NEBRASKA JOINS BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF TRUMP'S USE OF GUARD TROOPS, MARINES IN CALIFORNIA

LINCOLN — Nebraska has waded into the legal battle between California and President Donald Trump over his administration’s deployment of federal troops to Los Angeles to protect immigration enforcement agents amid intense protests over Trump’s immigration crackdown.

The White House last week moved to take control of up to 4,000 California National Guard troops and mobilized 700 Marines in a rare use of military force on American soil that prompted California Gov. Gavin Newsom to sue the Trump administration Monday, asking a judge to return control of the state’s troops to Newsom. In a Wednesday legal filing in the federal case, Nebraska joined 18 other Republican-led states seeking to file a brief in support of Trump’s order, arguing the deployment was “responsible, constitutional and authorized” by law.

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ATTORNEYS SAY THEY’VE BEEN UNABLE TO TALK TO OMAHA WORKERS SWEPT UP IN ICE RAID

Workers detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during a raid at an Omaha meatpacking plant on Tuesday have been transferred from an Omaha-based processing center to a detention facility elsewhere in Nebraska, according to the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement and a staff member from U.S. Rep. Don Bacon’s office.

“We now know that 63 of those in custody have been transferred from the DHS processing center to a detention center in Nebraska. The other 11 people detained on Tuesday have either been deported or sent to other locations for processing,” a statement from CIRA said. Of the remaining 11, U.S. Marshals held some as part of a broader federal criminal investigation, some were deported under existing deportation orders, others were released, according to James Wright, a deputy chief of staff in Bacon’s office.

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PATTY PANSING BROOKS ANNOUNCES 2026 BID TO RETURN TO NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN — Former State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks announced her 2026 candidacy Friday to return to the Nebraska Legislature, a day after the current officeholder said she would not seek reelection. State Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln announced her decision not to run again Thursday, leaving the central Lincoln seat open, as first reported by the Nebraska Examiner. 

Just 24 hours later, Pansing Brooks “enthusiastically” threw her hat in the ring with Raybould’s support, one of more than 70 current and former officials to endorse Pansing Brooks. “People keep calling me saying, ‘What should I do?’” Pansing Brooks told the Examiner. “And I keep thinking, ‘Well, what should I do to help this country right now?’ The main thing that I know that I can do is run for office.”

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FORMER BORDER PATROL AGENT DAVID HUEBNER CHALLENGES NEBRASKA U.S. REP. ADRIAN SMITH

LINCOLN — A former U.S. Border Patrol agent has decided to run for Congress in Nebraska’s largely rural, sprawling 3rd Congressional District. North Platte native David Huebner will try to do what other Republicans in the district haven’t and beat U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb, in a Republican primary. Huebner said he is running to bring some “energy back” to the seat.

“I like active and present representation,” Huebner said, “I don’t feel like we have that right now from the incumbent.” Huebner said Smith lacks a background in agriculture, and the district wants someone with that background who can advocate for rural issues. He said the issues potential voters have brought up so far are the need for increased border security and improving the agricultural economy.

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LINCOLN SEN. GEORGE DUNGAN TO SEEK REELECTION TO NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE

Lincoln Sen. George Dungan will seek another term representing District 26 in Nebraska's Legislature next year, the Democratic lawmaker and former public defender announced Wednesday. Dungan, a 36-year-old Lincoln native and graduate of American University who worked as a deputy public defender in Lancaster County for eight years, was first elected to represent the northeast Lincoln district in 2022.

Last year, Dungan worked to establish the Nebraska Prenatal Plus Program, which will expand reimbursements for prenatal care to include nutrition counseling and targeted case management for at-risk mothers. This year, he was among leading opponents to a series of proposed laws that progressive lawmakers said would undercut workers rights or, in some cases, the will of Nebraska voters.

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STATE SEN. JANE RAYBOULD DECIDES NOT TO SEEK REELECTION IN 2026

LINCOLN — State Sen. Jane Raybould announced Thursday that she will not seek reelection to her central Lincoln seat in 2026, retiring at the end of her term after 16 years in public service. Raybould, 66, said she has been honored and humbled by getting to serve on the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners, Lincoln City Council and in the Nebraska Legislature. In each office, she said she juggled family obligations and outside work.

Raybould made clear that her announcement is not a resignation speech, writing: “Oh no, not even close!” She said she remains committed and dedicated “to being the most effective senator” in her remaining year and a half in office. 

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NEBRASKA AUDITOR: FINANCIAL WRONGDOING IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS SEEMS ‘INCREASINGLY COMMONPLACE’

LINCOLN — After Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley issued a recent statement exposing alleged financial improprieties involving several local governments, he said his office faced a surge of callers requesting probes of their towns, too.It’s a common response, Foley said, after news hits of a small-town investigation by the auditor. 

