Nebraska Legislative Speaker Jim Scheer says he regrets controversy focused legislative attention on two portions of the state budget at the expense of other budget decisions.

A vast majority of the debate was spent on Governor Pete Ricketts’ proposed restrictions of federal family planning money and his proposed cuts to the University of Nebraska budget. . .

Scheer says it appears the agricultural economy is turning around and believes consumer confidence will turn around as well. . .

Legislators faced a 175-Million dollar drop in state revenue combined with a rise in child welfare costs.

They transferred 100-Million dollars from cash reserves and approved budget cuts to align with the budget with falling revenue.