NEBRASKA JOINS LAWSUIT AGAINST META, CLAIMS ITS SOCIAL PLATFORMS ARE ADDICTIVE AND HARM CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH

LINCOLN- Dozens of states from across the country are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for allegedly harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by deliberately adding features to Instagram and Facebook that lead to addiction. The lawsuit, which included 33 states, was filed in federal court in California, with 9 other attorneys general from several other states filing their own as well.

The broad-ranging lawsuit is the result of a bipartisan investigation conducted by attorneys general from California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Vermont. In a statement responding to the allegations, Meta said it shares "the attorneys general's commitment to providing teens with safe, positive experiences online, and have already introduced over 30 tools to support teens and their families."

The suit seeks financial damages and restitution, as well as an end to Meta's practices that the attorneys general argue are in violation of the law. Research released in 2021 by Meta stated that the company had known about the harm its social platforms can cause to teenagers, especially young girls, when it comes to mental health and body image issues. Another study found that 13.5% of teen girls say Instagram exacerbates suicidal ideation.

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ELECTION 2024: NEBRASKA, IOWA ELECTION OFFICIALS REINFORCE BALLOT INTEGRITY DURING CYBERSECURITY MONTH

LINCOLN- With less than three months until the Iowa Caucuses, and Nebraska's primary election coming up in May, both states' election officials took the time to highlight the integrity of their ballot systems. "If they don't feel like we're getting the job done, that can be just as devastating," said Paul Pate, Iowa's Secretary of State, "Then they don't have the confidence in the system."

The integrity of many states' ballot systems came under fire following the 2020 election, which later prompted the January 6th Insurrection, despite the fact that many different courts debunked claims of widespread election fraud. Last year, Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen's office created a "FAKE vs. FACT" section on the Secretary's website, sharing data on why 12 different claims of election fraud in Nebraska were wrong.

"Our election commissions across the state hand-counted 48,000 ballots and found discrepancies with 11 ballots," said Evnen, "and five of those were the result of voters who didn't darken the oval. Nebraska has very secure elections, and our elections are a model for the nation." The 2024 election will be the first in Nebraska to require voters to present a valid ID, a newly-implemented law its supporters say will help to deter election fraud.

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NEBRASKA'S OPENSKY POLICY INSTITUTE HONES IN IN FISCAL POLICY, IMMIGRATION ISSUES

LINCOLN- With the Nebraska Legislature's next session a little over two months away, the OpenSky Policy Institute held panel discussions with lawmakers and stakeholders that could shape future legislative proposals. The impact of court fines and fees on defendants, problems with property taxes, and the role of immigrants in the state's workforce were among the top issues discussed.

After lawmakers recently approved $350 million to build a new state prison, OpenSky focused discussions at a Tuesday panel around ways to reduce fines and fees for those going through Nebraska's criminal justice system. Sen. George Dungan, who moderated the panel and serves as a public defender, said such costs can act as a barrier to a fair trial if a defendant can't afford them.

The Legislature also passed a pair of tax bills last session that will cut or offset more than $6 billion worth of property and income taxes over the next six years. OpenSky discussed ways to clean up this new tax system, with John Anderson, a Univerity of Nebraska-Lincoln professor, saying that the current process is too impractical for certain property owners. Anderson also pointed out that the proposed changes don't make a change. Finally, discussing immigration, OpenSky recommended that the state look into tapping into its immigration population as a way to reduce its sizable workforce shortage. 

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PILLEN SIDESTEPS QUESTION ABOUT APOLOGY TO REPORTER WHO GREW UP IN CHINA

LINCOLN- On Wednesday, Gov. Pillen sidestepped a question about whether or not he planned to apologize to an Omaha-based investigative reporter, Yanqi Xu, for saying that her work should be disregarded because she grew up "in Communist China." Pillen's comments came in response to an article Xu had written for the Flatwater Free Press, which concerned groundwater pollution linked to Pillen Family Farms' hog-confinement sites.

The story cited data collected by the state about nitrate levels in groundwater, and revealed that such levels were five times higher than considered safe for pregnant mothers to drink at 16 of Pillen's hog farms. Flatwater's executive director offered Pillen an opportunity to apologize last week, describing his comments as embarrassing and "dead working," and chiding the governor's unwillingness to respond "to the facts" present in Xu's story.

