MIRCH APPOINTED TO FILL OMAHA-AREA VACANCY ON PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

LINCOLN- An Omaha attorney and familiar place in the political world has been appointed to the Nebraska Public Service vacancy. Mirch, a former Omaha police officer, fills the opening left when Crystal Rhoades, an Omaha Democrat, was elected in November to serve as the Douglas County Clerk of the District Court. Governor Pillen said Mirch, "understands the future of Nebraska."

Mirch worked 10 years with the Omaha Police Department before earning his law degree from Creighton University School of Law. He still works part-time as a police officer in a small community. He ran unsuccessfully for the Nebraska Legislature in November, being outpolled by incumbent State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh in central Omaha’s District 6.

All five members of the PSC are now Republican after Mirch’s appointment. Commissioners are paid $75,000 a year. The commission regulates telecommunications carriers, major oil pipelines, railroad safety, passenger carriers and grain warehouses, among its responsibilities.

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PROPOSAL SLAMMED TO TRANSFER $14 MILLION FROM ENVIROMENTAL TRUST TO WATER FUND

LINCOLN- If you were to read deeply into Governor Pillen's new budget proposal, you would find a plan to divert $14 million from the Nebraska Environmental Trust to a state agency’s water resources fund. This is being referred to as "mockery" of the trust's intent. The trust was set up as an aid to environmental projects, not a piggy bank, says former politician Don Nelson. 

Officials with the Friends of the Environmental Trust and the Sierra Club of Nebraska also slammed the idea, questioning whether the recent disapproval of several grant requests by the Trust cleared the way for the transfer, and if the fund shift was legal. “There were a lot of proposals this year that deserved the Trust’s funds and didn’t get a fair shake,” said Sandy Scofield, a former state senator now with the Friends group. 

Lee Will, the state budget administrator under Gov. Jim Pillen, rejected the idea that any “conspiracy” to deny grants so that Trust funds — which come from the state lottery — could be used to finance tax cuts proposed by the governor. Will pointed out that the state has a $1.9 billion fund surplus that is allowing the tax reductions, so the $14 million being transferred from the Trust was inconsequential.

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UNION OMAHA FRANCHISE EYES NEW SOCCER STADIUM, AND LEGISLATURE IS ASKED TO PITCH IN FINANCIALLY

LINCOLN- The Omaha-based soccer team Union Omaha has plans for a new soccer stadium in north downtown Omaha. The stadium is expected to come with a price tag of $100 million and will be surrounded by new housing, a hotel, and entertainment options. State Senator Mike McDonnell has introduced a bill (LB621), asking for $50 million in state funds to make the project come to life. 

In a hearing of the bill earlier this week, Union Omaha President Martie Cordaro laid out the plan for the stadium to senators. The stadium would accommodate around 10,000 fans. McDonnell said the stadium project was considered — but not ultimately chosen — to be among the recommended slate of groups to share about $225 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding headed to North and South Omaha. The bill asks for the money to be provided from the state cash reserves. 

The 2021 USL League One champion has been searching for a new stadium site for around a year now. Currently, the team shares Werner Park with the Omaha Storm Chasers. The proposed stadium would open up the growth of Union Omaha and help increase the tier of competition. Mr. Cordaro said the expansion also opens up doors to additions such as a women's soccer team and youth training academy.

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COVID-19 CASES TICK UP IN LINCOLN; NEBRASKA NUMBERS CONTINUE TO DECLINE

LINCOLN- The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department reported 157 official cases last week, five more than the previous week. This is the first increase in Lincoln since the week of December 17th. However, despite the increase, Covid-19 cases in Nebraska have leveled off. Similarly, the number of Covid-19 related hospitalizations have declined slightly, with only 31 last week compared to 35 the week before. 

The Health Department also noted that wastewater sampling showed a significant increase in virus particles last week, and Health Director Pat Lopez announced the first local case of Covid-19 caused by the highly contagious XBB.1.5 subvariant. "As of now, our key indicators remain fairly stable. This newer variant is still spreading in the state and nationwide, but not as fast as anticipated," said Lopez.

Lopez confirmed that the Covid-19 risk dial in Nebraska will remain in the low yellow range for the second-straight week. Although XBB.1.5 has yet to catch on in Nebraska, only accounting for an estimated 4% of positive cases, it is expected to become more prevalent over time. 