“The phone starts ringing,” he said, repeating a common refrain: “‘Hey look at us. Look what’s happening in my village or county too.’” While grateful for the interest, Foley said such complaints are “disconcerting” in that they could signal rising misuse of public resources in smaller public entities across Nebraska. He said the alerts also “distract” from one of his office’s other main tasks, bird-dogging the “mega agencies” of state government.

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NEBRASKA CONGRESSMAN'S BILL WOULD PRIORITIZE FILLING WEATHER SERVICE VACANCIES AFTER DOGE CUTS

LINCOLN —  Nebraska Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Flood introduced legislation this month that would make it harder for National Weather Service employees to be fired.

The bipartisan-backed bill, named the Weather Workforce Improvement Act, would reclassify Weather Service employees as public safety personnel — essentially protecting them from most future administrative hiring freezes and buyouts. Flood’s legislation was cosponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers from Florida, California, Oklahoma, and Illinois. No other members of the Nebraska delegation have yet signed on as cosponsors.  

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PILLEN’S DESIRE FOR ‘CANNABIS EXPERIENCE’ ON BOARD LED TO NEBRASKA LIQUOR COMMISSION VACANCY

LINCOLN — A new vacancy on the three-member Nebraska Liquor Control Commission came at the request of Gov. Jim Pillen, which the former commissioner in that seat said happened because the governor wanted more “cannabis experience” on the regulatory board. Former Commissioner Harry Hoch Jr., speaking with the Nebraska Examiner, confirmed this week that he was told he would not be reappointed to another six-year term to the Liquor Control Commission after his term expired May 24. Hoch said he had put in a request to be reappointed but withdrew it after talking with Dave Lopez, Pillen’s chief of staff, so his last day was May 24.

Hoch said the “nice” conversation with Lopez “basically boiled down to [that] I wasn’t going to be reappointed, because the governor wanted to get more cannabis experience in my seat.” “There was no Hanky Panky there. It’s all above board,” Hoch said of his resignation, adding that he parted ways with the executive branch officials, “basically friends still.”

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OMAHA WILL RUN OUT OF LAND TO DEVELOP IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS. HERE'S HOW THE CITY IS PREPARING.

Omaha residents interested in helping to shape the city’s future have one of a number of opportunities to weigh in this week. The City of Omaha currently is seeking public comment on nine draft guiding principles that will serve as the foundation for the city’s next comprehensive plan.

A city’s comprehensive plan provides direction for everything city planners do to develop the city, including how residents want it to look, what features they want to attract and what businesses they want it to draw, said Dave Fanslau, Omaha’s planning director. The city’s current master plan was adopted in 1997. Omaha was facing different challenges at the time. The current plan largely speaks to the significant westward growth the city was experiencing — growth that continues today — and the need to deal with pressures that kind of growth brings.

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STATE SEN. JOHN CAVANAUGH RUNNING FOR CONGRESS IN NEBRASKA’S 2ND DISTRICT

LINCOLN —  After two months of speculation, State Sen. John Cavanaugh is throwing his hat into the ring Wednesday and running for Congress in Nebraska’s 2nd District. 

The Omaha-based lawmaker joins one high-profile local candidate in PAC co-founder and small business owner Denise Powell, along with Mark Johnston and Evangelos Argyrakis. The winner of the May 2026 Democratic primary will try to do what former Omaha State Sen. Tony Vargas fell short of doing so two times — becoming the first non-Republican to represent Nebraska in Congress since the late former U.S. Rep. Brad Ashford served in early 2017.

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BREAKING WITH TRUMP, BACON SAYS HE WON’T FOLLOW HIS PARTY ‘OFF THE CLIFF’

Representative Don Bacon, Republican of Nebraska, has publicly accused President Trump of treating Russia with “velvet gloves,” criticized him for gutting AmeriCorps and questioned his power to impose tariffs without congressional approval. 

He has described Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of Signal to share sensitive military operations as “unacceptable.” And he was the sole House Republican to vote “no” on a bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” He said he thought it was stupid. 

Mr. Bacon’s willingness to publicly disagree with the president makes him an anomaly in the tribal House Republican Conference, where members tend to fall in line behind Mr. Trump’s agenda and actively seek out ways to demonstrate their loyalty to him. In a Republican-led Congress that has been reluctant to challenge Mr. Trump on almost anything, the Nebraskan is among the last of a disappearing breed in his party. And his recent statements and actions strongly suggest he may be headed for the exit. 

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NEBRASKA ATTORNEY GENERAL SUES TEMU OVER ALLEGED CONSUMER PROTECTION VIOLATIONS

LINCOLN - Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers has filed a lawsuit against Temu, a Chinese e-commerce company, and its affiliates over numerous alleged consumer protection violations. Hilgers claims Temu is deceiving Nebraska consumers and harming Nebraska brands, businesses, and creators by unlawfully harvesting data, utilizing multiple deceptive practices to encourage purchase, allowing infringement and counterfeits to thrive, and engaging in deceptive marketing to ‘greenwash’ its image.

