Page 7 - John Stinner News Today

The 2022 Nebraska Legislature cut taxes and invested in water and urban projects, while deadlocking on criminal justice reform, prisons, and other issues.

"Wow. Wow. What fantastic work you have done in this short 60-day session," Gov. Pete Ricketts said.

The Nebraska Legislature ended its 2022 session Wednesday with a speech by Gov. Pete Ricketts and reminiscences from departing senators.

The Nebraska legislature has allocated money for more interns in the mental health profession, including rural areas, as well as research into the failed AltEn ethanol plant.

An analysis showed that the amount of state dollars devoted to direct property tax relief could approach $1.6 billion within 10 years.

The Nebraska legislature has appropriated the state's share of federal COVID-19 relief money.

Criminal justice reform measure stalls

Gov. Pete Ricketts cut more than $100 million out of the state budget Monday, targeting payments for providers who care for vulnerable Nebraskans, affordable urban housing and prison programs.

The measure would provide $900 million of cuts in income, corporate, property and social security benefit taxes when fully implemented.

LB873 would ratchet down the state’s top income tax rates for corporations and individuals, expand income tax credits for property taxpayers and phase out income taxes on Social Security benefits.