AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVOCATES GATHER AT STATE CAPITOL TO LEARN AND LOBBY FOR MILLIONS

LINCOLN- The pool of pandemic money that was awarded to the state activated many nonprofits dealing with affordable housing. This year they came to the body, but as a coalition, requesting a share of those funds. They hosted their first legislative rally this week that raised their collective voice in support of bills that together would direct more than $600 million to various housing programs.

“When it comes to housing affordability and justice, the stakes really can’t be overstated,” said Brianna Full, advocacy coordinator of Spark CDI. “The time for action is now.” The group did not stand alone. they were accompanied by Senators Briese and Vargas. Both have introduced legislation that pertains to housing this session.

The coalition believes that the state appears in a financial position to invest in housing and that coalition members will continue to lobby and testify in support of fund-seeking measures that include Legislative Bills 249, 504, 741, 629 and 801. The state budget director recently said the state has about $2 billion in excess funds to spend, on top of a projected $1.6 billion in cash reserves that could be tapped under certain circumstances.

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FOUR FINALISTS NAMED TO BE NEXT NEBRASKA EDUCATION COMMISSIONER

LINCOLN- A search committee of the Nebraska State Board of Education has announced their four finalists for the next commissioner. The committee seeks to interview each in public meetings March 30. Candidates will also meet with various groups throughout that day. The board plans to hold a public meeting March 31 to select the next commissioner.

The candidates are:

Lisa Coons, chief academic officer for the Tennessee Department of Education, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Brian Maher, CEO and executive director of the South Dakota Board of Regents in Pierre, South Dakota.

Melissa Poloncic, superintendent of Douglas County West Community Schools in Valley, Nebraska.

Summer Stephens, superintendent of schools and career and technical education administrator for Churchill County School District in Fallon, Nevada.

“The Board received a strong slate [of] applicants and while choosing finalists was not an easy task, we feel very confident in our selections,” Board President Patti Gubbels said in a statement. “Each finalist brings a unique perspective and extensive experience that will benefit our state.” Matt Blomstedt resigned Jan. 3 after nine years as commissioner, with a salary of $242,019.

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COMMITTEE ADVANCES BILL STUDYING COSTS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION IN NEBRASKA

LINCOLN- The Legislature's Executive Board advanced a bill calling for a study of the short- and long-term costs of replacing Nebraska's coal and natural gas plants with resources like wind and solar. The bill, LB566, passed on a 5-2 vote out of the Natural Resources Committee. The bill would appropriate $30,000 to hire a consultant to examine the trends and potential economic impacts of increased reliance of renewable energy in Nebraska, and would look at the economic benefits of maintaining coal, natural gas and nuclear.

The Natural Resources Committee said the bill seeks to understand how renewable energy "threatens the ability of power suppliers in the state to maintain existing baseload generation." The bill advanced to the floor as is with no amendments despite opposition in its hearing. The bill's sponsor, Senator Bostelman, did note that he is open to amendments.

Voting in favor of the bill were Sen. Tom Briese of Albion; Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston; Sen. John Lowe of Kearney; Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar; and Sen. Suzanne Geist of Lincoln. Opposed to advancing LB566 to the floor were Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln and Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha.

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SURVEY FINDS NEBRASKANS DISSATISFIED WITH STATE GOVERNMENT HELP FOR WORKING FAMILIES

LINCOLN- A recent survey conducted by the Nebraska-based Holland Children's Insitute, which received responses from 600 Nebraska voters, indicates that a majority of Nebraskans believe the state government is not doing enough to help working families escape poverty. The poll came as part of the ongoing Nebraska Voter's Outlook series, and around 58% of those interviewed for the poll believed that the state legislature and government agencies should be doing more for working families.

Around 47% of respondents also indicated that tax reform should be a priority, as well as 7% who said the government should invest in assistance programs and infrastructure, 6% who believed better education and childcare will solve the problem, and 9% stating that health care or paid family leave should be the direction the government should go.

"Nebraskans are right to be concerned about the state government's failure to invest and focus on the real needs of the people," said Hadley Richters, CEO of the Hollan Children's Institute. Richters went on to state that many Nebraskans are still recovering from the pandemic while trying to keep up with the "astronomical height" of inflation.

