GLOBAL AGRICULTURAL GIANT LOOKS TO NEBRASKA FOR SUTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT

LINCOLN- Large enough to encompass both Germany and Spain combined, Mato Grosso, a city in Brazil and one of the largest producers of corn, soy, cotton, and ethanol worldwide, is looking outward for sustainable development practices, including towards Nebraska. To meet increasing global demand, the Brazilian state intends to increase its food production, while also attempting to maintain the surrounding Amazon Rainforest, in which much of the agriculturally-suited water resides.

To do so, the state of Mato Grosso is planning on expanding its irrigation practices, and is looking to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as well as the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, for aid in mapping out the region's available surface and groundwater resources. Mato Grosso Gov. Mauro Mendes recently met with Gov. Jim Pillen at the 2023 Water for Food Global Conferences to discuss opportunities for partnership between the two states.

"We are looking forward to a partnership with Nebraska," said Mendes, "because Nebraska has the components of education, agricultural research, irrigation sector, and the governance of water." Geographically, both Nebraska and Mato Grosso reside near the center of their respective nations, and are both substantial food production hubs. According to Marcos Heil Costa, a professor of engineering at Universidade Federal de Vicosa in Brazil, such an expansion and partnership will be necessary if Mato Grosso is to weather predicted rain shortfalls, which are slated to decrease maize production in Brazil by 24-48%.

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SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, PARENTS CHALLENGE LGBTQ CLUB AT BENNINGTON HIGH SCHOOL

OMAHA- During a lengthy school board meeting on Monday night, Steve Shannon, a member of the board, alongside several concerned parents, challenged the district's decision to allow an LGBTQ club at Bennington High School. Shannon, who was elected to the seat in November, said the school-run organization, formally titled the Prism Club, "pushes ideology" and causes "irreparable harm" to Bennington's students.

The club became part of Monday's school board session after school administrators requested that the board pay several staff members, including the Prism Club's sponsor, for their time overseeing clubs at the school. The board approved the payments on a 4-2 vote, with Shannon and Tim Dreessen voting 'no.' Before Monday's meeting, Shannon posted to Facebook saying that he believes the Prism Club is "centered around sex."

A handful of parents used the meeting's public comment period to criticize the approved payments and the existence of the Prism Club at Bennington High. One parent, Mary Socha, stated also that she sees such clubs as pushing an ideology. "That doesn't sound to me that the Prism Club is just a safe place for kids to go," she said during the discussion. Prism Clubs, according to the ACLU, are student-led organizations that "provide support for LGBTQ students and educate others about LGBT issues, while engaging in awareness activities."

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ERROR IN CALCULATION CAUSES BUDGET CONCERNS AT MCCOOK PUBLIC SCHOOLS; GOVERNOR'S OFFICE SAYS TOTAL REFORM NEEDED

MCCOOK- The Nebraska Department of Education certified an education formula of $5.8 million for McCook Public Schools on March 1, 2023. The department found an error in their data, and the formula was reduced on June 9, 2023, to $5.5 million, a reduction of $300,000. Those were funds that MPS administrators were counting on when penciling out their plans for 2023-24.

The error was attributable to the portion of the TEEOSA formula that allocates dollars for “poverty” students. In the 20-21 school year, 43 percent of MPS’s students participated in free/reduced lunches. In 21-22, that dropped to 33 percent, causing a reduction in MPS’s poverty allocations.

Under the Pillen Plan, adopted by the Nebraska State Legislature this session, MPS will receive an additional $1 million in special education funding. Prior to the Pillen Plan, special education was reimbursed at a rate of about 40 percent. Going forward, that reimbursement will be at 80 percent, between state and federal dollars. That $1 million is not included in the certification dollars provided by the Nebraska Department of Education.

According to representatives of Gov. Pillen’s office, the state is providing $300 million statewide in new funds for K-12 public schools. “That is all new funding and does not touch the existing TEEOSA formula for equalized school districts like McCook,” said Kenny Zoeller, who is the director of the governor’s policy research office. “The reason why McCook is seeing a reduction in poverty allowance is because of the calculation of poverty kids in the McCook school district.”

