PILLEN APPOINTS UTILITIES ADMINISTRATOR AS NEBRASKA'S NEXT FIRE MARSHAL

LINCOLN- On Tuesday, Gov.-elect Jim Pillen announced that Metropolitan Utilities District administrator Shane Hunter, who currently serves as the Vice President of Safety, Security, and Business Continuity, will replace current Fire Marshal Doug Hohbein, who was named interim Fire Marshal by Gov. Ricketts. 

According to a press release from Pillen's office, Hunter has more than 25 years of experience in fire and emergency response services, including with the Omaha Fire Department where he served as an assistant fire chief, battalion fire chief, and fire captain. Previously, Hunter also served with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, where gain wildfire fighting experience.

"I am looking forward to working with Shane to lessen the undue burdens facing our volunteer fire departments and paramedics serving Nebraskans," said Pillen in the release, "Our job is to inspire our volunteers, not burden them, so they can continue their work to keep us safe."

Maj. Gen. Daryl Bohac, who has served as adjutant general of the Nebraska National Guard since 2013, will retain his position, according to a release from Pillen's office. "General Bohac is a man of character who leads the Nebraska National Guard with integrity," said Pillen, "Our National Guard has played a key role in our state's flood and pandemic response these past couple of years."

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LEGISLATION TO RESTRICT ABORTION IN NEBRASKA EXPECTED BUT DETAILS UNCLEAR, AND TWO POLLS FOUND MAJORITY OF NEBRASKA RESPONDENTS OPPOSE MORE ABORTION RESTRICTIONS

LINCOLN- Several proposals to further restrict abortion in Nebraska are expected to be put forward after the State Legislature reconvenes in just over a week, but the specific details and parameters of the legislation are unclear thus far. Last session, Republicans tried and failed several times to strengthen Nebraska's abortion restrictions, but failed each time.

This year, the Legislature's political landscape has changed, and aggressive abortion restriction legislation and its likelihood of success may have increased, but it remains unclear. Scout Richtersm senior legal and policy council for the ACLU of Nebraska said that "anything is on the table" when it comes to abortion legislation this year, and believes that such proposals will be determined by a "razor-thin margin."

"It's not clear that we have the votes we need to oppose abortion restrictions," continued Richters. Past abortion restriction proposals ranged from trigger bills that would ban all abortions in the state, to banning abortion past 12 weeks from fertilization. Although Republicans are just short of the 33 legislators necessary to end the filibuster, some have noted that there are anti-abortion Democrats in the body this upcoming session. 

Over the weekend, two polls were released that suggest Nebraskans aren't quite ready to ban abortion in the state after the overturning of Roe V. Wade, and a majority might even oppose it. One poll, from the ACLU of Nebraska, found that 59% of 604 registered voters polled last month either "somewhat opposed" or "strongly opposed" more restrictive abortion bans in Nebraska. 

Furthermore, the ACLU poll found that those who "strongly opposed" abortion bans outnumbered those that "strongly supported" them by a margin of 48% to 24%. "months since the end of Roe, we are seeing the horrifying impact of extreme abortion bans in other states, and Nebraskans do not want that here," said Scout Richters, the ACLU's senior legal and policy counsel.

Similarly, the Holland Children's Movement released a poll indicating that 67% of 600 registered voters polled in mid-October opposed a total ban on abortion in Nebraska. Both polls were released just weeks before the start of the next Legislative session, and it remains unclear whether or not an abortion ban will pass this year. 

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LATHROP SAYS NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE CHANGED SO HE'S MOVING ON

LINCOLN- State Sen. Steve Lathrop, who has served in the Nebraska Legislature for three full terms, said that the body has "slipped more and more into partisanship," a far cry from the nonpartisan and more independent body that he served in during his first eight years. For this reason, Lathrop said, he had decided not to seek reelection. 

"When I got here in the first class of term-limit replacements, there were a lot of folks still here with years of experience," said Sen. Lathrop. He went on to state that these more experienced and hardened Senators were happy to mentor newcomers, and stressed "the importance of preserving its nonpartisan traditions."

"Now," said Lathrop, "It's less about solving problems and more driven by partisanship." One of the most important functions of the Legislature is to provide oversight of the executive branch, but according to Lathrop, "we haven't seen much of that going on lately." The failure of the Legislature's carefully constructed package for prison, programming, and sentencing reform, which was heavily supported by Lathrop, was "purely political" according to the Senator. 

