BILL LOOKS TO EXTEND NEBRASKA'S STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS AFTER TOXIC CHEMICAL EXPOSURES

LINCOLN- At the beginning of the Nebraska Legislature's 108th session, Sen. Carol Blood introduced LB7, a bill that would extend Nebraska's statute of limitations for hazardous or toxic chemical exposure. Sen. Blood introduced this bill following a pipe break at the AltEn ethanol plant in Saunder County, which contaminated the waterways and surrounding area. 

"This is the key to the courthouse for people," said attorney Vince Powers, who testified at a Judiciary Committee hearing for the bill this week. Blood introduced a similar piece of legislation last year, but it "failed to do what was needed," according to the senator. "The Legislature needs to take a hold of its responsibility, and protect Nebraskans from parties that knowingly or accidentally, expose their constituents to hazardous chemicals," said Blood in defense of her bill.

Eleanor Rogan, a UNL professor, said Blood's bill is a reasonable extension of the chemical exposure statute of limitations. Rogan spent years studying the time between exposure to chemicals and when the first symptoms occur, and claimed this latency period can last up to 35 years. Trevor Towey, president of the Omaha Professional Firefighters, echoed a similar sentiment, saying that bill would benefit local firefighters. 

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PETE RICKETTS HAS BEEN SWORN IN AS NEBRASKA'S NEWEST SENATOR

WASHINGTON D.C.- Former Gov. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb. was sworn in as a member of the U.S. Senate Monday, officially taking the seat formerly held by former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse. Ricketts' family, including his wife, Susanne Shore, watched from the Senate gallery as he was sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris. 

“There is no higher honor than serving the people of Nebraska, and representing my fellow Nebraskans in the Senate is an incredible privilege,” Ricketts said in a statement released by his office. As is tradition, he was accompanied by Republican Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska as he walked down the main aisle and stood at the Senate dais to take the oath of office.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, praised Ricketts' service in Nebraska and said the wealthy investor has "applied private sector savvy to the work of public administration with great effect. The people of Nebraska chose wisely in electing and re-electing Gov. Ricketts by huge margins, and their new governor chose wisely in sending his predecessor here to this chamber." 

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NEBRASKA EXPERIENCES FIRST WINTER COVID LULL AS CASES HIT LOWEST POINT SINCE APRIL

LINCOLN- An official nine-month low in covid cases has occurred in Nebraska for the first time in winter, a season were the virus is expected to spread. Nebraska reported 924 cases for the week ending Wednesday, down 38% from 1,486 the previous week. It was the first time new cases in Nebraska had dropped below 1,000 since the first week of May, and it’s the lowest case level since late April. 

All other indicators, including hospitalizations, also point to falling virus levels. Nebraska cases have been below 2,000 for four straight weeks after hitting a recent peak of 3,900 just before Christmas. The state has seen similar drops in the past, but never in the winter months.

To be sure, case counts no longer are considered as accurate a measure of virus activity as they once were. Many people no longer are testing or are using at-home tests that aren’t reported to health departments. Hospitalizations for COVID also decreased last week, by 18% in the U.S. and by 17% in Nebraska. 

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SOME LAWMAKERS PRAISE, HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS CRITICIZE PILLEN'S STATE OF THE STATE

LINCOLN- Gov. Pillen gave his first State of the State address before the legislature this week. As Pillen outlined his priorities, it was received with both glee and caution by lawmakers, nonprofits, and organizations. 

Senator Clements, who has just taken over leadership of the powerful Appropriations Committee, and with an excess in state revenue, said he’s a little overwhelmed as he’s “wading into deep water” with his new role, but he said he is taking it one day at a time to support Pillen. State Sens. Tom Briese of Albion, Executive Board chair, and Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn also praised Pillen for a budget they said was tight enough on spending to offer historic tax relief.

State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue, who challenged Pillen for the governor’s seat, said his speech fell flat, giving her “grave concerns” the new governor doesn’t understand how government works. Senator Raybould said her main concern is whether future lawmakers will “have the stomach” to maintain the level of funding needed to continue Pillen’s requests year after year. 

Nebraska health care and human services providers joined in a statement against Pillen’s budget proposal saying it “ignores the crisis” their field is facing that “we haven’t seen in generations.” The joint statement was issued by 10 health organizations, including the Children and Families Coalition of Nebraska, Nebraska Hospital Association, Nebraska Rural Health Association and Nebraska Association of Behavioral Health Organizations. 

