SEN. LINEHAN'S LETTER SEEKS TO BOOT REFERENDUM ON OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS OFF NEBRASKA BALLOT

LINCOLN- State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, the author of Nebraska’s Opportunity Scholarships Act, asked Secretary of State Bob Evnen not to allow a ballot initiative that could repeal a new tax break for helping low-income kids attend private schools. Linehan’s core argument is that the Nebraska Constitution reserves the power to set and raise revenues expressly for the Legislature. 

Linehan wants Evnen to reconsider his October certification of the Support Our Schools petition effort for the November 2024 ballot. She said several lawyers she consulted questioned whether a referendum can repeal a revenue-setting law. But this was the first time any of them knew of a Nebraska referendum involving a revenue law already in effect, she said. 

Her letter to Evnen cites Article VIII, Section 1 of the State Constitution, which says the “necessary revenue of the state and its governmental subdivisions shall be raised by taxation in such manner as the Legislature may direct.” “I’m not a lawyer, but it’s pretty basic, clear language,” she said. “On top of that there is a statute that says only the Legislature can do revenue bills.”

For the full article click HERE

RARE 'INNOVATION HUB' IN BELLEVUE WOULD BOOST NEBRASKA AS LEADER IN CYBERSECURITY

BELLEVUE- Roughly 45 farm acres in the military-heavy town of Bellevue are to be transformed into a rare 'innovation hub' that supporters argue would thrust Nebraska into the forefront of national cybersecurity efforts. "It's a huge, huge project, out of the box thinking," said Sen. Rita Sanders of the proposed development. 

Dubbed the "Prairie Hill Farm Collaboration Campus," the venue is being developed by the City of Bellevue and Burlington Capital and will be located only a short ride from U.S. Strategic Command and Offutt Air Force Base. Backers see the development as an "ecosystem" with a dual purpose: luring and training a high-tech workforce and elevating Nebraska's profile as a developer of "next generation" cybersecurity technology.

If all goes as planned, according to George Achola of Burlington Capital, construction could kick off this year, with the focal point of the project being a 200,000-square-foot innovation and collaboration research facility. Over time, said Achola, the project could expand to over 200 acres. Total investment in the project is expected to surpass $600 million, with the main facility alone carrying an estimated price tag of nearly $200 million.

For the full article click HERE

SENATORS SEEK TO ELIMINATE TENURE FOR COLLEGE PROFESSORS, END STATE INHERITANCE TAX

LINCOLN- Bills to eliminate tenure protections for university professors in an effort to halt "indoctrination of leftist ideology" and do away with Nebraska's inheritance tax were among 37 proposals introduced on Monday in the Nebraska Legislature. Sen. Loren Lippincott, who introduced the proposal seeking to eliminate tenure, said that "higher education lacks a serious degree of accountability" because of tenure.

"As tax-paying citizens, we have a right to expect that our tax dollars will be used to educate and edify our students," said Lippincott, "not indoctrinate them with leftist ideology." Lippincott's bill has 11 co-sponsors. Melissa Lee, a spokeswoman for the NU System, said officials from the university are reviewing Lippincott's proposal. "Our plans for the University of Nebraska to grow and compete will require us to hold all our faculty and staff to high levels of performance and accountability," said Lee. 

Via LB1067, a bill introduced on Monday with 24 co-sponsors, Sen. Rob Clements seeks to eliminate the state's inheritance tax by 2028. Currently, Nebraska is one of only five states that levy a so-called "death tax," which Clements described as actually being a "double tax," since property taxes are already paid on land and residence. Clements said that he knows of several tax prepares who advise seniors nearing death to move out of Nebraska.

For the full article click HERE

PILLEN REAPPOINTS BRIAN KRUSE AS DOUGLAS COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSIONER

OMAHA- Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen has reappointed Brian Kruse to serve as Douglas County Election Commissioner for the next four years. Kruse, who was appointed by former Gov. Ricketts in 2016, will now serve his third term in the appointed position. 

"I appreciate the trust Gov. Pillen has placed in me to continue leading the Douglas County Election Commission," said Kruse, "It's an honor and privilege to serve the voters of Douglas County in fair, accurate, and impartial elections." 

Kruse's latest term began Monday and will run through December 31st, 2027. The position does not feature term limits. Under state law, the governor appoints an election commissioner only for counties with a population larger than 100,000 people, which includes Douglas, Sarpy, and Lancaster Counties.

For the full article click HERE

GOV. PILLEN PRESSES BROADENED SALES TAX BUT OFFERS NO DETAILS, POLLING SHOWS NEBRASKANS OPPOSE CHANGE

LINCOLN- During a Monday morning press conference, Gov. Jim Pillen laid out an ambitious goal of reducing local property taxes by 40% while revealing almost nothing about how the state would go about such an endeavor. Just a week after floating the idea of raising the state's sales tax, Pillen called the press conference to discuss the "growth and impacts of skyrocketing property taxes."

