LINCOLN- The start to the new year did not go as smoothly in Washington D.C. as it did in Lincoln on Wednesday. The 108th Nebraska Unicameral Legislature is officially underway and began by electing its new speaker and leadership positions.

The senators offered unanimous approval of Sen. John Arch to be the new Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature. The senator from La Vista just won re-election to his District 14 post in November. He takes over the Speaker's chair after previous Speaker Mike Hilgers was elected State Attorney General. Arch promised lawmakers he would promote a positive culture with healthy relationships and communication. “There is no replacement for good communication amongst the members. Misunderstandings are the result of poor or lack of communication,” Arch says.

Speaker Arch is returning to his post in the legislature where he welcomed 14 new senators, many seeing the rotunda for only the first time in their careers. The new faces will be facing familiar issues. It is commonly speculated that cutting taxes and revamping the school aid formula will be among the top priorities for the legislature this year.

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