NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS CHAFE AT HHS DIVERTING $6 MILLION FROM CHILD WELFARE PAYMENT BOOST

LINCOLN- The Department of Health and Human Services was given $15 million in federal pandemic recovery money. They only used $3 million for increasing payments to providers and spent $6 million on other projects. The agency has not determined what to do with the rest. In an email sent to service providers on June 21 last year, agency officials said the first $6 million would go to start a pair of pilot projects and to help children leaving the foster care system through adoption, guardianship or independent living.

This use angered lawmakers. Sen. Mike McDonnell, who has introduced a bill to raise child welfare rates over the next two years, accused HHS of being “tone-deaf” on the issue and acting like a fourth branch of government that can override legislative decisions. He called it disappointing and said it contributes to the already large distrust of HHS.

Andrew Keck, deputy director of the HHS Children and Family Services division, said the agency decided to use the $6 million of federal money for the current fiscal year on one-time expenses. He said the agency is working to decide about the $6 million for the upcoming fiscal year. McDonnell said the department’s decision to divert the first $6 million means Nebraska has not made the progress lawmakers intended in bringing payment rates closer to covering costs for private provider agencies and individuals who contract with the state to care for abused and neglected children.

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MORE THAN $3 BILLION IN PROPERTY TAX RELIEF MEASURES ADVANCE IN NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- Property owners could get more than $3 billion worth of property tax relief over the next six years under a legislative package advanced by the Revenue Committee. LB243 advanced on a 7-0 vote with amendments to the full body. The amended bill, introduced by State Sen. Tom Briese of Albion, combines measures that would increase Nebraska’s two property tax credit programs, cap school property taxes and eliminate almost all community college property taxes.

The package represents the second major piece of Gov. Jim Pillen’s tax cut and school aid plan. The committee advanced a separate package of income tax cuts last week. A bill to make changes in state aid to K-12 schools is pending before the Education Committee. Briese, who has long targeted property taxes, said this year’s property tax package would offer “tax relief for everyday Nebraskans.”

LB243 and LB754 are expected to reduce the state tax revenues by at least $3.3 billion. Briese said he expected there may be some questions raised about whether the state can manage $6.6 billion or more of tax cuts over the next six years. But he expressed confidence in Nebraska’s ability to make those kind of tax changes, while keeping essential government services operating.

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NEBRASKA STATE SENATOR MERV RIEPE PROPOSES LESS STRINGENT, 12-WEEK ABORTION BAN

LINCOLN- The abortion bill in the Nebraska Legislature may have a new direction as Senator Merv Riepe proposed amending LB626 to instead make abortions illegal after 12 weeks. The current bill would ban abortion after about six weeks of gestation. Sen. Riepe said he and other senators who oppose abortion but prefer a “measured approach” want to discuss an alternative to the “heartbeat bill". 

Riepe said the “six-week ban is tantamount to a total ban,” which many of his constituents oppose, he said. His comments echoed the views of most of the doctors who testified against LB 626 in a public hearing. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Joni Albrecht, said she is disappointed by the amendment and it may put the bill in jeopardy when the debate comes. 

Currently, there are believed to be exactly 33 votes for LB626, the exact amount needed to pass the bill. A single senator's departure could fail the bill in all. Sen. Albrecht said  Riepe’s 12-week ban “is not acceptable to myself or the other 32 (supporters).” She argued that her bill is “not about a ban.” Riepe has indicated that he will be the 33rd vote in the first round of debate but expects a fair and in-depth debate in the second round. 

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SOUTH AND NORTH OMAHA MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR BILL GETS ANOTHER AIRING, AND GOOD VIBES FROM LAWMAKERS

LINCOLN- On Thursday, advocates for a large North and South Omaha stimulus bill again crowded into the Nebraska State Capitol to support economic development in these areas. Instead, however, testifiers for the updated Economic Recovery Act spoke before the Legislature's Appropriations Committee, rather than the Urban Affairs Committee where testimony was heard on LB531 last Tuesday.

While the Appropriations Committee took no immediate action on LB785, the companion bill to LB531, a few of its members were outspoken in their support for economic development in these historically underserved areas of Nebraska. Sen. Anna Wishart told the committee of a pledge she made to state Sen. Justin Wayne while they were climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, indicating her support for the stimulus bill.

Sen. Christy Armendariz also supported the bill, saying, "I come from North Omaha. I'll make sure it's spent the way it was intended to be spent." While the Legislature approved a $335 million Economic Recovery Act last year, Sen. Terrell McKinney believed a more detailed distribution plan would be necessary to reach the most people, prompting him to create LB531 and LB785.