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RETIRED LT. COL. JOHN GLEN WEAVER ANNOUNCES BID FOR U.S. SENATE

LINCOLN- This week, Lt. Col. John Glen Weaver announced that he will make a bid to represent Nebraska in the United States Senate. Weaver is a decorated veteran who has served 22 years in the United States Air Force, serving numerous tours in both Afghanistan and Iraq. 

Weaver was one of nine candidates selected for an interview with Gov. Jim Pillen regarding the Senate seat vacated by Ben Sasse, who resigned to become the next president of the University of Florida. The appointment ultimately went to outgoing governor Pete Ricketts. Weaver had also ran in the 1st District special election that Rep. Mike Flood ultimately won.

“Nebraska and our nation face many challenges -- inflation, immigration, and incarceration are recklessly out of control,” Weaver said in a statement. “Today’s problems must be solved by a conservative combat leader and courageous leader like myself who is willing to put service to America and its people above all. Nebraska needs a Senator that represents the people.” 

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COVID CASES, HOSPITALIZATIONS REMAIN LOW IN NEBRASKA, BUT BOOSTERS URGED

LINCOLN- As in past weeks, the number of Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations has remained low and declined slightly nationwide, but health officials all over the country are still urging citizens to get booster shots. During the week of January 11th, Nebraska saw around 1,486 reported cases of the virus, fairly close to the 1,420 cases reported a week before. This is down significantly from the peak of cases seen in early December, when around 3,600 cases were reported.

A new subvariant of the coronavirus, called XBB.1.5, has become dominant on the East Coast, but has only slightly affected Nebraska. Last week, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, only around 9% of positive samples were caused by the XBB.1.5 variant. However, nationwide, XBB.1.5 made up around 43% of positive cases, and 80% of cases in the Northeast.

Amid concerns about what health issues the new variant may cause, health officials from around the country have urged people to get up to date on vaccinations and boosters. A recent study from the CDC, which was published in December, suggested that people over 65 who have updated boosters are 85% less likely to be hospitalized by the new variant.

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SURVEY GIVES PUBLIC SOME INPUT ON SELECTING NEBRASKA'S NEXT EDUCATION COMMISSIONER

LINCOLN- A new survey released by the Nebraska Board of Education will allow citizens of the state to give input for the selection of Nebraska's new Education Commissioner, but doesn't drill into the contentious issues that have rocked public education over the past few years. However, the survey does give participants the ability to list what they believe to be the greatest challenges the new commissioner will have to face. 

In addition to this, respondents can state whether they agree or disagree with a large list of characteristics members of the State Board of Education identified as important in the next commissioner. The list includes such attributes as "ability to make difficult decisions," "prioritizes academic achievement", and "energetic and hard worker." Survey results, according to the Nebraska Department of Education, will be used to help guide the selection of finalists for the position.

The survey was created after Matt Blomstedt, the former Education Commissioner, resigned on January 3rd. In the meantime, the Board of Education selected Deputy Commissioner Deborah Frison to fulfill the duties of commissioner until the next commissioner is hired. The survey will be closed on January 31st.

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NEBRASKA'S FLOOD NAMED TO HOUSE FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE

WASHINGTON D.C.- The House Financial Services Committee has a new member in Rep. Mike Flood. "Banking, finance and insurance are key job creators across the 1st Congressional District," the Republican congressman noted. "There's important work to be done on this committee to grow and protect the economic well-being and freedom of Americans as our country's financial system evolves in a digital economy," he said. 

"I look forward to collaborating with Chairman (Patrick) McHenry and Nebraska's banking and insurance sectors on a diverse set of priorities ranging from digital asset regulation to the encroachment of ESG," Flood said. ESG is environmental, social, and governance investing. The committee has jurisdiction over banking, capital markets, housing, insurance, international finance, money and credit, and urban development. 

McHenry said Flood's "work to support small businesses and increase access to capital make him a valuable addition to our already dynamic team." McHenry said there is a lot of work and areas that need addressing, and he knows that Rep. Flood is ready to take on that job over the coming term. 

