PFIZER SAYS DONATION TO ELECTION OBJECTOR WAS MISTAKE

LINCOLN- Following the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Pfizer pledged not to make any campaign contributions to Republican members of Congress who voted not to certify the results of the election. Then, the pharmaceutical giants gave Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE) $2,500 on March 17 according to election filings released Thursday. The company issued a mea culpa and canceled the donation. The statement said that the donation was an error and that Pfizer will continue to pause PAC contributions to those representatives.

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NO DISSENTING VOTES! NEBRASKA'S $9.7 BILLION BIENNIAL BUDGET PROPOSAL MOVES ON FIRST ROUND OF DEBATE

LINCOLN- Senators debated well into the evening Thursday before giving first-round approval to a $9.7 billion, two-year state budget. Senators advanced the main budget bills with no dissenting votes after making only one $900,000-per-year change in the Appropriations Committee proposal. The vote came after a intense day of conversation about legislative priorities and politics.

The package leaves about $210 million for other legislative priorities, while beefing up the state’s rainy day fund by transferring $100 million into the fund. The infusion of money would put the cash reserve fund at an estimated $763 million by June 30, 2023, or about 14.2% of state revenue.

Major items in the budget include almost $90 million allocated over the two years to give 2% annual increases in payment rates for health and human services providers, and about $37 million for a 2% annual boost in support of the University of Nebraska. In the only change to the budget, Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk convinced lawmakers to boost the amount of grant funding available to creative districts to $1 million a year. The committee had included $100,000 a year for such grants.

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Read the budget proposal in its entirety by clicking HERE

CHILD WELFARE INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS LIGHT FIRE DURING BUDGET DEBATE

LINCOLN-  The Legislature's executive board Thursday appointed nine members of a special investigative committee to probe the state's troubled child welfare services in eastern Nebraska, but left Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, sponsor of the investigation, on the sidelines. That omission sparked a fiery discussion on the floor of the Legislature once senators were informed of the decision.

Cavanaugh suggested that she had been "stabbed in the back" by supporters of Gov. Pete Ricketts for challenging actions taken by his administration. 

"Does anyone think this is right?" Cavanaugh asked during an emotional exchange that extended state budget debate.

Members of four designated legislative committees were named to the special committee that will investigate a five-year state contract with Saint Francis Ministries of Salina, Kansas, which originally appeared to have been substantially underbid, along with its accompanying negative impact on child welfare services in the Omaha area. 

Members of the committee include John Arch of La Vista and Dave Murman of Glenvil, Health and Human Services Committee; Matt Hansen of Lincoln and Rita Sanders of Bellevue, Government and Military Affairs Committee; Mark Kolterman of Seward and Robert Clements of Elmwood, Appropriations Committee; Suzanne Geist of Lincoln and Terrell McKinney of Omaha, Judiciary Committee; at-large, Justin Wayne of Omaha.

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REVENUE COMMITTEE CHAIR SAYS PLENTY OF MONEY FOR TAX CUTS, BUDGET PRIORITIES

LINCOLN- Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn says there should be plenty of revenue to fund a slate of tax cuts and finance new spending priorities during the 2021 session. She and some members of the Legislature’s Revenue Committee, of which Senator Linehan is Chair, held a press conference to tout the proposals for tax cuts which voted out for debate by the full Legislature. Included is a long-discussed phase out of state income taxes on Social Security income. Other bills include exemptions for military retirement pay from income taxes, end taxation of residential water bills and lower the state's inheritance tax and corporate tax rates.

Just before, the Appropriations Committee released its proposed $9.7 billion, two-year budget which includes an extra $211 million for state lawmakers to devote to tax cuts or spending initiatives.

The Open Sky Policy Institute stated in a release that these proposals could cause "delayed-onset fiscal problems", depleting state revenue by $300 million over the next two years. “The combined impact of all of these measures would likely necessitate major cuts to schools, health programs and other services that are essential to our state, our residents and our economy,” Open Sky stated in a press release.

