Senators deliver tributes on floor as several members prepare to leave

Before adjourning, senators used floor time to deliver tributes to colleagues who are leaving the Legislature and to recognize staff and guests in the galleries.

Senator Hughes rose to recognize Senator Jane Raybould of Lincoln, praising Raybould’s advocacy on water-quality issues and support for small businesses: “She cares deeply about water,” Hughes said, and noted her work on groundwater nitrates and water improvement priorities for tribal lands. The remarks emphasized Raybould’s prior service on local government bodies and her long record of public service.

Senator Ben Hansen delivered a farewell for Senator Mike Mosher (introduced as a colleague leaving at the session’s end), describing Mosher as "honest, sometimes brutally honest," and noting community ties such as ownership of a long-standing local music store and involvement in youth sports. Senators across the floor offered personal anecdotes, thanking outgoing members for institutional knowledge and constituent service.

Other tributes in the record honored long-serving members and staff: senators praised colleagues’ work on appropriations, water policy, child welfare and other long-term projects. Several senators invoked light-hearted personal stories along with policy accomplishments. The floor recognized guests including schoolchildren and community members seated in the galleries.

The tributes concluded as the body returned to legislative business and final-reading votes.