Xu was born in China but left the country in 2017 to pursue journalism in the United States, and has won national acclaim for her series on nitrate pollution in Nebraska's groundwater, titled "Our Dirty Water." Following a tour of a Lincoln manufacturing company, Pillen, when asked about his comments, said he's "100% focused on all the extraordinary opportunities that we have in Nebraska," ignoring the question entirely.

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TOO MANY RURAL NEBRASKANS LIVE TOO FAR FROM DOCTORS WHO DELIVER BABIES, COMMITTEE TOLD

LINCOLN- According to several testifiers who spoke on Sen. Jen Day's LR154, Nebraska could be doing more to help incentivize doctors to dedicate time and specialty to labor and delivery care, a move that they say will help the state fill its substantial maternal care deserts. The CDC defines such deserts as any county without a hospital or birth center present, which is nearly 53% of Nebraska's 93 counties.

According to one testifier, roughly 15% to 20%, or around 80,000, of Nebraska's birthing-age women live in a county that lacks adequate maternal care. Because of this, Dr. Ann Anderson Berry, director of the Child Health Research Institute at UNMC, told the Health and Human Services Committee that many women have to make "heartbreaking" choices over the course of their pregnancy.

Some of these difficult choices include deciding whether or not they can afford to miss work, whether they can obtain childcare to attend a faraway maternal health appointment, and whether or not such appointments can be skipped occasionally. "When you can't get health care in your community," said Anderson Berry, "the decision to seek care gets more complicated."

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STRAINS ON RURAL NEBRASKA AMBULANCE SERVICES SPUR CALLS FOR STATE HELP

LINCOLN- On Wednesday, representatives from several rural Nebraska communities, mostly volunteer firefighters or EMTs, crowded into the Nebraska Capitol to voice their concerns over emergency service deserts in those areas of the state. Most rural communities in Nebraska utilize volunteer fire and rescue squads, but many are struggling to replace older veterans.

According to the testifiers, who spoke on Sen. Myron Dorn's LR206, rural populations are again as well, meaning calls for emergency services are up significantly. "The issues are systemwide," said Michael Dwyer, a firefighter and EMT from Arlington, "The trends are historic, and the current system of EMS is not sustainable."

Nebraska is currently one of three states with the highest rates of rural residents living more than a 25-minute drive from where an ambulance is stationed, with more than 76% of the state's counties containing residents who live at least that far away. Rural first responders called on the Legislature to consider upfront payments for training new emergency responders, instead of making each department seek reimbursement, saying that this will hopefully alleviate some of the problems plaguing rural Nebraska.

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NEBRASKA FILES CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWSUITS OVER DELTA 8 PRODUCTS

LINCOLN- Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers announced this week that his office is working to crackdown on deceptive THC-containing products called Delta 8. To that end, the state has filed 10 lawsuits in Platte, Scotts Bluff, Hall, Madison, Lancaster, Sarpy, Lincoln, Saline, Keith, and Dawes Counties.

Hilgers said the marketing on such laced products appeals to kids. One such example they have seen includes a laced rice cereal treat.

“No one who is buying these knows what’s in it,” he said during the news conference. Hilgers said the state tested 100 such products and found that only 15% of them were accurate in their labeled ingredients — and potency.

“It’s a game of Russian roulette that Nebraskans are losing,” he said. He stressed that the products have not been deemed safe by any Nebraska or regulatory body. In fact, he said synthetically produced THCs including Delta 8 are even unlawful in states where marijuana has been legalized or decriminalized recreational marijuana or there are significant limits on their use.

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NEBRASKA GOV. PILLEN APPOINTS NEW DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES

LINCOLN- Gov. Jim Pillen filled a key Department of Health and Human Services position that had been vacant for months. Pillen appointed Alyssa Bish as the department's director of Children and Family Services, which had been vacant since December, when Pillen opted not to retain the division's former director, Stephanie Beasley, after he was elected governor.

Bish, who will begin in her new role Dec. 28, has been the director of personnel within the Missouri Office of Administration since February. She also served as the director of strategy and leadership development for the state. A Nebraska native who studied communications at Wayne State College, Bish previously worked for Missouri’s Department of Social Services and in the state’s Children’s Division where she focused on improving the quality of foster care services and decreasing the backlog of cases.

“In addition to the success she has had, Alyssa brings a passion for helping children and families through difficult times," Pillen said in the news release. "I look forward to working with Alyssa as she brings that passion to this role at DHHS.” The state will pay Bish $175,000 annually. Beasley's annual salary before she left the job was $169,747.

