'VESTIGES OF DYSFUNCTION': HOW PARTISAN DIVISION ADDED TO A RANCOROUS NEBRASKA LEGISLATIVE SESSION

LINCOLN- Less than a year after his departure from Nebraska's Unicameral Legislature, former state Sen. John McCollister said he "couldn't bear to watch" much of this year's divisive and heated legislative session. McCollister cited the extreme levels of partisanship in the officially nonpartisan body as his reason for avoiding live or in-person viewings of proceedings, and even claimed this divisiveness as the reason for the widespread dysfunction seen this year by many Nebraskans.

McCollister, a registered Republican, came into the Legislature in 2015, and described his experience over the years as far more moderate than it is today. Another former Senator, Laura Ebke, who also entered the Legislature in 2015, echoed a similar sentiment. "We kind of charted our own course," she said, claiming that, in recent years, there has been a growing demand for Republican lawmakers to unite and be more disciplined in the Legislature. Ebke, prior to leaving the body, switched her party registration from Republican to Libertarian to avoid these demands.

Sen. Danielle Conrad, who returned to the Legislature last year after being term-limited in 2015, said the body has changed greatly since her last tenure. While Conrad recognizes that the body was almost always "right of center," she claimed her first two terms saw lawmakers acting as "independent contractors" rather than party representatives. Indeed, Sen. McCollister saw these growing "vestiges of dysfunction" over the years as well, and contributes them to overfunded campaigns, gerrymandering, and increased polarization in national politics.

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A GROWING NUMBER OF NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS SEEK TO AVOID ANOTHER FIGHT ON TRANS YOUTH IN 2024

LINCOLN- After passing a bill this year to prohibit certain health care for transgender youth, some Nebraska lawmakers may not have the appetite for a similar fight in 2024 over school bathrooms and sporting teams. State Sens. Merv Riepe, Jana Hughes, Teresa Ibach and Mike Jacobson are among those who voted for the health care restrictions but have said that their support for local control could provide a different avenue next year to address LB575, the Sports and Spaces Act.

LB 575 would define group bathrooms, locker rooms and sporting teams as either male or female, still allowing coed or mixed teams. It would also ditch the Nebraska School Activities Association’s Gender Participation Policy, which currently governs trans student-athletes. State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, a freshman senator, introduced both bills and has argued both are necessary to protect children, women’s sports and safe spaces.

The group of lawmakers has set out to strike a new tone after the rancorous 2023 session largely defined by LB 575’s sister bill, LB 574. In a memo to senators, Riepe wrote “The greatest victory is that which requires no battle,” quoting Sun Tzu, a Chinese general. He followed this by stating, “It is my recommendation that we amend LB 575 to stipulate our expectations to the State Board of Education, and require the State Board of Education to address the issue, not the state Legislature."

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NEBRASKA UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DIPS TO THREE-WAY TIE FOR LOWEST IN NATION

LINCOLN- As announced Friday by Nebraska's Labor Commissioner John Albin, it seems that Nebraska now sits right alongside South Dakota and New Hampshire as one of the states with the lowest unemployment rates, with a recent dip to just 1.9% of the population unemployed. May's preliminary rate, released Friday, sits just a pinch lower than April's 2%, as well as May 2022's 2.1%.

Albin noted just how many nonfarm jobs had been filled so far this year, saying it's "at a historical high at 1,044,702, surpassing the prior high count of filled jobs in November 2022 by 1,009." However, this isn't to say that nonfarm jobs didn't also see a substantial rise. Indeed, nonfarm employment was up by 1,985 jobs over the past month, and up a staggering 18,549 jobs over last year as well.

The data was provided to Nebraska by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which adjusts employment data seasonally and provides occasional, preliminary reports. Albin and his office reported that private industries in the state saw the most growth, which includes the education and healthcare sectors, which were up around 6,400 jobs, as well as leisure and hospitality, up around 5,000 jobs, and mining and construction, up about 4,000 jobs.