He said the Pillen Plan increased school funding by 30 percent compared to last year. “If the Governor’s plan was not in place, that million dollars [special education reimbursement] would go away.” Between the special education reimbursement and the TEEOSA funding, MPS will receive $6.5 million, or an 18.5% increase in state aid, according to Zoeller.

“It’s an overly complicated formula that needs to be totally reformed,” Zoeller said. “And I know the governor’s intent on doing that.”

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NEBRASKA DMV WORKING TO ROLL OUT SPECIAL DRIVER'S LICENSES FOR UKRAINIAN REFUGEES

LINCOLN- Nearly two weeks since Gov. Jim Pillen signed LB138 into law, which allows the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles to issue special driver's licenses to Ukrainian refugees, many DMV offices around the state have indicated that it has become a top priority to begin handing them out. "We understand the necessity for the Ukrainian immigrants here to be able to get to work so they can do what they need to do to take care of their families," said DMV Director Rhonda Lahm, "And so it is a priority."

Lahm also indicated that, even before the passage of LB138, many DMV offices had begun working on obtaining and printing the special licenses. "We've been working on that programming process," said Lahm, "We've been working with our card vendor to redesign the card." The DMV is still waiting, to the dismay of a slew of Ukrainian refugees, on several program changes and testing for the dozens of licenses that will be issued.

No firm date has been set for when the licenses will be ready for issue. "I've met with 25 Ukrainians that have been driving commercial vehicles in Europe and they are here, they are ready to go," said Oleg Stepanyuk, the Ukrainian-born director of operations for a Lincoln trucking firm, "They are work-hungry." According to Stepanyuk, a slew of Ukrainian families have moved away from Nebraska to get commercial driver's licenses in other states. "That...is working against these families and frankly against the economy of our state," he said.

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NONPROFITS SHARE $5.7 MILLION IN STATE GRANTS FOR URBAN 'WORKFORCE HOUSING'

LINCOLN- Over the weekend, it was announced that three nonprofits have been awarded a total of $7.5 million in state funds to construct more affordable housing in urban areas of the state. The grants, which required at least a 50% match from the nonprofit, are the latest allotments from the state's Middle Income Workforce Housing Investment Fund, which was established by the Nebraska Legislature in 2020.

According to Sen. Tony Vargas, roughly $10 million remains in the three-year-old fund, which aims to expand housing in older and higher-minority neighborhoods in Douglas, Sarpy, and Lancaster Counties. Vargas went on to state that he'd like to see the remaining funds disbursed by the Department of Economic Development quicker than in the past, since that will allow Nebraska to better meet the growing housing demand.

"This is about economic development for the working and middle class," said Vargas, adding that he would like to continue to push for more funding for the program, especially after Gov. Jim Pillen vetoed legislation that would have added $20 million to the Middle Income Housing Fund and another $20 million to a similar fund meant to build rural affordable housing. Winning recipients of the latest disbursement include Habitat for Humanity of Omaha, Holy Name Housing Corporation, and Nebraska Housing Resource.

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NEBRASKA'S LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY HITS RECORD JOB STRIDE AFTER PANDEMIC PLUNGE

OMAHA- The latest from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that employment in Nebraska’s leisure and hospitality industry not only surpassed the pre-pandemic high earlier this year, but around March it exceeded 97,000 for the first time. The seasonally adjusted job count in leisure and hospitality — a “supersector” that includes arts, entertainment, recreation, lodging and food services — dipped a bit later but has been trending around the all-time high for the last few months.

This is seen as a milestone within the industry given the blow received from the Covid-19 pandemic. “This is the sector that took the biggest dive nationwide, so it’s a good mark for Nebraska,” said Michael Lucci, senior policy adviser of the Platte Institute of Nebraska. In the months following the onset of the pandemic, the industry lost 40,000 jobs just within Nebraska.

Lucci said Nebraska has performed 13th best nationally in terms of job growth in the leisure and hospitality market since the pandemic-induced plunge. He said 31 states have yet to get back to the employment levels they saw in those areas before March 2020. Not every sector has felt the same bounce as this industry according to Lucci. The state is in a good spot, but has many milestones yet to be achieved.

