GOVERNOR-ELECT PILLEN NAMES TWO MORE RICKETTS ADMINISTRATORS AS CABINET MEMBERS

LINCOLN- The trend of retaining cabinet members and staff from Governor Ricketts continues as Governor-Elect Jim Pillen taps two more Ricketts cabinet members. 

John Albin will remain commissioner of the Nebraska Department of Labor, while Eric Dunning will remain director of the State Department of Insurance, according to a press release. Last week, Pillen announced he was keeping John Hilgert as director of Veteran Affairs and Lee Will as state budget director. 

Albin has served as the commissioner of the Department of Labor since 2014, but has been with the department for more than 30 years total. 

Dunning was named director of the Department of Insurance in 2021. Prior to his appointment, he served as the director of government affairs at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska and served as legal counsel for the department from 1998 to 2013.

All four men are members of Ricketts' current cabinet. Pillen still must fill 24 cabinet positions before his term begins in January. 

More picks are expected to be released in the coming days and weeks. Continue to circle back as we will report all of them on this platform.

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LACK OF WORKERS STILL TOP CONCERN OF NEBRASKA BUSINESSES, ACCORDING TO SURVEY

LINCOLN- A  survey of Nebraska business owners conducted by the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry shows that a lack of available workers is the main concern amongst owners. 

Among the approximately 230 respondents, 80% said a lack of workers is the biggest obstacle to potentially growing their business over the next year. 

Bryan Slone from the Chamber said, "None of this is surprising to anyone. You can go down into any downtown or commercial area in any community in our state and you can see signs on the door about limited hours or help wanted — you name it — related to the inability to find workers right now.” 

Business members' concern about the lack of workers is intertwined with their concerns about the lack of housing in their communities and a lack of child care. Two out of three respondents said the lack of housing is an impediment to growth in their communities. Just under half said the same thing about the lack of child care. 

Slone said the chamber will look to bring in more workers to Nebraska with a five-year goal to bring in 50,000 to 80,000 people. Slone reiterated his previous but often assertion that fully addressing Nebraska's workforce issues will the challenge of the next two decades.

Other issues high on respondents' lists were government and taxes (44%) and supply chain issues (43%).

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NEBRASKA TO GET $11 MILLION FROM OPIOID-RELATED SETTLEMENT WITH WALMART

LINCOLN- A $3 billion dollar settlement deal by Walmart will pay out a total of $11 million dollars to the State of Nebraska as negotiated by Attorney General Doug Peterson. The settlement with Walmart will resolve allegations that the company contributed to the opioid addiction crisis by failing to appropriately oversee the dispensing of opioids at its stores.

The money received from Walmart may not be the end of the funds. Walgreens and CVS are also in negotiation talks to settle their own opioid case. Walgreens and CVS filled significantly more opioid prescriptions than Walmart has. 

Out of the three companies since 2018, Walmart has been the most proactive in trying to monitor and control prescription opioid diversion attempted through its pharmacies. 

The parties are optimistic that the settlement will gain support of the required 43 states by the end of 2022, allowing local governments to join the deal during the first quarter of 2023, officials said. 

In addition to Nebraska, attorneys general from North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Tennessee, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, California, Louisiana, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts and Texas have served as the lead negotiators on the settlement with Walmart.

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LINCOLN AND LANCASTER COUNTY DETERMINING CASINO REVENUE ALLOCATION

LINCOLN- In just over five weeks, Lincoln's new WarHorse Casino paid out around $800,000 to the state's Property Tax Credit Fund, $28,500 for the Compulsive Gamer's Assistance Fund, and $143,000 to the City of Lincoln. 

"This first month has been a very nice number," said Lancaster County Commissioner Christa Yoakum. However, Yoakum said the Board wants to wait and see if cash keeps coming in that consistently.

"It's kind of hard to know how much money that will be and how consistent that will be coming in, what that revenue stream will look like,"
said Yoakum, "So, the county wants to meet the city to kind of determine how best to use those funds."

The Lancaster County Board of Commissioners wants to see how the WarHorse Casino will impact keno revenue, which is used to support several small towns and non-profit programs, before making decisions on how to allocate the new stream of funding. 

"So, we don't have any immediate plans for these funds," said Yoakum. Jennifer Williams, Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird's Chief of Staff, said in a statement that the city is also exploring options before making any key decisions. "We also anticipate a public engagement process related to what other options might be of interest," said Williams.

