CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION WORKING TO SAVE MOBILE HOMES FROM REMOVAL

WASHINGTON, D.C.- A group of trailer owners faced with the removal of their summer cabins from alongside two Nebraska reservoirs may soon find reprieve as a Congressional delegation seeks to stop the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which owns the reservoirs, from going forward with their plans. This month, U.S. Sens. Fischer and Ricketts, as well as U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, met with 20 of the trailer owners, and vowed to introduce legislation that would transfer management of the two concession areas away from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and instead place that power into the hands of Hitchcock and Frontier Counties, where the reservoirs are located. 

"Local, as opposed to federal control, is best," said Nathaniel Sizemore, a spokesman for Sen. Fischer, "and community members have indicated they support transferring the land to the relevant county entities." Fischer and Ricketts, after hearing from the two trailer communities, agreed that their removal would hurt local businesses and end traditions. The Bureau, in a new improvement plan, sought to remove 110 trailer sites at Swanson and 71 at Red Willow Reservoirs by November 2024. In doing so, the federal organization sought to make way for the construction of new campgrounds, rental cabins, playgrounds, and walking trails. 

Hitchcock County Commissioner Paul Nichols, who was among those who traveled to Washington, argued that the two trailer communities, during the summer, pump substantial amounts of funding into the local economy. Nichols went on to state that Hitchcock is ready to assume management of the land, and would be able to handle road maintenance, gross sales, and trailer leasing. If the legislation passes, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission would continue to operate the campgrounds at both reservoirs, and, according to Nichols, the Bureau of Reclamation would still have the power to build new facilities, should it want to. 

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PILLEN TOUTS SCHOOL FUNDING DURING PETITION FIGHT OVER TAX CREDIT FOR PRIVATE K-12 SCHOLARSHIPS

LINCOLN- On Wednesday, Gov. Jim Pillen held a news conference celebrating the state's first $1 billion pledge towards the Education Future Fund, highlighting that such an investment in public education far outweighs the costs of Nebraska's new Opportunity Scholarship Act, which provides tax credits for those funding scholarships for children seeking to attend private K-12 schools. As a petition fight is being waged against the Act by several oppositional groups, including the Nebraska State Education Association, Pillen argued at the conference that it will not, as many argue, divert funding from the state's public schools.

"That's not true at all," said Pillen of this argument, "We have added through this priority funding $305 million more in education funding. The Opportunity Scholarship Act is $25 million off the top of state funding through a tax credit." When asked to clarify his argument, Pillen said, "That money comes off the top line of the budget of six and a half billion dollars of revenue from the state. It has not tie-in with education at all." The Education Future Fund, which would provide $1,500 in baseline aid to every public school district in Nebraska, is certainly a welcome disbursement of state aid, but some, including NSEA and Support Our Schools Nebraska, are skeptical that the $1 billion pledge will be achieved.

To back this up, NSEA and Support Our Schools Nebraska pointed to the fiscal estimate for the impact of the Opportunity Scholarships Act, which predicts that state aid to public schools could decrease by around $12 million, if enough students transfer from certain aid-receiving school districts to private schools. Jenni Benson, president of the NSEA, went on to argue that public school costs would not necessarily decrease because a few students leave a district and attend a private school instead. Benson also added that the Opportunity Scholarship Act is a stepping stone toward a full-blown voucher system. "They say this isn't tax money, but it is," said Benson, "The general fund funds public education. It will affect public school funding because it has to if it continues to grow."

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SENATORS URGE AG HILGERS TO CLARIFY STANCE ON REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PRIVACY

LINCOLN- In a letter sent on Wednesday, a group of nine state lawmakers asked Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers to clarify his stance on reproductive health privacy and medical autonomy, just one month after Hilgers signed onto a letter opposing a federal rule change that would expand protections for the medical information. Sens. Machaela Cavanaugh, Megan Hunt, Danielle Conrad, Jen Day, John Cavanaugh, George Dungan, John Fredrickson, Carol Blood, and Jane Raybould penned the letter, arguing that the state already has an "unfortunate history" of prosecuting women and health care providers for pregnancy outcomes. 