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A $10 MILLION REQUEST AND A NEW COALITION TAKE AIM AT HEALTH CARE WORKER SHORTAGE

LINCOLN- A new coalition in the state, formally called the Nebraska Healthcare Workforce Collaborative, has been formed to solve the healthcare worker shortage, and has already been able to request nearly $10 million to expand clinical training sites for nurses. These sites, at which medical students get hands-on training under seasoned professionals, are a critical step toward filling nursing jobs faster, according to Jeremy Nordquist, president of the Nebraska Hospital Association.

State Sen. Jana Hughes, in partnership with the coalition, intends to introduce a bill that would allocate the necessary funding to build these sites. Sen. Hughes' bill would also offer financial incentives for nurses to become trainers at these clinical sites. On top of this, the collaborative is also seeking to conduct extensive employer and worksite surveys, hoping to collect enough data to identify the problems affecting the medical workforce.

"Taking a larger step back and putting together a statewide plan has really been missing," stated Nordquist, "and we're kind of paying for it right now." Currently, Nebraska is facing an impending shortage of 5,435 nurses by 2025, according to the Nebraska Center for Nursing. As for physicians, 58 of the state's 93 counties have been designated as "shortage areas."

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UNMC OFFICIAL PREDICTS NEXT TWO MONTHS WILL BE 'REAL UGLY' DUE TO NEW 'SUPER KRAKEN' COVID-19 VARIANT

OMAHA- Infectious disease authority Dr. James Lawler is predicting a couple of “real ugly” months ahead due to the arrival of a new, more transmissible, more immunity-evasive variant of COVID-19. Lawler noted that the variant is already causing hospitalizations on the east coast and is destined to become dominant in the U.S.

“Its ability to spread in populations is dramatically higher than anything we’ve seen recently,” said Lawler, of the Global Center for Health Security at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.  The latest variant, Lawler said, has shown to be more highly transmissible and better able to evade immunity from prior infections and vaccinations. Lawler dubbed the new XBB. 1.5 variant “Super Kraken” because of the concerns it generates. 

Already, more than 40% of cases in the U.S. are linked to the Super Kraken, he said. But, it accounts for 75% of cases in the New England states, where hospitalization rates are spiking. While the number of reported cases of COVID remains relatively low in Nebraska, Lawler said those statistics are really “bunk” because few people are getting tested and home tests aren’t being reported.

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STATE SENATORS COMPLETE BILL INTRODUCTIONS, FALL SHORT OF RECORD VOLUME

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Legislature has officially wrapped up the 10 days of bill introduction for this session. The amount of bills introduced in the ten days falls just short of a record number of bills. A total of 812 legislative bills were introduced, which is short of the record 885 bills introduced in 1997 for a similar  90-day session.

The 1990s were a big decade for bill introduction, with more than 800 bills introduced four times, in 1991, 1995, 1997 and 1999, during the first year of the Nebraska Legislature’s two-year sessions. State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair had introduced a rule change to limit each of the 49 senators to introduce only 12 bills each session. He contended that too many proposals are being introduced, which has reduced the time available to debate bills. But the Rules Committee did not advance the bill limit proposal.

Sens. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha and Eliot Bostar of Lincoln each questioned whether a limit was necessary and whether such a limit would work. Bostar said lawmakers would “find a way” around any limit by combining more subjects into one proposal. Introducing bills, DeBoer and Bostar argued, was a way to represent a senator’s constituents, and limiting it would be problematic.

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NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWER DISTRICT TO STUDY SITES FOR NEW NUCLEAR PLANT IN NEBRASKA

LINCOLN- Nebraska is moving forward in the nuclear power world as Nebraska Public Power District announced they are beginning a study into possible locations for a small modular reactor. The study and project are thanks to new funding from the legislature. The study will be working with a $1 million budget. 

Small modular reactors are the new type of nuclear reactor under consideration around the world. Utilities say these smaller reactors offer several advantages over the much larger traditional reactors by requiring less space, costing less to build and providing greater flexibility in where they can be built and how much electricity they generate. 

Grant Otten, spokesman for NPPD, said the study will put NPPD in a better position should small modular reactors prove themselves and the district decide that nuclear power is something it wants to pursue. Factors used in evaluating sites include access to water and transmission lines and criteria set by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

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AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF FAILED EFFORTS, ADVOCATES FOR LEGALIZING MEDICAL CANNABIS TRY AGAIN IN THE LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- Despite eight years of setbacks, proponents of medical cannabis are again attempting to pass a bill to legalize the medicinal product in Nebraska. On Tuesday, Senator Anna Wishart introduced LB588, the "Medical Cannabis Act," which according to the Senator is "one of the most conservative medical cannabis bills in the nation." Thirty-seven states, including Missouri and Colorado, have legalized can medical marijuana.