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YORK COMMUNITY HOSTS CHILD CARE TOWN HALL WITH SENATOR JANA HUGHES

YORK- Members of the York, Nebraska, community brought their ideas and concerns about child care policy to their state representative this week. State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward met with about two dozen constituents Monday evening at a town hall hosted by the York County Community Coalition and York County Development Corporation on the topic.

Hughes said she doesn’t have a background in child care, but she understands there are ways for the state to get out of the way of the industry. “I support whatever we can do to help child care because I vastly realize it is a top [No.] 2 to 3 issue for our district and the state,” Hughes said.

Hughes highlighted that state legislators in 2023 voted to further extend the expansion of child care subsidy eligibility through 2026 and authorize more tax credits for child care costs, such as $7.5 million in tax credits for the school readiness tax credit. Another possible solution, Hughes said, is to streamline licensing requirements. Senator Ibach is currently working on legislation that would do just that.

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NEBRASKA JOINS 40 OTHER STATES IN SUING FACEBOOK/INSTAGRAM OWNER META

LINCOLN- Nebraska and 40 other states announced a barrage of federal and state lawsuits against the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. The filings allege Meta designed social media platforms it knew were addictive and damaging to teens. A group of state attorneys general discussed a shared goal: They want social media companies to protect and not exploit the mental health of teenagers.

A total of 33 states, including Nebraska, joined the federal lawsuit filed in federal court in northern California. Another seven states and the District of Columbia are filing separate state lawsuits against Meta based on a mix of consumer protection laws. Florida is filing a separate federal lawsuit as well. Massachusetts AG Andrea Joy Campbell said some steps Meta took went “beyond what is legal and permissible.”

Of particular note, the federal lawsuit alleges, was Meta’s work to advertise and collect data on children younger than 13 years old, which the cooperating attorneys general said violates a federal law, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. “It’s really about dismantling this apparatus that has been built, this machine that’s been built to pull in young people and sort of chew them up and spit them out,” Hilgers said of the legal effort.

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HOUSING PROJECTS ACROSS THE STATE RECEIVE $12 MILLION FROM NEBRASKA AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Department of Economic Development is set to distribute over $12 million to fund 23 housing projects across the state through the Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund. NeighborWorks is receiving just over $3 million of that total for two projects, while Habitat for Humanity and the Nebraska Housing Resource will receive $800,000 and $302,000 respectively.

The City of Milford and Village of Beaver Crossing are both receiving $287,000, while Blue Valley Community Action, which covers nine counties in the state, will receive $661,000. The 23 funded projects were chosen from 70 applicants requesting a total of $41 million, according to a press release from the Department of Economic Development.

The Affordable Housing Trust Fund was established by the Nebraska Legislature in 1996, and calls for a portion of the documentary stamp tax from real estate transactions to be transferred to the fund. In total, this year's round of funding will provide for the development of at least 264 housing units, which will include a mix of new home construction, construction of rental housing, rehabilitation of existing structures, and homebuyer assistance.

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LEGACY DOWNS AT WARHORSE LINCOLN LANDS FOUR RACING DAYS IN 2024, WITH DATES TO BE DETERMINED

LINCOLN- On Friday, Legacy Downs at WarHorse Lincoln was granted approval by the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission for four racing dates in 2024. However, the new horse track's first race is set to be held on October 31st. WarHorse Lincoln didn't want to promote the race heavily, though, since the track still lacks an adequate number of parking spaces and a grandstand.

The Halloween race at Legacy Downs will be the first glimpse of the new track for many, and officials are already raving about it. "I've seen what Lincoln is doing and they're doing it right," said Tom Sage, executive director of the Racing and Gaming Commission. On Friday, the Commission also approved adding the Premiere Soccer League to the sports wagering catalog, a move that, according to Lynne McNally, will attract more bets.

In addition to announcing its racing officials, as well as procedures for racing and operations, the Commission also approved 53 statewide racing days for 2024 in addition to Legacy Downs' four. "Fifty-three is our magic number," said Commission Chairman Dennis Lee. All three of Nebraska's racetracks, Columbus, Horsemen's Park, and Legacy Downs, are in some phase of construction, making it impossible to pinpoint when each track's races will take place in 2024.

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REP. BACON SAYS HIS 2024 CAMPAIGN DIDN'T STEER HIS VOTES IN THE HOUSE SPEAKER DEBATE, CASTS VOTE FOR JOHNSON INSTEAD

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Rep. Don Bacon is likely to face a tough re-election battle in a particularly competitive Omaha-area district next year, but said his race was "secondary" in his mind after casting a controversial vote against Rep. Jim Jordan for House Speaker last week. Bacon drew outrage from hard-right conservatives after voting against Jordan three times.

