NEBRASKA'S FARMLAND PRICE NOW AVERAGES $12,000 PER ACRE FOR HIGH-QUALITY LAND

LINCOLN- The value of land in Nebraska continues to tick upward as commodity markets aid the increases. Within the state,  the average sale price for an acre of high-quality irrigated land has reached $12,000. That’s a $2,000 increase from a year ago and a $3,500 increase from two years ago. Some farmers say irrigated land can go for as much as $14,000 on average.

Paul Schadegg, a Farmers National vice president, and state agriculture experts cited strong commodity prices as a main factor for high land values. Corn and soybeans aren't at their peak prices, but they are far from their low prices. “The commodity markets are, without a doubt, the main driver in the land market in general,” Schadegg said. 

Schadegg said the threshold for what qualifies as high-quality land depends on the region of the state. Across all regions, above-average soil quality and topography are factored into the category. In central and western Nebraska, irrigation also is factored in. Well quality and water availability also are considered in western Nebraska. Schadegg classified eastern Nebraska land as the best in the state.

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SENATOR PROPOSES TO BLOCK REPORTERS FROM EXECUTIVE SESSIONS IN THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- State Senator Steve Erdman is launching another effort to bar reporters from covering discussions and actions taken during executive sessions of Nebraska legislative committees. Under current legislative rules, reporters are allowed to attend the closed-door executive sessions of committees so they “may report on action taken and on all discussions in executive session.” In these sessions, lawmakers debate whether or not bills will advance to a full debate on the floor. 

A similar proposal was made two years ago but failed to make it to the governor's desk. Senator Erdman cited county and school boards that do not allow media in their executive sessions as a reason for its transition into the legislature. Senator Erdman said the media has an advantage over the public when they are allowed into these sessions. 

A Nebraska media representative said executive sessions at the Unicameral are much different from those for local governing boards, where closed-door sessions are allowed only for delicate subjects, such as labor negotiations or firing an employee. Rose Ann Shannon, president of Media of Nebraska, said barring news media from reporting on routine actions within exec sessions is the wrong move at a time when distrust in institutions is on the increase.

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VETERAN HEAD OF POLITICAL ACCOUNTABILITY COMMISSION TO RETIRE IN AUGUST

LINCOLN- Frank Daley Jr., who has been executive director of the Nebraska Political Accountability and Disclosure Commission since 1999, has announced that he will retire in August. Daley will be 69 in August and feels it is time to look at others items and areas of his life. Daley said, “I’ve had the opportunity to watch the Legislature, which I admire, in action year after year." 

Daley said he has always been fascinated by his job and the legislature. The ability of a body to come in once a year and complete everything you need to do is something Daley admired. “It’s pretty impressive, compared to the complete dysfunction in Washington, D.C.,” Daley said.

The Accountability and Disclosure Commission oversees campaign finance disclosure, lobbying, statements of financial interest and conflicts of interest at the state and local levels. It can impose civil penalties for violations of state campaign laws. Daley's successor will be discussed at the next Nebraska Political Accountability and Disclosure Commission meeting. 

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NEBRASKA SUPREME COURT HEARS 'LANDMARK' CASE OF EVICTED TENANT

LINCOLN- This week the Nebraska Supreme Court began hearing arguments of a case that looks at whether Nebraskans being evicted from their homes have a constitutional right to a jury trial. Legal Aid of Nebraska and Nebraska Appleseed have dubbed the case a "landmark case", and they are sharing the role of representing the tenant, Teresa Holcomb, against NP Dodge. 

NP Dodge has asserted that Holcomb violated a clause about crime-free housing by threatening to attack two other residents in a common area. The Legal Aid and Appleseed team have argued that Holcomb deserves a jury trial to determine whether her “words of frustration” violated the clause. The appeal to the Supreme Court followed a decision by a Douglas County District judge who upheld a county court’s ruling allowing NP Dodge to evict Holcomb from a South Omaha apartment complex. 

An Appleseed lawyer said eviction proceedings are “extremely fast” and that a jury trial would offer more opportunity for tenants to present a defense. Attorneys from Legal Aid want the focus to remain on evictions. “There was a lot of talk about the eviction process when the pandemic began, but this has been — and will continue to be — an issue throughout the state regardless of the pandemic,” the Legal Aid lawyer said. 