LB588 is very similar to a bill introduced in 2021, which came just two votes short of overcoming the filibuster. Crista Eggers, a spokesperson for Nebraska Families for Medical Cannabis, said the bill would prohibit the smoking of marijuana as medicine and home growing of the plant, and that the list of maladies treatable by the drug was narrowed. "Hopefully, with a new administration and a new governor, we can have a conversation," said Eggers. 

Newly-elected Gov. Pillen seems to have a similar stance on the drug as his predecessor, former Gov. Pete Ricketts, and is expected to vehemently oppose any legislation seeking to legalize the product. Eggers added that if LB588 fails to pass, advocates will once again come together to launch a petition drive and seek voter approval. 

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CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT WOULD ELIMINATE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

LINCOLN- Last Friday, State Sen. Joni Albrecht proposed LR24CA, a legislative resolution seeking to dismantle Nebraska's State Board of Education and replace it with a governor-appointed education commissioner. If passed, the amendment would erase the Board's role in setting K-12 education policy. Currently, the Board sets the academic standards for math, language arts, science, and social studies. 

Albrecht stated that she considers the legislative resolution a "conversation starter" for lingering frustrations about the Board's 2021 efforts to consider new health education and sex education standards. "We are the Legislature," said Albrecht, "We guide whether they can do what they did with...the health standards, and it's absurd that it's gone this far. But it only has because they didn't have to answer to anybody."

The new health standards proposed in 2021 by the Board of Education would have been optional for schools, but still drew an immense amount of ire and scrutiny from conservative voices in the state. Critics of the changes argued that the sex education portion offered too much information too soon to children around the state. The Nebraska Department of Education declined to comment on Albrecht's proposal, but former Education Commissioner Matt Blomstedt testified against a similar proposal introduced last year. 

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GOVERNOR PILLEN ANNOUNCES EDUCATION PRIORITY BILLS

LINCOLN- Governor Jim Pillen has been very clear that education is one if not the most important issue to him. Governor Pillen has called the education funding formula "outdated and unfair" and even appointed a new committee to study how the state should update it. This week, Governor Pillen announced his priority bills for the 2023 session.

The School Finance Reform Committee includes state senators, school administrators, organizations representing school board members and several farm advocacy groups. In a statement, Pillen said the committee would look for ways to update the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act, what he referred to as "our antiquated school aid formula." TEEOSA considers a district's needs against its resources. When needs exceed resources, state funding is provided in equalization aid. 

Under the state aid formula's current iteration, fewer than 90 of the 244 public school districts receive equalization aid to help them meet their needs — including the state's largest school districts in Omaha, Lincoln, Millard and Grand Island — which has drawn criticism from Republicans and rural lawmakers.

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WITH THREATS AGAINST POLITICIANS RISING, GROUP SAYS IT'S TIME TO BAN GUNS AT NEBRASKA CAPITOL

LINCOLN- Nebraskans Against Gun Violence is in favor of removing the allowed open carry of firearms in the state capitol citing an increase in threats to those in the political realm. The group testified in support of the change at last week's legislative rules hearing. 

“In a time of increased political violence, including threats and actions, we are asking the Legislature to protect the state government of Nebraska from harm,” said Melody Vaccaro, executive director of the group. “Weapons, including guns, do not belong in political making bodies.” State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha proposed the change, telling the Legislature’s Rules Committee that she was “terrified” in 2020 when two men openly carried semi-automatic assault rifles in the Capitol. 

Currently, the open carry of firearms is permitted for anyone in Nebraska age 18 and older, unless prohibited by local government. Some areas, such as schools, are off-limits for open carry. Concealed weapons are banned in the building since the State Supreme Court has courtrooms in the building and concealed arms are banned in courtrooms.

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BILL WOULD REQUIRE LOCAL MASK MANDATES TO GET CITY COUNCIL OR COUNTY BOARD APPROVAL

LINCOLN - A new legislative proposal would take the power local health directors have in regard to mask mandates and place the decision in the hands of either their city council or county board. State Sen. Kathleen Kauth said she offered LB421 to make sure that people don’t panic and give up their rights as easily the next time there is a public health emergency in Nebraska. 