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'OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP' SUPPORTERS TO FIGHT PETITION DRIVE OPPOSING THE TAX CREDITS

LINCOLN- On Friday, supporters of Nebraska's new 'School Choice' law, including Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, who introduced the now-signed bill, announced the creation of a campaign that seeks to stifle a petition drive that hopes to place the issue on the state's 2024 general election ballot, allowing voters to decide the fate of the law. The campaign was revealed to be formally titled "Keep Kids First," and encourages registered voters to "decline to sign" the petition to place the issue on the ballot.

Sen. Linehan defended the new law, arguing that it does not, despite oppositional claims, divert public funding away from public schools. Linehan also called out the Nebraska State Education Association, which is leading the charge to place the issue on the ballot, claiming that the organization will "say anything for their own self-interest, but not for Nebraska kids."

Critics of the new law, including Support Our Schools Nebraska and the aforementioned public education union, argue that LB753, the 'School Choice' bill, and the tax credits it provides are a way for lawmakers to get around a state constitutional provision that disallows public funding from going towards private or parochial schools. Linehan finished by stating that it's unfair to single out her bill, which offers tax credits, since many more passed this year do the same.

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STIMULUS MONEY ALLOWING LINCOLN WATER PROJECTS TO PROCEED FASTER

LINCOLN- Nearly $200 million in federal funding appropriated to the City of Lincoln by the Nebraska Legislature this year is already being put to use, including more than $120 million for projects that expand and upgrade the city's current water system. At least five other water-related projects, which had been previously identified by the city's Capital Improvement Program, were bumped to the top of a list of potential improvements following the appropriation of federal dollars to the city.

Last year, the Legislature had appropriated around $20 million of ARPA funding to the city, but upped that number to a substantial $177.5 million this year, allowing Lincoln to begin work on a long-planned project to create a second water source for the city. To do this, Lincoln will build water transmission lines from the city to wells situated close to the Missouri River, which will be used to fill up reservoirs already supplied by rivers from around Ashland.

According to Donna Garden, assistant director of Lincoln Transportation and Utilities, the second water source will give the city a backup plan should the rivers and wells surrounding Ashland dry up. "It connects the large transmission mains from Ashland to the Missouri together so we can move water between the two sources," said Garden, "The point is it gives us the ability to make sure water is available to all of Lincoln all the time once the Missouri is introduced."

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DROUGHT CONDITIONS PERSIST IN EASTERN NEBRASKA, BUT RELIEF MAY BE ON THE WAY

LINCOLN- Nearly half of Nebraska, but especially the eastern side of the state, has been left parched following a Spring season with very little rain. In fact, according to a report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, east-central Nebraska is experiencing a 1 in 50-year drought event, which is classified as an "exceptional drought."

Thankfully, however, help may be on the way. According to Eric Hunt, a climatologist at the Unversity of Nebraska, El Nino, a warm climate pattern that affects the Pacific Ocean, might push more precipitation towards the state later in the Summer and during Fall. On top of that, the National Weather Service predicts that Nebraska will experience above-average rainfall in July, August, and September.

Lincoln saw its eighth driest April and second driest May in over 137 years, according to the Lincoln Department of Transportation and Utilities, and is experiencing water retention issues in its nearby aquifers, prompting the implementation of a city-wide, voluntary Water Management Plan. If conditions deteriorate in the city, the Water Management Plan could become compulsory for Lincoln, and perhaps even surrounding towns.

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HASTINGS RESIDENT LOOKING TO REPLACE SENATOR HALLORAN

HASTINGS- Over the weekend, Hastings resident Michelle Smith announced that she would enter the running to replace Sen. Steve Halloran, who will be term-limited in 2024, for the District 33 legislative seat. Smith is a mental health practitioner and a lifelong Hastings resident. Thus far, she is also the first candidate to announce that they would be running for the seat.

Smith intends to run on the Democratic ticket in 2024, and says she made the decision to run for the Nebraska Legislature after becoming disheartened by the body's recent passage of bills like the "Let Them Grow Act." Being a mental health practitioner, Smith said such bills personally impacted her, since some of her clients were affected.