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CLERK CLOSING OUT 45-YEAR CAREER AS STEADYING FORCE IN NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- Clerk of the Legislature Patrick O'Donnell, who has served in that role for 45 years, will retire Friday. O'Donnell has held the body's top administrative position through 14 Speakers, eight Governors, and hundreds of State Senators. For the past several years, O'Donnell has been the nation's longest-currently-serving legislative clerk.

Outgoing Speak of the Legislature Mike Hilgers, who will assume the role of Nebraska's Attorney General, said O'Donnell's departure marks a major change for the legislature. Hilgers stated that, over the past 45 years, countless Senators have leaned on O'Donnell for advice and legal counsel. 

"He's been a significant part of the institution," said Hilgers, "There's no one in the state who knows the process like Patrick. He was one of a kind." Other lawmakers described O'Donnell as a steadying force for the body, including State Sen. Ray Aguilar, who said, "I'm going to miss his glare. He was able to control a lot of things with his icy cold stare."

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NEBRASKA FARMERS FRUSTRATED BY MEXICAN PLAN TO STOP BUYING GMO CORN FROM U.S.

LINCOLN- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced plans to stop allowing imports of bioengineered corn by the end of January, arguing that the ban is necessary to protect Mexico's native corn varieties from genetically modified seeds. According to the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, around 90% of American corn used in the country and imported to others is genetically modified.

State agriculture statistics show that Nebraska exported more than $348 million worth of corn to Mexico, the state's top export market. Because of this, Nebraska's corn growers and other American agricultural organizations called on President Biden to use upcoming trade talks to change Lopez Obrador's mind. Andy Jobman, president of the Nebraska Corn Growers, said he was "baffled" by the administration's "lack of action on this issue."

The coalition of corn growers urged President Biden to file a trade dispute under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement to stop this export cutoff. U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, alongside a group of 25 other Senators, signed a letter criticizing Mexico's move, arguing that their "action are unsupported by science and a breach of USMCA."

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TWO OMAHA POLICE OFFICERS PLACED ON LEAVE AFTER FBI CONDUCTS SEARCHES

OMAHA- Early Tuesday morning, FBI agents and troopers from the Nebraska State Patrol began a three-hour search of the South Omaha home of City Council member Vinny Palermo, who is serving as Omaha's acting Mayor while Mayor Jean Stothert and Council President Pete Festersen are out of town. 

The federal probe was started after PACE, a police officer-run charity organization that offers free sports activities to youths, was suspected of criminal activity. Two officers, Johnny Palermo and Daniel Torres, were placed on paid administrative leave by Omaha Police Chief Todd Scmaderer for their involvement with PACE, and an internal investigation will be conducted.

In a statement, Schmaderer said, "I am concerned that PACE may have been used for criminal activity. Heightening my concern is the possibility that a few current and former Omaha Police officers may have been involved." Mayor Jean Stothert and Schamderer confirmed that a criminal investigation of PACE was underway, but neither they nor the FBI could share any details. 

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SET TO ARRIVE AT KEARNEY AIRPORT: $6.28 MILLION GRANT TO GROW FACILITY

KEARNEY- The Kearney Regional Airport is set to receive a $6.28 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for the expansion and its facility, announced U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer on Tuesday. "Nebraska's airports ensure our communities can stay connected and help our state's world-class products make it to market," said Fischer.

The federal funding specifically allows for an additional 4,325 square feet of space, as well as renovation of the main airport terminal. Plans have been laid out to enhance passenger seating and baggage services, and the airport is expected to grow to around 11,000 square feet. 

The funds stem from the CARES Act, which Fischer voted for, and was enacted in 2020. An intent to fund the grant has been set since 2020, when the Office of the Secretary of Transportation expressed interest in expanding the airport. 

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NEBRASKA STATE TROOPERS TO GET 22% RAISES UNDER 'HISTORIC' NEW LABOR CONTRACT

LINCOLN- A new contract, signed by incoming Gov.-elect Jim Pillen and the Nebraska State Patrol, will give state troopers a 22% raise amid agency retention struggles. "The highest calling of the government is to protect its citizens," said Pillen in a release, "This new contract is part of my commitment to ensure law enforcement has the necessary tools, funding, and manpower needed to protect our communities."