“Masks were the big one,” she said. “When you have someone who’s imposing those, that’s not acceptable because you can’t do anything about that. If the public is upset with an elected official, the first chance they take, there is a remedy for that.” LB421 would begin to involve local health boards, city officials, and NDHHS in health recommendation decisions. 

The bill also would require any directed health measure to be approved by the pertinent city council or county board. Much of Kauth’s frustration stems from the actions of Lindsay Huse, acting as health director for the City of Omaha, who enacted a COVID-19-related mask mandate in January 2022 without seeking the approval of the Omaha City Council. 

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BILLS WOULD BAN TRANSGENDER YOUTHS FROM SPORTS TEAMS, BLOCK GENDER ALTERATION PROCEDURES FOR MINORS

LINCOLN- Nebraska may be set to join at least 18 other states that have enacted bans on transgender youth participation on sports teams under a new bill introduced to the Legislature on Tuesday. LB575, or more formally the "Sports and Spaces" proposal, was introduced by Sen. Kathleen Kauth alongside 27 co-sponsors and seeks to limit the participation of transgender youth athletes to school-sponsored teams intended for their biological sex. "It just seems like common sense," said Kauth.

LB557 would also block biological males from entering girls' locker rooms and vice versa, and Sen. Kauth claimed that the bill would disallow "bigger, stronger, faster" biological males from playing girls' sports. Sen. Kauth, who was appointed to her seat by former Gov. Ricketts, also introduced the "Let Them Grow Act," or LB574, a bill that would block any gender alteration procedures prior to a person's 19th birthday. "We need to give kids a chance to think and grow," said Kauth in defense of LB574, "and get all of their physical development done and make these decisions when they're adults."

The ACLU of Nebraska was quick to criticize both bills following their introduction, claiming that they are "alarming acts of government overreach."  Currently, the Nebraska State Activities Association, which governs the state's school sports, has a process by which "bona fide" transgender students can play sports consistent with their gender identity. 

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STATE SENATORS APPEAR POISED TO ASK NEBRASKA VOTERS TO EXTEND LEGISLATIVE TERM LIMITS

LINCOLN- Around forty state senators have signed a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow lawmakers to serve a third consecutive four-year term in the Nebraska Legislature. The proposal, titled LR22CA, was introduced by Sen. Robert Dover, and has support from both sides of the aisle. If passed, the resolution would appear on the 2024 general election ballot. 

Dover, who was appointed to the Legislature last year to fill the seat vacated by Rep. Mike Flood, said the idea came to him after discussions with legislative staff, lobbyists, and current and former senators. "To a person, they said term limits took away from the consistency at the Capitol and that it wasn't a good thing," said Dover, "That's why I brought it forward, to fix something that needs to be fixed."

If passed, the measure would allow senators to serve for 12 consecutive years, as opposed to the current eight years. Several lawmakers supporting the resolution said they believe the change will result in better legislative outcomes over time. Dover went on to state that new senators often find themselves lost as they seek to learn the ins and outs of the unicameral, and that eight years isn't enough time to really build strong relationships with colleagues. 

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HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT INFLUENCES MULTIPLE INCOMING BILLS IN NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- Multiple bills are in the works in the Nebraska Legislature following the release of Nebraska's 2022 Strategic Housing Framework, a 63-page report detailing the state's top housing needs and calling for 35,000 affordable housing units to be built by 2028. State Sens. Tony Vargas and Tom Briese led a briefing on the report last week, emphasizing the importance and urgency of this issue. "I think that the lack of available housing across Nebraska...is curtailing economic growth in our state more than we realize," said Briese. 

Sen. Vargas also stated that Nebraska has not been following the typical housing practices followed by other states, as well as research that indicates that states need to build at least 5,000 new housing units every year to keep up with demand. The Strategic Housing Report outlined several issues contributing to Nebraska's housing needs, including rising costs, loans, and a lack of available land. 

Besides the goal of building 35,000 affordable housing units, the report also sets a goal of reducing the percentage of housing-burdened homes in the state from 44% to 33% by 2028. This drop would amount to around 44,000 homes in Nebraska. While housing issues in metropolitan issues are well known, the report also details the unique issues rural Nebraskans are facing, while around 17% of rural housing units are vacant.

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