RICKETTS PRAISES GEORGIA ELECTION LAW, BUT NEBRASKA UNLIKELY TO FOLLOW THAT STATE'S LEAD

LINCOLN- Gov. Ricketts made a statement saying, “Nebraska stands with Georgia and supports their work to promote integrity and access in voting.” The new controversial Georgia election law set tougher limits on voting than Nebraska. He went on to criticize the president, Coca-Cola and the MLB for their opposition to the law. However, Ricketts made no indication that he would like to see similar regulations in Nebraska. When asked about the state's election laws, he only endorsed changing to requiring voter identification. 

Other states have been focusing on this issue after some of former President Trump's supporters believe the election which saw President Biden's victory was rigged, especially through early voting and mail-in ballots. 

“The huge difference is that in Nebraska, we have a lot of autonomy for local election officials,” said John Cartier, director of voting rights for Civic Nebraska, a nonpartisan group based in Lincoln.

State Sen. Julie Slama introduced LR3CA in the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee this legislative session. LR3CA regulates election security and voter fraud through requiring identification. Opponents of the bill say this would prevent people from voting and would address a nonexistent problem. The committee remains deadlocked on the issue. LB590, introduced by Sen. Mike Groene would shorten the time period for mail-in voting to 20 days before the election date, down from the current 35. It would also shorten time for in-person only voting by 15 days. 

Read the full article by clicking HERE

STATE LAWMAKERS ADVANCE BILL TO ALLOW FOOD AID FOR MORE NEBRASKANS

LINCOLN- Supporters of LB108, a bill that would allow more Nebraska families to qualify for food aid, said the bill would feed children and give more support to struggling families. They also noted that this would put more money into the state's economy. The measure would raise income limits for SNAP benefits and would help 2,500 households. It cleared the first-round with a 29-18 vote. 

“I think we owe the people that can’t afford food the right to have their bellies full when they go to bed at night,” Sen. Mark Kolterman said.

The introducer of the bill, Sen. John McCollister, said the aid would be funded through federal dollars and the latest pandemic relief package would cover the cost of administering the aid. The limit on gross household income would increase to 165% of the federal poverty level, up from 130%. The current figure is net income of $34,450, and would raise to $43,725 under LB108. 

Opponents of the bill say this incentivizes people who choose not to work. “My question has been: Why would we be doing this at a time of low unemployment?” said Sen. John Arch of La Vista. The measure is likely to face a veto by Governor Ricketts.

Read the full article by clicking HERE

DEBATE ON STUDENT JOURNALISM TAKES A DETOUR WHEN GROENE CRITICIZES NU LAW SCHOOL; FAILS TO ADVANCED FROM SECOND ROUND OF DEBATE

LINCOLN-Sen. Adam Morfeld's priority bill, LB88, a bill extending free press protections to student journalists and media advisers failed to

advance on Wednesday. LB88 would have prohibited school districts from censoring student publications but fell three vote shorts of reaching the threshold needed to shut off debate, effectively killing the bill for this year. The opposition said the bill circumvented the school district's right as publisher and would turn school newspapers into social media.

The debate took an odd turn though after Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte dismissed Matt Hansen and other senators' understanding of constitutional law, along with the schools they attended. 

"I don't consider anyone having taken a constitutional law class unless they went to Hillsdale (College, a politically conservative private college) or the University of Chicago or George Washington (University)," Groene said. "Not some place that's ranked 87th in the country like UNL."

That led to several lawmakers, many of whom hold degrees from NU law to defend their alma mater. Sen. Mark Kolterman of Seward suggested Groene, a UNL graduate himself, return his degree to the school. 

Sen. Mike Flood, an owner of a broadcasting company, supported the bill by saying not allowing student journalists the full protections of the free press will not lead to any real learning. 

"While we came up short by three votes for a super majority to end debate, we elevated the need for basic protections of constitutional rights from government interference," Morfeld said.

Read the full articles by clicking HERE and HERE

LEGISLATURE JUMP-STARTS CHILD WELFARE SERVICES INVESTIGATION

LINCOLN- The Legislature decided to jump-start its investigation of the state's welfare services by launching a probe within its Health and Human Services Committee. Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha initiated the investigation but was then was excluded from the special investigative committee that she had proposed. Speaker Hilgers said the board came to the decision to begin work under the Health and Human Services Committee, with inclusion of members of the special investigative committee, after conversations with Sen. Cavanaugh and Cavanaugh and Sen. John Arch, the HHS committee's chair. 

