LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Legislature officially convened Jan. 7 for the 109th Legislature’s second session, beginning the state’s constitutionally limited 60-day legislative session.

The short session is expected to conclude around mid-April and will feature a condensed schedule for introducing, debating and advancing legislation, as well as developing the state budget. Senators may introduce bills only during the first 10 legislative days, with each lawmaker limited to a maximum of 20 bills per session.

As of Friday, lawmakers had introduced 237 bills during the current session, adding to the 715 proposals carried over from the previous session. Each bill will be reviewed by its respective committee before it can advance to General File for consideration by the full Legislature.

State Sen. Paul Strommen of District 47 said the Speaker of the Legislature plays a central role in managing the flow of the session by setting daily agendas and determining when bills are debated. Priority designations, prior legislative action, time limits and the level of controversy surrounding proposals all factor into scheduling decisions.

The state budget remains a major focus during the short session. Members of the Appropriations Committee are responsible for crafting a balanced budget for the next biennium. The committee is scheduled to hold its first meeting Monday, Jan. 12, and will continue meeting regularly until full-day floor debate begins in March.

All budget-related bills must advance to General File by the 40th legislative day, March 9.

Strommen encouraged constituents to remain engaged during the session and to share feedback or concerns as lawmakers work through legislative and budget priorities.