NEBRASKA COMPROMISE ON VOTER ID APPEARS NEAR

LINCOLN- Late last week, state Sens. Julie Slama and Tom Brewer sent outlines of a new voter ID proposal to the Legislature's bill drafters, leading many to believe that a compromise on the contentious bill has been found. The new proposal, an updated version of Sen. Slama's LB535, which would require voters to present a valid ID before casting a ballot, clears up three areas previously considered cloudy and vague. 

The areas addressed by the new proposal include which types of ID would be accepted, how and when the state would verify the IDs of voters using mail-in ballots, and whether the bill would add additional checks on every voter's immigration status. Slama announced that the new bill would allow for the use of state ID cards, student ID cards, nursing home IDs, as well as expired IDs, which were prohibited in the initial draft of the bill. 

The bill also allows witnesses to sign and vouch that they had seen a person's photo ID after an individual fills out and seals a mail-in ballot. These witnesses, under the new proposal, could be held liable if found to have lied. The final bill will also not add any additional checks to verify a voter's citizenship status. Sen. Brewer stated that he expects to hold an executive committee meeting to address the new language, and believes the bill should be ready for debate by mid-May.

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SEVEN NEBRASKA AIRPORTS TO SEE UPGRADES WITH $17 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS

LINCOLN- Seven western and central Nebraskan airports are set to receive roughly $17 million in federal grant funds to help upgrade runways, hangars, and make other helpful improvements. The Federal Aviation Administration grants come from the second funding round of the Airport Improvement Program.

The Program is meant to help smaller airports promote safety, security, and environmental stewardship. Cities benefiting from the grants include Ainsworth, Burwell, Norfolk, North Platte, Scottsbluff, Sidney, and Wayne, according to the Nebraska Department of Transportation. 

"We're happy to be able to partner with FAA Central Region in Kansas City to get this essential grant funding to our airports," said Anna Richart, director of the aeronautics division at the Department of Transportation. Western Nebraska Regional and the William B. Heilig airports with receive around $12 million to rehabilitate their runways, while four additional airports will be granted funding for new hangars.

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NEBRASKA PROBATION OFFICE FAILED TO PAY SOME MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS FOR MONTHS

LINCOLN- The rollout in January of a new payment portal for mental health care providers treating Nebraskans on probation came with technical challenges that went undetected for more than two months and left some health care providers unpaid for longer. Nebraska's probation office pays around $50 million each year to state service providers that evaluate, treat, counsel and sometimes house probationers who otherwise could not afford the treatment. 

When the new portal went live Jan. 1, each provider had to register for the new system all at once — a process that required more support from probation office employees than the state had anticipated — while a breakdown in the new system halted payments to some providers for months. Though the system worked flawlessly for some providers, others submitted payment requests that went unfulfilled for nearly four months, leading to a backlog of approximately 1,500 unpaid bills at its peak.

It's not clear exactly how much money the state owed providers when the backlog peaked, but from April 21-27 the office processed 1,215 vouchers that amounted to nearly $2 million in payments, many of which were backlogged from weeks or months prior. The payments the office processed over that period — which totaled $1.94 million — were paid to 260 separate health care and house providers, for an average of about $7,400 per provider. 

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OPS BOARD APPROVES SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH TIMELINE

OMAHA- The Omaha Public Schools board has approved a new timeline for its superintendent search. The timeline, which spans roughly nine months, begins with public input through an online survey in mid-May and ends with finalist interviews and superintendent selection in mid-February. It was advanced on a 5-4 vote at a Monday board meeting. 

The approved timeline works through three stages of vetting. The public will be able to give input through an online survey in both May and September. Board members won’t be officially interviewed until September, with stakeholder meetings taking place Oct. 3-5. Following public feedback, the superintendent job application period will open on October 17 and will close on January 16. 