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TEACHER SHORTAGE WORSENING ACROSS NEBRASKA, STATE REPORT SAYS

LINCOLN- According to a survey released by the Nebraska Department of Education, the teacher shortage plaguing the state has gotten worse over the past year. Compared to last year, according to the survey, the number of reported unfilled teaching jobs across the state is up nearly 60% over last year. Currently, special education teachers remain in the highest demand, and elementary education, career education, and language arts slots are proving hard to fill as well.

"You look at a one-year snapshot, and you see a number of vacancies, and that's concerning," said John Spatz, executive director of the Nebraska Association of School Board, "But, really, I look at the trend line, The trend line is what's concerning." Public and nonpublic schools all around the state reported a total of 768 unfilled positions at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, up substantially from the 482 unfilled positions reported last year. 

Spatz indicated that there's growing interest in Nebraska for pulling together lawmakers and higher education leaders to develop a long-term plan to address the shortage. "At some point, we've got to figure out a way to get more people into the profession and into school districts," said Spatz. According to the survey, the most common reason stated for positions going unfilled was that no one applied for the job at all. 

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SCOTT CORDES NAMED NEBRASKA'S NEW FIRE MARSHAL

LINCOLN- Following an announcement from Gov. Pillen last week confirming that Shane Hunter, due to serious personal health issues, was stepping down as fire marshal, Pillen announced last Friday that Scott Cordes will take over the job. 

"Scott will work hard to cut regulatory burdens on our volunteer fire departments and paramedics," said Pillen, "He understands we need to help volunteers so they can continue to protect their communities without red tape and unnecessary interference from the state."  Before his promotion to fire marshal, Cordes acted as the administrative department head overseeing all public safety activites for Norfolk, including police, fire, and emergency management. 

Cordes also served previously in the state fire marshal's office as a flammable liquids division inspector and deputy state fire marshal. In total Cordes has worked in the Fire Division for 25 years.

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DEB FISCHER NAMED TO U.S. SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, STAYS ON ARMED SERVICES

WASHINGTON D.C.- Nebraska Senator Deb Fischer has announced that her position remains on the Armed Services Committee, and she will now serve on the Appropriations Committee as well. Normal procedure allows Senators to join only one top-level committee, Senator Fischer has the honor of serving on two of the most respected committees.

The last Nebraska delegation to be seated on an Appropriations committee was now former Representative Jeff Fortenberry. Fischer still also retained her spot on the Agriculture and Commerce Committees which will be drafting a new 5-year farm bill this term. Fischer is the owner of a ranch in Cherry County and has served on the Committee for multiple years. 

Senator Fischer said her committee assignments have helped Nebraskans secure critical resources. Joining the Appropriations Committee, she said, would “make Nebraska even more of a powerhouse in the Senate.” Fischer is gaining seniority on Armed Services, which matters in a state where Offutt Air Force Base is a top national security asset and one of the region’s top economic drivers. 

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CARDIAC-ACTIVITY ABORTION BAN BILL DRAWS HUNDREDS TO NEBRASKA CAPITOL

LINCOLN- Dozens upon dozens of testifiers appeared at the Nebraska Capitol Wednesday as the Health and Human Services Committee prepared to hold its public hearing on LB626, a bill introduced by Sen. Albrecht that would restrict abortions after a heartbeat is detected. Sen. Ben Hansen, the chairman of the committee, allotted three hours of testimony to proponents of the bill, and three hours to opponents. 

Sen. Albrecht called LB626 the most important piece of Legislation considered this session. She went on to state that "we're not talking about women who want to have their baby, we're talking about women who want to not have their baby, elective abortions." Critics, of the bill, including State Sen. Megan Hunt, claimed that the bill does not give enough time for some women to figure out that they are pregnant.

"It's effectively a ban," said Sen. Hunt, "All they need to do is look at our sister states...passing abortion bans, and they can see exactly what we can expect." Many proponents of the bill argued that fetuses are not just "clumps of cells in the womb," and one supporter, Anna Olson, said that "these babies are not choices, they are children worthy of protection.

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NEBRASKA VOTER ID BILL REVISED BEFORE LENGTHY PUBLIC HEARING THAT DRAWS MOSTLY FOES

LINCOLN- Among the points that drew fire on Wednesday's public hearing for Sen. Slama's LB535, a bill to establish voter ID laws in Nebraska, was an amendment made that calls for all mail-in voters to notarize their ballot before sending it. Jaden Perkins, of the Heartland Workers Center, said that the bill is "full of flaws and bureaucratic B.S."