Lynne McNally, CEO of the Nebraska Benevolent and Protective Associations, said they're very pleased with the revenue generated so far. "I think actually, not only are we going to hold steady, but I think we might even do a little bit better as time goes on," said McNally.

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GOOGLE AGREES TO RECORD SETTLEMENT OVER MISLEADING TRACKING OF LOCATION DATA

LINCOLN- Nebraska is set to receive $12 million as part of a $391.5 million settlement with Google over its misleading tracking policies.

Forty states, led by the attorneys general of Nebraska and Oregon, sued Google, claiming that customers were not fully aware of Google tracking their location even when turning off the "Location History" function.

The settlement is the largest ever involving multi-state attorneys general, claimed Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson.

Location data is used by Google and its advertisers to customize ad pitches to Google users, but even a limited amount of location data can expose a person's identity and routines, says the Nebraska AG's office. 

The investigation was launched in 2018 after the Associated Press reported that the giant internet search engine "records your movements even when you explicitly tell it not to."

According to documents released from the investigation, Google had been misleading users since at least 2014, and has continued to violate several consumer protection laws. 

The settlement, besides the large payout, also requires Google to be more transparent with its users. Google must now show additional information when users turn on or off a location service, make key information about tracking policies easily identifiable, and give users detailed information about the types of location data collected.

The settlement will also limit Google's use and storage of certain location information and require Google account to be more user friendly.

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RICKETTS-BACKED CANDIDATES WIN SEATS ON NU BOARD OF REGENTS

LINCOLN- Kathy Wilmot, a former member of the State Board of Education and endorsee of several conservative politicians and organizations, is set to replace Regent Bob Phares of North Platte on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

Facing off against outgoing state Sen. Matt Williams, Wilmot won every county in District 7, beating Williams by around 10 percentage points. 

Although the Board of Regents race, like the Nebraska Legislature, is officially nonpartisan, Wilmot won the backing of Gov. Pete Ricketts, who donated $20,000 to her campaign. Ricketts also contributed money to a PAC that ran attack ads against Wilmot's opponent, Matt Williams.

Wilmot also received an endorsement from the Nebraska GOP, as well as support from the Protect Nebraska Children PAC, a conservative organization that spent around $38,000 to elect candidates in state and local school board races.

Last week, the Southern Poverty Law Center released a report alleging that Protect Nebraska Children had ties in 201 with anti-LGBTQ group Family Watch International.

Sen. John Stinner, a friend of Sen. Matt Williams, criticized Gov. Ricketts and other political figures for supporting attacks on Williams, calling them "cowardly attempts to sway voters in the worst way possible."

Besides Wilmot, Regent Paul Kenney won a second term on the Board of Regents. Kenney, a farmer and chairman of Kaapa Ethanol LLC, received around $10,000 in contributions from Gov. Ricketts. Governor-elect and Regent Jim Pillen also donated $10,000 to Kenney's campaign.

Regents are tasked with setting NU's budget, approving programs and projects, and hiring the university president. Their first meeting of 2023 is slated for February 10th, 2022.

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STATE OFFERING $66 MILLION IN AID TO NEBRASKA CHILDCARE OPERATORS, WORKERS

LINCOLN- Thanks to federal COVID-19 relief funds, Nebraska childcare workers and providers will have the opportunity to apply for financial aid taken from a $66 million program run by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

The intent of the new program is "to recognize and reward childcare workers, repay student loan debt, and expand access to quality childcare services," according to the Department.

Virtual sessions will be held by the DHHS for potential applicants, and applications will start being accepted starting December 5th. 

Jeff Powell, a Department spokesman, said the pandemic greatly exacerbated the childcare workforce shortage. "That caused an issue for parents...and forced them to make tough decisions, such as one parent leaving the workforce," said Powell, "These funds that we received from the federal government are to try and help that situation."

The program, once implemented, will provide childcare workers with stipends, and will allow licensed workers to use funds to pay off student loan debt.

Because of the pandemic, Nebraska's childcare workforce has faced income reductions, rampant turnover, difficulty hiring, and the inability to offer sufficient pay. A report released by the Buffet Early Childhood Institute, which polled around 750 providers, suggested that a majority of childcare workers have been struggling with mental, physical, and financial issues since the beginning of the pandemic.

Stephanie Beasley, director of DHHS's division of children and family services, believes the program will help alleviate these problems. "This investment into Nebraska's critical workforce will help boost childcare options for working families and support professionals doing this important work," she said.