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NEBRASKA BILL WOULD EMPOWER MENTAL HEALTH EXPERTS TO PLACE PEOPLE IN EMERGENCY CUSTODY

LINCOLN- LB668, introduced by Sen. Raymond Aguilar, would give mental health professionals the ability to take dangerously mentally ill patients into emergency protective custody. Under current statute, a law enforcement officer can take someone into protective custody, normally at a medical facility, jail, or other corrections facility, if they are believed to pose a threat to themselves or others.

However, under LB668, that ability would extend to certified mental health practitioners. Police presence is often necessary in these situations, but according to Lance Braun, the legislative aide to Sen. Aguilar, it can traumatize those already experiencing a traumatic situation. "Ultimately, these individuals are ill, they're not criminals," said Braun in defense of LB668.

A similar bill was introduced by Sen. Mike McDonnell last session, but the Legislature ran out of time to pass it. Braun went on to argue during the public hearing for the bill that it would help victims of mental illness feel safer and more comfortable, while alleviating some of the burden placed on law enforcement. "Our law enforcement officers are to be commended, bu they should not be the first line of defense in many of these instances," finished Braun.

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WATER WOES, FROM LEAD PIPES AND NITRATES TO TOO LITTLE WATER, AIRED IN NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- A plethora of water woes were presented to the Legislature's Appropriations Committee on Wednesday during a hearing for Sen. Hansen's LB672, which would set up a $30 million revolving loan funds through the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy to help communities expand and update their water systems. If passed, over 50% of the loan could be forgiven.

Some of the concerns aired by city and town officials, as well as citizens, included lead in old Omaha service pipes, high nitrate levels in rural community wells, and not enough water flowing toward Blair's expansive biotech campus. Blair Public Works Director Al Shoemaker testified in support of the stimulus funding, saying that, by expanding the town's water system, they could keep business inside of Blair. "We need to keep our water rates as competitive as possible," Shoemaker told the Committee.

Sen. McDonnell introduced LB613 as well on Monday, a bill that would transfer $45 million from the state's cash reserve to help owners of old homes, mostly in Omaha, update their house's piping systems and remove leaded pipes. Metropolitan Utilities District Officials said that the current lead pipe replacement program is only reaching around 200 homes a year, and that LB613 would significantly increase this number.

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKER PRESENTS TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE SCHOOL SAFETY

LINCOLN- LB516, introduced by Sen. Lynne Walz and presented to the Legislature's Education Committee on Monday, would implement several recommendations from the State's School Safety Task Force, which was led by Walz and then-Education Commissioner Matt Blomstedt. Walz cited the recent Uvalde, Texas shooting as the main reason she introduced LB516, saying that that shooting "really put a spotlight on safety, security, and preparedness practices" in schools.

If passed, LB516 would hire a regional specialist to provide tailor support and increased training, appropriate funds to support the Safe2HelpNE reporting hotline, create a $15 million grant program related to safety infrastructure, and establish another $5 million grant for schools to hire mental health practitioners and school psychologists.

"The fact of the matter is that none of us want to believe something like this will happen here," Walz told the Education Committee, "But we have had a few incidents, and we need to be prepared for future ones." Nebraska's School Safety Task Force was created just two days after the May 24 shooting in Uvalde last year, and educators, parents, and the public were invited to participate.

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'HAVE JOBS, NEED PEOPLE' IS THE MESSAGE AT NEBRASKA 'WORKFORCE WEEK' EVENT

LINCOLN- Nebraska ranks amongst the top 5 states with low unemployment coming in at 2.5%. The state has continued to add jobs over the past year, but the statewide chamber president says there are 80,000 opportunities still out there. Essentially, everyone who wants to work is already doing so in the state.

'Workforce Week' kicked off this week as program development, outside recruiting, and retention remains the focus in Nebraska. “Here we are in Nebraska with a lot of jobs, many jobs to offer, not enough people to fill those jobs, and a very low unemployment rate,” said Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly. “No matter how you slice those numbers, we all come back to that same situation: Nebraska needs workers.”

Bryan Slone, president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said he is often asked which type of jobs are short employees. His reply is that the demand is across the board in all occupations. Slone note two bills in this years session that he thinks could make a difference moving forward. Those bills are LB610 and LB416.

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KIMBALL LEADERS RESPOND TO GOVERNOR'S DECISION NOT TO SUPPORT FUNDING FOR MISSILE SILO PROJECT

KIMBALL- A disagreement between the city of Kimball and the governor's office has arisen. Gov. Pillen announced that LB712, a bill aimed at funding the expected Sentinel missile silo project, did not make the cut for the governor's budget. Gov. Pillen said he has made his priorities clear, he followed this by saying "I want to assure those in Kimball and the Panhandle, the federal government will provide all necessary funds to undertake this missile project. The workforce camp will be located in Kimball, will be self-sufficient and will not need additional resources from the community to be operational."

