Last week I received a few phone calls and emails regarding LB 271. Sometimes there are groups that will intentionally try and get people upset without giving all the facts. So I appreciate it when constituents reach out to me to find out what I know about a bill. This is a bill that I listened to closely during the floor debate because if I only heard what the constituents reached out and told me, I'd be upset about this bill also. But once I listened to the floor debate and read the bill and the amendments I quickly realized that there was a lot of very good stuff in this bill. The program created in this bill, the 24/7 Sobriety Program Act, is actually a more strict way to deal with repeat drunk driving offenders. Not only does a person have an interlock device for the first 30 days, this would require them to get alcohol or drug tested twice a day. So if a person only had an interlock device they could choose not to drive that vehicle if they want to drink, but under this program, that person is tested twice a day no matter if they want to drive or not. This program is designed for repeat offenders as an alternative to incarceration. South Dakota has used this for quite some time and has found it very successful.

Saturday marks an important day in the Gerlach house. Well, it hasn’t before, but it’s going to now.

Bacchus was a member of the Roman pantheon of gods. In ancient times he had a variety of attributes, but modern culture primarily remembers him as a god of wine and debauchery. Perhaps the image of his followers, or Bacchantes, as individuals who have abandoned society to live in a raucous state of perpetual inebriation has contributed to our perception of alcoholism and addiction.

The Nebraska Legislature is two-thirds of the way through the 2021 legislative session. Over the next several weeks, Senators will vote on a number of key bills. As they do, I encourage Nebraskans to follow closely debate at the State Capitol.

Last week we began debate on the budget bills. Our only constitutional responsibility as a legislature is to pass a biennial budget. It’s been awhile but we actually have more money than was projected which makes it easier and also a bit harder to create a budget. When we are low on money it is easier to just say no to anything that requires extra money. When we have extra money it can be difficult to decide what should take priority. Just because we have more this year, doesn’t mean that during the next budget cycle we will be in the same situation and then we would have to cut a program that was just created. Although, any money that can go towards property tax relief in a sensible manner is something that has been a priority of mine and I will continue to support it.

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. took office a little over two months ago. In his inaugural address, President Biden dedicated himself to “bringing America together.” In the weeks since then, he has charted a very different course. Instead of governing by building consensus, he has aggressively pushed a far-left agenda. He refused to compromise with Republicans on stimulus legislation. Instead, he signed a coronavirus spending package that bailed out Blue states at the expense of states like Nebraska that had taken a better approach to the pandemic. He has also supported corporate bullying of states that pass laws he doesn’t like. The President’s early actions have been divisive rather than unifying, and they fail to respect the rights of states in our federal system of government.

These past few weeks we’ve covered a wide array of topics at the legislature. One example is that we will start a day with debate about telehealth and then just like that we will talk about ready-to-drink cocktails. Some of the topics you think would create more of a stir don’t and then you spend hours talking about what you thought would pass easily.

As I was sitting mat-side at a youth wrestling tournament in Kearney this weekend, there was a subtle annoyance biting at me, one that slowly grew into aggravation. As we exited the building for the final time, it hit me - I am ready to be outside.

The patient knew something was wrong. After appointments with several specialists, multiple scans, and tests, she was given a diagnosis.

When spring arrives in Nebraska, snow melts, days get longer, and we enjoy the warmer weather and sunlight. It’s refreshing to get outside and resume activities that weren’t possible during the winter months.