The full floor debate on this issue should come in the next few weeks, following conclusion of the state’s biennium budget debate.

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BILL TO HIKE COURT FEES FOR JUDGES RETIREMENT PLAN REACHES SECOND ROUND

LINCOLN- Under a bill advanced by the legislature, Nebraskans filing for divorce, going to court over land disputes, as well as people convicted of crimes would pay more to the judges retirement plan. The more controversial amendment to the bill doubles a court fee to support the fund.

LB17 by Senator Mark Kolterman of Seward, Chair of the Retirement Committee, would increase the fee from $6 per case to $8 by July and would slowly continue increasing until it hits $12 in 2025. The bill also requires the state to make a fixed contribution to the judges retirement plan equal to 5% of the judges' compensation.  The state does not currently match for money taken out of judges' salaries for their retirement. 

Opposition to the measure highlighted the worry that the fee increase would fall on people least able to afford it. 

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NEBRASKA LEGISLATORS ADVANCE BILL TO REQUIRE POSTCARDS OF LOCAL POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS

LINCOLN- Sen. Ben Hansen's LB644 was discussed at length over a two day period with the body hoping to answer the question if a postcard could prevent further property tax increases or at least better inform taxpayers when taxes might be going up. Sen. Hansen believes government boards enact budgets and increase taxes without getting input from taxpayers. 

The amended LB644 would apply to cities, counties, school districts and community colleges. 

Hansen called this an 'informed consent' bill that would increase government to constituent transparency. Opposition came from senators who call this an 'unfunded mandate' on local governments, further stating the state should pay for it if this postcard is necessary. For example, this legislation would cost counties - whose primary source of revenue is the property tax - over $560,000. “It’s not lowering taxes, it’s increasing the cost of doing business at our counties,” said Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt.

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UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA REGENT JIM PILLEN ANNOUNCES RUN FOR GOVERNOR IN 2022

COLUMBUS- University Regent Jim Pillen announced that he will seek the Republican nomination for governor in 2022. He was elected as regent in 2012 and re-elected in 2018.

Pillen is expected to attract the support of key conservative elements in the Nebraska Republican Party, emerging immediately as a front-line contender for the GOP nomination to succeed Gov. Pete Ricketts when he completes his second term in office in January 2023. Pillen expressed strong support for gun rights, law enforcement, pro-life protections and a "demand (for) order on the southern border" in a statement posted on jimpillen.com. 

"We have to fix our broken property tax system and cut taxes," he said. "We need to modernize our tax structure, expand broadband access and improve infrastructure across our state." In a campaign video which can be viewed by clicking HERE, Pillen said he would "work to grow our economy and give every child the chance to pursue their dreams right here in Nebraska."

Pillen is a pork producer operating as Pillen Farms.

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FORMER GOV. DAVE HEINEMAN SAID TO BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING RUN FOR HIS OLD OFFICE IN 2022

LINCOLN- Sources in Nebraska say that Former Gov. Dave Heineman is in talks with major supporters to take back his former office. 

Heineman originally served as governor from 2005-2015, already making him the longest serving governor in state history. He took over as governor following the appointment of then Governor Mike Johanns as President George W. Bush’s Secretary of Agriculture. Heinman’s entry into the race would shake up the Republican primary race which has already garnered the candidacies of University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen, businessman Chuck Herbster and State Sen. Brett Lindstrom. His candidacy would like see him enter the race as the front runner.

Since leaving office, Heineman returned to his pre-governor home of Fremont, and has served on the Board of Directors of the Conklin Company Inc, which is owned by Herbster. 

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REP. DON BACON, DEALING WITH LINGERING EFFECTS OF COVID, ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO GET VACCINE

OMAHA-  U.S. Rep. Don Bacon is encouraging people to get the COVID-19 vaccine as he deals with lingering respiratory effects following his own bout with COVID in November.  Bacon, who is 57, is scheduled to get the vaccine Friday. He said he had to wait three months to get the shot because he had COVID.  