"I had to sit with clients who feel like Nebraska doesn't want them, that they don't belong here," said Smith, "and that was extremely hard to sit with." Smith also indicated that she was against the abortion ban provision attached to the "Let Them Grow Act," saying that such decisions should be made between doctors and patients. According to Smith, her biggest goal, if elected, would be to expand mental health services across the state.

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OMAHA TRIBE GETS $38 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT TO STRENGTHEN HIGH-SPEED INTERNET

OMAHA- The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska announced Friday that it would be receiving a $38 million boost from the federal government to expand high-speed internet access, a service severely and historically underfunded and under-expanded in the region. The funding will come from the Biden administration's Internet For All initiative, which seeks to bolster internet infrastructure and connect underserved regions to national internet networks.

The Omaha Tribe, through Quick Current LLC, plans to deploy a fiber-based network that will, once finished, establish a network that serves the Omaha and Winnebago Tribes of Nebraska and Iowa. The network is planned to consist of 272 miles of new fiber, as well as 146 miles of IRU dark fiber. The project is one of 35 announced Friday, all of which will receive a chink of the $930 million Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program.

U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts lauded the announcement. "Nebraskans depend on high-speed internet for education, telehealth, entertainment, commerce, and more," he said, "This grant will move us one step closer to achieving our goal of ensuring that every Nebraska community has a chance to thrive." The Middle Mile program is run by the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration, from which the funding will be distributed.

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FEDERAL JUDGE STRIKES DOWN ARKANSAS BAN ON GENDER-AFFIRMING HEALTH CARE FOR TRANSGENDER YOUTH

ARKANSAS- A federal judge struck down Arkansas’ ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth, nearly 2 years after the bill's passage. Act 626 of 2021, known as the Save Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act, prohibited physicians from providing “gender transition” treatments like hormones, puberty blockers and surgeries to those under age 18. The SAFE Act became law in May 2021 when the Arkansas Legislature overrode then-Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s veto.

Four transgender Arkansas minors, their parents and two physicians who have treated those minors filed suit just days later, represented by attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union. A judge had originally granted an injunction stating the argument, “failed to provide sufficient evidence that the banned treatments are ineffective or experimental.”

Holly Dickson, executive director of the ACLU of Arkansas, said in a news release that the organization is “relieved and grateful” that Moody ruled to protect “life-saving care that should be available to all trans youth.” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders expressed support for an appeal via Twitter and called gender-affirming care “a political agenda at the expense of our kids.” The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will have jurisdiction over further legal proceedings.

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LINCOLN CASINO TO OFFER SPORTS BETTING STARTING THIS WEEK

LINCOLN- The long-awaited debut of sports betting in Nebraska is finally here. On Monday, WarHorse Casino in Lincoln announced that its new sportsbooks will officially open for business on Thursday, allowing customers to place wagers at in-person windows or through electronic kiosks placed throughout the facility. To adequately run this endeavor, WarHorse partnered with Kambi Group to provide the sportsbook and hired Jason Johnston, who had managed the sportsbook at BetMGM, to operate its sports betting sector.

"Nebraskans have been asking for the opportunity to wager on sports since the ballot initiatives were passed in 2022," said Lance Morgan, CEO of Ho-Chunk Inc., the parent company of WarHorse Gaming LLC, "We're thrilled to be the first casino in the state to offer sports betting." Local gambling regulations require bets to be placed onsite at the casino, but gamblers will also be able to use WarHorse's app to build out wagers, making it easier and faster to place them when at the physical location.

Morgan went on to note that bettors will have the chance to bet not only on major sports like baseball and football, but also sports like golf, tennis, bull riding, rodeo, and motorsports. A full catalog of sports was approved last month by the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission. The debut of sports wagering is expected to greatly boost gambling tax revenue in the state. As of right now, both of the new Grand Island and Columbus casinos are also planning to add sports betting in the future, but that will likely take several months.