Cited in the letter were recent abortion-related prosecutions in Norfolk, and the senators said they have "grave" and "serious concerns" about the role of law enforcement and prosecutors in investigating and charging women who seek abortions in Nebraska. In the letter, the group of senators say they seek a "prompt and clear response" from Hilgers relating to why it's important for the state's Attorney General to have people's medical records from other states, whether or not that information will be used to aid investigations into individuals who seek reproductive care over state lines, and whether it is Hilgers' intention to prosecute individuals who receive care in other states. 

"If these are not your intentions," the group wrote, "please share clearly why it would be necessary to have access to this information without due process of a court order or subpoena." A spokesperson from Hilgers' office confirmed that the Attorney General had received the letter, and will work promptly to answer the questions contained therein after reviewing it. 

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RED WAY DROPPING LINCOLN FLIGHTS TO ATLANTA, MINNEAPOLIS AND AUSTIN IN EARLY AUGUST

LINCOLN- On Tuesday, Red Way Airlines, a recent addition to Lincoln's ever-expanding airport, announced that it will pull the plug on three of its original destinations: Austin, Atlanta, and Minneapolis. The leisure air carrier, which began flying out of Lincoln's airport in June, will hold its final flights to these destinations on August 5th. Those air travel markets, according to Red Way CEO Nick Wangler, "unfortunately don't make sense to continue."

Wangler said he was saddened to have to cancel those flight paths, but that he also understood that such decisions would have to be made as Red Way eases into Lincoln's airport system. "I'm more disappointed in myself that we picked a couple of markets that ultimately didn't work," he said, adding that those flight paths likely won't come back any time soon.

Since announcing that it would make the Lincoln Airport its home in March, Red Way has sold more than 36,000 tickets and has exceeded expectations in markets like Dallas and Nashville. Recent market additions, like Tampa and Phoenix, have been successful as well for Red Way, according to Wangler. "We have a bunch of flights that are working incredibly well," said Wangler, "There's a lot of good stuff coming."

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NEBRASKA INSPECTOR GENERAL'S REPORT REVEALS 3 YOUTH DIED BY SUICIDE WHILE IN CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM

LINCOLN- A new report from Nebraska's inspector general reveals three children died by suicide while involved with the Division of Children and Family Services. According to the report, the children who died were ages 11 to 16. They were from different areas of the state, and their family dynamics were diverse, but all were involved in the division of children and family services, just at different points in the system.

Inspector General Jennifer Carter said the Division of Children and Family Services were "not responsible," but they were lacking "training, policies, and procedures to address suicide prevention." Youth involved in the child welfare system reported higher rates of suicidal ideation and self-harm behaviors. Also, youth who are wards of the state were three times more likely to attempt suicide than those who were in the system but not under state care.

Carter said DHHS has committed to putting together a comprehensive suicide prevention plan by the end of 2025. As a result of the findings, the Office of the Inspector General provided DHHS with a lengthy list of recommendations including procedures and gatekeeper training.

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NATIVE OMAHA DAYS GROUP GETS UPDATE ON MILLIONS OF DOLLARS COMING TO EAST OMAHA

OMAHA- The more than 350 North and South Omaha entities that applied last year for a chunk of the multimillion-dollar Economic Recovery Act should get prepared for their next shot at the grant dollars. State Sen. Terrell McKinney offered an update on the $225 million dollars at a town hall early this week.

The North Omaha lawmaker said he expects the Nebraska Department of Economic Development to reveal the new application timeline in the next few weeks and said the competitive process has been slowed in part because of a top leadership change in the DED. He said he will continue to strive for transparency in this process and recognized there was confusion and frustration in the first go-around attempt.

“It’s not about me or you individually, it’s about the betterment of our community,” McKinney said. “These resources can bring positive change.” Not everyone who applies this time will be funded, he added, noting that the earlier requests totaled about $3 billion. Sen. McKinney was joined by Omaha City Councilwoman Juanita Johnson and Omaha State Sen. Justin Wayne.

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IRS PLANS TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE CENTER IN HASTINGS NEXT WEEK TO HELP NEBRASKANS

HASTINGS- The Internal Revenue Service plans to host a special event in Hastings in August to help local taxpayers face-to-face.