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NEBRASKA AGAIN CONSIDERS CHANGE TO WINNER-TAKE-ALL SYSTEM FOR PRESIDENTIAL RACES

LINCOLN- A bill in the Nebraska Legislature, LB764, would strike language in existing state law that divides Nebraska’s electoral votes by congressional districts in presidential elections, effectively implementing a winner-take-all system used by nearly every other state. Currently, of Nebraska’s five electoral votes, one vote is designated to the winner of each of the state’s three congressional districts, and two votes are awarded to the winner statewide. Maine is the only other state in the U.S. that uses this system.

Nebraskas votes have only been split twice since the system was implemented in 1991. In both elections, four electoral votes went to the Republican candidate (John McCain and Donald Trump), and one vote went to the Democrat (Barack Obama and Joe Biden). In every other presidential contest, all five votes still went to the Republican.

Republican lawmakers have tried — unsuccessfully — to change the state’s system since shortly after it was established. The bills introducer, Sen. Lippincott, argued that it puts Nebraska at a disadvantage to other states, and discourages presidential candidates from addressing statewide issues that matter to rural voters. Secretary of State Bob Evnen supported the bill citing gerrymandering as one of the effects of this system.

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKER THREATENED WITH CENSURE FOR COMPARING TRANSGENDER LEGISLATION WITH GENOCIDE

LINCOLN- Senator Machaela Cavanaugh faced the threat of censure this week for alleging that some bills in this year's session aim to perpetrate genocide against transgender Nebraskans. Senator Julie Slama offered the motion after Sen. Cavanaugh compared past genocides to the anti-trans bills LB574 and LB575. During debate, Cavanaugh outlined “The Ten Stages of Genocide” as defined by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, which states that “genocide never just happens.”

Sen. Slama warned of her intent to use censure multiple times before doing so. Slama said Cavanaugh was minimizing, “the seriousness and the gravity” of the word “genocide.” Slama later took to twitter saying, "Today’s action is not something I take lightly, but I refuse to sit silently while Senator Cavanaugh compares a bill protecting girls sports to the horrific mass executions of millions of people.”

Speaker Arch did not allow the motion to be excepted at that time and the body went back to debate on LB775. Cavanaugh said she would like to truly debate LB574 and LB575 to show the public who supports these bills. “I want the bloody hands recorded. This is a genocide. This is an assault on a population of people because they are different from you.”

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LESS THAN A YEAR INTO THE JOB, VETA JEFFERY IS EXITING AS CEO OF GREATER OMAHA CHAMBER

OMAHA- Not even a year into the position, the CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber has abruptly left the post. It was announced that Veta Jeffery was voted out of the position and a search committee will work swiftly to find a replacement. For the time being, Tim Burke has been appointed interim CEO. Burke served as CEO of Omaha Public Power District from 2015 until his retirement in 2021.

“I am excited about the opportunity to assist the Chamber and the business community during this transition,” Burke said in the statement. “The Chamber’s work has always been important, and it is as critical now as it has ever been to build momentum and continue to make progress.”

Jeffery was only hired last April and began the job in May. She previously was the chief diversity officer for the State of Missouri’s St. Louis County, Jeffery came to Omaha with much praise from the local business and government community. There was no explanation given as to why Jeffrey would not continue with the chamber. The departure is effective immediately.

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SEN. RICKETTS SAYS HE HASN'T YET MADE PICK IN 2024 GOP PRESIDENTIAL RACE

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Former Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, now a senator in Congress, indicated during an event that he hadn't yet made a choice on who he will support in the 2024 presidential race. Instead, said Ricketts, he'd be focusing on his new job as a senator and his own reelection campaign in 2024, as he serves the final two years of former Sen. Ben Sasse's senatorial term.

However, while Sen. Ricketts may not have made a choice yet, his parents, according to disclosure documents, donated around $1 million to potential Republican candidate and current Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Last year, Marlene Ricketts, Pete Ricketts' mother, donated around $50,000 to DeSantis' state PAC, just two weeks after Sasse announced his plan to vacate his Senate seat.

Some critics of Sen. Ricketts questioned his parents' donations, pointing out that the Board of Governors that selected Sasse to be the next president of the University of Florida were mostly appointed by Gov. DeSantis. In the past, the relationship between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and the Ricketts family has been rocky, as Pete Ricketts had previously asked the former president to stay out of the Nebraska gubernatorial election.