The rest of the timeline explains that Matt Ray, interim superintendent, will lead the district for the entire 2023-24 school year, with the next superintendent starting in the 2024-25 school year. The school board will review semifinalists the first week of February, and finalists will be selected by Feb. 5. Public interviews of finalists will take place Feb. 12-16 before the next superintendent is selected. 

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U.S. REPS. SMITH, DINGELL INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HOME-BASED HEALTH SERVICES

WASHINGTON D.C.-  U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., has introduced bipartisan legislation meant to increase access to home-based health services and modernize Medicaid reimbursement. Alongside Rep. Debbie Dingell, a Michigan Democrat, Smith introduced the Expanding Care in the Home Act earlier this week. The legislation aims to bring house calls back to Medicare beneficiaries and bolster the accessibility and affordability of home dialysis for kidney patients. 

They highlighted the importance of access to care beyond the traditional medical settings following the Covd-19 pandemic. “As we identify opportunities to modernize the care seniors can access, we must consider the convenience and comfort home care offers them,” Smith said in a statement. 

Smith and Dingell said the proposal would also further enable the delivery of advanced diagnostic imaging in the home, expand access to home infusion services and create a personal care services benefit in Medicare to fill the gap for people who cannot afford to pay out of pocket yet do not qualify for home care services by Medicaid. The bill was referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Ways and Means Committee. 

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FRIENDS OF STATE ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST SAY PROPOSED FUNDING TRANSFER MIGHT BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL

LINCOLN- Supporters of the Nebraska Environmental Trust called on state lawmakers Tuesday to reject a proposed transfer of $14 million out of the Trust, a move they are calling unconstitutional. Sandy Scofield, a former state senator and head of the Friends of the Environmental Trust, alongside Lynn Roper, a former member of the Trust's Board, are considering putting forth a lawsuit to block the transfer.

The Pillen administration proposed to transfer the $14 million out of the Environmental Trust over the next two years and place the funds into a water resources fund controlled by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. The Legislature's Appropriations Committee also included the transfer in its proposed budget.

"This is a steal, in my opinion," said Roper, "With the current state funding surpluses, certainly there are other funds available." Scofield and Roper joined around a dozen other supporters of the Environmental Trust at a press conference at the Nebraska Capitol on Tuesday. There, several speakers argued that the Environmental Trust has strayed from its mission to "conserve, enhance, and restore the natural environments of Nebraska." 

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SENATOR RICKETTS WELCOMES USDA'S DISASTER DECLARATION FOR 13 NEBRASKA COUNTIES

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Sen. Pete Ricketts, on Wednesday, lauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture's decision to declare a disaster in central Nebraska and allow certain counties to apply for emergency loan assistance following substantial droughts. This week, the USDA deemed 13 counties in Nebraska as primary natural disaster areas, as well as 31 counties as contiguous areas. 

"Food security is national security, and it is essential we support our farmers and ranchers during tough seasons to ensure the continued production of our food supply," said Sen. Ricketts, "Nebraska farm operators have been struggling in the face of record-breaking drought conditions, and I encourage all eligible for the emergency assistance to apply."

The newly-deemed designation allows farm operators in the primary and contiguous counties to apply for FSA emergency loan assistance, and have around 8 months to do so. Primary counties affected by the immense drought include Custer, Knox, Saline, Valley, Dawson, Lancaster, Seward, York, Gage, Logan, Sherman, Garfield, and McPhereson Counties.

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ONLY SMALL CHANGES MADE TO STATE BUDGET PROPOSAL, INCLUDING PTSD PILOT PROGRAM

LINCOLN- During debate on Nebraska's biennial budget proposal, north Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne compared living in that region to a "war zone," leading the body to approve an amendment that would appropriate funds from the budget to a pilot program intended to study the need for preventing PTSD among children "through the reduction of community gun violence." On a 28-3 vote, the body approved a two-year, $10 million addition to the budget to provide for this program.

