HERBSTER CAMPAIGN, CONSULTING FIRM LOOKING FOR RESOLUTION IN LEGAL FIGHT, LAWYER SAYS

LINCOLN- Attorneys for a Nebraska consulting firm and the gubernatorial campaign of Charles W. Herbster are working quickly to resolve a legal fight involving allegations that the campaign improperly ended the firm’s services and owes money, according to a lawyer involved in the case.

Herbster’s campaign retained political consulting firm EZ Politix under a contract for Dec. 1, 2020, to May 10 of this year at a rate of $12,500 a month, according to a copy filed in court. The contract was signed by a campaign representative and Andrew Northwall, who was then president of EZ Politix.

Last August, EZ Politix sued the Herbster campaign. The campaign filed a countersuit in January. State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, a lawyer who’s representing EZ Politix in the case, said Tuesday that the parties were looking to resolve the lawsuit quickly.

Wayne didn’t offer further details. The Herbster campaign did not respond to multiple requests for an update on the case. According to court records, neither party appeared for a court hearing in March.

The company asked for $37,500, plus damages. 

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GOVERNOR WOULD GET 'QUICK ACTION FUND' TO CLOSE DEALS UNDER BILL ADVANCED THURSDAY

LINCOLN - A Nebraska governor would have a “quick action” fund to help close deals on new “high impact” businesses or expansions of companies under a bill given narrow, first-round approval Thursday, April 7.

State Sen. Brett Lindstrom, the sponsor of the bill, said the governor of Oklahoma has used its "quick action closing fund" to finalize multimillion-dollar business deals.  

Roughly $14 million has been dolled out to seven companies over the past decade, $3 million of which helped convince General Electric to build a $125 million research center.

Lindstrom said the closing fund could be another method for the governor to expand and recruit businesses.

“We have no other way to close the deal,” he said. 

Some senators were concerned with the possibility that such a fund could give a governor a chance to hand out political favors. 

“Giving this discretion to the governor really turns this into a political football,” said Henderson Sen. Curt Friesen. 

Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, who chairs the Legislature's Revenue Committee, said it would give the governor added flexibility to close a deal when the Legislature was not in session.

Under LB729, a study of the businesses' impact on job growth would be conducted prior to the governor being able to provide funds. 

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CONCEALED CARRY HANDGUN BILL COMES UP TWO VOTES SHORT AND FAILS TO ADVANCE

LINCOLN — In a surprise, state lawmakers failed to muster enough votes Monday to advance a concealed carry handgun bill, called “constitutional carry” by some.

33 votes are required to invoke cloture, stop a filibuster, and advance a bill. Legislative Bill 773 fell two votes short by a vote of 31-9 with four fewer senators voting in favor than the number who supported advancing the bill from first-round debate. 

“To say that I’m disappointed is an understatement,” said State Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon, who has made passing the bill a priority during his six years in office.

The bill would have allowed Nebraskans to carry a concealed weapon without first obtaining a $100 state permit, undergoing a criminal background check, and passing a gun safety class.

In tandem with the Omaha police union and police department, Brewer had worked to negotiate a compromise on LB773 after they expressed concern about the bill watering down existing gun control ordinances in the state's largest city and complicating their job of reducing gun violence.

The proposed compromise would have allowed Omaha to maintain an ordinance that requires handguns to be registered. It would also have allowed for the continued prosecution of the crime "carrying a concealed handgun" if a concealed gun was used in a long list of "covered offenses."

However, the National Rifle Association urged a vote in opposition to the amendment, calling it a discriminatory attempt to place Omaha's extreme firearm registration requirement into state law."

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CHARLES HERBSTER ADDS ANOTHER $4.2 MILLION OF HIS OWN MONEY TO HIS CAMPAIGN WARCHEST

OMAHA — Charles Herbster has continued largely self-funding his bid for the Republican governor’s nomination in Nebraska, giving his campaign $4.2 million in the first quarter of 2022. Individual donors and groups gave him $113,000 over the same span.

Of the $9.2 million in Herbster's campaign funds, $8.9 million of the total had been personally funded as of April 5. A combined $313,000 came from individual donors and groups. 

University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen had raised nearly $2.4 million from individuals and groups in the first quarter of 2022. By April 5, he had raised a total of $7.7 million with only $1 million being personally funded. 

