Nebraska legislators begin a new legislative session with some old bills hanging over them.
Appropriations Committee Chairman Heath Mello says the bills will come due early in this short, 60-day legislative session, primarily from the Department of Correctional Services. . .

In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services must repay 11-point-3 Million dollars to the federal government for errors in the Medicaid program.

Mello doesn’t completely rule out tax reform in the upcoming session, though the fiscal picture has dimmed.
The economic forecasting board has projected a 110-Million dollar shortfall in the state budget.
Mello says that will obviously have an impact on the session, but won’t cancel out talk of tax cuts. . .

Legislative leaders and the governor have stated property tax relief is the top priority of this legislative session.