
With “I Love NU” Week in the rear-view mirror, I wanted to take a moment to extend a heartfelt thank you for your ongoing support of the University of Nebraska System and our annual celebration.
The highlight of the week was "I Love NU" Day, held at the Nebraska State Capitol on Wednesday, March 6. It was a tremendous success, bringing together students, supporters, and state legislators to demonstrate our collective passion for higher education and the NU System. Your partnership and participation made this event special, and we are grateful for your ongoing support.
Extended Floor Debate and Late Nights Coming Up
We are headed toward the close of the legislative session, with less than 20 days left. The Nebraska Legislature is now in all-day floor debate and are working on passing bills; some bills have gone to the governor to be signed and others have already been enacted.
The Legislature will start extended floor debate on Monday, which provides senators an opportunity to work on more legislation and gives them time to pass more bills. Given that this is a short legislative session at 60 days, there is limited time to pass bills. Extended floor debate extends the opportunity to get as many bills through as possible.
Each bill goes through three rounds of debate—general file, select file, and final reading—and there are mandatory rest periods between each round. The three rounds of debate ensure that all bills that are enacted have been thoroughly reviewed—and give Nebraskans multiple opportunities to have their voices heard.
The first time Nebraskans are able to weigh in on bills begins in the public hearings that occur when a bill is introduced. Once a bill makes it out of committee and to the floor for debate, Nebraskans are also able to weigh in by contacting the state senator for their district, a member of the committee that forwarded the bill, or any state senator supporting the bill.
During floor debate, you will see amendments drafted for certain bills; the three rounds of debate give people opportunities to weigh in on amendments, which can change bills drastically from when they were introduced.
Your Voice Matters
This is why your voice matters. To help support a strong future for the University of Nebraska, it’s important to write or email your state senator and tell them how your university has made a difference in your life.
If you are looking for other ways to make an impact, you can also become a member of the NU Advocates at nebraska.edu/advocates. The NU Advocates are a group of people who are amplifying the conversation around investing in the University of Nebraska.
As a reminder, I have been giving monthly Zoom briefings for NU Advocates during the 2024 legislative session. This month's virtual legislative briefing will be on Monday, March 18th from 11:30-noon; I’ll share a quick update on the NU System's legislative priorities and an outlook on the remaining days of the session. You are invited to register for the virtual briefing here.
Thank you again for supporting your university!
Kristen Hassebrook
Associate Vice President for Government Relations
University of Nebraska System