The IRS will set up a temporary Taxpayer Assistance Center Aug. 1-3, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily, so people will be able to meet one-on-one with IRS assistors. The Hastings Public Library is partnering with the IRS to host the event at 314 N. Denver Ave.

The efforts stem from the IRS’s new Strategic Operating Plan and congressional funding approved last year through the Inflation Reduction Act. Christopher Miller, IRS spokesperson for Nebraska, said this level of activity is certainly new for the IRS and part of a larger goal to transform and improve services and reach out to taxpayers “in ways that work best for them.” This includes expanding access particularly in underserved and rural communities.

The IRS states Hastings was selected partly because the nearest center is more than 100 miles away in Lincoln, which reopened this summer. The IRS has started to offer special Saturday hours at select assistance centers, including the one in Omaha, and has increased employment across centers nationwide.

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GOV. PILLEN APPOINTS BRYAN McQUAY TO NINTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT JUDGESHIP

LINCOLN- Earlier this week, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen announced his appointment of Bryan McQuay of Alma as a county court judge in the Ninth Judicial District of Nebraska. That district includes Hall and Buffalo counties. McQuay has actively practiced law in rural Nebraska for the past 24 years. He has served as a county attorney in Harlan, Kearney, and Phelps counties and operates the private practice of Person & McQuay in Alma.

McQuay’s legal experience covers a variety of areas including juvenile issues, criminal and civil law, real estate and personal injury. He has served as a special prosecutor in Adams, Buffalo, Franklin, Furnas, Phelps, and Webster counties. McQuay holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Nebraska --Lincoln. He earned a juris doctor from the University of Nebraska College of Law.

The McQuay appointment is a unique one as he is the first judge in this new position. McQuay fills a judicial position created by amendments to Neb. Rev. Stat. §24-503 (Laws 2023, LB799) establishing a fifth county court judge. That new seat will become effective September 1, 2023.

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SENATOR DEB FISCHER SECURES FUNDING FOR CRITICAL NEBRASKA TRANSPORTATION IN UPCOMING BILL

KEARNEY- Senator Deb Fischer says she's secured 45 million dollars to fund critical Nebraska transportation in an upcoming Transportation bill. If passed this bill will provide funding for highway construction, more modern airports in Nebraska and also water and energy needs. These projects will each receive millions of dollars to improve what they have to offer.

The assistant city manager of the City of Kearney, Brenda Jensen, noted the funding would help with the Kearney Regional Airport and expressed her thanks to Sen. Fischer. "We really appreciate Senator Fischer's support for the state of Nebraska and the city of Kearney. Specifically, she's always willing to support transportation.

In this regard, it's going to be for our airport to ensure that we have safe access, logistics and safety, really just improvements at the airport. So it is crucial and we really appreciate her support to submit that on the Senate and House," said Jensen. It is also estimated that the Nebraska Department of Transportation would be getting over 12 million dollars.

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NEBRASKA STATE SEN. TOM BREWER CALLS LATEST HUMANITARIAN MISSION TO UKRAINE MOST DANGEROUS

LINCOLN- State Sen. Tom Brewer has returned safely to Nebraska after spending a month on the front lines of the war with Russia.

He said his latest trip to Ukraine was more dangerous than the other two trips he's been on. "It was a more violent war than any of the other trips. We were under fire a lot," Brewer said. Brewer arrived right as Ukrainian forces began to push Russian troops back near their border.

Brewer helped deliver first aid kits, supplies and radios to a network of pastors on the front lines. "The tragic situation is it's so heart-wrenching to see some of it, but it's also refreshing to see their spirit to continue and want to win this because for them to have a future, they have to win the war," Brewer said. Multiple places that Brewer visited are now leveled by Russian missile attacks.

Brewer said the Ukrainian forces equipped with NATO weapons were advancing slowly. "It's difficult because the minefields are covered with artillery. So as they're trying to clear the mine, fields are getting hammered with artillery," Brewer said. He said the Ukrainians could be better aided by longer-range missiles and aircraft. He said the Ukrainians are grateful and are doing what they can, including using cheap drones with bombs attached.