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DEMOCRATS OUTRAISED REPUBLICANS IN THE FINAL MONTHS OF NEBRASKA'S CONGRESSIONAL RACES

LINCOLN- Although Republicans maintained all of Nebraska's congressional seats, two Democratic candidates raised more than their GOP opponents in the lead up to the election.

Since the special election was held this summer, 1st District candidate Patty Pansing Brooks raised $842,000, compared to opponent Mike Flood's $642,000. Similarly, Tony Vargas, a candidate for Nebraska's 2nd District seat, raised $1.8 million as opposed to Bacon's $860,000.

However, despite this late surge in contributions, both Flood and Bacon outraised their opponents overall, with Flood raising a total of $1.9 million and Bacon raising $3.9 million since last year. 

This last-minute funding surge was not enough to change the outcomes of either race, and Flood defeated Pansing Brooks by around 16 percentage points. However, the 2nd District race was a lot tighter, with Bacon only leading by 3 percentage points. 

These funding surges aren't a new occurrence. In 2020, Democrat Kate Bolz outraised then-Rep. Fortenberry in the final quarter of the 1st District races. That same year, candidate Kara Eastman, a progressive Democrat, raised more than Don Bacon, who says he is typically outraised by his opponents.

"Money doesn't always equal votes," said Bacon. 

ActBlue, a Democrat-run fundraising software, is likely the reason why contributions to Democratic candidates were so high. On the other side of the aisle, WinRed, a similar, Republican-leaning software, helped Bacon raise around $550,000 this year.

Helpful also to Democrat campaigns were national, left-leaning organizations. Meg Mandy, Vargas' campaign manager, stated that the level of national support Nebraska Democrats received this year is like nothing seen in Nebraska thus far.

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HANSON STOPS SHORT OF DECLARING VICTORY IN DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIFF'S RACE

OMAHA- With a lead of just over 1,000 votes over Democratic opponent Greg Gonzales, it is very likely that Aaron Hanson, a Republican, will be elected Douglas County Sheriff. However, votes are still being counted.

Last week, Hanson had 50.8% of the vote compared to Gonzalez's 48.7%, but the race narrowed after provisional ballot tallies came in. Now, Hanson is sitting at 50.45% while Gonzalez has risen to 49.55%. 

Despite the small difference, Hanson stated that he felt confident his lead would win him the position of Sheriff. However, Hanson stated, "Out of respect to the process, I'm going to hold off on making a final statement." Similarly, Gonzalez said he wouldn't concede until all of the votes were counted.

"We feel confident that it's a close race and there's every opportunity to still win this race," said Gonzalez. Around 2,000 resolution ballots, or ballots that voting machines couldn't automatically read, have still yet to be counted, and an automatic recount will occur if the margin becomes less than 1%.

Hanson, 48, has been with OPD for 26 years, and became embroiled in controversy when, earlier this month, a bodycam video was released showing Hanson using excessive force on a handcuffed individual. Gonzalez, 51, retired from OPD in January, but worked with OPD for 27 years, 9 of those as deputy police chief.

Hanson believes that voters supported him because of his priorities of protecting families, supporting honest police officers, and giving people a second chance. 

"I feel glad that I stuck to the issues that I think people cared about," said Hanson, "I stuck to that message consistently, and I think it resonated."

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DEMOCRATS HAVE HEADED OFF GOP GOAL OF GAINING FILIBUSTER-PROOF MAJORITY IN UNICAMERAL

OMAHA- On Friday Douglas County officials completed their count of election ballots. Candidate John Fredrickson is the expected winner over Stu Dornan, a Republican whose loss thwarts Nebraska GOP's wishes for a supermajority in the Legislature. Fredrickson finished 1 vote outside of the margin for a mandatory recount, beating Dornan by 82 votes.

On election night, Dornan sat just 122 votes ahead of Fredrickson, and was set to take hold of a seat held previously by Sen. John McCollister of Omaha.

Frederickson's election to the Legislature stops Republicans from holding 33 seats in the 49-member unicameral, which would have given them a filibuster-proof majority. Republicans will hold 32 seats while Democrats will hold 17 in the officially nonpartisan unicameral.

The Nebraska GOP made gaining a 33-seat majority a top priority of the election cycle, and celebrated gaining that number the night after the election. There, state GOP Chairman Eric Underwood celebrated securing a "filibuster-proof majority", but perhaps he spoke too soon.

Final numbers from Lancaster County also gave a win to George Dungan over Russ Barger in the closely contested race to replace Senator Matt Hansen in Lincoln.

