NELIGH, Neb. -- State Senator Tim Gragert was in Neligh today to become acquainted with the new part of his district.

Gragert met with the public at the Antelope County Ag Event Center where he addressed bills he's proposed in Lincoln, bills being debated currently in the Legislature, and took questions from the audience. 

NCN caught up with Senator Gragert where he gave an outlook on what the legislature will have in store for the next couple of weeks before the end of the session. 

"We have a lot of priority bills. Both speaker priority bills, senator priority bills, and committee priority bills on general file," Gragert said. "So we have a long seven days ahead of us to get completed even with the priority bills."

Gragert also talked about bill LB 873 which he said will provide tax relief for Nebraskans.

Another major bill on his agenda is LB 1023 which will add an event center and lodge at Niobrara State Park and make improvements to the marina at Weigand Campground in Crofton.

"What that's all about is to make that area of northeast Nebraska more of a tourism destination," Gragert said. "And not only helping northeast Nebraska and some of the communities up there but also helps the entire state by bringing tourism to Nebraska."

Senator Gragert will not be running for re-election this fall and has endorsed Barry Dekay, a fourth-generation farmer, and rancher from Knox County, that is also the former president of the Niobrara Valley Electric Membership Corporation.

Dekay's campaign priorities include a reformation of the tax structure in Nebraska, investing in infrastructure, delivering broadband to rural areas, and economic development.

He is grateful for Senator Gragert's endorsement.

"Senator Gragert's endorsement is huge for me. He's been a friend, he's been a mentor, he's helped me through the system, he showed me how the system works and operates, I've been a part of it down in lincoln, and I really appreciate his efforts for me," DeKay said.