“Temu is putting Nebraskans’ privacy at risk and running a platform rife with deceptive listings, unlawful promotional practices, and products that rip off Nebraska brands and creations,” Hilgers said. “Our office will hold Temu accountable for its exploitation of Nebraska consumers, brands, and creators and fight hard for honesty and safety in the online marketplace.” 

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GIFT SHOP AT NEBRASKA CAPITOL FINALLY REOPENS AFTER PANDEMIC-ERA CLOSURE

Taking a piece of the Nebraska State Capitol home just got a lot easier. The Nebraska State Historical Society this week reopened the Capitol's longtime gift shop, which had been closed since the COVID pandemic amid ongoing construction. Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly and historical society director Daryl Bohac marked the reopening with a ribbon-cutting Wednesday.

Open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the gift shop sells mementos, books and other unique items that highlight the history of the Capitol and Nebraska government and culture. "We use them to promote the Capitol and the artwork of the Capitol," said Roxanne Smith, who supervises Capitol tours.

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PILLEN SIGNS LAW DEFINING MALE, FEMALE FOR NEBRASKA K-12 AND COLLEGE SPORTS

LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen’s signature Wednesday was the final hurdle to legally requiring that all student-athletes competing in public K-12 or college sports this fall must do so on the team that matches their sex at birth.

Pillen’s approval of Legislative Bill 89, the “Stand With Women Act” from State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of the Millard area, allows it to take effect Sept. 3. That’s three months after the Legislature adjourned Monday. 

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NEW SCHOOL FINANCE COMMISSION APPROVED WITH HOPES FOR LONG-TERM NEBRASKA PROPERTY TAX REFORM

LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers greenlit a long-term commission Friday to review how the state funds its K-12 schools, a step that could lead to future property tax relief after the latest efforts fell short this year.

Legislative Bill 303, from State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward and introduced at Gov. Jim Pillen’s request, passed 48-0. It would create an 18-member School Financing Review Commission to regularly review and suggest possible improvements to the state’s main state aid formula to divert sales and income tax dollars to public K-12 schools: the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act.  

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS ADJOURN 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, LOOK AHEAD TO FUTURE BUDGET CHANGES

LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers ended the 2025 legislative session Monday, celebrating a balanced budget achieved over a major projected deficit and the passage of more than 200 bills.

Speaker John Arch of La Vista, marking the end to the 89-day session, thanked his colleagues for their work, and centered them on what he has already identified as the “biggest challenge” for 2026, the same as in 2025: the state budget. He said fiscal numbers often change in the two-year budget cycle, and “there is considerable uncertainty in the world that could make accurately predicting our fiscal future more difficult.”

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GOV. PILLEN ADDRESS TO LAWMAKERS: POSITIVE, LASTING IMPACT SERVES NEBRASKANS WELL

LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen shared with members of the 109th Nebraska Legislature the headline he felt best summarized this session: Positive, lasting impact serves Nebraskans well. During his sine die, or end-of-session address, the Governor hit on multiple areas of achievement, including passage of the overwhelming majority of his own priority bills.

On two occasions during his speech, Gov. Pillen gave recognition to special guests in attendance. Members of the Nebraska State Patrol, friends of Trooper Kyle McAcy, were applauded for their service to the state. They were on scene the day Trooper McAcy died while assisting motorists in a snowstorm. 

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ANOTHER MERGER ATTEMPT FAILS FOR SLOWING NEBRASKA’S MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES

LINCOLN — Another last-minute attempt by State Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln to force a vote this session on a legislative proposal to slow Nebraska’s voter-approved minimum wage increases failed Thursday to join an unrelated bill.

This time, she tried attaching the amendment to Legislative Bill 265, by State Sen. Tony Sorrentino of the Elkhorn area, a budget bill with business overtones that dealt with unemployment insurance tax rates and the Workforce Development Program Cash Fund. Opponents trying to stop the effort by Raybould, a Democrat in the officially nonpartisan Legislature, filed motions to filibuster the amendment and keep it from being considered — a tactic her fellow Democrats used to successfully block it from becoming part of a bill Wednesday weakening Nebraska’s paid sick leave protections, LB 415, which is heading to the governor’s desk. 

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LAWMAKERS DEFINE MALE, FEMALE IN NEBRASKA LAW FOR SCHOOL SPORTS

LINCOLN — All Nebraska student-athletes will soon be legally required to play on interscholastic sports teams based on the student’s sex at birth under a legislative bill passed Wednesday at the governor’s urging. 

Legislative Bill 89, the “Stand With Women Act” from State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of the Millard area, passed 33-16 after a one-hour debate. Speaker John Arch of La Vista limited the length of time for the third round of debate by labeling the bill as “controversial and emotionally charged.” Nebraska will join more than two dozen states with similar laws already on the books. While LB 89’s passage is good, Kauth said, it’s not the finish line.

Under the bill, “sex” would be defined as whether someone “naturally has, had, will or would have, but for a congenital anomaly or intentional or unintentional disruption, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports and utilizes” either eggs (female, woman or girl) or sperm (male, man or boy) for fertilization. 

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