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NEBRASKA CIVIL RIGHTS PANEL SETS PUBLIC FORUM ON COVID-19's IMPACT ON K-12 EDUCATION

LINCOLN- A civil rights panel is seeking in-person comment in August regarding the effects of COVID-19 on K-12 education in Nebraska, with a focus on the digital divide and mental health. The Nebraska Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is following up a duo of virtual briefings this month with an in-person forum Aug. 9 in Lincoln. Students, teachers and other stakeholders are asked to describe their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and what areas are still in need of support.

Committee Chair Nikitah Imani, a professor of Black Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, noted the committee has heard from subject matter experts so far and now has invited the public to engage. “We need to hear the stories of directly impacted individuals in order to ensure that the recommendations we develop are relevant to current needs,” he said in a news release.

The Aug. 9 forum will be at Embassy Suites Lincoln, 1040 P St., in Room Regents B from 1-4 p.m. The event will be transcribed and recorded for the public record. Written testimony will be accepted until Sept. 11 and can be sent to Victoria Moreno at vmorena@usccr.gov. People wishing to speak can sign up the day of the forum.

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WITH PROPERTY VALUATIONS SKYROCKETING, PILLEN APPOINTS 'WORKING GROUP' TO CONSIDER REFORMS

LINCOLN- With recent valuations of homes skyrocketing, and farmers still smarting over a steep rise in agricultural land values, Gov. Jim Pillen is forming a “working group” to look at reforming the state’s property valuation system. It might lead to caps on valuation increases, or automatic “rate rollbacks” of property tax increases when valuations spike. It might also lead to a proposed change in the state constitution, said Kenny Zoeller, who heads the Governor’s Policy Research Office.

“We’re kind of opening the hood and allowing all ideas to be brought to the table,” Zoeller said, with a goal of introducing legislation in 2024. “The governor has some initial ideas,” he added. “His hope is that we can work with the counties and state senators and other interested parties to come to a unified solution.” Property valuations have been on the rise due to the increase in prices of homes and land.

This year, the cost of farm and ranch land rose 14% across the state, to a new record high. Valuations of homes for property tax purposes, meanwhile, have risen dramatically as well. The increases varied between 10% and 30% in Lincoln, and rose an average of 12.7% in Douglas County. Pillen, in a press release, called such increases “reckless” and an “unbearable burden.”

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NEBRASKA UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HOLDS STEADY AS ONE OF THE LOWEST IN THE NATION

LINCOLN- Nebraska’s unemployment rate has held steady at 1.9%, tying with Vermont for the third lowest rate in the nation. The Nebraska Department of Labor released preliminary data for June last week, with Nebraska’s rate remaining the same from May at the same time. The rate is down 0.3% since June 2022. The national unemployment rate is 3.6%, dropping 0.1% over the month.

New Hampshire and South Dakota edged Nebraska and Vermont for the lowest unemployment rates, tying at 1.8%. This is according to seasonally adjusted, preliminary data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. New Hampshire and South Dakota were tied with Nebraska for the lowest national rates last month based on May 2023 data. John Albin, Nebraska’s labor commissioner, said this is the second consecutive month for a new high in filled jobs, largely attributed over the month to increases in the Omaha metropolitan area.

Today, Nebraska’s labor force includes 1,062,783 people — 1,042,324 employed workers and 20,458 people who are unemployed but seeking employment. A few private industries saw growth from month to month, such as leisure and hospitality (up 3,455 jobs), mining and construction (up 1,833 jobs) and trade, transportation and utilities (up 1,457 jobs).

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NEBRASKA PREPARES $405 MILLION BROADBAND EFFORT AS 70,000 PLACES LACK FAST INTERNET

LINCOLN- If you lack internet or have slow speeds in your area of Nebraska, now is the time to let the state know. State officials want to verify the accuracy of their statewide broadband coverage map before awarding $405 million in federal grants to bring fast broadband or wireless internet to those areas. State officials have identified 70,000 unserved businesses, commercial buildings, apartments, houses or other structures.