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ERROR ON PETITION FIXED, EFFORT TO REPEAL SCHOOL CHOICE LAW PROCEEDS AFTER 'HICCUP'

LINCOLN- Following the filing of a petition by the Nebraska State Education Association and Support Our Schools Nebraska to repeal the legislature's recently-passed school choice law, the Nebraska Secretary of State's Office provided a corrected petition this week after a minor mistake was detected in the original paperwork. Details surrounding the mistaken filing are unclear as of this time.

Opponents of school choice, including the two aforementioned organizations, called the mistake a small 'hiccup,' and confirmed, alongside the Secretary of State, that all previous signatures, of which there were around 10,000, will be honored on the new petition. The ballot initiative seeks to repeal LB753, or the Opportunity Scholarships Act, which allows taxpayers to divert up to half of their state income taxes to organizations providing scholarships for children seeking to attend private or parochial schools.

To place the initiative on the ballot, the Education Association and Support Our Schools must turn in around 61,000 valid signatures in just under 90 days, with a goal of obtaining around 90,000 to account for any mistakes. Proponents of the Opportunity Scholarships Act argue that the new law will allow low-income families to have the same choice of where to send their child to school as more well-off families, while critics say it's a stepping stone for more laws allowing public funding to be diverted to private institutions.

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NEBRASKA RANKS NO. 8 AMONG STATES FOR OVERALL CHILD WELL-BEING IN LATEST KIDS COUNT REPORT

LINCOLN- This year, Nebraska maintained its previous number eight ranking for child well-being in the latest Kids Count data book, which offers trends and a report card on how youths are fairing in each state. The data, which was released on Wednesday, considers 16 different factors across four broader areas, including economy, education, health, and family and community.

Representatives from Voices for Children in Nebraska argued that the state's high overall ranking was driven by efforts in the economic sector, and match up with Nebraska's low unemployment rate, allowing parents to more easily and effectively provide for their children. "Affordable and accessible child care is a necessary precursor to any kind of functional economy," said Juliet Summers, executive director of Voices for Children.

However, Voices for Children also acknowledged, despite Nebraska's terrific child well-being score, that affordable and extensive child care in the state is still a substantial issue for many residents. Indeed, according to the Kids Count data book, the cost of child care has risen nationwide by around 220% since 1990, with lack of staffing becoming a particularly pressing issue as well.

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CONCERNS RAISED FOR NEBRASKA YOUTHS IN FOSTER CARE, BUT PROGRESS IS NOTED IN OMAHA AREA

LINCOLN- Statewide, though mostly in Douglas and Sarpy Counties, 165 kids currently in the system have been transferred to a different caseworker at least 10 times. The Nebraska Foster Care Review Office says this is unacceptable and creates instant instability for children within the system. The caseworker turnover rate is one of the major red flags found in the offices quarterly review report.

Monika Gross, executive director of the watchdog office, said she has seen signs of progress, though, in eastern Nebraska since the state took that area’s case management a year ago from an underperforming Saint Francis Ministries. Gross said that staffing challenges still persist in the state’s largest urban counties and that it is not the time for officials to “let up” on efforts to get the workforce on track for this vulnerable population.

Although it is the major concentration of cases, Omaha has shown improvement. According to the June report, the number of foster children in Douglas and Sarpy Counties who have dealt with 10 or more caseworkers during their time in state custody dropped in a three-month period between December and April — from 275 to 148. DHHS said it will take at least two or three years to see progress needed in such an urban area.

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GOV. PILLEN APPOINTS NEW NEBRASKA CRIME COMMISSION DIRECTOR

LINCOLN- Governor Jim Pillen announced his appointment of Bryan Tuma for Executive Director of the Nebraska Crime Commission following the resignation of the previous director, Don Arp. Tuma is a former Nebraska State Patrol Supervisor and former director for the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency. “Bryan has extensive experience in public safety, particularly in law enforcement and in the area of emergency management,” said Governor Pillen.