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STATE OFFICIALS URGE NEBRASKANS TO CONSIDER ADOPTION AMID LOW NUMBERS

LINCOLN- Currently, adoption rates in Nebraska are at their lowest since 2003, prompting state officials to urge Nebraskans to consider adopting a child. 

The Federal Children's Bureau, to celebrate adoption awareness month, set this year's theme as 'Small Steps Open Door', and is working to highlight the challenges that may arise when building trust with youth seeking permanent homes. 

As of October 31st in Nebraska, 296 adoptions have been finalized this year. However, 403 adoptions were completed within the same timeframe in 2021. 

Stephanie Beasley, director of the Children and Family Services Division, is working to inspire Nebraskans to consider adopting a child. "Every time I talk to a foster family, I hear how this made a powerful impact in their lives," said Beasley, "This is an experience that doesn't end at adoption, it is a transformation families will experience for the rest of their lives."

Beasley finished her statement, saying, "I urge any Nebraskans considering adoption to reach out to DHHS for information and support."

The Department of Health and Human Services and its partners are planning on holding several events throughout the month to educate families on the process of adoption. The events are as follows:

• Douglas-Sarpy Counties: Nov. 19, 9-11:30 a.m., Judge Candice J. Novak will preside over multiple adoptions at the Omaha-Douglas Civic Center.

• Northeast Nebraska: Nov. 19, 3-6 p.m., 13th Annual National Adoption Day at the YMCA in Norfolk, with a meal served at 5 p.m

• Lancaster County: Nov. 12, 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Lancaster County Courthouse. Adopted children will receive backpacks with gifts, adoptive families will receive gift bags, and there will be food and games for all in attendance.

• Western Nebraska: A community event will be held in December to celebrate adoptions from 2020, 2021 and 2022.

• Central Nebraska: Organizers will deliver backpacks for all 2022 adoptees and their families. The bags will include information for Families Forever, books on adoptions for teens (if adopting a teen), swag from agencies, board games, and other items.

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FEDERAL GRAND JURY INDICTS FORMER KANSAS FOSTER CARE OFFICIALS ON FRAUD CHARGES

TOPEKA- A federal grand jury has indicted the former CEO and IT director of Saint Francis Ministries for attempting to defraud the foster care provider of around $5 million in fake invoices.

The indictment follows a two-year investigation into accusations of financial mismanagement that led to the dismissal of former CEO Robert Smith. In 2019, Nebraska officials contracted Saint Francis to run its child welfare system, but terminated the contract three years before its end date, claiming that Saint Francis failed to deliver on several obligations. 

Prosecutors allege that Smith approved a multitude of invoices submitted by IT director William Whymark that inflated the costs of providing IT services. Smith received a previously undisclosed $50,000 kickback disguised as an authorized invoice, and used Saint Francis credit cards to purchase personal items like clothing and jewelry.

Smith and Whymark were indicted on conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 10 counts of wire fraud, with Smith receiving five additional charges of wire fraud and money laundering.

If convicted, both men will face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, alongside fines and restitution. The Kansas Reflector first reported on allegations of financial mismanagement in November of 2020. 

Saint Francis is currently the largest foster care contractor in Kansas, and provides services to Wichita and the western side of the state. 

Officials working with Saint Francis confirmed that they were aware of the indictments, and released a statement saying, "As the case moved forward, Saint Francis will continue to work transparently and collaboratively with federal authorities as part of the investigative process. We appreciate the diligence exhibited in the pursuit of justice by all parties."

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HAMMERING OUT DETAILS OF NEBRASKA'S VOTER ID LAW WON'T BE EASY, LAWMAKER SAYS

LINCOLN- With the recent passing of Initiative 432, a voter ID ballot measure, it will be up to the Nebraska Legislature to decide the actual details of the new law. 

State Sen. Tom Brewer, of Gordon, foresees this becoming a possible challenge. 

"There's a lot of different, possible versions of what can come out of this," said Brewer, "It's not going to be easy."

The challenge, Brewer believes, will come from the "loud and long" debates the passing of this ballot measure is expected to garner.

However, despite claims from voter ID opponents who believe the state will enact the strictest voting requirements in the country, Sen. Brewer wants to "make sure nobody is left out, that we allow everyone the privilege of voting."

These local opponents of voter ID laws, like Civic Nebraska and the ACLU of Nebraska, will be watching closely as the new amendment is formed and wording is chosen.

Civic Nebraska and the ACLU of Nebraska believe the change to be unnecessary, since there have been no recorded occurrences of voter impersonation in the state.