Besides that, however, the budget saw only small changes. Proposed by the Legislature's Appropriations Committee, the budget for the next two years, if approved, would call for just over $11 billion in spending, with an average spending hike of 2.3% per year. A few highlights within the new budget include $366 million for a new state prison, $574 million for the long-awaited Perkins County Canal, and around $715 million for income tax cuts. 

Critics of the proposal, namely state Sens. Danielle Conrad and Machaela Cavanaugh, argued that the budget, if implemented, would be "stealing" money from cash funds held by state agencies rather than be utilizing state tax funds, as is typical. "This budget is about playing politics at its worst," said Conrad during debate over the proposal, "It's full of gamesmanship, it is full of gimmicks, and it's full of tricks." The personal income tax cuts contained within the proposal would, according to the Lincoln-based think tank OpenSky Policy Insitute, benefit only 20% of wage earners. 

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS ADVANCE 23 BILLS IN ONE EDUCATION PACKAGE

LINCOLN- On Tuesday, the Nebraska Legislature advanced Sen. Murman's LB705, a substantial package of 23 education-oriented bills. The bill, which faced very little opposition despite the immense amount of bills contained within it, was advanced to its second round of debate on a 40-0 vote. The package addresses a myriad of issues, including Nebraska's growing teacher and mental health resource shortage. 

The underlying bill, LB705, would distribute over $24 million in state lottery funds to various education sources, including college access efforts and opportunity grants. Another notable bill within the package is LB385, a bill introduced by Sen. Lou Ann Linehan that would allocate around $10 million for teacher retainment grants. Under this proposal, Nebraska teachers could receive a $2,500 grant for their second, fourth, and sixth year of teaching. 

According to the Nebraska Department of Education, unfilled teaching jobs across the state increased by nearly 60% over the last school year, going from 482 vacancies to around 768. Many of the bills contained within the package seek to ally concerns surrounding the state's teacher shortage. "The existing workforce shortage has impacted schools large and small," said Sen. Dave Murman. 

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PROPOSAL TO LET NEBRASKA CITIES RESCIND TIF-RELATED 'BLIGHTED' LABEL CLEARS EARLY HURDLE

LINCOLN- On Tuesday, a bill that would allow Nebraska cities to remove a "blighted" designation cleared its first hurdle, and was advanced from the Urban Affairs Committee during an executive session. The bill, LB532 introduced by Sen. Terrell McKinney, changes provisions within the Community Development Law that governs tax-increment financing. 

Under the TIF program, a city must declare an area blighted and substandard before it can approve a TIF loan to help cover the costs of redevelopment projects. Normally, the developer takes out the loan that is then paid back over 15 or 20 years by using property taxes generated by the redeveloped property. After the TIF loan is repaid, property taxes collected on what then should be a higher-value property begins flowing into local governments. 

However, LB532, if passed, would allow the substandard and blighted designation to be reviewed and removed by the city's governing body. Blighted tags have received substantial criticism from those who say they hurt property values within neighborhoods. LB532 was meant to move forward with a proposed amendment to allocate $100 million to the Omaha Streetcar Project under the condition that the city develops a line extending into north Omaha, but according to McKinney, this amendment wasn't attached to the advanced bill.

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BIPARTISAN BILLS AIM TO GET MORE AID TO VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME

LINCOLN- This session, lawmakers in the Nebraska Legislature have introduced two new bills aimed at bolstering the state's Crime Victim's Reparations Program. One of these bills, LB757 introduced by Sen. Wendy DeBoer, lengthens the deadline for reporting violent crimes to police from three to five days, extends the filing deadline for minors, and lets the Crime Victim's Reparations Committee consider applications that miss these deadlines for "good cause." 

The other bill, LB315 introduced by Sen. John Fredrickson, would prohibit medical providers from referring victims of sexual assault, domestic assault, trafficking, or child abuse to collections. Additionally, Fredrickson's bill would bar these providers from "distributing information" that would negatively impact victims' credit scores.

