Greetings from your State Capitol. This week Senators took up several important topics on the floor of the Legislature. As the Legislature has moved to full-day debate, it has given Senators the opportunity to debate more issues.

The Legislature debated what is known as a “pull motion” for Senator Brewer’s LB773. A “pull motion” is a procedural action in the Legislature to pull a bill out of its Committee and place it on General File without a Committee vote to advance the bill. LB773 is Senator Brewer’s priority bill which would allow the concealed carry of a weapon without a permit. I am pleased to report that the pull motion was successful. The Legislature also debated the bill itself on the floor, and the bill advanced by a vote of 35-9. The bill needed 33 votes to advance to the next stage of debate. I voted for the pull motion and the bill.

This week the Legislature also advanced two bills related to water. LB1015 would authorize the creation of the Perkins County Canal. The Perkins County Canal Project is a proposed construction project that would create a canal to divert water out of Colorado and into Nebraska based on the South Platte River Compact signed between Colorado and Nebraska in 1923. The bill advanced by a vote of 36-3.

The other water bill debated was LB1023. LB1023 would authorize the Department of Natural Resources and the Game and Parks Commission to make several updates to water recreation areas in the state as well as authorize the creation of a new water reservoir. The new reservoir location would be between Omaha and Lincoln. The recreational updates would enhance several areas at Lake McConaughy, Niobrara State Park, and Lewis and Clark Lake. It is necessary to create and maintain attractive tourist destinations in the state, and we must help our tourism industry recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. LB1023 advanced to the second round of debate by a vote of 29-4.

I support both of these water bills. It is necessary for Nebraska to protect our water rights because it is our most important natural resource.

A final congratulations to the Gothenburg, Broken Bow, Anselmo-Merna, and Amherst basketball teams for reaching the State Basketball Tournament! You should be proud of your accomplishments this year.

As always, feel free to contact me anytime at (402) 471-2642 or mwilliams@leg.ne.gov. Thanks again for your continued support. Matt