While critics dominated the legislative hearing, around a dozen proponents spoke on the bill, saying that passing Sen. Slama's bill would put Nebraska in line with 35 other states that require IDs for voting. Sen. Slama agreed, saying, "It is important that we ensure all eligible voters in Nebraska have access to the necessary identification. It is also important that everyone who has a right to vote can vote."

Secretary of State Bob Evnen joined other proponents of the bill in lauding it, claiming that 90% of all registered Nebraska voters already have a valid photo ID. However, for those that don't have a valid ID, Evnen stated that it's "very important that we address this group." The notary amendment that drew flack was, according to Slama, modeled after a similar law in Missouri.

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PARENT'S BILL OF RIGHTS LEGISLATION DIVIDES PUBLIC AT NEBRASKA LEGISLATIVE HEARING

LINCOLN- Dozens of teachers and parents, proponents and opponents, flooded into the Nebraska Capitol on Tuesday night to speak on LB374, a bill that would allow parents to have more control over what their children learn in schools. Under the bill, which was introduced by Sen. Dave Murman, parents would be able to review all learning materials their children's school uses, and allow them to object to certain materials and lessons.

"Above all else, this bill aims to make clear that every parent is the foremost decision-maker in every child's life," said Murman. The hearing for the bill, which took place in front of the state's Education Committee, stretched on for more than four hours, and over 400 comments were submitted. The bill also prohibits what Sen. Murman called "data mining," which he said refers to questionnaires and surveys schools send out to ask personal questions, such as asking a child to indicate their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

A substantial portion of the opposition to the bill argued that it was introduced to push back against 'critical race theory,' but Sen. Murman refuted these claims, saying that the specific words 'critical race theory' do not appear in the bill. Among the proponents of the bill, the general sentiment was that parents should have the ability and the right to block their children from viewing any material they find inappropriate. 

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BANKERS SAY PROPOSAL ON 'ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE' TOO BROAD, AMENDMENTS NEEDED

LINCOLN- A proposal aimed at preventing the Nebraska State Treasurer from using state funds for "social and political" goals ran into complaints on Monday that it was too vague and intruded too much in banking decisions. Robert Hallstrom, of the Nebraska Bankers Association, told the Banking, Commerce, and Insurance Committee that banks have traditionally been free to "lend to, invest in, and generally do business with any activity or entity that is legal."

Hallstrom provided amendments to the bill, and discussed them with State Sen. Julie Slama, the introducer of the bill, and Treasurer John Murante. By implementing these amendments, said Hallstrom, the bill would gain the support of the Nebraska Bankers Association. The bill in question, LB67, has been called "woke capitalism" by Treasurer Murante, since it deals with 'environmental, social, and governance goals, a contentious and highly political topic. 

Slama, who chairs the Business Committee, said that taxpayer dollars "should not be used to further political or social agenda," and wants to create neutrality among treasurers with her bill. Murante, who is the past president of the conservative treasurer's organization who claimed that ESG is "woke," said that lawmakers don't need to worry about him utilizing taxpayer funds for ESG purposes. 

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OMAHA WOMEN SAYS 'HEARTBEAT' BILL WOULD INJECT POLITICIANS INTO 'DIFFICULT' PRIVATE DECISIONS

OMAHA- On Tuesday, four women from Omaha shared their traumatic abortion stories, urging Nebraska lawmakers to reject a proposal to further restrict the procedure. "This legislation takes away Nebraskans' ability to control their bodies and their future," said Abby Waller, who had an abortion after doctors told her that her fetus would not survive, "It shouldn't be up to politicians in the statehouse to make personal and private health care decisions."

On Wednesday, the Nebraska Legislature heard testimony on Sen. Albrecht's LB626, or the Nebraska Heartbeat Act, which would ban abortions once a heartbeat is detected. Many dozens of people testified at the hearing on Wednesday afternoon, and many proponents argued that the bill is a government intrusion into personal health care decisions.

Another person argued that "abortion bans are only going to end safe abortions." Kacie Ware of Omaha, who was abused and raped by an older man while in high school, stated that she believes implementing the heartbeat bill would have prevented her from getting an abortion because many women have to go through time-consuming "judicial bypass" procedures required for a minor to get an abortion.

