The 2022 Nebraska Legislature will convene today (Wednesday) with a huge stack of federal pandemic relief and infrastructure money sitting on the table, launching a 60-day session.
Political experts says that this session will emerge as a session of rare opportunity, with anticipated state tax revenue exceeding projected state spending during the current two-year budget cycle by more than $400 million and a billion dollars in federal pandemic recovery funding awaiting one-time investment and distribution.
Allocation of the billion-dollar pandemic relief package will be determined by the Legislature after Gov. Pete Ricketts weighs in with his own recommendations.
Additional property tax relief will be the top priority for many senators in 2022, although the federal pandemic relief funds cannot be used for that purpose.
This is also the last session for Ricketts’ as he is term limited. This is the last opportunity for him to achieve his remaining legislative goals, including building a new $230 million state prison to replace the aging State Penitentiary in Lincoln.
