State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha sits at her legislative desk with her daughters Barrett, Hattie and Della on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Cavanaugh won reelection to her seat with her family able to watch her take her second oath of office for the Nebraska Legislature. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)
A new crop of state senators looked ahead and celebrated the future on Wednesday as they embark on day one of what is set to be a busy legislative session.
Legislators postponed debate on whether to amend the chamber’s legislative rules — for now — instead embracing one another and coming together to select leaders and set the tone through 2024.
Catch up on photos from day one that include senators’ celebrations with one another, family introductions, children playing at their parents’ desks and more.
State Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln shakes hands with State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue after being nominated and chosen to oversee the Legislature’s Enrollment and Review Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Ballard, the youngest of the newest crop of senators, succeeds State Sen. Mike Hilgers, who trades his legislative office in the Capitol for that of Attorney General. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen completes a state senator’s oath of office on the first day of the Nebraska Legislature on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. As the chief election official in the state, Evnen’s duties include overseeing candidates for elected office from start to finish. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha sits at her legislative desk with her daughters Barrett, Hattie and Della on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Cavanaugh won reelection to her seat with her family able to watch her take her second oath of office for the Nebraska Legislature. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha holds his son, Leon, with his husband, Jeff Formanek, in the background on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Fredrickson is the first openly gay member of the Legislature and second LGBTQ legislator aside State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha. Fredrickson succeeds term-limited State Sen. John McCollister of Omaha. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha speaks with State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha below the north balcony of the Nebraska Legislature on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Kauth won election in November to finish out the remaining two years of State Sen. Rich Pahls’ term. She will be eligible for reelection for one full term in 2024. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln claps while talking with colleagues in the Nebraska Legislature on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Conrad, who served two terms from 2007-2015 before being term limited, returned to her former seat on Wednesday ready to legislate for her North Lincoln district. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward smiles with State Sens. Tony Vargas of Omaha (left) and George Dungan of Lincoln (right) on the first day of the new Legislature on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Hughes, a substitute teacher and exercise instructor, succeeds State Sen. Mark Kolterman of Seward. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Barry DeKay of Niobrara leans into his desk lamp light while talking with State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston in the row ahead of him on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. DeKay, a farmer and rancher, succeeds State Sen. Tim Gragert of Creighton for the Northern Nebraska district. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams smile for a photo with his staff, Barb Dorn (no relation) and Janet Anderson, on the first day of the new Nebraska Legislature on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Dorn, a farmer, ran unopposed to win another four-year term for the district that includes Gage County and part of Lancaster County. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston (left) talks with State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair (right) who is showing the returning senator his phone on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Riepe, a retired hospital executive, and Hansen, a chiropractic physician, were chosen by colleagues, respectively, to lead the Business and Labor and Health and Human Services committees. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln listens to State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha’s pitch on why he should be chosen to lead the Rules Committee. Dungan, one of the Legislature’s newest senators, succeeds State Sen. Matt Hansen of Lincoln. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. John Arch of La Vista’s name plate is replaced from “ARCH DISTRICT 14” to include his speaker role on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Lincoln. Arch will be able to set the agenda for floor debate and will lead the Nebraska Legislature for at least the next two years, having been elected to a second term in 2022. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston pulls out the 2021-22 rules of the Nebraska Legislature on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Lincoln. To continue the 2023 session, senators adopted the previous session’s rules, punting a highly anticipated rules debate to later this month. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner offers a procedural motion for a group of senators to escort Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Heavican to administer oaths of office on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Lincoln. Ibach, a farmer and rancher, was one of many senators to offer motions on the first day of the Legislature. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Heavican administers oaths of office to elected state senators and the officers of the Legislature on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Lincoln. Heavican also won reelection to the state Supreme Court, a chief officer in upholding local, state and federal laws. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State senators take their oaths of office on the first day of the Nebraska Legislature in the Nebraska State Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. Pictured are (left to right) State Sens. Brad von Gillern of Elkhorn, Jane Raybould of Lincoln, Brian Hardin of Gering and George Dungan of Lincoln. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha hugs State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn after she was selected to again lead the Nebraska Legislature’s Revenue Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Lincoln. McDonnell also was selected to lead the Nebraska Retirement Systems Committee just before Linehan’s selection. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sens. Brad von Gillern of Elkhorn, Jen Day of Omaha and Ben Hansen of Blair serve as tellers to decide which senator will lead the Nebraska Legislature’s Education Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Lincoln. Hansen and Day read and verified the secret ballot vote for either State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil or State Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont, von Gillern then tallied the votes. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont (pictured) hugs State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha after losing her bid to continue as chair of the Nebraska Legislature’s Education Committee 32-17 votes on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Lincoln. Walz first ascended to the chairship in 2021 and herself unseated the previous chair. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen hands over official 2022 results to Clerk of the Legislature Brandon Metzler on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Lincoln. The report from the Secretary of State’s office closes out the previous election cycle, marching on to the next under Evnen’s watch. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)