Patrick Redmond, deputy director of the state's new Broadband Office, said he doesn't want to learn of gaps in coverage after the money's awarded. “The reason that this is important, that we go through this challenge process, is because this is how it’s going to update our map, to make our maps accurate, such that when we’re breaking out the $405 million it’s all going to the right place," Redmond said.

The Nebraska Broadband Office will be producing an interactive version of its map into which people can type in their address and see what the government says their availability is. The state's plan is to deploy the interactive map in late July or early August. The state has not yet set a deadline for reporting challenges. There will be a 90-day notice of the deadline, they said. Broadband is needed across the state, officials say, for telehealth, education, jobs, shopping, entertainment and agriculture.

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MORE CANDIDATES ANNOUNCE RUNS FOR LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- Sarah Centineo, a nurse, attorney and two-term Bellevue school board member, has announced plans to run for the Nebraska Legislature. Centineo, a Democrat, is seeking the District 45 seat now held by State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue. The district encompasses portions of Bellevue, Offutt Air Force Base, and La Platte. Sen. Sanders has yet to confirm if she will seek reelection. 

Allie French of Prague also announced her candidacy for District 23. French is a leader with Nebraskans Against Government Overreach, a conservative grassroots organization, and the owner of Anglers Allie, a live bait shop near Czechland Lake. She said she is running for the Legislature because “we need strong patriots willing to boldly stand for truth, even if they face standing alone.” 

In District 41, Nadine Bane has announced a bid for term-limited Sen. Tom Briese's seat. Bane currently serves as the vice chairman of the Greeley County GOP. The district encompasses Greeley, Howard, Valley, Wheeler, Boone, Sherman and the northern portions of Hall and Buffalo Counties. She describes herself as a “Ronald Reagan conservative Republican". Finally, for the District 31 seat, Mary Ann Folchert, a former educator, intends to challenge the newly-appointed Sen. Kathleen Kauth, saying that "political polarization threatens the good life" and that Nebraskans need "sensible, diligent, and open-minded lawmakers." 

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NEBRASKA GEARING UP TO DISTRIBUTE $48 MILLION IN DELAYED RENTAL AID

LINCOLN- Some Nebraskans struggling to pay their rent may get a hand this fall, thanks to delayed federal pandemic aid and a change of policy in the Governor’s Office. Recently, Gov. Jim Pillen accepted $48.2 million of federal emergency rental assistance money that former Gov. Pete Ricketts refused to take. Now the state must prepare an application and disruption system that most states already have in place.

Shannon Harner, executive director of the Nebraska Investment Financing Authority, said the money will be available to help renters in all but Douglas and Lancaster Counties, she said. Those counties, plus Omaha and Lincoln, got their share of aid directly from the federal government last year. People in Nebraska’s 91 other counties had been left to go without the help, which represented the second round of emergency rental assistance offered to the state.

Ricketts repeatedly refused to take the money, even vetoing a bill that would have required him to apply for it. He argued that the COVID-19 emergency was over and the state’s strong economy did not warrant accepting federal aid. Pillen has taken a different stance, arguing that the state should make use of federal dollars to help lift up the working poor.

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INTERIM LEGISLATIVE STUDY SEEKS TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH NEBRASKA LAND IS FOREIGN-OWNED

LINCOLN- According to an annual federal report on "foreign holdings" in Nebraska, around 791,000 acres of urban and rural, industrial and agricultural land was owned by foreign entities in 2022. To put that number into perspective, that's around twice the size of Omaha, Nebraska's largest city. To address that staggering number, Sen. Steve Halloran introduced an interim study, which will be held on September 15th, to touch on the issues of food security, U.S. sovereignty, and growing anxiety about the reach and influence of China.

"We're just trying to get a little more clarity on the issue," said Halloran, "to see how much foreign ownership there really is. The more clarity, the better." The topic of foreign ownership of Nebraska's land seems to be a hot-button issue for a slew of local legislators, as twenty-eight of the Unicameral's 49 representatives signed on to the study. The text of the interim study cites the federal data directly, and suggests that foreign ownership of land has increased 10-fold over the past ten years, from about 34,000 acres in 2010 to 690,000 in 2020.