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EDUCATION COMMITTEE HEARS BILL AIMED AT EASING NEBRASKA'S TEACHER SHORTAGE

LINCOLN- The Education Committee heard about the Nebraska teacher shortage from teachers, administrators, and education advocates from all over the state. Public schools reported over 700 absences in teaching positions at the beginning of the school year. This is a 60% increase in vacancies from the 2021-22 school year.

Teachers were supportive of Linehan’s LB385, which would earmark $10 million to offer teachers up to three annual $5,000 incentives to stay on the job through their fourth year. Teachers widely backed Sen. Lynne Walz’s LB519, which would fund their certification fees, retention bonuses and a teaching excellence program and would pay student teachers. State Sen. Carol Blood also offered a bill teachers liked, LB413 would sign Nebraska onto a budding teacher certification compact with other states. 

The only bill educators really opposed over the course of the hearing was LB603. This bill would let certain nonprofits and companies certify teachers outside of colleges. Those opposed pointed to possible watering down of teaching preparation and allowing companies to profit off of the teacher shortage.

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS GEAR ARGUMENTS OVER BILL TO PAY TEENS LESS THAN MINIMUM WAGE

LINCOLN- On Monday, members of the Business and Labor Committee heard testimony from proponents and opponents of Legislative Bill 15, a piece of legislation introduced by Sen. Tom Briese that would allow businesses to steer around the recent minimum wage hike passed by Nebraska voters and pay teen workers a starting wage of $9 an hour, before increasing to $10 in 2026. 

Emma Haar, a 15-year-old teen from Grand Island who balances two minimum-wage jobs, told the committee that, if passed, this bill would make her dreams of attaining financial security almost impossible. "This bill treats me like a child when I have the responsibilities of an adult," she said. Proponents of the bill argue that keeping teen wages low will allow small businesses in the state to stay afloat, particularly in rural parts of Nebraska. 

Briese said during the hearing that he was not attempting to undermine the ballot measure passed last year by Nebraska voters, but rather that he was attempting to "iron out the details" of the measure. "We shouldn't be making it harder for employers to hire young folks," he told the Business and Labor Committee.

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS PROPOSE DISABILITY, RACIAL IMPACT STATEMENTS FOR CERTAIN LEGISLATION

LINCOLN- Most legislation introduced to the Nebraska Legislature features a fiscal impact statement, outlining the costs of introducing the proposal. However, under a set of newly-proposed bills, legislative bills 39 and 54, introduced respectively by Sens. Carol Blood and Terrell McKinney, legislators may have to provide to the Executive Board, if requested, with disability and racial impact statements. According to McKinney, such a change would advance Nebraska's value of "Equality before the Law."

"We must ensure that we pass legislation with all Nebraskans in mind," continued McKinney. During a hearing last Friday, dozens of supporters took to the floor in support of LB 39. including Kathy Hoell, a resident of Papillion, who said lawmakers often pass legislation with "little or no consideration" for those with disabilities. "Our community is very frustrated with able-bodied people making decisions with no consideration of the repercussions," finished Hoell.

Another large group of supporters testified in support of McKinney's LB 54, and many proponents argued that the bill, if passed, would help certain racial populations get more recognition from the Legislature. Jasmine Harris, director of public policy and advocacy at RISE in Omaha, also said that LB 54 would help identify disparities in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. 

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FORMER NORFOLK SENATOR TO FILL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA REGENTS SEAT

LINCOLN- Governor Pillen has appointed former State Senator Jim Scheer to replace Pillen's seat on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. Scheer will sit in the District 3 seat across northeast Nebraska. Scheer is a Norfolk native and resident. Scheer will only serve the remaining portion of Pillen's term, extending until 2024.

"Jim is a public servant who will work to grow the University of Nebraska," Pillen said in a press release. "He believes in educational excellence, the importance of agriculture and fiscal conservative leadership." Scheer served two terms in the Legislature from 2013 to 2021. He was elected speaker in 2017. Previously, he served on the Norfolk school board and as the mayor of Norfolk. Between 2004 and 2008, he was on the Nebraska State Board of Education and served as the board president in 2011 and 2012.

Scheer is a graduate of the University and now owns and insurance agency as well auto part stores. The Board of Regents has eight members elected by district to six-year terms. The board next meets on Feb. 10. Pillen has now made two prominent appointments to major roles after appointing Former Governor Ricketts to the U.S. Senate in January.

