Governor Jim Pillen has finally issued the official proclamation for a special legislative session for Nebraska lawmakers to address the state’s situation with property taxes.
This comes less than 24 hours before the session is scheduled start at 10:00 AM, Thursday, July 25.
The scope of the session “will be limited to enacting legislation related to reducing state property taxes,” according to an official release from the Governors Office.
The text of the proclamation offers more specific detail, and gives more than a dozen subjects in which lawmakers can enact related legislation:
- Making changes to appropriations approved by the legislature in 2023-24
- Making changes to various “sin taxes” (including cigarettes, vape products, alcohol, keno gambling, and “skill games”)
- Establishing taxes on items not currently taxed
- Establishing an excise tax on consumable hemp
- Eliminating sales tax exemptions
- Eliminating the personal property tax liability on agricultural and machinery equipment
- Reforming the Property Tax Credit Act and/or the Nebraska Property Tax Incentive Act
- Amending state law to allow for the redistribution of local option sales taxes
- Establishing a “property tax relief program,” which could include modifying state educational aid
- Establishing revenue caps on City and County governments to collect property tax revenue
During a Monday night listening session hosting in Lincoln, numerous state senators in attendance panned the Governor’s plan thus far for being overly broad or vague. Today’s official proclamation certain provides some clarity, but its unknown which (or how many) of these items will be pursued by lawmakers.
A copy of the proclamation is available below.