State Sen. Brett Lindstrom reportedly raised $420,000 in the first quarter of 2022 which pushed him over the $2 million mark in early April.

Former State Sen. Theresa Thibodeau raised $159,000 in the first quarter and personally contributed another $10,000. This put her at a combined total of $287,000 by April 5.

The most well-known Democrat in the governor's race, State Sen. Carol Blood, raised $50,000 in the first quarter of 2022 and totaled $124,000. In light of her campaign funds, she has a relatively easy primary race as a Democrat. 

Nebraska’s primary election is on May 10. Early voting is underway.

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NEBRASKA LEGISLATIVE BILL TO REQUIRE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY CLASSWORK FOR GRADUATION

LINCOLN — In Arkansas, enrollment in technology-related college courses increased 10-fold after the state passed a requirement that school kids pass computer-related classes.

“Now, they have companies moving there because they have skilled workers,” said Mike Cassling, the CEO of an Omaha health care tech firm. 

Cassling is among advocates for a bill that passed on Tuesday, April 12 that provides for increases in computer technology courses.  The bill would require graduates of Nebraska high schools to pass at least one five-credit-hour course in computer science or technology.

He said Nebraska has a workforce "crisis," marked by a workforce shortage of 4,000 in the tech sector and is expected to rise to 10,000 by 2026. 

The shortage is comprised of more than just computer programmers, such as cybersecurity workers, and skilled employees who can run automated manufacturing systems and manage high-tech agricultural operations. 

On Tuesday, state senators gave 33-11 final approval to Legislative Bill 1112, the Computer Science and Technology Act. The bill gives schools until the 2024-25 school year to implement computer science and technology classes into their curriculum.

While some senators argued that the bill is an "unfunded mandate," others said it was necessary to ensure that Nebraska and Nebraskans are not left behind in the future. 

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LEGISLATURE TAKES RARE STEP OF REJECTING RICKETTS' PICK FOR NEBRASKA BRAND BOARD

LINCOLN — Continued turmoil over switching the way cattle are branded and identified translated Tuesday, April 12 into the rare rejection of an appointment by Gov. Pete Ricketts.

The Nebraska Legislature voted 35-0 in agreement with a committee recommendation to reject the confirmation of Terry Cone to another term on the Nebraska Brand Committee.

In addition to overseeing the identification of cattle and investigating lost or stolen cattle, State brand inspectors ensure the identification of livestock at feedlots and sale barns.

Chair of the Legislature's Agricultural Committee, State Sen. Steve Halloran, told the body Tuesday there had been a "deterioration of trust" with the Brand Committee. This apparently worsened after the committee chose to close to the public a meeting to discuss the implementation of "e-inspection."

Electronic identification and inspection of cattle was a newly implemented alternative to the traditional brands that are required in the western two-thirds of the state. 

Halloran's comments come after Cone was among board members who voted to close a recent subcommittee meeting, counter to the "transparency" the committee had pledged to the Legislature. 

“It is not a pleasant task,” Halloran told legislators Tuesday, in asking them to reject the confirmation of Cone, who has a long history of civic involvement and cattle feeding in the Burwell and Ord areas. 

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BIG LAKE, PERKINS COUNTY CANAL, INVESTMENTS IN NORTH AND SOUTH OMAHA GET FINAL OK

LINCOLN — A 4,000-acre lake between Omaha and Lincoln, a water-preserving canal on the South Platte River, and a $335-million investment in North and South Omaha all got a final green light Tuesday, April 12 from the Nebraska Legislature.

They were among nearly 100 bills given final-round approval by state lawmakers as they worked to finish up the 2022 session. 

The manager of a sand-and-gravel mining operation said it would take "a lot of work and a lot of time" to turn a large portion of the Platte River floodplain into a 4,000-acre recreation lake southwest of Gretna. 

Randy Bienhoff of Broadfoot's Sand & Gravel Corp. said, "they'd have plenty of sand for beaches."

In regard to the duration necessary to make the lake, Bienhoff said it depends on a lot of factors such as how many dredges and excavators are utilized, and whether there's a home for all the sand and gravel that's removed. 

Legislative Bill 1023 will allocate $20 million toward planning and permitting for such a lake. Supporters of the lake are hoping a location east of Linoma Beach, on either side of U.S. Highway 2, will be the final landing place.

State Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln, a major proponent of the lake, said the study will determine whether the big lake, through a public-private partnership, is feasible. Once an exact location is picked, he said, then it will be determined whether landowners will willingly sell their property. 

The idea for the lake was spurred by a study of Nebraska's tourism needs by a special state legislative committee called STARWARS— the Statewide Tourism and Recreational Water Access and Resource Sustainability Special Committee. 

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RICKETTS OFFICIALLY SIGNS 'HISTORIC' TAX CUT BILL INTO LAW, CREDITS TEAMWORK

LINCOLN- Gov. Pete Ricketts took a victory lap Wednesday with supporters as he signed into law a comprehensive tax cut bill that is projected to provide $948 million in tax breaks a year by 2028.

During a ceremony in the State Capitol Rotunda, Ricketts said Legislative Bill 873 would add up to $3.4 billion in cumulative tax relief by 2027. 

“It takes a lot of folks to get a historic bill like this over the finish line,” he said, as 25 state senators, along with legislative staffers and representatives of major business and farm groups looked on. 

Opponents, led by State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, said the tax cuts primarily benefited wealthy Nebraskans and out-of-state corporations and granted no income tax breaks for couples earning less than about $60,000 a year. 

Only Iowa, among Nebraska’s neighbors, has a higher top rate. But the Hawkeye State recently moved to reduce its state income taxes to 3.9%.

Under LB 873, Nebraska’s top income tax rate will drop to 5.84% after five years. In addition, the state’s top corporate income tax rate, now 7.81%, would fall to 5.84% by tax year 2027, which proponents said creates parity with small businesses.

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MED CENTER CONTINUES TO DRIVE LOCAL AND REGIONAL ECONOMY

OMAHA- In the past three years alone the economic impact of UNMC and Nebraska Medicine has increased by more than 30%.

The most recent study — conducted by third-party firm Tripp Umbach — shows that every state dollar invested in UNMC alone brings a 9.4-to-1 return. When you tally up our total combined economic impact between UNMC and its primary clinical partner, Nebraska Medicine, that ROI figure climbs to 36-to-1. When you add in the academic work (residency programs and clinical research, for example) of UNMC’s other clinical partners — Children’s Hospital & Medical Center and the VA Health System — that number climbs to 39-to-1.

 It’s an investment that pays big dividends.

The integrated enterprise, what Nebraskans dubbed the Med Center, grows Nebraska business volume in two ways: direct expenditures that support local businesses, which creates jobs; and indirect spending, as these businesses and their employees spend this money, creating additional jobs.

The latest numbers say UNMC and Nebraska Medicine had an employment impact of more than 56,050 in 2021. And the Med Center is the driving force behind $220.2 million in state and local tax revenue.

The past few years have not been easy on the Med Center or anyone for that fact. But the Med Center's ability to only grow in tough times is a testament to its unwavering support for research, development, and all Nebraskans. 

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BONUSES AND STREAMLINED TRANSFERS TRIED AS WAYS TO ADDRESS SHORTAGE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT RANKS

LINCOLN- Buffalo County Sheriff Neil Miller can remember the days when applicants to become sheriff’s deputies filled two rooms.

Today, he said he’ll be lucky to get six or seven applicants for the two openings he has in his agency of 35.

“I’m getting one-tenth of the applicants that we used to get eight to 10 years ago,” said Miller, who has served as sheriff in the central Nebraska county for 32 years.

To respond to what he calls “a crisis” in hiring and retention of law enforcement officers, the associations that represent police and sheriffs personnel banded together this year to push for help from the Nebraska Legislature.

The result is Legislative Bill 1241, introduced by State Sen. Steve Lathrop. The bill appears headed for final approval.

The proposal would streamline the process of allowing a certified law enforcement officer from another state to become certified and work in Nebraska.

Under an amendment to the bill from Elmwood Sen. Robert Clements, $10 million over the next two years would be set aside to provide hiring bonuses for those entering the law enforcement field and retention bonuses for those who remain in law enforcement.

Lathrop said the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee, which he chairs, heard plenty of testimony this year about the difficulty in hiring new recruits for law enforcement, particularly from rural agencies.