Jane Seu, an attorney with the ACLU, is worried that a new voter ID mandate may change mail-in voting standards and make it difficult for citizens without easy access to voting machines to vote.

"The greater barrier that presents is the effect that may have on someone's ability or willingness to vote," said Seu.

There have been questions raised about what forms of ID will be accepted, or what actions will be available for those without these forms of ID, but Nebraskans likely won't know until deliberation begins in January.

Brewer stated that he and his colleagues are interested in ensuring "reasonable" identification options, and stated specifically that tribal ID would suffice.

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS MAY HAVE EXCESS $1 BILLION TO USE IN UPCOMING BUDGET

LINCOLN- Nebraska’s Tax Rate Review Committee met to hear the latest report on the financial status of the next state budget, which covers fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25. Gov.-elect Jim Pillen will use the information to draft his proposed budget, though it ultimately will fall to the Legislature to pass a budget package.

State Sen. John Stinner of Gering, who chairs the Appropriations Committee, said state law limits the cash reserve from going above 16% of projected revenues. The current $2.3 billion reserve would amount to about 35% of total revenues.

Legislative Fiscal Analyst Keisha Patent said Nebraska experienced an “extraordinary” two years of revenue growth. In October, the Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board increased overall revenue projections for the next two fiscal years by roughly $1.8 billion. This added more than $620 million to the reserve, bringing it to its current estimate.

The report also projected a 4.5% increase in the state’s general fund for fiscal year 2023-24, bringing it to $5.3 billion. The fund is expected to jump another 1.6% to $5.4 billion for 2024-25. The current general fund is set at about $5.1 billion.

Pillen campaigned on several promises sure to color his budget recommendation. He pledged a massive overhaul of education funding, changing the state’s funding formula to allocate school funding on a per-student basis, rather than by district. He also strongly supported tax reform, although he was less specific on how he planned to achieve it.

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CHILD WELFARE CASELOADS GROW IN OMAHA AREA AFTER TROUBLED PRIVATE CONTRACT ENDS

OMAHA- Nebraska ended a contract for managing Omaha-area child welfare cases over the Kansas-based contractor’s continuing failure to meet state caseload limits, among other problems.

Unfortunately, the situation has worsened in Douglas and Sarpy counties, according to state records and reports from current and former workers. 

Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services figures show that barely one in three Omaha-area child welfare workers handling ongoing cases in September had caseloads at or below the limits set in state law, while more than 80% of those in most other areas of the state complied with the limits. 

The state limit for the number of cases a worker may have at one time is 17. The state average at the moment is 30 cases per person with highs of 38-39.

“We are 100 times worse than a year ago,” claimed one veteran child welfare worker. Two workers who quit in recent months said rising caseloads are adding to the pressures of an already stressful job and forcing case managers to work more overtime. 

Overtime has shot up 90% since taking over the cases. For September, overtime costs equaled 7.4% of salary costs in the area. 

High caseloads can mean children and parents don’t get seen, services don’t get arranged, court reports don’t get written well and more. 

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NEBRASKA GOVERNOR ELECT JIM PILLEN NAMES TRANSITION TEAM

LINCOLN- Newly elected governor-elect Jim Pillen has named several officials who will aid Pillen in his transition into his first term as Nebraska's 41st Governor.

The Republican gubernatorial nominee won the governor’s seat by an overwhelming margin during the general election, defeating his opponent, State Sen. Carol Blood, by nearly 25 percentage points.

Pillen named attorney Dave Lopez as his transition director. Lopez formerly served as Nebraska’s assistant attorney general under both Jon Bruning and Doug Peterson. 

Others named to Pillen’s transition team included campaign manager Kenny Zoeller, who will serve as transition policy director; deputy campaign manager John Gage, who will serve as transition communications adviser; and Ann Jablonski, who will be transition scheduler. 

More appointments will be announced during Pillen’s transition period, which will last until January, when he officially takes office. 

Gov. Ricketts tweeted out his support to Pillen, saying that he looks forward to working with him closely. Gov. Ricketts is currently in Japan being honored for his work to strengthen the agricultural relationship between the state and the country. 

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NEBRASKA COMMISSION APPROVES CASINO OPERATOR LICENSE FOR OMAHA WARHORSE COMPLEX

OMAHA- The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission approved a gaming operator license for the future WarHorse Gaming casino, racing and entertainment complex located at Horsemen’s Park in Omaha.

Ho-Chunk CEO Lance Morgan and Nebraska Horsemen Benevolent and Protective Association CEO Lynne McNally requested the license to be approved to secure $700 million in financing and keep on track with the complex’s renovation and expansion.