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A LEGISLATURE TRAPPED THUS FAR BY THE FILIBUSTER; CULTURE WARS, TAXES, ON TAP FOR NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS IN SECOND HALF OF SESSION

LINCOLN- This week, the filibuster in the Nebraska Legislature continued, stalling every senator's work significantly. With a new Governor attempting to impose an ambitious and expansive agenda, a majority in the Legislature say they have much work to do while a minority say that's exactly the problem.

With almost fifty days gone in the Legislature's ninety-day session, zero bills have been enacted into law and the filibuster is expected to continue. Currently, 135 bills are piled up awaiting first-stage floor consideration while the filibuster eats away time on the calendar. For this reason, night sessions are looming on the horizon, and are expected to begin next month.

Thus far, only two large bills have passed through the first barricade: Sen. Brewer's concealed carry handgun bill and Sen. Linehan's bill to provide income tax credits for donations to fund scholarships for parochial schools. However, both face the filibuster hurdle in the weeks ahead, and bargaining is expected to take place as the remaining days in the session wind down.

Priority bills will take the focus for the remainder of the legislative session, with senators having named a wide variety of topics as their personal priority bills. Some of the legislature's most controversial bills were among those named. In response, Senator Macheala Cavanuagh has been filing amendment after amendment on each bill debated to slow down the legislative process.

In most years, lawmakers debate all of the priority bills that emerge from committee, along with passing a number of noncontroversial consent calendar bills. This will not be possible if each bill is filibustered. Speaker Arch has attempted to negotiate to end the series of filibusters but has yet to see any change on the floor of the legislature. To combat this, evening debate will begin on March 28th to make the most of the time possible.

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GOVERNOR'S INCOME TAX PACKAGE ADVANCES FROM REVENUE COMMITTEE

LINCOLN- The Nebraksa Legislatures Revenue Committee moved Governor Pillen's tax package out of committee. The much-amended LB754 moved out of committee on a 7-1 vote. State Sen. John Arch, the Speaker of the Legislature, said he planned to bring up the tax bill and an accompanying bill aimed at reducing property taxes for floor debate, “sooner rather than later.”

Senator Linehan said she believes the 33 votes needed to pass the bill are present in the body. She said Nebraska needs to cut its income tax rates to become competitive with its neighbors in attracting jobs and keeping people from moving away. Linehan pointed to Iowa's adoption of a flat income tax rate and said Nebraska must start moving forward in a similar capacity.

Under LB 754, the state’s top individual and corporate income tax rates would be dropped to 3.99% by tax year 2027. The top two brackets are now 6.8% and 6.27%. The projected cuts will reduce state revenues by $735 million a year by 2028-29. The package had three bills amended into it to increase support. Those bills are LBs 318, 641, and 38.

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HOUSING MEASURES HAVE LEGISLATURE HOPPING

LINCOLN- On Wednesday, Sen. Vargas introduced, for the third time in his tenure as a state senator, LB248 to the Judiciary Committee, a bill that would make it unlawful to deny an apartment to someone based on source of income. The bill's main aim, according to Vargas, is open more doors for those who rely on benefits such as Social Security or federal housing vouchers.

We need to make sure we are removing barriers," he told the Committee, "This is going to impact long-term earnings, childhood educational achievement, and the likelihood of ending up in our justice system." Public testimony for Vargas' bill lasted around three hours, and five other housing bills were also heard on Wednesday that, together, seek a state infusion of $600 million into housing development programs in Nebraska. 

Erin Feichtinger, a representative from the Women's Fund of Omaha, argued that the state's pressing housing needs should be attacked on many different fronts. "It will give families a better chance of success," said Feichtinger of Vargas' LB248. Another proponent of the bill, Alicia Christensen of Together Omaha, echoed a similar sentiment, saying that people shouldn't be shut out of places solely because rent is subsidized by the government.

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DEVELOPERS PROMOTE PLAN FOR 'TRANSFORMATIONAL' DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT AT NEBRASKA CROSSING

LINCOLN- LB692 or the Good Life Transformational Projects Act is a proposed 1,000-acre expansion of the existing Nebraska Crossings outlet mall in Gretna. The goal is to rival the Kansas City "The Legends" entertainment complex that brings in over 15 million visitors per year. “This could change Nebraska’s image as a fly-over state,” Gretna Mayor Mike Evans told the Legislature’s Revenue Committee.

The bill itself would help finance such huge developments by devoting up to half of the state’s 5.5-cent sales tax revenue in the district for development expenses. Similar legislation helped develop the Legends area in Kansas City. The area includes 75 outlet stores along with waterparks, professional sports stadiums, the Kansas Speedway, and much more.