A representative of the State Law Enforcement Bargaining Council, a union that represents state troopers, called the new contract a "historic deal," and claimed that the new wages are among the top five in the state. "It was clear from the beginning that Governor Pillen agreed and has made it a priority to fix it," said Dan Fiala, President of the SLEBC. 

Fiala and other union officials raised concerns earlier this summer after it was found that the wages being paid to state troopers had slipped behind 14 other law enforcement agencies in the state, and were even lower than the wages paid to state corrections officers. Starting pay for troopers is currently set at $51,105, but will increase to $62,400 once the contract is implemented. 

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EXPANDED NEBRASKA ELECTION AUDIT FINDS MINIMAL ERRORS IN STATE'S VOTING SYSTEM

LINCOLN- Secretary of State Bob Evnen announced that an audit of the 2022 general election has found only eleven discrepancies in the state's voting system. That translates to an error rate of 0.023%. “Our friends and neighbors who run our elections have done exemplary work,” Evnen said. “We should be thanking and congratulating them for the work they have done.” 

Evnen said he ordered the expanded audit to answer questions raised about the integrity of elections both in Nebraska and across the country. There have been no claims of election fraud in Nebraska, but Evnen said he thought it was “important to check and see how we’re doing on a broader basis and to report those findings.” 

In all, a total of 48,292 ballots randomly selected ballots were counted by hand by local election canvassing boards, with representatives from both major political parties looking at the races for governor, U.S. House of Representatives, and a local race. Of the 11 ballots that were flagged for discrepancies, the secretary of state’s office said five had ovals that were filled in too lightly for the tabulating machines to detect. The remaining six were counted by the machines but were missing from the precinct box — likely filed away in another precinct’s box, Evnen said.

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'BIG, COMPLICATED BUILDING': STEWARD OF NEBRASKA'S CHERISHED CAPITOL TALKS ABOUT ONGOING CONSTRUCTION

LINCOLN- Bob Ripley looks after the Nebraska Capitol, whose construction began a century ago, and he is now guiding what ultimately will be a $131 million project to totally renovate its heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system through a COVID-delayed path to completion. 

Ripley says the current project is the biggest since the building was built. The projected, expected to be completed in 2026, has suffered the price of increased supply chain costs and COVID-related issues. "When we renovate and preserve the Capitol, we think in terms of decades," Ripley said. "And doing things well now will save us money in the long run." 

The Capitol was constructed over a 10-year period from 1922 to 1932 at a cost of just less than $10 million. It was fully paid for when finished in the throes of the Great Depression with taxpayers incurring no debt. Ripley his focus will always be preservation, restoration, renovation, and enhancement of the building we all cherish and protect. 

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NEBRASKA, IOWA GOVERNORS JOIN CALL FOR END TO FEDERAL COVID EMERGENCY

LINCOLN- Twenty-three governors from around the county, including Governor Pete Ricketts and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, have signed a letter asking President Biden to end the COVID public health emergency. The main argument is that states are spending hundreds of millions in excess since they are required to keep more people on their Medicaid rolls. 

“While the virus will be with us for some time, the emergency phase of the pandemic is behind us,” they wrote. “We have come so far since the beginning of the pandemic — we now have the tools and information necessary to help protect our communities from COVID-19.” 

Currently, the emergency is declared through January 11th, 2023, and is expected to be renewed. The administration has promised to give at least 60 days’ notice before the emergency ends. Health policy experts have raised concerns about ending the emergency in January, while communities are dealing with increases in COVID cases, plus influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. 

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NEBRASKA RACING AND GAMING COMMISSION RELEASES NOVEMBER MONTHLY GAMING TAX REVENUE REPORT

LINCOLN- On December 19th, the November monthly gaming tax revenue report was released by the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission. The report includes two categories detailing total tax revenue in November followed by the breakdown for that tax revenue distribution. 

