LINCOLN- On the last day to introduce bills, state legislators are keeping the clerk's office busy with 46 bills being introduced within the first 90 minutes of the session on Monday. The second day of the special legislative session ended with 35 bills being introduced, summing up to 81 total. On Friday, there were six constitutional amendments to be considered, but that number quickly grew to 24 after the weekend.

The Revenue Committee began holding public hearings this Monday, with the first two bills coming from State Senator Carol Blood of Bellevue. Legislative Bill 7 proposed increasing the income tax bracket for high-income earners and LB 8 suggested the addition of a luxury tax to certain items, such as motor vehicles worth over $50,000, jewelry worth more than $5,000, and clothing that costs more than $1,000. The third bill presented to the committee was from State Senator Jana Hughes of Seward and would lower levy caps for school districts. State Senator Justin Wayne of Omaha submitted 23 bills on Monday, including LB 52, which would legalize, regulate, and tax recreational marijuana.

Each bill submitted will be subject to a public hearing, but if a bill isn't heard by 6 P.M., it will be moved to the top of the next day's agenda. During Monday morning's Revenue Committee hearings, State Senator and Chairwoman Lou Ann Linehan gave each speaker a three-minute time limit. Constituents in Lincoln can certainly plan on having busy schedules for the time being.

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