Overall, Pillen expressed that he wanted to shift $2 billion worth of taxes away from the much-criticized property taxes via some combination of a tougher lid on local spending or broadening the sales tax base. However, when asked for specific details, Pillen said he plan to work with lawmakers to come up with a proposal. "I'm committed, I'm all in," said Pillen of this endeavor, "We're not going to stop until we get to 40%."

An increase in the state sales tax would make Nebraska the highest in the nation, so Pillen emphasized placing a stronger cap on K-12 schools, cities, and counties to reach his goals. However, Pillen made it clear that, not matter which route the state took, the sales tax exemption on groceries in Nebraska would remain in place. Pillen also floated the idea of increasing the cigarette tax to $2-per-pack. 

A poll paid for by Americans for Prosperity-Nebraska, a conservative polling organization, found that roughly 70% of Nebraskans oppose the proposed sales tax change, with more than half telling pollsters that they would prefer a hard cap on local spending to offset property taxes. Pillen spokeswoman Laura Strimple criticized the poll as flawed, saying it was "leading and not fully representative of Nebraskans' views on property tax relief."

For the full article click HERE

OMAHA SENATOR PROPOSES SHIFT OF JAILS, PROSECUTORS THAT COULD SAVE MILLIONS IN PROPERTY TAXES

LINCOLN- Sen. Justin Wayne, who represents part of North Omaha, says a trio of his legislative proposals would significantly shake up the state's criminal justice system and save hundreds of million in local tax dollars. "The only way we can really achieve fairness in our judicial system and, honestly, provide property tax relief, is to change the way our system works," said Wayne, who chairs the Legislature's Judiciary Committee. 

Two of these proposals, LB996 and LB963, were introduced to the Legislature last Friday. LB996 would require the Department of Correctional Services to take over the operation of all county jails across the state, while LB963 would eliminate the elected position of county attorneys and deputy county attorneys. Instead, those duties would be performed by district attorneys, who would be assigned by the Nebraska Attorney General.

According to Wayne, such a move would save taxpayers millions of dollars and create a more robust and efficient criminal justice system. Sen. Wayne's other proposal, LB994, calls for the control and management of the state corrections system to be placed in the hands of the Nebraska Legislature, rather than the Governor's Office, but details have yet to be ironed out according to Wayne.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST, WITH NO PUBLIC DISSENTION, VOTES TO AWARD $20.5 MILLION IN GRANTS

LINCOLN- Last Thursday, the Nebraska Environmental Trust voted to award nearly $20.5 million in grants to 49 projects, ranging from recycling and groundwater monitoring programs to restoring streams and marshes. Last year, the agency only awarded $11 million in grants for 23 projects, which was half of all available funds. Ungranted funds from last year were later shifted to a state water resources fund through a proposal by Gov. Pillen, which drew heaps of criticism. 

This year, the Trust received 80 applications for grants, of which 69 were deemed eligible. The 49 highest-scoring projects were then granted funding by the Trust. One of these involved a $297,204 grant to the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, which is currently seeking to open a "tribal national park" in the southeast corner of Nebraska. 

Trust Board members said during a meeting that a "process improvement" initiative undertaken by the agency to attract more applicants has helped to clarify which grant applications were eligible and which are most worthy of funding. Trust Board member Josh Andersen, who also heads the committee that scored the grants, said he still hopes more groups will apply for grants during the next award cycle.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CAN'T SUPPORT SUMMER FOOD AID PROGRAM, COMMISSIONER SAYS

LINCOLN- Nebraska Department of Education officials say their agency does not have the resources necessary to manage a new federal food aid program, the same one rejected by Gov. Jim Pillen last month. During a state Board of Education meeting, Education Commissioner Brian Maher said that he had "considerable conversations" with Nebraska lawmakers and advocates surrounding the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program, which, if accepted, would have provided millions of dollars in food aid to low-income families. 

States had to express interest in the program by January 1st, but Pillen decided against it in late December. However, the Nebraska Department of Education has the authority to take on the program independently, but, according to Maher, lacks the resources necessary to handle such an endeavor. "Certainly, in our office, we've had meetings and worked to be clear what role, if any role, we have with EBT administration," said Maher, "We're not set up to handle EBT administration at the NDE."

Maher said that, in order to administer the federal funding offered by the program, the Department would have to increase its staff or reallocate duties. Hardware, software, EBT cards and other materials would also need to be obtained by the Department, costing an estimated $300,000. "The item is not currently on our list of legislative priorities for the Department of Education, but that's not surprising--we weren't aware of this until fairly recently."

For the full article click HERE

'IT'S SCARY CLOSE': NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS REACT TO AI VOICE CLONES, POSSIBLE REGULATIONS

LINCOLN- As artificial intelligence continues to rapidly evolve, some state lawmakers are eyeing a legislative or regulatory role over AI as a balancing act with the First Amendment. Indeed, Sen. John Cavanaugh, who said he foresees the dangers AI can bring, is introducing legislation to address AI disclosures. 