Halloran said that his reason for introducing such a study was the recent 300-acre land purchase made by a Chinese-owned corn processing company near a military base in North Dakota last year. "I think most all Nebraskans would have some level of anxiety if it got out of hand," said the Senator. John Hansen, of the Nebraska Farmers Union, agrees with the intent of the study, saying that local farmers don't like "big anything" coming and out-competing with Nebraskans for crucial farmland. More detailed data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, however, indicates that a substantial portion of foreign holdings relate to wind farms, and only one occurrence of land purchasing in Nebraska was actually related in any way to China.

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DUAL NEBRASKA HEARING AND FORUM ON SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING ARE SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY

LINCOLN- Nebraska lawmakers are set to come back for their first interim study since the end of the most recent legislative session two months ago this upcoming Monday. On the agenda: social-emotional learning. The Education Committee will consider three interim studies introduced by Sen. Dave Murman, the committee's chairman, looking at issues relating to parental involvement in education, the Department of Education's use of Covid-19 relief funds, and social-emotional learning in K-12 schools.

Following years of backlash against critical race theory and comprehensive sex education, Monday's hearing may feature a new concept for many in the form of social-emotional learning, which, according to the Nebraska Department of Education, is the process for children and adults to "understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships and make responsible decisions." Murman claimed that the concept has become a "buzzword," and seeks to consider its role in comparison to the "basics," like reading, writing, and math.

Monday's hearing will feature testimony from eight speakers, but will not be open to public comment. This move has prompted Sens. Machaela and John Cavanaugh, Terrell McKinney, Carol Blood, and Megan Hunt to hold a separate public forum with the intention of allowing public comment on the issue of social-emotional learning following the committee's hearing.

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KRISTEN HASSEBROOK NAMED CHIEF UNIVERSITY LOBBYIST

LINCOLN- University of Nebraska System President Ted Carter announced today that he has named Kristen Hassebrook, a Nebraska attorney with more than a decade of experience in advocacy and policy at the local, state and federal levels, as NU’s new chief lobbyist and associate vice president for government relations.

Hassebrook, currently an associate at Mueller Robak LLC, a lobbying and government relations firm in Lincoln, will begin her university role on Aug. 16. As associate vice president, Hassebrook will report to Carter and will oversee engagement with local, state and federal officials in the Office of the President and across the NU system’s four campuses.

Before joining Mueller Robak, Hassebrook was executive vice president for legislation and policy for the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where she lobbied on behalf of Nebraska businesses, gaining expertise in issues related to taxation, business incentives, labor and employment law, and manufacturing. She also served as vice president for legal and regulatory affairs for the Nebraska Cattlemen, where she lobbied policy stakeholders on issues of importance to beef producers.

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OFFICIALS REITERATE THAT NEBRASKA ELECTIONS DON'T HAVE WIDESPREAD FRAUD

LINCOLN- On Tuesday morning, two Nebraska election officials were given the chance to testify before the Lancaster County Board and defend the integrity of the state's election process, which has come under fire after countless allegations of voter fraud were voiced by citizens. Lancaster County Election Commissioner Todd Wiltgen and Nebraska Deputy Secretary of State Wayne Bena told the Board that there has been no evidence of widespread voter fraud in any of the state's recent elections. Bena added that at least one ballot from every precinct was tested by an election worker prior to the election.

The Deputy Secretary of State also testified that a randomly-selected number of ballots are hand-counted and checked during each election, and that, out of 48,292 checked during the 2022 election, only 11 had discrepancies, an error rate of roughly .0002%. Also explained in detail to the board was how Nebraska's voting machines work. "Each one of our machines that count ballot, let me be clear, are not connected to the internet at any point," said Bena, "They have no wireless capability, they have no Bluetooth capability."

Once ballots are counted, the two elections officials explained, the data from the voting machines is placed on a military-grade encrypted USB drive, which is then placed into an "air-gapped" computer, which does not have the capability to connect to the internet. Bena and Wiltgen also spoke on the integrity of Nebraska's mail-in ballot system, saying they are doubtful of allegations that some Nebraskans received more than one. Despite this, many citizens, during the public comment period, stated that they still believe voter fraud is occurring in the state.

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