According to Katie Welsh, legal director at the Women's Center for Advancement, victims of violent crime are often billed for medical costs because they don't have insurance. "Victims are in these situations through no fault of their own," said Welsh, "but are bearing the brunt of the consequences. When the bill goes unpaid, it gets sent to a collection agency...which leads to more phone calls and letters ordering the victim to pay up."

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RALSTON, GRAND ISLAND OFFICIALS MAKE LATE PITCH FOR STATE HELP IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

LINCOLN- Officials with the Cities of Ralston and Grand Island are making a late pitch for state funds to help redevelop sites for new businesses and jobs. In Ralston, officials are eyeing the demolition of a 1950s-era shopping center, called Hillcrest Landing, for redevelopment on the Omaha suburb’s Main Street. In Grand Island, funds are being sought to extend infrastructure, such as water and sewer service, to the 20-square-mile site of the former Cornhusker Ammunition Plant.

Senator Loren Lippincott is leading the charge as he presented an amended version of his Legislative Bill 600 to members of the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee. Under his amendment, $10 million would be transferred from the state’s ample cash reserves into a “Municipality Infrastructure Aid Fund.” Cities and towns could apply for grants of up to $5 million each to revitalize areas for economic development. 

The Transportation and Telecommunications Committee had questions surrounding the proposal in a hearing last week. Committee members were also concerned with the time of the change as the legislative session nears its final days. The committee did adopt the new amendment but did not advance LB600 out of the committee. 

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'MY POSITION HASN'T CHANGED,' SAYS SENATOR WHO REFUSED VOTE FOR SIX-WEEK 'HEARTBEAT' ABORTION BILL

LINCOLN- Following the failed attempt to advance Sen. Albrecht's LB626, a bill that would ban abortions in Nebraska after roughly six weeks, Sen. Riepe, who decided not to vote on the bill and subsequently killed it, said that he would not motion to reconsider the vote, despite meeting with Gov. Jim Pillen. "I've told the governor and his aides what I support," said Riepe, "My position hasn't changed." 

Just hours after the vote was held on LB626, Gov. Pillen and Sen. Riepe held a meeting to discuss a potential re-vote. Riepe, a pro-life Republican, had previously attempted to compromise by introducing an amendment that would ban abortions after 12 weeks, but was soundly denied by his colleagues. Riepe argued that giving pregnant women more time to decide might convince some to choose to keep their baby, and therefore didn't vote on what he saw as a too-extreme proposal. 

Despite his decision not to vote, however, Sen. Riepe did indicate that he would like to see the issue come up again next year, and stated that he wants to find a way to implement further restrictions. Last Thursday, almost immediately following the vote, the GOP committee in Saunder's County voted to issue a verbal censure of Riepe, and, like Pillen, called on the senator to motion to reconsider the vote. "We thought Riepe was on board with six weeks," said John Zaugg, the GOP chairman for Saunder's County, "It was very disappointing. A lot of people feel very passionate about this."

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NEBRASKA CAPITOL BAN LIFTED FOR GUN CONTROL ADVOCATE BARRED FROM GROUNDS

LINCOLN- Just a week after shouting from the Legislative Chamber balcony following the passage of Sen. Brewer's LB77, Melody Vaccaro, executive director of Nebraskans Against Gun Violence, was informed that she would be allowed back into the Capitol after being indefinitely barred. Vaccaro recently yelled "Shame!" while pointing to senators who had voted to advance LB77, a bill that would allow the permitless concealed carry of handguns, and was promptly escorted out of and banned from the Nebraska Capitol. 

LB77, which overcame the filibuster on a 33-14 vote, was signed into law by Governor Jim Pillen last Tuesday. Vaccaro received a letter late last week indicating that her ban was, in fact, not indefinite, and that it would only remain in effect for seven days. "As previously explained, this bar does not prohibit you from entering the Capitol Complex Area for official business, all matters that deal with the Legislature, and events in the Capitol Complex Area," stated the letter.