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OPS' REVISED CODE OF CONDUCT WOULD PROHIBIT SUSPENSION OF PRE-K TO SECOND GRADE STUDENTS

OMAHA- Under a newly-proposed student code of conduct, the youngest of students in the Omaha Public Schools system would no longer be suspended in most cases. The school board is set to consider the second reading of the proposal this week. If it's approved, no child in pre-kindergarten to second grade would be able to be suspended by administrators unless they bring a weapon onto school grounds.

"Young children need to be taught and then practice self-regulation to develop memory, attention, and self-control skills necessary for the learning environment," the proposed code reads, "If a pre-K through second grade student must be removed from the classroom, they will work in the school with staff and resources to practice and develop skills to support a return-to-the-classroom environment." Under the current code, first and second grade students are only allowed to be suspended from their school for a maximum of two days.

The revision to OPS's code comes right after the passage of Sen. Terrell McKinney's LB632, which was included in a large package of education bills and prohibits any school residing in a city of the metropolitan class from suspending students from pre-K to second grade. McKinney, during the debate of his bill, argued that school districts need to use alternatives to suspension more often to keep students from poor outcomes like substandard academics or involvement in the criminal justice system. "Suspension from school sets children up for failure," said Connie Edmond, a representative from the Nebraska Commission on African American Affairs, "There are no second chances."

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NEBRASKA MEDICINE ADDS FOURTH BUILDING TO ITS VILLAGE POINTE HEALTH CAMPUS IN WEST OMAHA

OMAHA- Nebraska Medicine has opened a 90,000-square-foot facility at its Village Pointe Health Center campus in west Omaha. The latest addition is now the fourth building at the site near 175th and Burke Streets. Each building offers its own unique care, but the new addition adds services including heart and vascular, orthopedics, pre-surgical screening pulmonology and an on-site pharmacy.

Dr. Michael Ash, executive vice president and Nebraska Medicine’s chief operating officer, said the new building provides greater access to specialists. “While patients have come to recognize this location for its ease of access and comprehensive list of services, this completed expansion will improve even more upon the full spectrum of care being provided there.”

Officials celebrated a grand opening on Wednesday of this week. Kiewit Construction began work on the new facility in 2021. The Outpatient Pharmacy opens, the Orthopaedics Clinic opens Monday, July 10th, and the Heart and Vascular Clinic opens Monday, July 17th. Other specialties will continue to expand over the coming weeks as additional clinic moves are being finalized.

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WESTERN NEBRASKA CASINO POSSIBLE AS PLANS ANNOUNCED FOR A RACING LICENSE IN OGALLALA

OGALLALA- Western Nebraska may soon be able to offer casino gambling thanks to a transfer of a racing license from Hastings to Ogallala. Hastings Exposition and Racing, Inc., which possesses the racing license, announced it has submitted an application to the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission surrounding the move. Brian Jorde, a spokesman for the Hastings group, said he is excited for the committee to approve the application so they can hit the ground running.

The Hastings company said it plans to establish a multi-track quarter horse racing circuit and partner with Elite Casino Resorts. Elite Casino owns the Grand Island Casino resort and would invest $100 million in the racetrack and casino — also known as ”racinos.” The 174-acre site would be called the Lake Mac Casino Resort and Racetrack, potentially capitalizing on tourism to Lake McConaughy.

The casino would move away from the Grand Island casino and stretch the new sites out to the panhandle. “Western Nebraska always gets shut out,” Jorde said. “Our plan is to get this up and going in Ogallala and then get up and going in Gering and have a Quarter Horse circuit between the two locations.” The Chickasaw Nation was expected to be the partner for the Hastings casino, a new partner has yet to be determined.

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ACLU NEBRASKA FILLS LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

OMAHA- Mindy Rush Chipman has been promoted to the executive director role of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska. Rush Chipman joined ACLU Nebraska last year as legal director and shortly afterward was appointed as interim director. The spot was previously held by Sen. Danielle Conrad, who had headed the agency since 2014 before returning to the legislature.