The probe into child welfare services provided by Saint Francis Ministries of Salina, Kansas within the Omaha area, along with the state's contract, which originally appeared to have been substantially underbid, will begin with a sense or urgency. 

"It's real life, and it happens now," Sen. Justin Wayne said. "We need to step on the gas pedal and get this going."

The state signed a $197 million, five-year contract that increased by 55% in terms of monthly payments. The original contract was 40% lower than the previous provider. The committee will begin its investigation by retaining outside counsel. 

Read the full article by clicking HERE

LAWMAKERS BLAST NORTH PLATTE SEN. GROENE FOR 'RACIST' COMMENTS DURING DEBATE

LINCOLN- A handful of state lawmakers criticized Sen. Mike Groene on Thursday for what they say was an offensive comment made by the senator. During debate, Sen. Groene called Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk, owner of a broadcasting company, a 'media Mongol', instead of a 'media mogul'.  Brought to his attention later, Groene said of Flood: “I think he’s got mixed heritage, so that qualifies him as a ... mongrel and he’s aggressive so that does qualify him sometimes as a Mongol.”

On Thursday, Sen. Matt Hansen said Groene should apologize on the floor for his deeply offensive and deeply impactful comments. Hansen said he was not criticizing slip of tongue, rather he wanted to clarify why using terms viewed as ableist or racist is wrong. 

“I want the body to stand up and show a bit of backbone and say, hey, at a minimum, you shouldn’t be racist on the microphone,” Hansen said.

Groene defended his actions by saying his intent did not match up with what Hansen was saying. Further saying he admires Mongols because that means they are aggressive and 'conquered half the earth'. 

This incident reminded some on the floor of last session when Sen. Ernie Chambers compared Sen. Julie Slama to Sally Hemings, a slave woman owned by Thomas Jefferson. His Republican colleagues then drew calls for Chambers' expulsion from the Legislature. Sen. Adam Morfeld said that with freedom of speech, individuals must accept they will be criticized for certain types of speech. 

Read the full article by clicking HERE

STATE SENATOR, ACTIVIST AMONG POSSIBLE CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES IN NEBRASKA'S 2ND DISTRICT

LINCOLN- The newest question for the 2022 congressional race in District 2 is, who will challenge Rep. Don Bacon? There are just as many candidates passing on challenging Bacon as there are willing to go up against the three-term incumbent. Last year's challenger, Kara Eastman, has decided to pass on this upcoming race. Other local names such as Sen. Megan Hunt, John Ewing Jr. and Crystal Rhoades have also said they will not be running. 

State Sen. Tony Vargas, though, is considering a run. Vargas is a native New Yorker and currently serves South Omaha in the Legislature. Princess McKesson, the first woman and first woman of color to cast a state electoral vote for a Democrat, is also seriously considering a run. McKesson serves as the finance director for the Nebraska Democratic Party and vows to serve the people, not a party. The executive director for the Nebraska Republican Party tagged Vargas as "the most liberal member of our state's Legislature". The American Conservative Union has given Vargas its worst ranking among the 49 members of the Legislature. 

The 2nd District in Omaha remains one of the most competitive districts in the country as both parties are well-funded and are evenly split in voters. Rep. Bacon says both Vargas and McKesson are 'too far left of center' for the 2nd District. “I’d look forward to running against either one of them,” Bacon said.

Read the full articles by clicking HERE and HERE

OPPD INKS AGREEMENT WITH DEVELOPER FOR SOLAR FARM IN SAUNDERS COUNTY; IT WOULD BE NEBRASKA'S LARGEST

OMAHA- Nebraska's first utility-scale solar farm is a step closer to being built just south of Yutan. OPPD has announced that it signed a contract with Community Energy Inc. for a 500-acre solar farm to be built under lease of Saunders County. The construction for these solar panels will begin in 2022. The farm will be an 81-megawatt farm and will bring OPPD closer to the goal of 600 megawatts of solar power in the state. The farm will have the capacity to generate 14,000 homes, but the output will fluctuate. 

Yutan residents are weary of the farm as it could be an eyesore, is located next to a cemetery and will affect property values. The project developer vows to hide the farm with trees and will create a buffer between the panels and the adjacent properties. 

“We have abundant clean energy resources, and when we invest in energy generated here in Nebraska, we are investing in our own communities,” Eric Williams, OPPD board member said.

