Will Lawmakers Make One Last Move Before Election Day?

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 10/16/2026) MIRS has learned legislation dealing with data centers or mandatory nurse overtime could be among the items considered when the House is scheduled to return Wednesday, though at this point both remain possibilities rather than firm plans.

And, as the last couple of weeks have demonstrated, even the session day itself may be written in pencil.

The House is slated to vote Oct. 21, but the chamber was also preparing to return on previous dates before those plans fizzled.

If data centers make the agenda, one possibility is a bill package that would temporarily halt the construction of new data centers until April 1, 2027, giving local communities time to assess their ramifications.

HB 5594, HB 5595 and HB 5596, sponsored by Reps. Jennifer Wortz (R-Quincy), Joseph Fox (R-Fremont) and Dylan Wegela (D-Garden City), would prohibit new data centers from receiving state or local permits during that period.

Also still floating around are Senate-passed SB 296 and SB 297, which would prohibit mandatory overtime for nurses and guarantee nurses eight consecutive hours off following a 12-hour shift.

The uncertainty comes as lawmakers have tried to strike one last larger deal to move a collection of bills, an effort that appears to have lost some momentum.

One factor was the Senate stepping back from a proposed gas tax holiday after it became clear there were not enough votes to pass it.

Once that issue was paused, discussions about a broader day of legislative action involving both chambers also cooled.

The Senate adjourned until Oct. 27 at 10 a.m. leaving then and Oct. 21 as the best current chance for another voting session before Election Day.