Under the bill, the state would devote up to half of the state sales taxes generated by Nebraska Crossing and the new “Good Life” district toward the costs of the expansion. The state benefits would extend for 25 years. The bills sponsor, Senator Linehan, said, "This legitimately could be a game changer."

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PROPOSAL TO INCREASE NEBRASKA LEGISLATIVE TERM LIMITS TO THREE TERMS GAINS MOMENTUM

LINCOLN- If passed, legislative resolution 22CA, introduced by Sen. Rob Dover, would allow voters to weigh in on whether or not to allow Nebraska state senator to serve an additional term, should they choose to. Back in 2000, voters approved the current two-term system utilized in Nebraska, but it didn't take effect until the 2006 elections.

"I think that when we instituted term limits, we did a disservice to the people of Nebraska to term limit one senator," Sen. Dover told the Legislature's Executive Committee, "And I think that was wrong." The one senator Dover cited is, assumedly, Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha, who represented north Omaha from 1971 to 2009, and again from 2013 to 2021.

Dover's introduced constitutional amendment has 39 cosponsors, including seven of the nine members of the Executive Committee. During the public hearing for LR22CA, Barry Kennedy, from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, testified in support of the bill, citing the fact that at least 15 senators will not return due to term limits in 2025. In a business, said Kennedy, employers would never dismiss employees after eight years. "Typically by then you're doing everything you can to keep them employed," said Kennedy.

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BILL CREATING LOWER MINIMUM WAGE FOR CHILDREN ADVANCES IN NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- On Tuesday, the Nebraska Legislature's Business and Labor Committee voted 4-2 to combine LB327, introduced by Sen. Raybould, and LB15, introduced by Sen. Briese, and advanced LB327 out of committee. Both bills amend the recently-voted-upon wage hike that was approved by Nebraska voters last year and add several changes to minimum wage laws in Nebraska.

State Sen. Danielle Conrad, an outspoken proponent of the minimum wage hike, already motioned to indefinitely postpone the bill, since it would establish a $10.50 wage for children between the age of 14 and 17, as well as establish a training wage for the same amount for people age 18 and 19. Then, for this age range, wages would remain at $10.50 until 2026, and continue at 75% of the regular minimum wage at that time.

LB327 would also cap future wage increases at the inflation amount or a flat 1.5%, whichever number is less at the time. The proposal would need 33 votes to pass in the Legislature since it amends an initiative approved by Nebraska voters. This is because the Nebraska Constitution sets a higher-than-normal bar for amendments made to voter-passes initiatives.

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SUPPORTERS OF CHILD LABOR RESOLUTION SAY IT COULD MAKE NEBRASKA 'NEW CHAMPION'

LINCOLN- Legislative Resolution 5, introduced by Sen. Carol Blood, would have Nebraska ratify the Child Labor Amendment of 1924, allowing Congress to regulate or prohibit the labor of persons younger than 18 in the state. If passed, Nebraska would be the 29th state to ratify the almost-one-hundred-year-old federal amendment. "We are only ratifying what is already in law in support of Nebraska children and making a statement that we missed an opportunity to do better," said Blood.

Blood went on to state that the amendment would not change any existing Nebraska law, since the state already has in place legislation like the Fair Labor Standards Act, which regulated labor at the state level. However, according to Blood, "Passing this LR does give Nebraska a unique opportunity to chart a better path forward for the rest of the country."

Last month, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that, after an investigation into Packers Sanitation Services Inc., it was found that children as young as 13 were working in dangerous conditions at a plant in Nebraska. This included overnight shifts cleaning what was called the "kill floor," with equipment such as head splitters and back or brisket saws found in proximity to the children.

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THREE MORE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS FINED FOR APPEARING IN CAMPAIGN ADS IN UNIFORM

LINCOLN- Under state law, public officials are prohibited from using public resources for campaign purposes, but three Nebraska law enforcement officials agreed to pay fines after doing just that.

Seward County Sheriff Michael Vance, Lincoln County Sheriff Jerome Kramer, and York County Sheriff's Captain Joshua Gillespie were all ordered to pay $1,000 after the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure office found them guilty of appearing in television ads.

In January, York County Sheriff Paul Vrbka agreed to pay a $1,000 fine following his appearance in a television ad for Falls City businessman and gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster, who was running against Governor Jim Pillen.