“He is a five-star recruit for this role – someone who has leadership, administrative, and strategic planning skills that will greatly benefit the Crime Commission and its work in supporting other agencies tasked with protecting the public.” Previous Director Arp submitted his resignation to Gov. Pllen last week, formally, to “pursue career interests outside of state government.” The resignation comes after an article showed a program overseen by Arp, Nebraska’s Crime Victim’s Reparations program, disproportionately helps far fewer victims when compared to other states.

New Director Tuma has worked in state government for nearly four decades. Thirty-two of those years were with the NSP. In 2005, Tuma was appointed by then-Governor Dave Heineman to serve as superintendent of NSP, a position he held until his retirement in 2011. His most recent experience with the state has been as the safety and emergency preparedness coordinator for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

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LEGAL ARGUMENTS IN CHALLENGE TO NEW ABORTION BAN PUT OFF UNTIL JULY 19

LINCOLN- The legal challenge to the state's new law that restricts abortion and transgender health care for minors has had it courtroom arguments delayed until July 19. For now, the law enacted by LB574 remains in effect. After a 15-minute court hearing held via Zoom on Monday morning, Lancaster County District Court Judge Lori Maret decided to continue the court challenge until July 19 at 10 a.m.

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and the ACLU of Nebraska, who are representing a physician and clinic that perform abortions, maintain that LB 574 violates the Nebraska Constitution’s requirement that legislation be confined to a single subject. They are asking the judge to either rule the law unconstitutional or issue a temporary injunction against it going into effect until their lawsuit is decided.

Meanwhile, lawyers with the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, which is defending the new law, are asking the judge to throw out the legal challenge to LB 574. They maintain that the two aspects of the bill — abortion and transgender rights — are compatible because they both deal with health and welfare, and the powers of the state medical officer. The judge said she wanted to hear the arguments on the motions together, at one hearing, rather than some arguments Monday and others July 19.

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TEMPORARY HARRAH'S CASINO NOW OPEN IN COLUMBUS, NEBRASKA

COLUMBUS- The state now has its third racetrack casino located in Columbus, Nebraska. Caesars Entertainment announced that the temporary Harrah's Casino at Ag Park in Columbus opened this week, signifying the project is on schedule. The casino, inside the current horse racing facility in Columbus, has more than 200 slot machines and electronic table games. It will serve as Harrah's presence in Nebraska until a permanent casino and horse racing track are finished.

The new site, being built northwest of the city on U.S. Highway 81, will feature a casino and sportsbook with more than 500 slot machines and 14 table games, along with a 1-mile racetrack and a hotel. It's expected to open sometime in spring 2024. Harrah's joins casinos in Lincoln and Grand Island and will further boost the tax collected from the states casino pool.

The casino is open daily from 9 AM to 1 AM. Casinos in the state must be required to have a horse track on property. WarHorse Lincoln, which opened in late September, had generated nearly $6.2 million in state and local gaming taxes as of April 30. The Grand Island Casino Resort, which opened in late December, has generated nearly $2.2 million in taxes.

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TURNBACK TAX LEGISLATION ALLOWS LINCOLN OFFICIALS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH CONVENTION CENTER PLANS

LINCOLN- The city of Lincoln's hopes to build a convention center got a favorable boost following this past legislative session. LB732 will allow a portion of state sales tax revenue to fund builds such as the convention center. “Until you have some level of financing, you don’t have a project, you have an idea,” said Dan Marvin, Lincoln’s director of Urban Development. “I think we’ve moved from an idea to something that’s more than that because you have something that can pay for a portion of the building.”

The bill, introduced by Sen. Bostar, extends provisions originally included in the state’s convention center facility financing assistance act until 2030, allowing cities to use 70% of the state sales tax revenue collected by retailers within 600 yards of the convention center to pay for it. The bill was included in a large package of tax-related bills helping assure its passage in the 2023 legislature.

A convention center has been a priority of Lincolns for multiple years and was one of four priorities this year for Lincoln senators. Possible locations include the U.S. post office site, the former Journal Star site, the Midwest Steel site, the Telegraph district, and across the street from the Cornhusker Hotel. The location near The Cornhusker Marriott has gotten a lot of attention, but city officials say no decision has been made.

