom Brewer’s bill, LB 77, which would allow concealed carry of a handgun without a permit.
• Ag Committee: Ibach said she is interested to see the dynamic that new Department of Ag Director Sherry Vinton brings to the committee. Ibach said she feels that it was a smart move on Vinton’s part to also bring back Stan Garbacz to assist with trade issues.
• Business and Labor Committee: Several bills have been introduced to address challenges with workforce and workforce housing Nebraska. Of particular interest to Ibach is LB 249, presented by Sen. Tom Briese, which would make such changes to the Rural Workforce Housing Investment Act to include removing the limit of one application per organization per cycle; increasing the grant maximum from $1 million to $5 million; striking language prohibiting using rural workforce housing funds for projects also receiving certain other state grants and credits; and funding the program with $20 million.
Also of special interest to Ibach in the Business and Labor Committee is creating a pathway for all people who want to be in the United States working.
“This seems to be a sentiment for all the senators in the Legislature,” she said.
Other items of interest to Ibach are the Perkins County Canal project, which has been proposed to make sure Nebraska is receiving all of the water that it is entitled to from Colorado; Governor Jim Pillen’s promotion of three priority bills aimed at increasing the state’s investment in education and reducing school reliance on property taxes; Sen. Joni Albrecht’s heartbeat bill that prevents abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected; and LB 79, also called the EPIC Option Consumption Tax, presented by Sen. Steve Erdman that would support a petition drive to place a “consumption” tax plan before Nebraska voters in 2024. Backers of the bill state that the law would fix the state’s “broken” tax system, reduce cost by eliminating property tax-related offices and make Nebraska a more attractive place to live.
Future call-ins
Ibach said she welcomes emails from constituents on issues she could speak to during the call-in sessions on Tuesday mornings at 7 a.m. Her email address is tibach@leg.ne.gov.
To receive a link to join the call-in program on Tuesdays constituents can contact Kevin Poppe at kpoppe@GPCOM.COM. Those wanting to follow the Legislature more closely can log on at: www.nebras kalegislature.gov/.