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GOVERNOR PILLEN APPOINTS FORMER GOVERNOR RICKETTS TO U.S. SENATE

LINCOLN- Newly inaugurated Governor Pillen gathered with nearly every Republican in state government on Thursday morning to appoint former Governor Pete Ricketts to the U.S. Senate. Senator-designate Ricketts takes over for Senator Ben Sasse who has accepted the role as the next President of the University of Florida. It has only been a total of seven days since Ricketts left his post as Governor on January 5th.

Governor Pillen briefly spoke about the decision process used to fill the role. There were a total of 111 candidates that were boiled down to nine candidates that were then interviewed by Governor Pillen. The interview process began in early December and once the inauguration was complete, interviews were completed in a three-day span. Pillen added that it was important to him that whoever filled the role had seniority, but would also aid the state GOP in the 2024 and 2026 elections. "Only in the great state of Nebraska can you have a pool of 111 people and only be able to boil it down to nine," said Governor Pillen.

Senator-designate Ricketts thanked Governor Pillen and said he was happy to support him in his gubernatorial campaign process. He thanked Senator Sasse for his years of service and commitment to Nebraska in Washington D.C. and wished him the best of luck at the University of Florida. Senator-designate Ricketts said he looks forward to working alongside Senator Deb Fischer and all his new colleagues in D.C. Senator-designate Ricketts did confirm that he will absolutely run in 2024 and 2026 as that is what Governor Pillen was looking for in the interview process.

When asked how he will compare to Senator Sasse, Ricketts said, "Senator Sasse was a very conservative vote and focused on getting conservative judges on the bench. I will be very similar in that nature and really on a lot of other issues. Conservatives will disagree on different issues but I can't think of one off the top of my head that we will be opposites on." Ricketts said he wants to focus on making Washington D.C. work for the people and hold bad policies accountable. He acknowledged that he has a lot of learning to do, but joked that Senator Fischer will help mend that void.

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BACKERS OF NEBRASKA CONSUMPTION TAX AMEND PROPOSAL, LAUNCH PETITION DRIVE FOR 2024 BALLOT

LINCOLN- Backers of a dramatic change in state taxation announced changes to their proposal as they launched a petition drive to place a “consumption” tax plan before Nebraska voters in 2024. Speakers at a press conference said that a tax on consumption would fix the state’s “broken” tax system, reduce cost by eliminating property tax-related offices, and make Nebraska a more attractive place to live.

“Our state has operated under a broken tax system since 1967,” said State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, a leading proponent, referring to when the state first approved state sales and income taxes. The head of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, meanwhile, said that while the organization would look at the new changes in the proposal, a consumption tax has been clearly “unacceptable and dangerous” in the past.

The consumption tax idea, which has failed to advance in past years, would eliminate state income, sales and inheritance taxes, as well as the current state aid to K-12 education program, and replace it with a tax paid on all retail purchases. Senator Erdman said there are still many areas that need to be worked out, but assured that a large amount of time between now and 2024 will be sufficient to make decisions.

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HOG FARMER JIM PILLEN TAKES REINS AS NEBRASKA'S GOVERNOR

LINCOLN- Jim Pillen was officially sworn in as the Governor of Nerbaska on the second day on the 108th legislative session. Gov. Pillen marks the first farmer to governor in over a century. He referenced his background during a brief speech after being sworn in by Chief Justice Mike Heavican, calling Nebraska a “very special place” where the son of a tenant farmer and a seamstress can lead the state.

In his speech, Pillen called for changes to the state aid formula to provide a baseline of aid to every student in Nebraska, instead of the current system of equalization that leaves the majority of school districts without the aid. “State aid to education must be modernized so that it is more equitable, meeting the needs of communities across Nebraska."

Gov. Pillen addressed the legislature telling them that he is looking to work with them to attract the youth of Nebraska. He has also said he expects the Legislature to consider additional restrictions on abortion in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Gov. Pillen said he was overcome with emotion upon being sworn in, and he is ready to get to work for all Nebraskans.

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MULTIPLE DELAYS STALL PROGRESS ON NEBRASKA'S $335 MILLION ECONOMIC RECOVERY EFFORT

LINCOLN- The $335 million aid project that was approved in the last legislative session still has $250 million that needs to be allocated. Where that money goes is dependent on a bill this session but multiple delays have slowed the progress of the remaining funds. One problem contributing to the delay is the engineering firm Olsson who is recommending ideas for the money. Olsson has pushed the deadline back for their report now twice and is now expected in the coming weeks. 

Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, the leading lawmaker for the project, said he hopes the list will be finalized by Jan. 9, but it could come later. He said multiple minor problems, primarily a slew of illnesses, contributed to the delays. If the recommendations do come when expected, that leaves lawmakers with very little time to introduce a bill as they must be introduced by January 18th.

Senator Wayne said the legislation drafting is already underway and that there are ways to amend the legislation in the future. If the recommendations are not submitted, Wayne said he would introduce what he called a "shell bill," which is legislation that explains the general ideas of a proposal but leaves certain areas blank to fill in with specifics later. 

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SENATOR JOHN ARCH ELECTED SPEAKER OF THE NEBRASKA UNICAMERAL LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- The start to the new year did not go as smoothly in Washington D.C. as it did in Lincoln on Wednesday. The 108th Nebraska Unicameral Legislature is officially underway and began by electing its new speaker and leadership positions. 

The senators offered unanimous approval of Sen. John Arch to be the new Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature. The senator from La Vista just won re-election to his District 14 post in November. He takes over the Speaker's chair after previous Speaker Mike Hilgers was elected State Attorney General. Arch promised lawmakers he would promote a positive culture with healthy relationships and communication. “There is no replacement for good communication amongst the members.  Misunderstandings are the result of poor or lack of communication,” Arch says. 

Speaker Arch is returning to his post in the legislature where he welcomed 14 new senators, many seeing the rotunda for only the first time in their careers. The new faces will be facing familiar issues. It is commonly speculated that cutting taxes and revamping the school aid formula will be among the top priorities for the legislature this year. 

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FORMER LEGISLATIVE SPEAKERS, 11 OTHER SENATORS URGE LAWMAKERS TO RETAIN SECRET BALLOTS

LINCOLN- Former Speakers of the Legislature Galen Hadley and Greg Adams, alongside 11 former state Senators, are calling on the Legislature to maintain secret ballots for committee chair elections. "Political parties get in the way of truly representing the will of the people," said former Speaker Adams, "All senators, regardless of party, can represent their constituents equally."

Former Speaker Galen Hadley echoed a similar sentiment, stating that the nonpartisan nature of the secret ballots makes senators "more equal and independent." Former gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster, in an attempt to rid the Legislature of its secret voting system, created the Nebraska First PAC, which aims to end secret voting as soon as the Legislature convenes.

Rod Edwards, a representative of the Nebraska First PAC, claimed that at least 28 senators in Nebraska's 49-seat Unicameral Legislature have pledged to end secret ballots. "It's in the hands of the Legislature now," said Edwards, who argues that the State Constitution requires all legislative votes to be public. 

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WILL NEBRASKA NEED NOT ONE, BUT TWO NEW PRISONS AT COST OF NEARLY $500 MILLION?

LINCOLN- When asked whether or not Nebraska would require even more beds after building the proposed 1,500-bed prison, Diane Sabatka-Rine, interim Director of Corrections, responded "yes." The proposed prison would cost around $220 million, but former State Sen. Steve Lathrop, former head of the Judiciary Committee, believes Sabatka-Rine's response to be an indication that supporters of the bill see it as just the beginning of a large spending spree on prison beds. 

"If there's not some meaningful prison reform, which by the way will make our communities safer," said former Sen. Lathrop, "then we're looking at spending half a billion dollars to accommodate our prison population to the year 2030." Lathrop was among several senators pushing for changes to Nebraska sentencing that would allow inmates to be released from prison sooner. 

The proposal to enact this change was shot down during the last Legislative session, with Gov. Ricketts calling it "soft on crime." In response to this, Lathrop said that Nebraska "is going to be known as the state that won't listen" to data-driven prison reforms recommended to us by experts all over the country. 

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HEALTHY STATE REVENUES HAVE LAWMAKERS EYEING TAX CUTS, INFRASTRUCTURE IN NEW SESSION

LINCOLN- Flush state coffers have certain Nebraska lawmakers dreaming about large tax cuts and infrastructure projects after fiscal estimates showed projected state revenues topping estimated expenses by $1.9 billion for the two budget years ending June 30, 2025. 

