LINCOLN, Neb (KMTV) — The 108th Legislature is going to look very different from the last couple of years.
There were 14 new senators sworn in on Wednesday, among them Beau Ballard, the newly appointed senator for District 21 replacing former Sen. Mike Hilgers.
“It's been an incredible experience. I'm excited to hit the ground running and serve my district and my community,” said Ballard.
While most of the names aren’t new, the leadership of the Legislature has had some shake-ups as well.
Twelve out of 16 committees will be led by a new chairperson but the biggest change came when Sen. John Arch was elected to succeed Mike Hilgers as the next speaker of the Legislature.
Hilgers oversaw a legislature that was often hobbled by filibusters and unproductive debates and Arch said he wants to see that change.
“There is no replacement for good communication amongst the members. Misunderstandings are the results of poor or lack of communication. Talking about each other, instead of talking to each other. Misunderstandings lead to unnecessary conflict that we need to avoid,” said Arch.
While the goal is more cooperation, there was an early sign on Wednesday that partisan politics could continue to play a big role in this year’s session.
Sen. Dave Murman, a Republican, defeated Sen. Lynne Walz, a Democrat, to become the new chair of the education committee.
Ballots were secret so it's impossible to know who voted for whom but the final tally of votes, 32 to 17, mirrors the split of Republicans and Democrats in the body.
It could mean more stagnant debates, but Ballard hopes the new body will be able to move past old roadblocks.
“More movement. I think this is an important time to build relationships these first few days. That's how things get done in the Nebraska Legislature," said Ballard. "We have an incredible opportunity to enact transformative legislation to grow Nebraska and further Nebraska and I think we can all come together to meet those end goals.”
One issue that has come up in recent years but appears to be more of the focus in the 108th session is addressing the so-called brain drain in the state; several senators reminded the body it's not just about making Nebraska a better place, it's also about convincing young Nebraskans to stay.
“We want Nebraskans to stay in Nebraska," said Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of District 39. "And we can do so much in this session, and the next session of the 108th legislature to get there."
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