LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have kicked off their 2016 session with an expected focus on property taxes, prisons and a looming state budget shortfall.
The 60-day session that began Wednesday morning will require lawmakers and Gov. Pete Ricketts to fill a projected $110 million shortfall in the current state budget.
Ricketts has identified property tax reduction and prison reforms as his top priorities this year.
Lawmakers are also expected to consider a comprehensive roads bill to speed up certain projects, K-12 education funding and a new Medicaid proposal to help cover thousands of uninsured residents.
This year's short session will be the last for at least 11 of the Legislature's 49 senators who cannot run again because of term limits.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.