Additionally, Nebraska's cash reserve is expected to reach $2.3 billion in that same timeframe, equal to a whopping 35.7% of state tax revenues for the biennium. "We have an unprecedented amount of money available that leads to an unprecedented opportunity," said State Sen. Tom Briese. However, despite the expected overflow, figuring out exactly what to do with this immense opportunity may split lawmakers and put them at odds with Gov.-elect Jim Pillen.

Battles over whether to focus on property tax relief, income tax cuts, revamping school aid, or increasing infrastructure projects loom on the horizon, and newly elected State Sen. Brian Hardin said he knows the choices will be difficult to make. "I've been warned about having so much money," he said.

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LINCOLN SENATORS SHARE GOALS, PRIORITIES HEADING INTO LEGISLATIVE SESSION

LINCOLN- Medical marijuana, criminal justice reform, education funding, and voter ID are among the issues expected to be tackled in this new Legislative session, and some Senators are gearing up for much debate. State Sen. Suzanne Geist stated that she'll be focusing on crafting legislation that will help law enforcement and the Department of Correctional Services, a move that may give her an edge in the upcoming Lincoln mayoral races. 

Geist plans to introduce several bills that would specifically raise the penalties for dealing fentanyl, as well as legislation that would allow law enforcement to use GPS to locate an individual ordered to wear an ankle monitor. However, Geist also indicated that she'd like to reintroduce certain aspects of last year's failed criminal justice reform bill, and plans to work closely with Sens. Justin Wayne and Terrell McKinney to pass those. 

"It's not a rebirth of LB920," said Geist, "but some of the things I felt were important like additional probation officers and transitional housing for people coming out of corrections." On another note, Sen. Anna Wishart stated that she would be reintroducing a bill to legalize marijuana in Nebraska, and plans to work across the aisle to get it passed. 

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'YEAR OF WATER'- SENATORS SAY WATER INFRASTRUCTURE WILL BE FRONT-AND-CENTER IN 2023 SESSION

LINCOLN- In the 2022 legislative session lawmakers appropriated $700 million for water infrastructure projects. Many believe water will be one of the leading issues once again, but this time for a new legislature to weigh in on. “Coming out of the drought we experienced in the state this year, I think 2023 is going to be the year of water and water infrastructure,” said Sen. Anna Wishart.

One of the larger water-related topics will be a second source of water for Lincoln. Senator Bostar led an effort last year to secure a new source, and he has announced he will lead the charge again. “The future of Lincoln’s water isn’t just a city issue, but a state issue,” Bostar said.

Other water infrastructure projects that are expected to come before the Legislature include further development of the Perkins County Canal, which will connect Nebraska to the South Platte River in Colorado. This concept was first sparked in the 2022 legislature and had support from many including Governor Ricketts.

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THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE RETURNED WITHOUT ATTEMPT AT ENDING SECRET BALLOT VOTING ON THE FIRST DAY

LINCOLN- Despite a heated push to change the process that elects leadership within the body, the 108th Nebraska Legislature operated under the same rules as used in the past. Lawmakers were sworn in and elected a new Speaker in Senator John Arch. 

Lawmakers also quickly adopted the usual temporary rules, which will remain in effect until permanent rules are adopted on or before Jan. 20, according to a motion made by Sen. Robert Clements of Elmwood. There was no attempt to amend the rules, as some suspected there might be. The body still has an opportunity to change the process, but it would not be enacted until 2025.

The suspicion stems from an ongoing effort to end secret ballot voting to elect legislative leadership, which has for a long time been something some lawmakers have pushed for. The effort gained some momentum earlier last year through the Nebraska First PAC, which was founded by former GOP gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster and set its sights on making the rules change a reality.  

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NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE BREAKING RECORDS FOR DIVERSITY BUT KEY ISSUES ARE NOTHING NEW

LINCOLN- In the past, the Nebraska Legislature had a reputation of being dominated by white males, but that seems to be changing. This year, the new 49-member group will include a record 18 women, two Black, two Latino, and one Asian American, as well as two openly LGBTQ senators, making it the most diverse Legislature in the history of the state. 

State Sen. John Fredrickson, who is joining the Legislature for the first time, called the group's diversity "fantastic." "I think when government represents the diversity of Nebraskans, it serves our state really well," said Fredrickson, "I think this is a huge strength for the Legislature. We have to understand we're all Nebraskans."

