Conservatives dominate chairmanships in Neb. Legislature

A word often heard in politics is “change,” and that is what was seen at the beginning of the 2017 Nebraska Legislative Session on Wednesday, Jan. 4. 

“We have never seen quite this much real change at the beginning of a legislative session,” said Nate Grasz, policy director of the Nebraska Family Alliance.

Seventeen new state senators took the oath of office Wednesday, and the full body of legislators voted on 14 chairmanships for committees, with 12 of these being registered Republicans. Senator Jim Scheer of Norfolk was elected Speaker of the Legislature. 

Three committees of importance to family values across the state—education, judiciary and business and labor—will be headed by conservative senators, Grasz said. Education will be chaired by Sen. Mike Groene, Judiciary by Sen. Laura Ebke, and Business and Labor by Sen. Joni Albrecht.

“It is shaping up to be an interesting and exciting session,” he said.