Learning Community Coordinating Council

The Learning Community Coordinating Council information can be viewed at the following link: 

http://nebraskalegislature.gov/web/public/update/education/1b641/f.

Millard Public Schools Legislative Report

The Millard Public Schools latest Legislative Report is available for you to download and view.

Senator Rich Pahls 2008 Legislature Review

The 2008 Legislature met for 60 legislative days and adjourned on April 17, 2008.  The following bills are part of the more important legislation that passed to benefit businesses across the state.

 Corporate Tax Bracket Adjustment:  LB888 raises the threshold of the lower corporate income tax bracket by $50,000, so that corporations can earn up to $100,000 per year and still be taxed at the lower rate of 5.58 percent.  Earnings above $100,000 will still be taxed at 7.81 percent.  The new law will reduce Nebraska corporations income taxes by up to $1,120 per year.  The law is effective beginning this tax year.  Before the enactment of LB888, Nebraska had claimed the second-highest nominal rate amoung surrounding states with a corporate income tax.  The law is operative for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2008.

Unemployment Benefits:  LB500 expands the definition of "training" as it pertains to unemployment benefits.  Under current law, an individual participating in an approved training program is eligible for unemployment benefits, even if the individual is not applying for other work and fails to accept other suitable work offers during this period.  Such benefits are charged to the former employers experience account.  LB500 defines "training" to include apprenticeship training programs.  Under LB500, benefits paid to an individual in apprenticeship training would not be charged to an employers experience account.

Employee Witholdings Adjustment:  LB1004 lowers the mandatory income tax withholding on employees from 3 percent to 1.5 percent for employers who employ 25 or more.

Environmental Fees:  LB724 lowers the application fee from $5,000 to $2,000 under the Remedial Action Plan Monitoring Act and lowers the $5,000 fee to $3,000 for the reimbursement of all Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) direct and indirect costs related to technical review, oversight, guidance, and other activities associated with the remedial action plan.

Nebraska Super Advantage:  LB895 creates new incentives for businesses that provide high-paying jobs in Nebraska.  It provides tax incentives to businesses creating new jobs paying at least 150% of the state average wage or 200% of the average wage in the county where the business is located, whichever is greater.  To qualify, companies will need to create 75 new jobs - in an industry other than retail - and make a $10 million capital investment, or create at least 50 new jobs and make a $100 million investment in capital.  Qualifying businesses will be eligible to receive a 15 percent investment tax credit and a 10 percent wage credit, in addition to sales tax refunds on purchases associated with expansion and a 10-year exemption on personal property.  The Super Advantage Act also includes provisions of LB1033,. which expands the Nebraska Rural Advantage to include companies located in any village or small town - regardless of county size - and areas of extreme poverty in the Omaha area.  LB895 also includes provisions to raise the limits of the Nebraska Advantage Rural Development Act from $3 to $4 million.

Job Training Grants:  LB956 establishes new criteria for the disbursement of the states job training grants and directs the Department of Economic Development (DED) to give priority consideration to training services offered by community college areas.  LB956 creates a sub-account within the Job Training Fund earmarked for companies employing 25 or fewer employees, as well as for rural businesses.  LB956 does not remove existing appropriations.

Gift Cards and Certificates:  LB668 prohibits unredeemed gift cards that carry more than $100 in value - and do not contain any post-sale finance charges or fees - from being presumed abandoned after three years.  Under LB668, cards with no fees or an expiration date remain valid forever.  On cards with fees or an expiration date, the busines will eventually need to send the amount of the unused portion of the card to the state treasurers unclaimed property division.  However, retailers are not required to keep stringent records of their gift certificates if they do not have fees.  LB668 allows the retailers to retain the money paid for the gift cards until such time as the holder comes forward and uses the certificate to purchase goods of the retailers.  The bill would not apply to credit card gift cards.

 The 2009 legislative session will begin on January 7, 2009.  Prior to then the various legislative committees will be meeting to study issues in more depth.

The Appropriations and Revenue Committees will examine state policy changes that should be pursued to ensure that state economic development efforts fully leverage the states public and private research capacity. (LR 329)

The Business and Labor Committee will study legislation to require prompt payment on contracts for work satisfactorily performed by contractors and sub-contractors. (LR358)

The Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee will examine information provided by group health insurers to small employers regarding claims paid and the amount of premiums by line of coverage.  (LR 305)

Legislation Directly From Persons Living in District 31:  I encourage you to contact me if you have any ideas about changes in Nebraska laws.  For example, in 2008 I introduced legislation to repeal the states law on driving with parking lights after a constituent of mine was stopped by a Sheriff and given a warning.  In another case I was able to pass legislation to require that adjacent landowners be notified of land being sold by the Douglas County Land Reutilization Authority after the right of way along the street containing the constituents driveway was sold to a land speculator without giving the constituent any notice.

Rich Pahls, State Senator, District 31, State Capitol, Room 1401, Lincoln, NE  68509-4604.  (402) 471-2327  rpahls@leg.ne.gov