This week wraps up our final full week of legislative debate. Many have asked about my experience as a new senator, and while I’ll share more in future newsletters, I wanted to offer a few reflections here.

I’ve been extremely disappointed by time on the floor strategically wasted through “filibusters” led by the political minority. This was generally all rooted in either an attempt to prevent bills from being heard at all, or to exert readily available “consequences” through holding the legislative body hostage. At one point one Senator actually asked for a call of the house, (generally reserved for voting ), simply to get Senators back on the floor and force them to listen to her speech.

While these seemingly childish games have been discouraging, I am encouraged by the passage of several bills that I believe will provide real and lasting help to Nebraskans. First and foremost, we delivered a balanced budget, even in the face of challenging circumstances. We passed a package of transformational legislation to protect kids and empower parents in the digital world and enable law enforcement to hold predators accountable. We funded the property tax credit program, without having to raise additional taxes. We banned the sale of chemical laden petri dish meat. We protected the integrity of livestock inspection crucial to the financial security of the beef industry. We reformed franchise laws to allow fair compensation to Nebraska owned car dealers for warranty work.

Another promise during my campaign was to advocate for the protection of women's rights, which includes spaces and sports. While LB89 didn’t include everything originally proposed, I’m proud to report that it represents a significant step forward for Nebraska. This legislation protects the rights of women and ensures that biological males cannot participate in women's sports. It’s unfortunate that such common- sense protections have to be codified into law, but the world we live in today demands clarity—and we’ve delivered that through this legislation.

The debate surrounding LB89 was contentious.

Opponents repeatedly painted supporters as hateful or harmful, suggesting that standing up for women’s rights equates to targeting transgender individuals.

Nothing could be further from the truth. As we’ve seen on other controversial issues, when arguments run thin, personal insults take their place. But in the end, science, facts, and fairness prevailed—and so did the integrity of our legislative process.

Despite the protests and removal of individuals from the balcony that occurred at the end of debate, I commend my colleagues who remained professional and focused. They pressed the green button to protect women’s sports and stood firm in doing what is right. I’m honored to have been part of that effort.

In my first year, I am proud to report that nine of the 15 bills I introduced were enacted into law and five more were advanced out of committee and are ready to be scheduled for debate next session. This week, LB422, concerning transfer-on-death deeds, received final approval with a vote of 48-0-1. Furthermore, LB271 and LB386 passed on Final Reading with a 43-5-1 vote. These two bills were included within the larger Judiciary Committee bill, LB150. As a refresher, LB386 specifically aims to create a pilot program for temporary mental health facilities in rural areas, while LB271 strengthens railroad safety by making interference with tracks or personnel a felony.

I'm honored to serve District 43. I value your input, so please don't hesitate to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you. .

Respectfully, Senator Storer