In addition to speaking on various bills under consideration by the Legislature, Rush Chipman over the past year has helped lead efforts to support transgender rights in Nebraska and to distribute information about immigrant rights in different languages. Rush Chipman named Rose Godinez to fill ACLU Nebraska’s role as legal director. Since joining the chapter in 2017, Godinez has worked on policy and litigation, focusing in part on immigrant rights, police practices and racial justice.

Her research helped secure support for a 2020 law requiring anti-bias training for law enforcement officers and a recently passed law protecting student rights to wear natural hair, headdresses and tribal regalia. “These are two proven leaders who are both well positioned to keep working alongside our communities to build power and achieve change,” said ACLU board president Ashlei Spivey.

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OPS UNVEILS A $2.29 BILLION, 20-YEAR PLAN FOR MAINTENANCE OF ALL DISTRICT BUILDINGS

OMAHA- Omaha Public Schools is nearing a plan that addresses the direction of all 108 of their buildings. The plan, which outlines each building's maintenance and renovation needs over the next 20 years, amounts to a projected $2.29 billion in projects. The fine details and finishing touches are still being put in place, but school board members have had time to look at the initial run-through.

"The intent of our facilities assessment is to catalog, identify our needs and look at them to plan for years ahead. Much like a homeowner would plan for a kitchen remodel or a bathroom remodel," said Charles Wakefield, chief operations officer. "Our team walked every piece of our buildings — all 108 sites — looking at everything from above the roof to mechanical closets and looking at the windows."

Wakefield said the district's team of architects and OPS staff took photos of each item in every building, cataloged its condition and assessed the cost of replacement or renovation for the next five to 20 years. Each school has thousands of lines of data in the facilities assessment. Another part of the plan was to also create "master visions" for each OPS high school. The plans are starting points for future renovations to schools that will help support student needs.

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NEBRASKA CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION HEARS FROM FARMERS, RANCHERS, RESEARCHERS ON NEXT FARM BILL

LINCOLN- Joining up on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's East Campus, all five members of Nebraska's congressional delegation, in a rare joint meeting, received a chance to hear concerns from local farmers and ranchers, as well as University leaders ahead of the creation of a second major, federal farm bill. University leaders in particular pressed the need for the farm bill to invest in agricultural research, while farmers were largely concerned with protecting federal crop insurance and avoiding cuts in state assistance.

As drought conditions worsen in eastern Nebraska, farmers say local and federal assistance is necessary if they and their crops are to survive. "The main thing people were saying is that they want to preserve it," said Rep. Don Bacon, who serves on the House Agriculture Committee, of the assistance programs, "The farmers are being made whole right now, or they'd be selling their farms." The creation of the bill, as well as the debate surrounding it, will likely stretch into 2024, according to Sen. Deb Fischer.

Rep. Adrian Smith seemed particularly open to the pleas from University leaders, and said that he believes innovation and research are important for the future of farming in Nebraska. "We want the agility for producers to be able to innovate for the future and hopefully smooth things out economically for themselves," he said, adding that continued investment in research and farming technology improvement is a big part of keeping farmers employed.

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NEBRASKA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION, FAMILIES ADVOCATING FOR MEDIGAP REQUIREMENT IN THE STATE

OMAHA- Medical advocates and families in Nebraska have begun to push for the implementation of insurance protections for those with disabilities nearing retirement. In other states, insurance providers are required to offer 'Medigap,' which helps to cut medical costs, to people under 65 who are on disability, but Nebraska is lacking this system, instead requiring patients with disabilities to pay out of pocket.

"Medigap fills in the gaps, essentially, that the Medicare program has," said Jeremy Nordquist, president of the Nebraska Hospital Association, noting that people without supplemental gap coverage could be liable for up to 20% of their medical costs after meeting Medicare deductibles. Nordquist went on to state that up to 45,000 Nebraskans who are under 65 and on disability could find themselves paying exorbitant out-of-pocket costs, should the Nebraska Legislature fail to implement a required Medigap system.