Total gaming tax revenue for November 2022 was $809,627.78. The breakdown of the tax revenue is as follows:

• 70% to the Nebraska Property Tax Relief Fund: $566,739.45

• 2.5% to the Nebraska General Fund: $20,240.69

• 2.5% to the Compulsive Gaming Assistance Fund: $20,240.69

• 12.5% to the City of Lincoln: $101,203.47

• 12.5% to Lancaster County: $101,203.47

The total year-to-date gaming tax revenue is now at $1,950,406.00. The Chairman of the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission, Dennis Lee said, "The cumulative gaming tax revenue of $1,950,406.00 represents the 10 weeks of operation of the Lincoln War Horse Casino." Lee went on to add, “This represents a significant addition to the Nebraska Property Tax Relief Fund, as contemplated by the legislature and Governor Ricketts in adopting the Property Tax Relief Fund statutes.”

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NEBRASKA'S COVID CASES TREND DOWNWARD AFTER HITTING RECENT HIGH

LINCOLN- Only one week after hitting the highest levels of cases since last January, the state has already begun its downward trend. The state recorded 2,739 new virus cases last week, down 24% from the 3,619 recorded the week before, according to data from the federal CDC. 

Joseph Fauver, an assistant professor of epidemiology in the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Public Health, said it’s difficult to predict what will happen because COVID immunity levels are more complex than they were last year. People have had a lot of different combinations of infections and vaccinations. 

“I think we are absolutely going to see an increase in cases,” Fauver said. “... But the conditions for what we saw last year are not quite there.” Cases of RSV, while still high, have begun to come down. But influenza activity remained very high in Nebraska last week. Nearly 400 Nebraskans were hospitalized with influenza-like illness last week, up 49 from the week before. 

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UNL CHANCELLOR RONNIE GREEN SAYS HE'LL RETIRE AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR

LINCOLN- The 20th Chancellor of the University of Nebraka-Lincoln has announced he will leave the role at the end of this school year. Green has been in the role for seven years and was previously vice chancellor and vice president of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Standing by his wife, Green said, "Today, we are sharing the news of our plan that I will retire from the role of chancellor at the end of June 2023 or when my successor is in place for a seamless transition." 

Green navigated the university through intense protests by students against racism and sexual assault on campus, censure from a national academic group, political jabs from elected officials, a national pandemic, and decreasing enrollment. "It has been a distinct calling, privilege, honor and our greatest pleasure to serve the university," Green said. 

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WINNEBAGO TRIBE OF NEBRASKA RECIEVES A $266K FEDERAL GRANT TO MONITOR AIR QUALITY

LINCOLN- A total of $266,064 has been awarded to The Winnebago Tribe of Nerbaska to monitor its air quality. The grant is part of $53.4 million being distributed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to fund 132 air monitoring projects across 37 states. The goal of the projects is for underserved and historically marginalized communities to enhance their air quality as part of President Joe Biden’s Justice40 Initiative. 

The Winnebago Tribe plans to use the grant to install equipment that will monitor meteorological conditions and air pollution at various locations throughout the Winnebago Tribal Nation. The data collected will be used to update emissions inventories to understand air quality issues within the Tribal Nation. 

The air pollution monitoring projects are made possible by over $30 million in Inflation Reduction Act funds, which supplemented $20 million from the American Rescue Plan Act and enabled EPA to support 77 additional projects, more than twice the number of projects initially selected for funding. 

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JUDGE RULES FOR NEBRASKA GOP, SAYS PALMTAG FAILED TO PROVE 'ACTUAL MALICE' FROM ADS

LINCOLN- Nebraska City business owner Janet Palmtag lost her defamation lawsuit against the state GOP, a Lancaster County District Court judge ruled in a summary judgment. Palmtag is the loser of a GOP-on-GOP race in which the Nebraska GOP accused her of wrongdoing.

District Judge Andrew Jacobsen ruled that Palmtag’s legal team failed to clear the higher bar for public figures alleging defamation, saying they didn’t prove the GOP acted with “actual malice.” Palmtags lawyers plan to appeal the judgment to the state Supreme Court. 

The GOP sent ads to southeast Nebraska’s Legislative District 1 saying Palmtag, a licensed real estate agent in Nebraska and formerly Iowa, “broke the law” and “lost her real estate license.” Palmtag testified that she had given up her real estate license in Iowa, but not in Nebraska, and not for disciplinary reasons. She said she did so because she was doing less business in Iowa. 