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PROGRESSIVE GROUP LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO 'UNRIG' THE ECONOMY, TARGETING U.S. REP. DON BACON

LINCOLN- A campaign called “Unrig Our Economy Nebraska” launched, saying it wants to educate voters about how those in power favor corporations and the wealthy at the expense of working people.

The group is part of a national effort that plans to spend more than $1 million in Nebraska to educate voters, according to Kevin Cass, the group’s campaign manager. 

It is aiming its publicity campaign at positions taken by U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican who represents the 2nd Congressional District. The group cited his votes for decreasing corporate income taxes and against the American Rescue Plan Act, which Unrig our Economy says will help middle-class families and avoid a recession.  

“The big Republican elephant in the room is Representative Don Bacon’s complicity with his corporate cronies to rig our economy against working Nebraskans,” Cass said in a news release. “The working people of Nebraska deserve a leader who stands up for working people.”

Cass said progressive economic policies are widely popular with Americans, but they do not realize that their elected officials are not backing them with votes in Congress.

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JUNE 28TH SET FOR SPECIAL ELECTION TO FILL REMAINDER OF JEFF FORTENBERRY'S TERM

LINCOLN- June 28 has been picked as the date of a special election to fill the vacancy left when U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry resigned after being convicted of lying to federal investigators.

On that same day, Fortenberry, who had represented Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District since 2005, will be sentenced in a Los Angeles federal courtroom. He faces up to five years in prison on each of three felony counts.

The winner of the special election will fill out the remainder of Fortenberry’s term, which ends in January. The November election will pick a successor going forward.

The election date was selected by Gov. Pete Ricketts at the recommendation of Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, the state’s top election official.

By law, congressional vacancies must be filled by special election, and the governor had to pick a date within 90 days of Fortenberry’s resignation, which was effective Thursday.

The Republican and Democratic Parties have until April 22 to pick their candidates for the special election.

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NEBRASKA TURNBACK TAX GRANTS DECLINE IN 2022 DUE TO PANDEMIC

LINCOLN — The COVID-19 pandemic was not kind to the state’s Civic and Community Center Financing Fund, which awarded far fewer grants in 2022 than prior to the onset of the pandemic in 2019.

The Nebraska Department of Economic Development announced Friday, April 1 that it was awarding $1.2 million in grants this year from the fund. The grant money is produced by sales tax at hotels near the arenas in Omaha and Lincoln and by retailers near an area in Ralston.

Previously in the fiscal year 2017-2018, the first full year before the COVID-19 pandemic began, the state was contracted to grant $4.5 million.

As people stayed in hotels less during the pandemic, less money was available to grant out. 

In an effort to help finance large sports/entertainment arenas, the state passed a law that "turns back" state sales tax paid within the vicinity of Omaha's CHI Health Center, Lincoln's Pinnacle Bank Arena, and Ralston's Liberty First Credit Union Arena.

Of these taxes collected, 70% are going towards retiring the arenas' debts while 30% is devoted to grants to help communities build libraries, swimming pools, and other civic structures. 

Additionally, 10% of the state sales taxes turned back to Omaha will go towards grants for gang violence reduction programs.

Legislative Bill 927, introduced in the 2022 Legislature, would double the amount of turnback taxes granted to the CHI Health Center and the Ralston arena to help build parking structures. The bill awaits second-round debate. 

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PILLEN TAPS LONGTIME PROSECUTOR JOE KELLY AS RUNNING MATE

LINCOLN — Nebraska gubernatorial candidate Jim Pillen on Tuesday picked Joe Kelly, one of the state’s top prosecutors, as his running mate.

Kelly served as U.S. attorney for Nebraska from 2018 to 2021, Lancaster County attorney from 2011 to 2018, and currently leads the Criminal Bureau for the Nebraska Attorney General's Office.

Kelly and Pillen have known one another since they were students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where Pillen is now a regent.

“Jim is somebody who I’ve known for 40 years … and he’s just a perfect fit for the job,” Kelly said. “A job-creating veterinarian, ag producer, built a large organization.” 

The Pillen team highlighted Kelly's 25 years of work as a prosecutor, trial attorney, and government administrator. 

“Joe Kelly has dedicated his career to enforcing our laws, pursuing justice, and serving the people of Nebraska,” Pillen said in a statement. “As his friend for over 40 years, I know Joe to be a leader of the highest integrity who gets results and always puts service before self.”

