LINCOLN- Following the passage of LB1198, amended by the legislature to contain $83.6 million in emergency funds to fight COVID-19, on a 45-0 vote, the measure was signed by Governor Pete Ricketts. The measure as passed contains an emergency clause, allowing it to go into effect immediately.

Following the passage Speaker Jim Scheer announced his intentions regarding the legislature finishing the 2020 session. While the return date is unknown, and will be decided by the speaker when he deems it is safe for the body to return, he highlighted that the schedule will not be "business as usual" when that return is set. It should be noted that the body will not meet at least the two week proceeding the primary election on May 5th.

Upon return, senators can expect special order of items for debate, beginning with the mid-biennium budget adjustments, and the state claims bill. Following those the speaker will use his discretion to schedule bills as he deems them of necessary importance to the state. Senators will be welcome to submit in writing their reasoning for any of their bills to appear earlier in the lineup. Amending a large number of bills onto one that is likely to pass will be restricted by the speaker.

Additionally, the speaker stated that the schedule would also be amended. For the first two weeks of the return the members will convene on Monday and continue session through Saturday. The third and final week will meet from Monday through Friday. Members, the lobby, and the public should expect each remaining day of the session to go late into the night.

Concluding his remarks, the speaker noted: "[When we return] Think about cooperation, we will need a lot of it. Think about compromise, we will need a lot of that too. The state will be looking at us, and we need to be statesmen."