Bacon has seen doctors about lingering respiratory issues. He said Thursday that the doctors have determined that COVID exacerbated injuries from a 2018 Amtrak accident in which he was involved. He was on the train with Republican lawmakers heading to a policy retreat when the train collided with a garbage truck, and said at the time he felt a “clear impact.” 

“I encourage everyone to get the vaccine,” the Nebraska Republican said in a statement. “I got COVID in late 2020, and it was hard on my lungs. Several of my friends have died from COVID. The vaccine will save lives and heartbreak.”

Although some experts recommend waiting to get the vaccine until 90 days after a COVID infection, Dr. Richard Hankins, an infectious diseases physician at the Nebraska Medical Center, said you can get the vaccine any time after you have recovered from COVID — when you’re no longer testing positive.

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FOUR NEBRASKA SENATORS PLAN TO CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO TOGETHER

LINCOLN- After the steep climb of a legislative session a group of state senators is going a lot further, and steeper. Sens. Tom Brewer, Anna Wishart, Justin Wayne and Ben Hansen are planning a trip to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, in September. The group includes two Republicans, two Democrats, one African American, one woman, two urban senators and two rural senators. They are even looking for some post-climb adventures such as seeing exotic animals while in Africa. 

Col. Tom Brewer had the trip planned with a military friend when Sen. Hansen asked if he could tag along. Soon enough both Sen. Wayne and Sen. Wishart were on board. The climb will begin on Sept. 7 and will end on Sept 12, including a 6 hour walk through a rain forest on the first day. By the last day, the group will have endured a 12 hour climb to the summit. The temperature will range from 70 to 80 degrees to 10 degrees below or colder.

"It will be fun to be there with some Nebraskans to experience a great adventure. To hold a Nebraska flag at the top."

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NU, CREIGHTON RESEARCHERS PREPARING FOR 'UNPRECEDENTED' STUDY OF CONTAMINATION FROM ALTEN

LINCOLN- The long-term effects pesticides have had on the environment around the AltEn ethanol plant south of Mead will begin to be studied by both the University of Nebraska system and Creighton University. 

The study follows a pipe that burst on the plant in February which released 4 million gallons of contaminated wastewater and manure into nearby waterways and streams. The 10-year study will cost $1 million annually and will begin in the next few weeks. The team will study everything from the contaminated site to Mead residents health records to find patterns in newly diagnosed health conditions. AltEn has agreed to participate in the study. Preliminary results will start to be released in August. 

The contaminated plant is now being sought out by a Texas company that wants to take over operation of a feedlot adjacent to the plant. The owners of the Texas company deny any relationship with AltEn. The Planning and Zoning Commission just needs to approve a permit and send it to the Saunders County Board of Supervisors for official approval of the acquisition. 

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ARAMCO WEIGHS SELLING STAKE ON OIL PIPELINES FOR MORE THAN $10 BILLION

NEW YORK- Saudi Arabia’s energy giant is in advanced talks to sell up to a 49% stake in its oil pipelines to a consortium of U.S., Chinese and local investors for between $10 billion and $15 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. 

Saudi Arabian Oil Co. known as Aramco, is in talks to sell the minority stake to a group of investors that could include U.S. buyout giant Apollo Global Management Inc. energy investment firm EIG Global Energy Partners, Chinese infrastructure fund Silk Road Fund, and China Reform Fund Management Co., a Chinese private-equity fund, along with Saudi pension funds, the people said.

The talks represent another far-reaching attempt to monetize Saudi Arabia’s prodigious oil assets—once considered so strategic that even a minority stake sale seemed far fetched. With the ascension of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, however, the kingdom has been more willing to lure foreign investors and cede some control over its oil industry in exchange for cash.

By holding on to a majority stake in the pipeline business, Saudi Arabia assures it remains in operational control of the assets.