However, the language contained in the most recent letter conflicts directly with the earlier notice, which stated that Vaccaro was "banned and barred from the Nebraska State Capitol and Nebraska State Capitol grounds." Vaccaro's attorney, Daniel Gutman, argued that the mixed signals sent by the Nebraska State Patrol indicate larger problems surrounding the ban and bar policy utilized at the Nebraska Capitol. 

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'NOT IN NEBRASKA': PUBLIC SCHOOL ADVOCATES RALLY AGAINST 'OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP' BILL

LINCOLN- On Saturday morning, public school advocates flooded the steps of the Nebraska Capitol in protest of Sen. Linehan's LB753, which would adopt the Opportunity Scholarships Act and allow public funding to be utilized in private or parochial schools. Protestors sought to send a message regarding opportunity scholarships to Nebraska lawmakers: 'Not in Nebraska.'

More specifically, Linehan's LB753 would permit state tax credits for those who donate to organizations providing scholarships to students attending private schools. Jenni Benson, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, called the rally a "tremendous show of strength and support" for public schools. Nebraskans have, in the past, rejected "school choice" efforts three times already, and Benson stated that they're "going to do it again."

Thus far, LB753 has maintained support through two rounds of floor debate, and has received support from Democratic Sens. Terrell McKinney and Justin Wayne. During the rally, Dunixi Guereca, director of Stand for Schools, which advocates for public school funding, described LB753 as a "school choice scheme" that doesn't invest in students. "This bill is not about giving students choice," he told the attendees, "it's about giving schools choice. Choice to pick and choose the students that they serve, unlike public schools that serve all students."

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'NO ROOM FOR COMPROMISE': HOW TALKS BROKE DOWN ON AMENDING NEBRASKA'S TRANS HEALTH CARE BILL

LINCOLN- After a bi-partisan coalition of state senators met to discuss Sen. Kauth's LB574, a bill that would restrict minors from receiving gender-affirming care, it was reported that little to no common ground was found. Opponents of LB574, some of whom met with their colleagues to discuss potential amendments to LB574, said that there was no real attempt by the other side to reach an agreement. Proponents of the bill who joined the meeting said they went into the discussion in good faith, but couldn't reach a solution that pleased everyone.

The group was comprised of eight state senators, including Kathleen Kauth, Speaker John Arch, John Cavanaugh, John Fredrickson, Lynne Walz, Ben Hansen, Tom Briese, and Teresa Ibach. After just four meetings, however, Sen. Kauth called an end to the discussions. Kauth has yet to introduce her amendment to LB574, but stated in an interview that it includes a grandfather clause that exempts patients currently receiving gender-affirming care from the ban. 

Sen. John Cavanaugh, an opponent of the bill, said Kauth's planned amendment doesn't include any of the potential changes discussed during the meetings, and instead argued that she had already had the grandfather clause in mind when drafting LB574. "She comes in with a proposal and leaves with the same proposal," said Sen. Cavanaugh. Kauth claimed that she had ended the meetings after becoming concerned that drastic changes to the bill would affect how much support it received.

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KEY STATE SENATORS MUST RESOLVE THREE QUESTIONS ON NEBRASKA VOTER ID BILL

LINCOLN- The deadline for negotiations this week in the Nebraska Legislature over two voter ID amendments could decide whether or not the body votes on one or the other. Since being introduced, County election officials from across the state, who will carry out whichever proposal is implemented, have weighed in on the issue as well, asking lawmakers to keep things simple. 

Sate Sens. Julie Slama and Tom Brewer, who introduced the two dueling amendments, are meeting on Monday with Speaker of the Legislature John Arch, as well as the Governor's and Secretary of State's offices to search for common ground. Both introduced amendments that would significantly change LB535, the voter ID proposal introduced by Sen. Slama.