Some right-wing critics of Bacon, both at home and nationally, argued that Bacon, in voting against Jordan, was ignoring the wishes of his constituents. Despite this, Bacon said that he believes the people in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses most of Omaha, are probably a 50-50 split in their support for Jordan.

The 2nd District generally runs purple compared to the rest of Nebraska, making it less hospitable to politicians who take extreme partisan positions. Bacon has won the District four times, but some of these victories were exceedingly narrow. UNO political science professor Randall Adkins estimated that the 2nd District is among the nation's top 30 competitive Districts. "The margins are always going to be close," he said. On Friday, Rep. Bacon, as well as Rep. Mike Flood, cast their votes for Rep. Mike Johnson, who assumed the Speakership on Wednesday.

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FOOD DEMAND DRIVES NEED FOR GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CROPS, MEAT, UNL REPORT SAYS

LINCOLN- Wars in Europe and the Middle East, a general increase in demand, and a changing climate are making food scarcer and costlier. Farmers in the United States believe they can fill the gap with the help of biotechnology, but will need the help of Congress and federal regulators. That was a key sentiment from panelists in the agriculture, business, government, law, and academia industries during a summit this past spring at UNL's Clayton Yeutter Insitute for International Trade and Finance, which produced a report based on these findings.

Panelists who spoke at the summit said they believe politicians need to speak more clearly during trade negotiations about the urgency and science behind genetically engineered crops and meat, and to make clear to partners that the biotechnical process behind these products is very similar to natural growth processes. Panelists also highlighted the need for the general public to understand that biotechnological advances need to keep pace with the global population, which increases yearly while farmland decreases.

Jill O'Donnell, director of the Yeutter Institute, hosted the three-hour discussion in March, saying that the goal of it was to encourage freer discussions about the future of food production, especially amid shortages and high costs. One potential solution expressed at the meeting is the streamlining of the number of agencies responsible for biotech food regulations, which currently sits at three. "Too many agencies involved in different parts of the process," said O'Donnell, "Overlapping authorities."

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FINAL TALLY FOR FIRST PILLEN BORDER DEPLOYMENTS TOTALS NEARLY $1 MILLION

LINCOLN- The final tab for Gov. Pillen sending 61 Nebraska National Guard members to help Texas patrol the southern border of the United States in August was $826,000. This number came as a result of the public records request sent to Pillen's office. Projections from the National Guard placed that number closer to $2 million.

Pillen's deployments, which included several others in May and early June, which cost roughly $128,000, echo those of his predecessor, former Gov. Pete Ricketts, who spent nearly $2.5 million in deploying Nebraska National Guard and Patrol to Texas in 2020 and 2021. Nebraska was reimbursed by Texas for the 2020 deployment, but not for 2021.

The State Military Department covered the most recent deployment, using its $12.2 million general fund budget, with Pillen saying that he intends to utilize part of more than $1 billion in federal pandemic recovery funds to refill the Guard's coffers. This has drawn some criticism, and State Sen. Carol Blood believes that pandemic relief funds could be used more effectively, such as for public health.

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NEBRASKA UNEMPLOYMENT RATE REMAINS LOW IN SEPTEMBER

LINCOLN- The state unemployment rate continued to remain low in September. The Nebraska Department of Labor reported that Nebraska's unemployment rate for September was 2.1%. That was up from 2% in August, but was down significantly from the 2.6% rate reported in September 2022. The state's unemployment rate last month ranked as the sixth lowest in the country.

The number of filled jobs statewide in September was up 4,738 compared with August and 15,249 compared with a year ago. Commissioner of Labor John Albin said manufacturing employment was one of the drivers of the September job growth. “Manufacturing employment remained strong in September, increasing slightly from August,” he said in a news release.

The number of people employed was down slightly in September compared with August, just over 1,000 people, but there were 6,304 more people working statewide compared with a year ago. The national unemployment rate for September was 3.8%. The state will look to hold, if not improve, this percentage heading into the winter months.

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS LOOK TO UNDERSTAND, CURB POTENTIAL ABUSES OF EMINENT DOMAIN

LINCOLN- Last Friday, members of the Government, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee of the Nebraska Legislature dove into the concept of eminent domain, and explored ways state law could be more fair or transparent. The hearing concerned Sen. John Cavanaugh's LR247, which was created, according to the senator, after he saw a number of private entities utilize eminent domain.