The financing will pay for the WarHorse complexes in Omaha and Lincoln as well as a five-story parking garage and more than 1,400 gaming positions, McNally said in an interview. 

“We want to be able to hire everybody that wants to work. We have the means to help you get here,” she said. 

On a 5-1 vote, the commission granted the gaming license which is contingent upon the developers meeting a number of conditions. Commissioner Jeffrey Galyen was the lone dissenting vote. Commissioner Shane Greckel abstained. Commissioner Shelby Bakenhus was unable to vote because she did not attend the meeting in person.

With further access being granted, the complex is expected to be in full swing in early 2024.

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MIKE FLOOD BEATS PATTY PANSING BROOKS IN NEBRASKA'S 1ST DISTRICT; ADRIAN SMITH WINS IN 3RD

LINCOLN- Motivated Republicans in northeast Nebraska showed up in droves to push U.S. Rep. Mike Flood to a second victory over state Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks.

Flood won a full two-year term, surprisingly to some, by a bigger margin than he attained in the June special election that sent him to Congress just months ago.

"There was a question in front of Nebraskans," said Flood, "Do you want to go down the same path as Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden or do you want a new path for America and Nebraska?"

They chose a new path, claimed Flood during his acceptance speech, saying that Nebraskans offered him a "vote of confidence."

Some believe that the recent redistricting may have cost Pansing Brooks the race, since the area of Sarpy County moved into District 1 has historically voted overwhelmingly Republican. According to reports, the district contains 68,000 more Republicans than Democrats.

After calling Flood to concede, Pansing Brooks stated, "We thought we were going to pull it out and we're going to do it. We were sort of surprised by the numbers. But it's been an amazing journey and a blessing."

In Nebraska's largely rural 3rd District, U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith had almost no trouble resecuring his seat in Congress. Defeating Democrat David Else and Legal Marijuana Now Party member Mark Elworth Jr., Smith took home 78% of the vote.

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BACON TOPS VARGAS, BRINGS HOME 2ND DISTRICT U.S. HOUSE WIN FOR FOURTH TIME

OMAHA- On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Don Bacon won his fourth term in Congress, leading state Sen. Tony Vargas by just over 4 percentage points.

By focusing on inflation and higher gas and food prices, Bacon was able to sway voters despite the Supreme Court's ruling on Roe V. Wade over the Summer.

Bacon told a group of 300 supporters on election night that he would, along with other House Republicans, push President Biden toward energy independence and a more secure border.

The congressman criticized his opponent, Sen. Tony Vargas, throughout his campaign for unsuccessfully attempting to raise the income taxes for Nebraska's highest earners.

Vargas appeared at around 11:30pm on Tuesday night for the first time that day, and told a cheering crowd that he didn't want to rush the results, especially in eastern Omaha. However, to Vargas' dismay, the Associated Press called the race at around 1:30am, declaring Bacon to be the winner.

Vargas, in a statement, thanked his supporters and said he would continue to fight for Nebraskans in the Legislature. "My parents worked hard so my brothers and I could get an education and decide what we wanted for our lives," said Vargas, "That's why I work as hard as I possibly can, every day...and while this wasn't the outcome we'd hoped for, our work is not going to stop tonight.

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PROTEST BY MEDICAID BIDDER NOT EXPECTED TO DELAY START OF NEBRASKA MANAGED CARE CONTRACTS

LINCOLN- Nebraska Medicaid officials have delayed signing new contracts with private companies to manage most of the state’s $1.8 billion Medicaid services until a protest filed by a losing bidder is resolved.

The Department of Health and Human Services said that despite the hiccup, there should still be plenty of time ahead of the January 1, 2024 deadline to choose three winning bidders.

Community Care Plan of Nebraska, doing business as Healthy Blue, filed a protest last month of the department’s announced intent to award new Medicaid managed care contracts to three other companies. Healthy Blue currently holds one of the contracts. 

DHHS has announced they expect to give the awards to Molina Healthcare of Nebraska, Nebraska Total Care and United HealthCare of the Midlands. Molina Healthcare is the only one not currently under contract.

State Medicaid Director Kevin Bagley told state lawmakers that Healthy Blue had been in third place after evaluators reviewed and scored all of the bids. To further solidify this position they conducted oral interviews in which Molina Healthcare replaced Health Blue.

Bagley called the selection process a, "very robust and clean process." Healthy Blue may now discuss the situation with DHHS director Dannette Smith or take the issue to court.

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