"Nebraskans who have disabilities are often left out here," continued Nordquist, "And when they have high health care costs, it can be devastating to their family budgets." Thus far, no Nebraska lawmakers have expressed interest in implementing such a system, but the push for a Medigap system in the state by advocates and families may change that.

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GROUP INTRODUCES PETITION SEEKING PAID SICK LEAVE FOR ALL NEBRASKA WORKERS

OMAHA- On Thursday, a diverse group of separate anti-poverty advocates filed paperwork with the Nebraska Secretary of State's Office to begin work on a petition that would require businesses, both large and small, to provide some form of paid sick leave to its employees. The coalition of advocates seeks to place the issue on the 2024 general election ballot, but first must a significant number of signatures from registered voters in the state.

Jo Giles, executive director of the Women's Fun of Omaha, one of the groups backing the petition, said that around 250,000 full-time Nebraskans lack any form of paid sick days, with many in this group going to work sick or having to decide whether to take care of their sick child without pay. The language of the petition is still being drafted by the Secretary of State's Office, and may take up to three weeks to be fully finalized and issued to signature-gatherers.

"People should be able to take care of themselves when they get sick," said Giles, "We think this is a reasonable approach that respects the needs of employees but also leaves room for differences between staffing." According to the Women's Fund, the petition, though not finalized as of this time, seeks to set a minimum number of paid sick days each Nebraska employer must provide to its employees. According to Giles, the organizations involved in the drafting of the petition were prompted to do so after a severe lack of paid sick leave was revealed all over the state by the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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LAWMAKERS ASK NEBRASKA PARDONS BOARD TO CONSIDER MARIJUANA COMMUTATIONS CHANGE

LINCOLN- Three Nebraska lawmakers, who previously worked with Gov. Jim Pillen and Attorney General Mike Hilgers on the recently-passed criminal justice reform package, are requesting that the state's Pardons Board consider creating a process that encourages and expedites commutations and pardons for Nebraskans convicted of basic marijuana possession, a move that would make it easier for many in the state to secure work and housing.

In a letter delivered this week to the Governor's Office, Sens. Terrell McKinney, Danielle Conrad, and Justin Wayne asked the board to rethink Nebraska's second chance policy, urging the governor and the board to develop "an administrative process to encourage eligible people to seek pardons for simple marijuana possession convictions." The group of lawmakers added that such a change would be consistent with the "historic and meaningful" criminal justice reforms passed this year through LB50.

Conrad, who delivered the letter on Tuesday, said this change will help Nebraska fill jobs as it faces an increasing staffing shortage, and believes common ground on the issue can be found again with Gov. Pillen and AG Hilgers. McKinney echoed a similar sentiment, saying that second chances are nonpartisan and far more fair for those affected by simple possession charges. "Many people are starting to see the way we have been doing things as far as criminal justice policies and people coming back into society has negatively affected people and hasn't worked," he said.

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SEN. JEN DAY REPRESENTS NEBRASKA AT WHITE HOUSE STATE LEGISLATIVE CONVENING ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

WASHINGTON, D.C.- On Wednesday, state Sen. Jen Day traveled to Washington, D.C. to represent Nebraska at the annual State Legislative Convening on Reproductive Rights. The event, which is hosted by the Federal Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, encourages state legislators from across the country to engage in conversations about policy, agenda, democracy, and reproductive rights.

"I'm excited to be here exchanging ideas and strategies with other lawmakers on how to protect reproductive rights," said Day, "One year after the Dobbs decision, we are at a critical point in history and we have to be steadfast in our commitment to protecting the rights of Nebraskans."

Day's visit to the conference comes just weeks after the passage of LB574, which banned gender-affirming care for minors in Nebraska and further restricted abortion. The Legislature's decision to pass LB574 drew substantial national attention, and prompted conversations both within and without the state regarding reproductive rights.

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