However, Cavanaugh said that he didn't have a specific outcome in mind in holding the hearing, and was instead looking for more transparency in the process. "This is a broad project, and different entities have different types of domain and different responsibilities," Cavanaugh told the committee, "There's still a lot of work to be done and a lot to learn."

Cavanaugh previously introduced LB133, which would require public or private entities with eminent domain authority to be subject to the Open Meetings Act. Multiple organizations testified at the bill's February hearing, and argued that such a change could become onerous if the recorded meetings are not set up for them or if staff are spread nationwide.

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MENTAL HEALTH TECHS PROTEST WORKING CONDITIONS, SAFETY AT NEBRASKA PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL

LINCOLN- Over the weekend, mental health specialists at the Lincoln Regional Center escalated calls for change and attempted to raise awareness of their working conditions at Nebraska's psychiatric hospital. The specialists, or techs, rallied on Saturday outside of the Governor's Mansion before regrouping on the north steps of the State Capitol to debrief with State Sen. Carol Blood, who is one of the few state officials attempting to address their concerns.

Jennifer Head, one of the techs present, described a patient's assault on two techs that occurred last week. The patient, who had no behavioral health issues since receiving care at the facility, assaulted a woman in her 60s. "He assaulted her, kicked her like she was a soccer ball," said Head. Other workers in attendance at the rally raised similar concerns, saying that the conditions of the center should raise an alarm for lawmakers.

Yvette Olivetti, a union representative for the techs, said state inaction was the reason they were rallying. "Words are meaningless unless they're backed up by action, and that is going show techs that [lawmakers] actually care about our safety, our well-being, our own mental health, and various other issues," she said. Several other workers described other bad conditions at the center, like the loss of a 45-minute break window and a lack of staff, forcing many to take on mandatory overtime shifts.

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FARM GROUPS, WEATHER AND CLIMATE WATCHERS PITCH STATE FUNDING MODEL FOR NETWORK OF WEATHER STATIONS

LINCOLN- Once the envy of the nation for its 81 weather monitoring stations across the state, the Nebraska Mesonet program's funding has slowly dwindled over the years, forcing the system to close nearly 20 stations. However, a recent series of meetings involving agriculture groups, meteorologists, and university researchers has those involved with the weather monitoring system optimistic, and even prompted a new $2 million a year funding model.

"People really want the data, there's a ton of interest in it," said Ruben Behnke, who was hired to be the director of Nebraska Mesonet in July, "I'm trying to continue that momentum." Ken Herz, former president of the Nebraska Cattlemen and an advocate for the system, said that interest in the Mesonet system will skyrocket once Nebraskans realize its benefits. That sentiment was echoed by State Sen. Myron Dorn, who sought to fund the system and increase interest in it with an annual $550,000 during the 2023 legislative session.

However, Dorn, a farmer and member of the Legislature's Appropriations Committee, didn't push for passage of the funding bill this past year, and is instead opting for a legislative study that would help to better develop a long-term plan to consistently fund the weather network. "We too often in Nebraska allocate money and say 'Go out there and plan something,'" said Dorn, "We need to plan for the long term. Behnke said his main goal is to construct 200 stations across the state, located no more than 15 miles from a Mesonet site, an endeavor that will take time and a sizable increase in funding.

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NEBRASKA'S STONEWALL DEMS HOST FORUM WITH STATE PARTY AFTER ANGER OVER LB574

LINCOLN- Today, the Nebraska Democratic Party is hosting the first of three town halls over the recently passed LB574 alongside the state's largest LGBTQ community group, the Stonewall Democrats. The event, held at 5 P.M. at Bagels & Joe in Lincoln, will be led by Mike Marcheck, chair of the Stonewall Democrats, and Jane Kleeb, the chair of the state Democratic party.

Marcheck and others, during this past legislative session, sought to censure and remove state party support from Sen. Mike McDonnell, a Democrat who helped Republican lawmakers pass LB574, a bill that added restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors as well as stricter restrictions on abortion.

Marcheck said his goal for Friday is to have "a night of engagement," while Kleeb said she's seeking feedback from younger LGBTQ Nebraskans on what the party can do better and discuss the candidate recruitment process. Kleeb also said she wants to make the party more visible in the Legislature when important or controversial bills are being discussed.

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