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CANDIDATES START EMERGING FOR 2024 NEBRASKA LEGISLATIVE RACES

LINCOLN- The 2023 Legislative session may have just ended and the 2024 election is still more than a year away, but at least six candidates have announced they will compete for a seat in the unicameral. The six include one former candidate and five political newcomers. Five are seeking seats now filled by senators who are barred by term limits from running again. One is challenging an incumbent senator.

Fifteen lawmakers will be term-limited in 2024, guaranteeing turnover for those districts and another year of significant change for the 49-member Legislature. Last year saw 14 new senators elected. Along with the two senators who were appointed after the 2022 session, newcomers accounted for nearly one in three seats when lawmakers convened in January.

The candidates are Tracy Hightower-Henne, running for District 13 currently held by Sen. Justin Wayne. Allison Heimes, running for District 39 currently held by Sen. Lou Ann Linehan. Bob Andersen, running for District 49 in hopes of unseating Sen. Jen Day. Kameron Neeman, running for District 27 currently held by Sen. Anna Wishart. Michelle Smith, running for District 33 currently held by Sen. Steve Halloran. Ethan Clark, running for District 41 currently held by Sen. Tom Briese.

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INTERPRETERS WHO WORK IN NEBRASKA COURTS STAGE WALKOUT TO PROTEST PAY

LINCOLN- In protest to their pay, some interpreters for Nebraska's state courts are refusing to go to work. An increase to pay for court interpreters was proposed in the state's two-year budget but was later vetoed by Governor Pillen. There was an attempt to override the veto, but it did not sustain. There is not an official number of interpreters that will be participating in the walkout.

A lack of available interpreters could mean delays in court services, an increased reliance on video interpreters and extra money spent extending some cases. Despite numerous attempts to raise wages for interpreters, there has not been a change since 2004. The current rate is $50 an hour for certified interpreters and $35 an hour for registered and non-certified interpreters, with a two-hour minimum.

The interpreters’ latest requested increase was $85 an hour for certified interpreters and $60 an hour for non-certified interpreters, with a 3% automatic yearly increase. In the Legislature, Sen. Dungan proposed a bill that would appropriate about $1.2 million in the budget to cover rate increases for court interpreters. After debate in the state’s Appropriations Committee, the funding was lowered to about $400,000, and was then eliminated entirely through Pillen’s veto.

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POPULATION GROWTH STRONGEST IN SOME NEBRASKA SUBURBAN AND RURAL COUNTIES

LINCOLN- While Nebraska overall saw a slight population bump, 51 of the state’s counties lost residents between mid-2021 and mid-2022, according to a new census analysis by the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Center for Public Affairs Research. Sarpy and Saunders Counties both grew by about 1.4%. Lancaster County, another population center, clocked in with a smaller 0.4% growth, compared to bordering Otoe County’s 1.2%.

The latest census report also showed some of the strongest annual population growth in a handful of smaller, more rural Nebraska counties, including Frontier, Deuel, Greeley and Dawes. Frontier is home to the University of Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, which has noted plans to expand from about 300 to 500 students within the decade. The campus, in the town of Curtis, also is poised to get a new $12 million student and community center.

During the decade of 2010-2020, Schafer said that 68 of Nebraska’s 93 counties saw their population decline (compared to 51 during the year between July 2021 and July 2022). Nebraska’s latest population estimate of 1,967,923 represents an increase of 0.22% — just above the 50-state median of 0.19%. Nebraska’s statewide growth rate fell short of the rate in bordering states of Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota. South Dakota was among the country’s top performers.

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IN EMAIL TO SUPPORTERS, PILLEN CLAIMS SESSION A VICTORY

LINCOLN- Following his first Legislative session, Gov. Jim Pillen claimed a victory as he reflected on the work. In an email to supporters, Pillen said the job has been a privilege and simply incredible. He began by reiterating why the people of Nebraska voted for him saying, "You elected me to office with a clear mandate to make transformational change in the areas most important to our future: our kids; our tax code; our agricultural industry, the backbone of our economy, and our conservative Nebraska values." 

Pillen said the 2023 Legislative session produced the most wide-ranging package of commonsense reform in state history from his point of view. He went on to highlight contents of the session such as $6 billion in property and income tax relief; reforming TEEOSA and investing in students; capping spending at 2%; school choice via the Opportunity Scholarships Act; a 12-week abortion ban; constitutional carry rights; creation of the Nebraska Broadband office; securing water rights; and funding law enforcement. 