The three law enforcement officials who were ordered to pay fines on Friday appeared in the same advertisement as Vrbka.

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STATE SHOULD SEEK ITS $91 MILLION SHARE OF FEDERAL ENERGY CONSERVATION FUNDS, COMMITTEE IS TOLD

LINCOLN- Senator Blood highlighted an opportunity for the state to seek its $91 million share of federal Inflation Reduction Act funds set aside to make homes as energy efficient as possible. She presented the idea to the Appropriations committee at Monday's hearing saying, "This is an opportunity for us to use tax dollars that are already allocated for us. We’ll give it up to other states if we don’t use it."

The idea was met with major support as people lined up to testify, including 72 letters of support being sent in. The bill at hand is LB560. It simply requires the state to “seek all funds made available” through the Inflation Reduction Act or IRA. Senator Blood did highlight that the bill would not be necessary if the Governor's office actively moved to obtain these types of funds.

Time is of the essence, Blood said, because state have a March 31 deadline to file a “notice of intent” to seek the IRA funds. Bayard Sen. Steve Erdman questioned whether LB 560 could be advanced by the committee and passed in time to have an impact, given the March 31 deadline and the slow pace of floor debate in the Legislature this year.

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NEBRASKA BILL WOULD REQUIRE 'IN GOD WE TRUST' BE DISPLAYED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

OMAHA- LB178 calls for the motto "In God We Trust" to be posted in all classrooms or other prominent places in the school so it can be easily seen. Similar bills have been entertained in the past, but have not advanced very far. LB178 had its hearing on Monday where many gathered to show both support and opposition to the idea. 

Nebraska school boards currently have the option of voting on the display of the memo within their schools. Erdman argued that LB 178 had nothing to do with the establishment of religion, and was more about commemorating an important part of U.S. history. “The national motto is not being taught and displayed in Nebraska’s public schools, yet it plays an important role in our history and in our heritage,” Erdman exclaimed. 

Supporters pointed to various times in the country's history where faith has played a role. Others, however, said requiring a prominent display in schools would violate students’ freedom of religion. One testified pointed out that the county is not based on one single religion. Rather each individual has the right to choose which religion they follow and the manner in which they will do so. 

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKER PITCHES RETURN TO MIDWEST INTERSTATE PASSENGER RAIL COMMISSION

LINCOLN- The Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission is a body that oversees rail services and works to improve passenger rail services in the midwest. Nebraska left the commission nearly ten years ago, but LB44 would have Nebraska reenter that coalition. The current members of the commission are Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota and Wisconsin.

The bill's sponsor, Senator George Dungan, pointed out that Nebraska has led the rail industry for over 100 years and supports railways. Dungan said, "It’s important for Nebraska to have a voice in current and future passenger development that will bring a significant transportation and economic benefit to our state.” The bill did not receive any in-person testimony at its Monday hearing, but there were 6 letters of opposition.

Nebraska left the commission in 2015 citing that the benefits of the committee do not outweigh the expenditure of tax dollars on dues. Iowa has also indicated that it would also rejoin the commission. This is partially due to a future rail line between Nebraska and Chicago. Supporters of the bill pointed out that communication is key in the train world.

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NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE'S FLOOR ACTION BROUGHT TO 'SCREECHING HALT' BY ONE OMAHA LAWMAKER

LINCOLN- Over the past two weeks, action on the floor of the Nebraska Legislature has slowed to a crawl, in large part due to the efforts of Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, who seeks to stall bills that she says "legislate hate." Since beginning her quest to slow down the Legislature, only three bills have advanced on the floor. "What I'm going to do is slow it down to a screeching halt," said Cavanaugh to her colleagues, "Because we can do better."

Cavanaugh's strategy has garnered her harsh criticism from her Republican opponents, who have gone on record to call her a "bully" and a "hypocrite." Meanwhile, her Democratic allies have largely praised her efforts, but have not yet jumped in substantially to help her. "In the Nebraska Legislature, when it comes to killing bad legislation," said Sen. Megan Hunt in a Tweet supporting Cavanaugh, "time is on our side."

Cavanaugh, specifically, has pointed to Sen. Kauth's LB574, a bill that would restrict school bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams on the basis of biological sex, as one of the main reasons for the filibuster. "If you want to inflict pain upon our children, I am going to inflict pain upon this body," said Cavanaugh, "I have nothing, nothing but time. And I am going to use all of it. You cannot stop me."

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