One of the fastest-growing districts in Nebraska. Here's who represents it, what they've been doing in Lincoln, and what's actually happening on the ground.
District 49 · Republican · Term ends Jan 2029
Committee Assignments
2024 Election
Margin: 908 votes. This seat is competitive.
2025 session
Plain English
Would prevent Nebraska from applying for federal waivers that currently allow exceptions to SNAP work requirements — meaning more low-income residents would lose food assistance eligibility even if jobs aren't available in their area.
2025 session
Plain English
Would shorten how long people can receive cash assistance under Nebraska's public assistance programs. People hit the limit and lose support regardless of whether their circumstances have changed.
2025 session
Plain English
Would allow political parties to appoint watchers to observe county election officials' vote-counting device tests, with results published online. Framed as election transparency.
2026 session
Plain English
Would make it illegal to camp on public property or rights-of-way unless the site is officially designated as a campsite. Critics say it criminalizes homelessness without providing housing alternatives.
Worth noting
The same 2025 session that vetoed food aid for people in recovery (LB 319), Sen. Andersen filed two bills to further restrict SNAP access and cash assistance. District 49 is home to Sarpy County's highest-rent zip codes and fastest-growing communities — the residents most affected by these cuts aren't abstract.
Sarpy County kept its levy flat at 0.28496 for 2026, but property valuations have doubled over the past decade — so actual bills keep climbing. The median annual tax bill is $4,820, nearly $2,500 above the national median. County commissioners cited $13 million in unfunded state mandates as the pressure driver. Over 25 residents showed up to hearings, many on fixed incomes.
Source: Flatwater Free Press ↗Papillion-La Vista declared three elementary schools at full capacity for 2025–26, halting new enrollments. Ashbury and Prairie Queen elementary schools have been at capacity for two years running. Growth is outpacing the buildings — and the state school funding formula hasn't kept up with Sarpy County's pace.
Source: WOWT ↗A major road improvement project near 156th Street breaks ground in spring 2026 — adding lanes, new roads, and roundabouts. Construction runs at least two years. The South Sarpy Expressway is also moving into construction phase. Real daily disruption for residents, but long-overdue infrastructure for one of the fastest-growing counties in the state.
Source: 3 News Now ↗Sarpy County's Fair Market Rents are 34.4% above the Nebraska average — the highest of any county in the state. Rapid growth is making the county less affordable for working families even as property tax bills climb. There's no state-level affordable housing bill on the horizon.
Source: US Housing Data ↗