After topping out at 401 bills introduced, the Legislature adjourned for a three day weekend. They will not be in session on Martin Luther King day. There are two days left to introduce legislation, but no new bill request can go up to the bill drafter's office. If the proposal hasn't been drafted it will not be able to be introduced.
The Right of First Refusal (ROFR) bill went in today. LB 388 will ensure that incumbent transmission owners and operators will be given the first right to build new transmission that is required by a regional transmission organization. This is a bill introduced by the Natural Resources Committee on behalf of the Nebraska Power Association.
Also introduced today is LB 358, Legislation that will clarify excavation and the agricultural exemption under the Nebraska One-call Notification Act. The agricultural exemption is clarified by stating that it applies when the excavation "is performed by the landowner or the landowner's tenant or by another person for the landowner or the landowner's tenant if no fee is charged by such person." The clarification was necessary to ensure that third party operators who may not be familiar with the land and the location of underground utilities, call the Digger's Hotline before they excavate. Safety is the objective in this language change.
Hearings will begin on Tuesday, January 22. You can access the hearing schedules on the Legislative Website by going to the daily calendar on the front page or access the listing of the current weekly schedule of hearings.
If you haven't already figured it out the highlighted text will take you to the text of bills or other web locations with additional information. I strongly encourage you to become familiar with the Nebraska Legislature's Website You can track bills and find information regarding the process and members of the legislature.
Following the completion bill introduction I will produce a bill tracking document so you can see at a glance the issues that NREA is following. The bill tracking document is only available to members of NREA.
Right now I will continue to read each bill introduced to identify those bills that have the potential to impact NREA. As always, if you have questions feel free to contact me!
Kristen Gottschalk
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Nebraska State Capitol
Hi Friend,
ReplyDeleteI like very much your valuable information and check again here frequently.
Our experienced underground utilities specialist install and repair water lines, sanitary sewer lines, lift stations, resuse lines and stormwater systems.
Thank You.