Read the full article by clicking HERE

NEBRASKA WOMAN WITH BLOOD CLOTS AFTER VACCINE IS STILL CRITICAL

OMAHA- The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services is temporarily suspending the use of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine in the wake of federal officials' call for a pause. In a joint statement, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration recommended the pause 'out of an abundance of caution'. The recommendation is based in six confirmed cases in the United States, including one in Nebraska, of a rare and severe type of blood clotting condition. The cases have occurred in women between 18 and 48 with symptoms appearing six to 13 days post vaccination. 

Gov. Ricketts said on Monday that he would not suspend the use of the J&J vaccine statewide even following the reports of a Douglas County resident developing those rare blood clots. However, on Tuesday the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services annouced they would be pausing the use of the vaccine statewide. 

Among the 40,000 people participating in the trials of the J&J vaccine, blood clots were reported in 14 vaccinated people, or .06% of those who got the vaccine. Among those who got a placebo, 10 reported blood clots, or a rate of .05%.

Governor Ricketts also announced that the state has also now passed its 1 millionth dose of COVID-19 vaccines.

Read the full articles by clicking HERE and HERE

MEAD RESIDENTS DEMAND ANSWERS ABOUT EFFORTS TO CLEAN UP ALTEN AT TOWN HALL

MEAD- The troubled ethanol processor in Mead, Nebraska, hasn't paid property taxes to Saunders County since 2014. The delinquent taxes and interest is now at $1.14 million, although investors have settled some of that amount. Some say this figure further shows the state's lack of oversight on this company, along with the $210,084 given to them for COVID-19 relief. 

“We do want to reiterate that the purpose of the grant AltEn received was to stimulate the economy, supporting both the jobs at the plant and the local ag economy,” the department said in a statement Monday.

Ethanol producers have lost almost $14 million in revenue during the pandemic, so the goal of giving AltEn the grant, was to help the state. At the time, the company met all requirements for receiving the money. This is just the latest development in the very problematic state partnership with AltEn. Local residents of Mead are becoming increasingly worried about the amount of contamination their homes may have experienced while the plant was active. 

Read the full articles by clicking HERE, HERE and HERE

RICKETTS DECLINES REQUEST TO HELP HOUSE MIGRANT CHILDREN

LINCOLN- Gov. Pete Ricketts on Tuesday declined a request from the Biden Administration asking Nebraska to house displaced migrant children who have crossed the border into the United States. Ricketts says he declined so that resources are used for serving 'our' kids. 

"The Biden administration should focus on working with Central American governments to reunite the children with their families in their home countries instead of pursuing the risky strategy of scattering them across the United States," Ricketts said. 

The governor went on to say that President Biden has created an immigration crisis. During the Trump presidency, Ricketts had urged President Trump to keep children and families together during the discussion of separating children from their families after crossing the border. Nearly 35,000 unaccompanied children need to find care by June according to the New York Times. 20,000 of those children are teenagers in federal custody.

Read the Governor’s Press Release by clicking HERE

Read the full article by clicking HERE

GOV. RICKETTS DESIGNATES NEBRASKA AS 'SANCTUARY STATE' FOR GUN RIGHTS

LINCOLN- Gov. Pete Ricketts signed a symbolic proclamation Wednesday designating Nebraska as a "Second Amendment Sanctuary State". This announcement comes after President Joe Biden announced a plan to address gun violence. A bill in the Nebraska Legislature is pending and would allow counties to opt out of the state requirement that gun owners register and take a gun safety course to carry concealed carry weapons. 

“The White House and U.S. Congress have announced their intention to pursue measures that would infringe on the right to keep and bear arms,” Ricketts stated in the proclamation. “Nebraska will stand up against federal overreach and attempts to regulate gun ownership and use in the Good Life.”

This proclamation means that Nebraska will not enforce federal gun laws they consider to be too restrictive. Kansas and Wyoming have also declared themselves "sanctuary states". 

Read the full article by clicking HERE

DON WALTON: HEINEMAN NEWEST BIG NAME IN GUBERNATORIAL CHATTER

LINCOLN- Dave Heineman has told associates he is thinking of a possible gubernatorial bid in 2022, which could raise the prospect of a very high-profile Republican primary a year from now. His decision though is not final and Gov. Ricketts has not yet endorsed a candidate. But, the governor's 2018 reelection team are aboard Jim Pillen's campaign. 