The message ended by saying there is still more to be done. Property taxes, lifting up more kids, and addressing mental health challenges are all still on the agenda, but the state must celebrate for now. He noted a plan to win 38 of the 49 seats in the Legislature and further fight for 'commonsense, conservative values'. He signed off by saying, "Together, we can."

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NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE WORKED OVERTIME THIS SESSION AND RACKED UP EXTRA COSTS

LINCOLN- The 2023 session of the Nebraska Legislature had an unprecedented string of debate-extending filibusters, as well as more night sessions than ever. As debate would often stretch past 11 p.m., pages and red-coated sergeants received many more hours than in past sessions. The legislative accounting office announced that costs for that group rose 23% this year compared to the last 90 day session in 2021.

Overtime payments for the clerk’s office, revisor of statutes, legislative fiscal office and sergeants of arms this year were more than double what was spent in 2021. The Nebraska State Patrol devoted 14% more hours. “There was a lot of strain on them this session,” State Sen. John Arch, the Speaker of the Legislature, of legislative staffers. “They’ve got work ethic like you wouldn’t believe,” said the Clerk of the Legislature, Brandon Metzler, of his staff’s willingness to work nights and rearrange schedules.

The night sessions continued every week starting March 28 and continued nearly every day. The exception was the last day of the week when lawmakers traditionally work through lunch and adjourn in early- or mid-afternoon to facilitate long drives home for rural senators. Lunch breaks at noon were shortened from 90 minutes to 60 minutes, to provide more time for floor debate. And a nightly supper break lasted only 30 minutes.

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NEBRASKA'S TAX REVENUES CONTINUE TO FALL BELOW FORECASTS

LINCOLN- Despite optimistic predictions for the state's economic future, Nebraska's tax revenues continue to fall below projections, according to the Nebraska Department of Revenue, which produced data indicating a $53 million shortfall from October 2022 to May 2023. Despite this, Sens. Lou Ann Linehan and Robert Clements, Chairs of the Legislature's Revenue and Appropriations Committees respectively, aren't concerned.

In fact, Clements argued that the shortfall will be "easily absorbed" by around $70 million left unspent this year by the legislature. Sen. Linehan echoed a very similar sentiment. "If there's a squeeze on our economy, I'm not seeing it," she said. However, in May alone, Nebraska's next tax receipts were 8.7% below the original forecast, with corporate income tax down 226.5% and tax refunds up a staggering 29.5%, from a projected $152 million to $197 million.

Although slight changes were made to the Revenue Committee's forecast prior to the finalization of the Legislature's two-year budget, neither Clements nor Linehan believes any new information would have changed how the recently-passed budget turned out, even if the most recent shortfall was observed earlier. "We're not teetering on the edge here," said Linehan, adding that income revenues will stabilize in the near future as a result of events like the College World Series.

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GOVERNOR PILLEN ANNOUNCES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR NEBRASKA CRIME COMMISSION

LINCOLN- On Friday, Gov. Jim Pillen announced his appointment of former Nebraska State Patrol Supervisor Bryan Tuma as the next executive director of the Nebraska Crime Commission, replacing Don Arp, who submitted his resignation to the governor this week. "Bryan has extensive experience in public safety, particularly in law enforcement and in the area of emergency management," said Pillen in a press release, "He is a five-star recruit for this role."

Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly echoed Gov. Pillen's sentiment about Tuma, noting that he had worked with the former State Patrol Supervisor many times over the years. "Bryan Tuma is a perfect fit for this position," said Kelly, "He has earned an outstanding reputation in the law enforcement and emergency management fields."

Tuma has worked in state government for nearly four decades, and has 33 years of experience in the State Patrol. In 2005, Tuma was appointed by then-Gov. Dave Heineman to serve as superintendent of Nebraska State Patrol until his retirement in 2011. After working in the private sector for a time, Tuma came back to state government and worked as the assistant director of the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency. Arp, who is being replaced by Tuma, has worked in the position since 2019.

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