However, despite the diversity present this Session, the newness of the legislative makeup contrasts greatly with the long-standing issues that senators are expected to confront this year. Tax cuts, inflation, and state school aid will likely be front and center this year, as they normally are, as well as abortion and concealed carry.

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CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT WOULD END UNICAMERAL EXPERIMENT IN NEBRASKA

LINCOLN- Each year, and according to a 1981 state law, January 5th is designated each year as George W. Norris Day in Nebraska. The unique state holiday is set aside "in recognition of the many great benefits bestowed upon the people of the State of Nebraska and the United States as a whole" by Norris. The first of these benefits is the establishment of Nebraska's nonpartisan unicameral legislative body, but a new constitutional amendment, introduced by Sen. Steve Erdman, may end that.

The measure seeks to revert Nebraska to a bicameral legislative body, which according to Erdman, will result in better representation for rural parts of the state. With at least half of the state's population concentrated in Lincoln, Omaha, and surrounding areas, rural areas are often underrepresented in state government.

The plan to end the unicameral body is supported by the Nebraska GOP, which in 2022 indicated that it was seeking to "return to a bicameral legislature whereby the upper house has fewer members but larger territorial areas to include a more diverse set of interests in the legislative process."

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NEBRASKA'S COVID CASES, HOSPITALIZATIONS DROP

LINCOLN- Last week, Covid-19 cases dropped after running high through December. The state recorded around 1,738 cases during the week of December 28th, a significant drop from the 3,982 cases identified the week before. This is the first time cases had been below 1,800 since early November.

Cases have been generally trending upward since late October, but weekly counts have been up and down in recent weeks. Despite the drop, Covid-19 cases are widely considered to be underreported in Nebraska and around the country since many people are not testing or using at-home tests. 

Nationally, cases have also been trending downwards last week, with Nebraska standing at the top of the lower third of states in terms of case rates. A new variant of Covid-19, XBB.1.5, has been identified by the CDC, but has had little effect in the four-state region of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri.

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NEBRASKA'S BEN SASSE LOOKING FORWARD TO SHAPING 'FUTURE OF WORK' AT FLORIDA

LINCOLN- Sen. Ben Sasse, when running for office in 2013, told voters that he did not plan on becoming a 'Senate lifer,' but also did not expect to leave so soon. According to Sasse, the job he was offered at the University of Florida will allow him to steer the institution and its young students through the major disruptions to jobs coming from artificial intelligence and other related technologies. 

Besides the great offer he received, Sasse also seeks to spend more time with his family and be closer to home, especially after his wife suffered a severe brain aneurysm 16 years ago. "When these seizures happen now, it critically creates a few days of real turmoil to navigate," said the outgoing Senator, "Being able to consolidate--that the family will mostly be around the same dinner table most nights--it's an important variable that we considered as well."

With Sen. Sasse leaving in just a few days, Governor Pillen is expected to select a replacement almost immediately. Sasse stated that he hopes his successor will be able to "look past the Washington, D.C., show," and not get caught up in how their actions "look on cable." "I think the people doing this job well are the people who are trying to think 10 and 15 years in the future about what the country needs," said Sasse, "It turns out, Nebraskans seem pretty satisfied with taking a longer-term perspective, and they don't really want to respond to short term."

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UNMC SCHOLARSHIP INTENDED TO DRAW NURSING STUDENTS FROM SURRONDING STATES

OMAHA- In an effort to draw in students from surrounding states, UNMC has announced a scholarship program that will feed its Scottsbluff, Kearney, and Norfolk campuses. The "Nebraska Neighbors: UNMC Nursing Rural Advantage Scholarship" is available to students pursuing a bachelor of science in nursing degree in UNMC's traditional or accelerated program. 

The scholarship targets the surrounding states of Nebraska. The states are split up into categories that feed into a specific branch. Students from Wyoming, Colorado and South Dakota can apply for the scholarship at the Scottsbluff campus; those from South Dakota and Kansas can apply for it at the Norfolk campus; and Kansas and Colorado students can seek it at the Kearney campus. 

The states mentioned have historically shown interest in the program, and the locations mentioned have availability to take in students. The scholarships are designed to make it easier for students from those neighboring states to study at one of the rural campuses, said Juliann Sebastian, dean of the UNMC College of Nursing. They will reduce the net cost of out-of-state tuition to at or near resident tuition rates. 

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