The discussion is set to focus on three key areas, which could decide the fate of each amendment, as well as the bill itself. Firstly, what forms of ID the state will accept as proof of a voter's identification. Secondly, how and when the state will verify the IDs of voters utilizing mail-in ballots. And finally, whether or not the state's voter ID bill should include additional checks of citizenship. 

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MORE THAN 115 NEBRASKA BUSINESS LEADERS SIGN LETTER OPPOSING BILLS THAT ATTACK LGBTQ+ RIGHTS

LINCOLN- On Tuesday, each member of the Nebraska Legislature received a long letter written by a coalition of more than 115 Nebraska-based business leaders calling on the body to avoid advancing Sen. Kauth's LB574 and LB575, which would restrict transgender youth from receiving gender-affirming care or participating on a sports team that best fits their identified gender. 

The coalition, which largely echoed a previous letter sent by the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, said that such bills would hurt job recruitment and retention in the state if passed. "Nebraska can avoid major competitive risks--and win investment, business, and talent--by sending a clear and consistent signal that all are welcome here and Nebraska is open to business," the letter read.

The coalition's members included both large and small businesses, from A Novel Idea Bookstore to Omaha Steaks. Gov. Jim Pillen's office responded to the letter by saying that "protecting Nebraska kids is good for business." The response went on to state, "We welcome all people to Nebraska, but we should not let kids make irreversible life-altering decisions until they are adults." Sen. Kauth also responded to the letter, stating that there is a large majority in the state who want to see such bills pass, and that these individuals are being ignored by these businesses. 

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LAWMAKERS REJECT ATTEMPT TO NARROW COSTS OF PROPOSED $574 MILLION CANAL

LINCOLN- On Thursday, while debating the Governor's proposed budget, lawmakers rejected an amendment that would have significantly lowered the cost of the $574 million Perkins County Canal project and freed up funding for more or similar projects. The amendment, which was introduced by Sen. John Cavanaugh, would have provided for a much lower-volume canal, but at a much lower cost of $125 million. 

"This is a mistake," said Cavanaugh of the larger planned canal, arguing that building the canal based on the current plan would invite an expensive lawsuit from Colorado, where part of the canal would be built under a 1923 water compact. The project, which was revived by former Gov. Ricketts, was continued by Pillen, who set aside $574 million in his budget to build a canal that could divert up to 1,000 cubic feet per second of water, as well as several dams.

Sen. Erdman argued against Sen. Cavanaugh, saying that the larger canal is necessary if Nebraska is to weather droughts, especially in the western region of the state. "We're in a desert out there basically," said Erdman, "and any time you can gather more water when it's flooding, it's an appropriate time to do that." Sen. Bruce Bostelman, chair of the Natural Resources Committee, echoed a similar sentiment. After a lengthy debate, the amendment failed on an 11-32 vote. 

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NEBRASKA DEMOCRATS LOOK TO 2024 AFTER TUESDAY ELECTION WINS

LINCOLN- Following election day in Lincoln earlier this week, Nebraska Democrats eagerly look forward to the future following decisive wins in contested races. Tuesday's elections could indicate the party’s chances next year, including in a presidential election where Nebraska’s Omaha-centered 2nd Congressional District has twice given an electoral vote to Democratic presidential candidates.

Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, a Democrat, handily won a second term Tuesday, despite an aggressive push by Republicans to oust her in favor of former Lincoln state Sen. Suzanne Geist, who saw more than $1.5 million pumped into her campaign from GOP donors. Tuesday stood out for the number of wins Democrats scored, including 3 of 4 contested City Council seats, giving Democrats a dominant 6-1 advantage. And Republicans lost all three of the contested local school board seats.

Democratic Party leaders see an opportunity to capitalize on Republicans' hard shift to the right, particularly on religious and culture war issues issues — including the recent push across red states to target the transgender and LGBTQ+ community members, ban books from schools and libraries and vastly restrict abortion access. Those efforts are unpopular with the majority of voters, Nebraska Democratic Party Chairwoman Jane Kleeb said Wednesday.

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