Pillen is currently in a close race for the Republican nomination for governor with Conklin Co. CEO Charles Herbster and State Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha.

Kelly hopes to "take the facts as they are" as lieutenant governor, similar to his approach as a prosecutor.

He went on to say that Nebraskans are getting the chance to meet Pillen in more than 300 events across the state. They are getting to know the real Pillen, not the man on TV ads, he said. 

“He is easygoing,” Kelly said of Pillen. “He’s loyal to his friends and family. He cares deeply about his community. He’s got a very good sense of humor. He can laugh at himself.” 

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PANSING BROOKS PICKED BY DEMOCRATS FOR SPECIAL ELECTION TO FILL FORTENBERRY TERM

LINCOLN — As expected, State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln was named Tuesday as the Democratic Party’s candidate for the special election to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry.

A special election has been set for June 28 to fill out Fortenberry's remaining term after his conviction and subsequent resignation. 

State Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb said Tuesday that Nebraskans “have an enormous opportunity to restore integrity and honesty” by selecting Pansing Brooks to fill out Fortenberry’s term, which ends in January.

“Patty is a voice for working families who gets results by bridging political divides,” Kleeb said in a news release.

State Sen. Mike Flood is expected to be the Republican candidate, although he has not officially been named. He is currently the front-runner in the GOP primary after Fortenberry dropped out. 

Pansing Brooks has represented a south Lincoln legislative district for the past eight years and is seen as the favorite to win the Democratic primary.

She said she was honored to be selected by the executive committee of the Democratic Party and will  “fight passionately to reduce the effects of inflation that are hurting working families and small businesses, lower prescription drug prices, help our communities thrive and ensure a healthy planet.” 

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AG SAYS STATE WILL DROP LAWSUIT AGAINST OMAHA, HEALTH DIRECTOR ON MASK MANDATE ORDINANCE

OMAHA — Omaha is about to add a new layer of elected oversight to the final decision on any future mask mandates, and that will be enough to get the State of Nebraska to drop its lawsuit against the city and its health director.

The Omaha City Council passed an ordinance on Tuesday, April 5 that gives the mayor and council power to veto emergency health rules ordered by the city's health director during a pandemic. 

Upon the mayor's signature, the state will drop its lawsuit challenging the city's former ordinance which let the health director act alone.

The attorney general brought the lawsuit after Lindsay Huse, health director for the City of Omaha as well as Douglas County, enacted a COVID-19-related mask mandate in the city on Jan. 12. She ended the mandate in mid-February. 

Huse has since said the mandate was pivotal to slowing hospitalizations that threatened to overwhelm the city's medical providers.

“I would have liked to see more of public health’s suggestions for the ordinance incorporated, but no matter what, we are here to protect the public’s health and we remain steadfast to that commitment. I look forward to working with the Mayor and City Council in the future,” Huse said in a statement Wednesday. 

Mayor Jean Stothert, a Republican, and City Council member Vinny Palermo, a Democrat, justified their decision by pointing out elected officials are accountable to the people through voting whereas the health director is politically insulated. They said the people should get to weigh in on such actions.

In a statement Wednesday, Peterson said the new veto powers appear to address the state's concerns about the legality of Omaha's approach to mandates.

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NEGOTIATIONS OVER NEBRASKA CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM FAIL TO YIELD COMPROMISE

LINCOLN — Days of negotiations between state lawmakers, the governor and others failed to yield any consensus on how to slow Nebraska’s fastest-in-the-nation prison growth.

In the initial debate last week over Legislative Bill 920, senators were sharply divided over provisions of the bill that would reduce some criminal penalties. State Sen. Suzanne Geist of Lincoln, who like Ricketts strongly opposed those provisions, introduced an amendment to strip them out of the bill.

In response, Speaker of the Legislature Mike Hilgers had brokered talks in the past week in an effort to break the logjam.

But despite some initial promise, the talks ended Monday without any agreement.

Lathrop, the sponsor of LB 920, said the amendment Geist was offering would strip away the parts of the bill that would make any meaningful impact on the trajectory of the state’s prison population. 

Geist said her amendment was focused on 15 provisions that came out of last year’s criminal justice study that received consensus support from the group. She said she was particularly looking to preserve elements of LB 920 that would enhance treatment and programming for inmates, helping them avoid reoffending and returning to prison. 