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CALLS GROW TO ABANDON REGULATIONS EASED UNDER COVID

LINCOLN- At the beginning of the pandemic, states across the country began to ease up alcohol related regulations. Selling to-go cocktails along with to-go orders became a way for restaurants to stay afloat. Now, people are starting a discussion about whether alcohol regulations really need to go back to how they used to be. 

The pandemic forced everything to move online faster than expected with everyone becoming more comfortable with the new normal. Telehealth boomed at the beginning of the pandemic, especially helping with the increase in mental health challenges during lockdown. So, many state agencies are starting to give funding to Medicaid to continue these services online. The worry with this is that doctors with poor records could fly under the radar and provide services to patients that they should not be allowed to see. 

Also an intense focus of those looking to return to normal are opponents to the widely adopted to-go cocktails, which they say could promote underage drinking and drunk driving. States however are moving to safely adopt some of the changes found in the pandemic through executive order and legislative actions permanently.

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RICKETTS OPPOSES CATHER NATIONAL HERITAGE LAND DESIGNATION, FOUNDATION RESPONDS

LINCOLN- Gov. Pete Ricketts expressed his opposition to the Willa Cather Foundation's plans to seek designation of portions of south-central and southwestern Nebraska as a protected National Heritage Area. 
"While we appreciate the important contributions of Willa Cather and her writings to that area and the State of Nebraska as a whole, this designation poses the risk of federal overreach in our communities," the governor said. Anthony Goins, director of the state Department of Economic Development and State Wellman, director of the Department of Agriculture co-signed the letter. 

On Thursday the foundation responded stating that they are not seeking the designation, instead "a bi-state group of volunteers in north-central Kansas and south-central Nebraska has been working to explore the merits of a National Heritage Area designation," Executive Director Ashley Olson said  That group plans "a feasibility study that would seek feedback from local stakeholders, landowners and residents in the region," she said. The organization is called the Kansas-Nebraska Heritage Area Partnership, and Olson is one of its 13 volunteer committee members.

Olson said she and the Cather Foundation "became intrigued with the idea of seeking a National Heritage Area designation after a group of University of Nebraska-Lincoln students completed a research project that sought to examine ways to increase economic development through a more regional approach to cultural heritage tourism."

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NEBRASKA SCHOOL HEALTH STANDARDS ON GENDER IDENTITY, SEXUALITY SPUR FLOOD OF COMMENTS

LINCOLN- Proposed school health standards that deal with gender identity and sexuality brought Nebraskans out in force for a chance to address the State Board of Education. More than 60 people came to decry the portion of the standards focused on human growth and development. Another 15 or so supported the standards which were first released in March. 

Opponents of the standards argued that this would undermine parents, violate religious values and expose children to sexual topics that are not appropriate. The proposal called for teaching students about different gender identities, sexual orientation and different types of families.

Supporters argued that the standards could help children protect themselves from sexual abuse and support those struggling with sexual orientation or gender identity noting that those who do not follow traditional norms are more likely to die by suicide or suffer with mental health.

The board took no action on the matter at the meeting and plans to release a second draft of the proposal by mid summer and a final draft in the fall. 

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COURT SIDES WITH STATE IN NEBRASKA PRISON RIOT LAWSUIT

LINCOLN- In 2015, a Nebraska prison inmate brought a lawsuit to the courts that alleged a prison riot worsened his health conditions.The Nebraska Supreme Court upheld a lower court's ruling against John Wizinsky who sued the state for negligence. 

Wizinsky missed an insulin shot for diabetes during the May riot at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution. The court ruled that the state was not negligent and it was shielded from the lawsuit by sovereign immunity.

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UNMC , SARPY COUNTY TEAM FOR FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY FELLOWSHIP

OMAHA- In a new partnership, Sarpy County and UNMC will create Nebraska's first psychiatry fellowship to assess and treat inmates experiencing mental illness. The agreement calls for UNMC to provide one psychiatrist a year to perform services for inmates with serious mental illness. They will be able to provide treatments, prescribe medications, medication management, provide court testimony and reports and would complete competency evaluations.