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RESTAURANT TAX BOOSTS OMAHA PENSION FUND, BUT LEGISLATOR FAULTS CITY ON PAYMENTS

OMAHA- For over a decade, Omaha diners have been paying a small restaurant tax to help bolster the wavering police and fire pension fund, and the results have helped put the retirement system in a better place. However, despite the success of the tax, Sen. Mark Kolterman, who chairs Nebraska's Retirement Committee, said that Omaha's public safety pension fund would be in better shape if the city had not failed to make millions of dollars in additional payments actuaries recommended to keep the funds on the road to recovery.

According to Sen. Kolterman, the payments the city should have been making over the past four years should have totaled around $16 million. "The reality is they just thumbed their nose at us," said Kolterman. The Senator went on to state that he thinks the city didn't make those pension payments because deferring those costs to the future frees up money that can be spent now.

Bernard in den Bosch, Omaha's Deputy City Attorney, defended the lack of payments by saying the way the city currently handles restaurant tax revenues and its pension obligations has allowed pension programs to be fully funded. "I understand Kolterman's frustration and passion," said in den Bosch, "But that does not mean the system is not making positive progress."

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ACLU NEBRASKA REPORT: OMAHA AND LINCOLN COURTS STILL CREATING MODERN-DAY 'DEBTOR PRISONS'

OMAHA- Yesterday, the ACLU of Nebraska released a study suggesting that recent state legislative reforms have failed to halt modern-day 'debtors' prisons.' To conduct the study, the ACLU tracked over 2,300 bail and sentencing hearings in Douglas and Lancaster Counties, and gauged how judges treated financially struggling Nebraskans.

In 2017, Nebraska legislators created a law that calls for judges to "consider all methods of bond and conditions of release to avoid pretrial incarceration," but Mindy Ruch Chipman, the ACLU's legal director, found that "systemic disregard of laws" still remains in the state. Chipman went on to state that beneficial changes can and will be implemented, but some may take time, lobbying, and legislative work. 

"We're not going to rest until freedom does not rely on how much money we currently have or have access to," said Chipman. The report stated also that Nebraska's Constitution, which guarantees broad pretrial liberties, can be restricted in certain circumstances to allow for excessive bail or pretrial detention. The report recommended that Nebraska lawmakers create "bench cards," which can be given to judges as a reminder of the laws and the state's bail-setting options.

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BREAKING: BEAU BALLARD APPOINTED TO REPLACE SPEAKER HILGERS IN LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- On Thursday both Governor Ricketts and Governor-Elect Pillen announced they have selected Beau Ballard as the next Senator for Legislative District 21 to replace Speaker Mike Hilgers. Hilgers will resign his seat in early January in order to become the state's next Attorney General. 

Ballard has previously served as Speaker Hilgers' legislative aide and ran his successful campaign for attorney general. Ballard is the grandson Jim Jeffers, a former legislative candidate for LD21 and founder of James Arthur Vineyards outside of Lincoln, and is part owner of Rabbit Hole Bakery in Lincoln's Haymarket as well as the From Nebraska Gift Shop. 

While Ballard was announced as the appointee to the seat on Thursday, he will not be the official representative of the district until the legislature convenes on January 4th and the new members are sworn in.

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NEBRASKA LOOKS TO EXPAND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM STATEWIDE AFTER SUCCESSFUL PILOT

OMAHA- Officials in the state are looking to expand the Ignite Nebraska program, an Omaha-based workforce development program, after four students successfully completed the pilot program earlier this year. Gov. Pete Ricketts, alongside several other state officials, lauded the program and stressed the importance of helping working Nebraskans achieve financial stability. 

"We have to recruit here, in our own backyard," said Tony Goins, Director of the State Department of Economic Development. Ignite Nebraska was implemented in February, and gave students the opportunity to complete a six- to nine-month program that taught them financial stability and job training. Gov. Ricketts said the four students who completed the pilot program in October saw their average salary rise by 136%. 

One of the Ignite Nebraska graduates, Laura Croswell, said she is now able to plan and budget ahead on a month-to-month basis, rather than just live day-by-day. "Ignite Nebraska opens up so many doors for so many people," said Croswell. Following the success of the program in Omaha, Goins expressed interest in expanding the program to all corners of the state. 

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