The bill went on to fail thanks to a 26-18 vote Wednesday afternoon.

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'TRIGGER' ABORTION BILL FALLS SHORT TWO VOTES TO OVERCOME EIGHT-HOUR FILIBUSTER

LINCOLN- After an eight-hour debate Wednesday, the Nebraska Legislature was unable to overcome a filibuster against a bill that would ban abortions in Nebraska if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.

The vote to invoke cloture to allow LB933 to advance from first-round debate failed by two votes, 31-15, likely killing the bill’s chances this year.

Thirteen other states, including neighboring Missouri and South Dakota, have enacted so-called “trigger” laws that would make abortion illegal upon a Supreme Court ruling.

“We’re not going to kill babies in Nebraska anymore. We’re going to take care of them,” Albrecht said. “No one should have the right to kill an unborn child that doesn’t have a voice.”

Opponents of LB 933, led by Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt, called the measure an affront to women’s rights and one that was so poorly drafted that it could outlaw some contraceptives and lead to felony charges against doctors. 

Senator Flood warned of a possible special session this summer if Roe v. Wade does get struck down. 

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HERBSTER, LINDSTROM AND THIBODEAU CLASH ON FUTURE WORKFORCE IN NEBRASKA GOVERNOR'S CANDIDATE FORUM

OMAHA — Three of Nebraska’s top GOP governor candidates laid out visions Wednesday for the state’s future workforce, including how they would involve more marginalized people, from legal immigrants to felons being released from prison.

Conklin Co. CEO Charles Herbster, State Sen. Brett Lindstrom and former State Sen. Theresa Thibodeau discussed the need to find more workers, during a 90-minute forum hosted by the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and Industry and KETV. 

All three candidates discussed the need for improved processes for legally immigrating to the United States, as well as the importance of making sure Nebraska welcomes "vetted" refugees.

“I know that we need workers,” Herbster said after the forum. “And I know that there are many of those people that come from other countries who are actually willing to do the work that many people born in this country are not wanting to do.” 

Lindstrom said he wants Nebraska to help the federal government in their improvement of the federal E-Verify system which is used to verify the citizenship status of employees in Nebraska. He pointed to 60,000 unfilled jobs in the state. 

“I think there’s a disconnect between the things that we’re trying to promote versus the result that we want to have,” Lindstrom said. “And that’s the way that I’ll be different in that and changing the perception.” 

Herbster and Thibodeau emphasized the need for being more strict on illegal immigration. Despite immigrant advocates saying it is unfair to blame immigrants for increased crime, both Herbster and Thibodeau pointed to U.S.-Mexico border crossings for increased drug use and human trafficking in Nebraska. 

Thibodeau disagrees with the idea that those crossing the southern border illegally are attempting to escape crime and poverty. Instead, she said many bring it with them. 

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS VOTE TO OVERRIDE GOV. PETE RICKETTS' VETOES

LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Thursday to override Gov. Pete Ricketts’ budget vetoes.

These vetoes effectively cut funding for an increase in provider rates, community corrections programs, urban housing, and a completion of a bike-hike trail. He said the funds needed to be preserved for tax cuts.

State Sen. John Stinner heads the budget-writing Appropriations Committee and argued, specifically, in favor of restoring $52 million to increase pay for private providers of services to the elderly, developmentally disabled, and those needing mental health care. 

Wage inflation, Stinner said, has contributed to workers of this kind leaving for higher-paying jobs, creating vacancies and a decline in access to care. 

He went on to point out the state has found the funds necessary to provide salary hikes of 20% to 30% to ensure staffing at state veterans homes, prisons, and other 24/7 facilities. 

“Suddenly we have enough staff to accommodate patient loads at (the veterans home in) Kearney, imagine that,” Stinner said. 

The Speaker of the Legislature, Sen. Mike Hilgers, also encouraged senators to vote in favor of overriding the governor's vetoes. He said they have an opportunity to achieve a "significant trifecta," by passing the largest tax cuts in state history, building the cash reserve fund to $1.3 billion, and funding important priorities, such as the provider rate increases. 

The votes on the three override bills drew, respectively, 42, 42, and 41 “yes” votes in the 49-member Unicameral. It takes 30 votes to override a gubernatorial veto. 

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