Kimball officials were at odds with the Governor's outlook on the project. Mayor John Morrison said, "LB 712 is for the estimated 3,702 indirect jobs that we have been told will come, about the population of Kimball County now," Morrison said. "This is why we need LB 712. As soon as possible, Kimball needs to update our existing infrastructure and add to it so that more housing and commercial buildings can be built."

Gov. Pillen did say that if it turns out that the funding is necessary it will be addressed. Pillen said he has spoken with the military: "Those representatives have said, and they stand by this -- additional funding is not necessary, either now or in the long-term." Pillen acknowledged the communities concerns but said, "I believe misinformation has been shared and that has led to confusion about the nature of this workforce and the resources required to support it."

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MORE LEGISLATIVE CONTROL URGED OVER SPENDING OF STATE LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT FUNDS

LINCOLN- State Sen. Danielle Conrad's LB696, which was presented to the Legislature's Executive Board, would allow for more legislative oversight into how state legal settlements funds are collected and spent. Currently, the state's settlement "cash fund" sits at a hefty $28.1 million, but Conrad stated that she wanted the Legislature to decide how those funds are utilized.

"I see this proposal as a classic good-government measure," Conrad told the Executive Board. The funds, Conrad went on to state, should be directed toward the "harm" that prompted the lawsuits in the first place, not used to pay the salaries of lawyers and other staff. However, Attorney General Mike Hilgers told lawmakers that Conrad's bill was largely unnecessary.

Hilgers told the Board that his office has the right to use cash funds for the public good and that the money has been used to meet the needs of state personnel and Nebraska's customer protection division. Over the past few years, the state has joined in and won several lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies, retailers, social media corporations, and, more recently, President Biden's student debt relief plan and the federal "Water of the United States" rule.

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NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE MOVES FORWARD ON CREATION OF STATE BROADBAND OFFICE

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Legislature's Transportation and Telecommunications Committee advanced a handful of bills on Monday that would officially establish the Nebraska Broadband Office with the goal of providing reliable broadband services to all state residents by 2028. The Committee advanced LB683, a bill of particular import, which was drafted in response to Gov. Pillen's executive order calling for the creation of the office.

LB683, as well as several other bills tied to the Broadband Office, will be the Committee's priority bills going forward. Currently, the state's broadband services fall under the purview of the Public Service Commission, but will soon be moved to the State Department of Transportation. Gov. Pillen will be tasked with selecting the office's director, who would then serve in the governor's cabinet.

Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh was the sole dissenting vote in the committee, saying that the set of bills would take away too much power from the elected legislative body and give it to the governor. Sen. Wendy DeBoer echoed a similar sentiment, saying that Gov. Pillen's executive orders have complicated efforts to expand broadband. "There's a mess because of the executive order," said DeBoer.

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NEBRASKA'S FLOOD POSITIONED TO HELP FRAME HOUSE RESPONSE TO CALIFORNIA BANK FAILURE

WASHINGTON D.C.- Rep. Mike Flood is at the center of the House of Representatives' response to the failure of the Silicon Valley Bank. He said that he is impressed by the immediate federal government reaction to the potential financial crisis and remains alert to protecting the security of Nebraska banks. "I saw the best of the federal government at work over the weekend," the 1st District Republican congressman said, "as it provided real-time oversight during a crisis" and kept members of the House Financial Services Committee informed.

Flood has now turned his focus to avoid a ripple effect across the nation that may leak all the way back to Nebraska. "Nebraska banks are very well-capitalized and regulated and very conservative in lending," the congressman said in a telephone interview. Swift federal action was designed to "make sure there wouldn't be a ripple effect" that took other banks down, he said.

Flood said without quick federal action, it was possible that there would be several other bank failures across the country. He is looking into the causes of the failure and wants an answer to the question, "What role did Twitter play in spreading information with lightning speed?" Flood assured that the best people are at the helm, and they will continue working hard over the coming weeks.

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS ADVANCE ONE PARENTAL CONTROL BILL, WHILE OTHERS LIE IN WAIT

LINCOLN- On Monday, the Nebraska Legislature's Education Committee voted 7-0 to advance LB71 to the floor, a bill introduced by Sen. Rita Sanders that would require that all public schools disclose instructional materials to parents and allow parents to request that their child be excused from certain materials or lessons. The bill is co-sponsored by Sens. Albrecht, Briese, Linehan, and Murman.

Sen. Murman introduced a similar bill, which he described as a more comprehensive version of LB71. Murman's bill, LB374, dubbed the Parent's Bill of Rights and Academic Transparency Act, would give parents access to review all learning materials their school uses and allow them to withdraw their children from lessons or activities that use materials that conflict with the "parent's firmly held beliefs, values, or principles."

Although Murman voted to advance LB71, he stated that he hasn't given up on attempting to pass LB374. He went on to state that the Education Committee is still discussing his bill, and that it may end up being merged with another proposal that is being considered as one of the Committee's priority bills this session.

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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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