The program will begin in 2023, when the Sarpy County Correctional Center is scheduled to open. The fellowship will support the dedicated behavioral health care unit. 

A partnership with UNMC would be a game-changer for mental health treatment in Sarpy County," said Sarpy County Board Chairman Don Kelly. "This fellowship will assist inmates who are experiencing mental health crisis and those with serious mental illnesses, and hopefully get them on a path that doesn't lead back to jail."

UNMC plans to submit the program for national accreditation through the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education. The fellow will work primarily with adult inmates, but the Wellness Court in Sarpy County will also assign the fellow to youth as well.

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NU TO CHANGE ENDOWMENT INVESTMENT POLICY

LINCOLN- The University of Nebraska Board of Regents is set to amend the policy that guides its endowment investment decisions. NU President Ted Carter said this decision is key to upholding the vision for sustainability and responsible stewardship of its resources. The change will allow the board to consider environmental, social and governance criteria when investing holdings. Currently, the board operates solely based on maximizing returns. 

Carter noted the students for their leadership throughout the discussion about sustainability across the NU system. 

"The chancellors and I share that commitment to being good stewards of our natural resources and we want to align our investments accordingly. We also believe our investment strategy should reflect the common-sense values of Nebraskans," said Carter. 

The board controls around $370 million, known as Fund N, in which only 2% of that figure goes to energy companies which is down 6.5% from a year ago. Beginning this month, the board will report their investments online as a request from students to be more transparent. 

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'IT STABILIZED US'-- HOW THE STATE OF NEBRASKA GAVE AWAY $1 BILLION, AND WHO GOT IT

LINCOLN- The state received its share of federal CARES Act money in April 2020, and it had a simple goal for the Coronavirus Relief Fund.

“We wanted to make sure we could get as much money to as many entities as we could,” said Lucas Martin, a state budget management analyst.

Fast forward and the review of the programs implemented show impressive numbers. The state had fielded more than 35,000 applications and — over two rounds of funding — awarded $775 million to 30,000 recipients, in amounts large and small. Nader Farahbod, the owner and chef at Billy's Restaurant, a statehouse hangout,  used part of his $12,000 restaurant stabilization grant to stock up on supplies, too.

“I’ve never used so many Styrofoam and aluminum containers to put food in,” the owner of Billy’s Restaurant said. Before the pandemic, Billy’s had tables in every corner, and it filled them. More than 100 people might come for a meal, he said. Lunch alone would draw dozens. But now the bulk of his business is carryout. “We went from selling $60 bottles of wine to handing out cans of Cokes,” he said.

“There’s a lot of places in Nebraska that may still be open because of these programs.”

A full list of recipients can be found by clicking HERE

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DENIAL OF MEDIA CREDENTIALS FOR NORTH OMAHA WEBSITE RAISES QUESTIONS

LINCOLN- A North Omaha based news website was declined press credentials for Gov. Pete Ricketts' press briefings. North Omaha Information Support Everyone, NOISE, is a nonprofit news website that aims to fill a void in coverage of Omaha's minority communities. This past week, when a NOISE reporter showed up to the weekly news briefing by Governor Ricketts, she was barred from entering. She had been asking how to get credentials for weeks and never received an answer from the governor's office. 

Taylor Gage, the governor's media coordinator, said in a statement that “NOISE is an advocacy organization funded by liberal donors,” and went on to say that because it is not a mainstream media outlet, they traditionally would not receive press credentials. The founder of NOISE said they strive to advocate for information to be shared to people and if that makes them an advocacy group then so be it.

“They advocate in the sense that they are trying to amplify voices and viewpoints that aren’t normally heard,” Carol Zuegner, Associate Professor of Journalism at Creighton University said.

NOISE has enlisted the help of the ACLU and the American Journalism Project to receive more information as to why they were barred.

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