If Pillen and Heineman go toe to toe, the race could get ugly. Heineman rose to the governorship in 2005 after Mike Johanns resigned to become U.S. secretary of agriculture and again after defeating Tom Osborne in the Republican primary election in 2006. He then garnered 74% of the vote in 2010 for his second four-year term. The Nebraska Republican Party is Pete Ricketts' party today, with the two governors going toe-to-toe in last year’s match up of Senator Julie Slama, who was heavily backed by Governor Ricketts, and challenger Janet Palmtag who was backed by Governor Heineman. 

The gubernatorial race becomes even more complex as many key senators will be term-limited in the legislature, some of whom have considered a run for the state’s top seat.

Read the full article by clicking HERE

'FACTORS OTHER THAN MAKING MONEY' TO BE CONSIDERED IN HOW NU INVESTS FUNDS

LINCOLN- The Board of Regents at the University of Nebraska approved a policy change saying it will consider the environmental and social impacts of their investments. This decision came after 15 months of talks between regents, administrators and students pushing for the university to pull investments from fossil fuel companies. This policy change though will only apply to the $370 million managed by the regents in Fund N. The remaining $1.7 billion endowment held in Fund A will continue to be managed by the University of Nebraska Foundation. Through this policy, the goal is to only invest in companies with a sustainability fund in place by 2025.

NU President Ted Carter said the university system does not have any direct investments in fossil fuel companies and has reduced its exposure to energy companies form 6.5% to 2%. 1% of Fund N endowment is invested in the Carbon Underground 200. 

“What it does do is create flexibility for you to consider factors other than making money,” Carter said. “I think we can all agree that there is value in flexibility, and that responsible investing is a best practice that aligns with the priorities of our students, faculty and staff.”

Speaker Hilgers told the Board of Regents that he is hopeful this policy will lead to a great future of the state and university. "You have a Nebraska Legislature that is ready, willing and able to drive through those headwinds and work toward transformational change," said Hilgers of Lincoln.

Read the full article by clicking HERE

JIM MCKEE: OMAHA HAS HAD ITS SHARE OF BEER

OMAHA- With Omaha being on the Missouri River and being the central location for any connection in the country, the city has been home to every kind of manufacturing. Willow Springs, the first distillery in the state, was once the third largest in the country. Even before craft brewing became popular, Omaha became home to over a dozen beer makers. Krug Brewery became the first commercial brewer in Omaha and in the state in 1859 on Farnam and 10th street. Quite quickly, many other brewers began popping up. 

Then, McCombe's on about Sixth and Leavenworth was bought out by brothers Frederick and Phillip Metz in 1864 for $6,500. There were three Metz brothers, one of which was elected to the Nebraska Senate and later was elected to the Legislature's upper house in 1885. The Metz slowly became leaders in the brewery industry as they continued to buy out many different saloons and others. They eventually employed twenty people with the annual payroll of $14,400 and was worth around $125,000. 

The Metz brothers operation then became a part of Willow Springs which was sold in 1900 at the beginning of prohibition to a real estate company. As alcohol emerged again as a big business in 1933, the name was changed to Fontenelle Brewing Co. and was a huge business during WWII. In 1961, Metz beer, then owned by My Beer Co. closed but reemerged in 2018. The Metz Brothers mansions still stand on Dewey Street. 

Read the full article by clicking HERE

NEBRASKA AQUIFERS CONTINUE TO BOUNCE BACK THANKS TO SERIES OF WET YEARS

OMAHA- Nebraska'a aquifers are incredibly important for Nebraska's economy through as a vital resource to irrigation, industry and drinking water. Now, after a few wet years and the extraordinary rains of 2019, the state's aquifers are returning to what is considered healthy levels. Central Nebraska saw jumps in rain levels as large as 14 feet. The aquifers were incredibly dry after the 2012 flash drought that left the state the driest it had ever been. 

Experts from the University of Nebraska Lincoln geology department say it is too early to know if the dry year of 2020 will have a huge impact on the aquifers. The same can be said about the effects of global warming on the aquifers-- it's too soon to know. A Nebraska state climatologist, believes rain levels will only continue to increase in the state as global warming continues to raise questions.

Read the full article by clicking HERE

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.

Read the full article by clicking HERE

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.

Read the full article by clicking HERE

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.

Read the full article by clicking HERE

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.

Read the full article by clicking HERE

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. 

Read the full article by clicking HERE