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MATT MILTENBERGER WILL HEAD RICKETTS' SENATE STAFF

LINCOLN- After 8 years with the Governor, Matt Miltenberger will follow Senator Ricketts to D.C. and be his chief of staff. Senator Ricketts announced his staff this week and made sure to note that he is especially appreciative when it comes to the work Miltenberger has done in the past and is excited to see what the pair does in the future.

Prior to serving in the governor's office, Miltenberger was campaign manager for Ricketts when he was elected governor in 2014 and he subsequently managed the governor's transition efforts. Miltenberger has worked on multiple campaigns prior to Ricketts, and announced that he looks forward to the work that they will complete in Washington.

Alyssa Burleson, who was a member of former Sen. Ben Sasse's staff and has nine years of experience in Washington, will be deputy chief of staff for Ricketts. Joanna Rodriguez was named communications director and Paul Guaglianone will be legislative director.

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PILLEN TAX-CUT IDEAS WIN SUPPORT OF BUSINESS GROUPS, PROMPT CRITICISM FROM COMMUNITY COLLEGES

LINCOLN- Senator Linehan answered questions pertaining to her bill LB754. Under the bill, top individual and corporate income tax rates would be gradually reduced to 3.99% by tax year 2027. A second pair of bills, LB 804 and 806, would accelerate phased-in income tax cuts passed last year, allowing the reductions to 5.84% to go into effect in 2024 instead of 2027. Those two bills would presumably be supplanted by LB 754 if it passed.

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn said the state has more than a $2 billion surplus of state tax funds and needs to return that to Nebraska taxpayers in the form of lower tax rates. “It is imperative that we improve our tax climate so it is more welcoming for current and future Nebraskans,” Linehan said.

LB 783, introduced by Glenvil Sen. Dave Murman on behalf of the governor, would shift financing of Nebraska’s community colleges from property taxes and onto state sales and income taxes, as the University of Nebraska system is funded. A parade of community college administrators, board members and students opposed the legislation, expressing doubt that the state would live up to its funding commitment.

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PILLEN PLAN TO SHIFT VALUATION OF AG LAND GETS STATIC, EVEN FROM FARM GROUPS

LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen’s plan to relieve property taxes paid by farmers and ranches got a rough reception Friday, even from some farm groups.

The head of the state’s largest agriculture group, the Nebraska Farm Bureau, said Pillen’s plan to shift the valuation method from being based on recent sales of land to its production capability — as is done in Iowa, South Dakota and Kansas — needs more work to avoid increasing taxes.

“There is a sense that this isn’t ready for prime time,” said Mark McHargue, a Central City farmer and president of the Farm Bureau.

McHargue joined representatives of the Nebraska Farmers Union and a handful of school groups in saying that such a complicated, and momentous, change needs more discussion.

For one, McHargue said, making sure farmers and ranchers are “held harmless” and don’t see unintended tax increases is essential.

Under Legislative Bill 820, the Agriculture Valuation Fairness Act, the state would change the way it values agricultural land from the current market approach — which is based on recent sales of nearby ag land — to basing it on the productivity and income-producing potential of the land. A committee of five people would be formed to devise how land would be valued on its income-producing potential. Under the bill, statewide increases in valuations of ag land would be capped at 3.5% a year.

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BATTLE OVER PUBLIC FUNDS FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS SCHOLARSHIPS RETURNS TO LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN — The annual battle over whether to devote public funds to private schools was renewed Friday at the Nebraska Legislature, with testimony extending into the evening.

Nebraska is one of only two states that doesn’t allow “school choice” by extending public state funds to private schools. Backers of parochial and private schools said Friday that the state should provide tax credits for donations to private school scholarships to help families have that choice.

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan sponsored LB753, the Opportunity Scholarships Act. The bill, Linehan’s fifth attempt at the idea, includes a new provision this year, one that seeks to prioritize the scholarships for low-income families and for children with special needs or those who have experienced bullying.

Opponents said that LB 753 creates a more generous tax break for donors to such scholarships than for other causes and that about 70% of such aid benefits current – and not additional — private school students.

“If you want to help children, fully fund public schools,” said Williams, voicing a comment repeated by several opponents of the bill. They included Superintendent Cheryl Logan of the Omaha Public Schools and former State Sen. Brenda Council.

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