Cavanaugh's proposal would mirror a Michigan law that requires disclosure of AI if the technology is utilized in political advertisements. Michigan was the fifth state to enact such legislation. "As technology advances, we need to be sure that it is not abused and take reasonable steps as a state to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in campaigns," said Cavanaugh. 

Sen. John Fredrickson added that the Legislature must consider these changes alongside AI experts and stakeholders. Sen. Fredrickson, as well as Sens. Ballard, Hughes, Walz, Bosn, Brandt, and Conrad, participated in a UNL study that cloned his voice using AI. Sen. Hughes said one of the clips, which reproduced a past legislative speech, sounded exactly the way she would say it. "I don't think you could find anybody in today's world that would know the difference," said Hughes.

For the full article click HERE

CANDIDATE FILING KICKS OFF 2024 ELECTION CYCLE IN NEBRASKA

LINCOLN- Candidate filing for the May 14, 2024, statewide primary began Jan. 5. Individuals who wish to run for state and federal offices in 2024 can start filing with the Nebraska Secretary of State’s office. Many candidates have already announced their campaigns, but can now officially file and get underway.

“This is an exciting time for our office as we look ahead to the 2024 election cycle,” Secretary of State Bob Evnen said in a press release. “Our Elections Division is ready to help individuals file for office. Candidates should be mindful of deadlines and the appropriate documents needed to file for office successfully.”

Candidates can access filing-related documents and information on the Nebraska Secretary of State’s website. There, candidates can view the 2024 Candidate Filing Guide, which lists the offices that are up for election, instructions for candidates on how to file, the qualifications for public office and other important information.

For the full article click HERE

SENATORS PROPOSE A 'PAINLESS' ALTERNATIVE TO CARRY OUT EXECUTIONS, WITH NITROGEN GAS

LINCOLN- Nebraska would have an alternative to lethal injection when carrying out executions under a bill proposed in the Nebraska Legislature. LB970, sponsored by State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City and 17 other lawmakers, would permit “nitrogen hypoxia” — suffocation by inhaling nitrogen gas — to be used in capital punishment in the state. Lippincott said, “We need to make the execution of Nebraska law as humane as possible.”

The proposal drew an immediate response, however, from an anti-death penalty group, Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.

‘The particular method of the state executing people does not resolve all of the things that are wrong with the death penalty in Nebraska,” said Spike Eickholt, who lobbies for the group. “Providing for gas chamber executions does not fix our broken death penalty.”

Lippincott said that the idea for his bill came from a constituent and that Nebraska would join three other states — Alabama, Mississippi and Oklahoma — in allowing the use of nitrogen gas in executions. None of those states has used nitrogen hypoxia, but Alabama is planning an execution with its use. Lippincott did mention that this would not be his priority bill.

For the full article click HERE

SENATORS SEEK WAIVER, SECOND CHANCE AT APPLYING FOR SUMMER FOOD FUNDS REJECTED BY PILLEN

LINCOLN- A group of state senators are expressing hope they can reverse Gov. Jim Pillen’s recent rejection of $18 million in federal funds to expand a summer grocery benefit for low-income families. Sen. Jen Day joined 16 other senators in introducing a bill that would require the state human services agency to apply for the extra funding via the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program.

It would place an extra $40 a month over three months next summer into EBT cards issued to low-income families to buy groceries during a time when children are out of school and away from free and reduced school lunches. Pillen recently turned thumbs down on joining growing number of states — now 33 — that have opted into the summer program, saying that he didn’t “believe in welfare.”

Day said supporters of her LB952 have reached out to federal officials and are confident that a previously stated Jan. 1 deadline for states to opt into the summer food program can be waived. “It’s clearly not a hard deadline,” the senator said. “As of right now, it’s still open to us.” Sen. Day believes she can get a majority of backers, showing bipartisan support for the credit.

For the full article click HERE

WASTEWATER IN NEBRASKA, NEIGHBORING STATES, CARRIES HIGH LEVELS OF COVID, SAYS CDC

LINCOLN- Wastewater testing at the end of 2023 showed relatively high levels of COVID-19 in Iowa, Kansas and Missouri, according to the CDC. In Nebraska wastewater, virus levels were elevated, but not as high as the other states. The latest CDC data suggests the virus is as prevalent in wastewater in all four states as it was in late 2022 and early 2023.

The CDC started its wastewater testing program in 2020, as one way to help health departments prepare for spikes in cases. The agency tests water from toilets, sinks, and showers around the country for signs of the virus, which lingers in wastewater because people infected can shed the virus, even if they don’t have symptoms.

Nationwide, 8.7% of hospital admissions in the last week were for COVID-19 patients, according to the CDC. The number of admissions for Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, are significantly lower. Wastewater is an indicator of potential risk, but health officials say what should really be monitored is hospital admittance rates.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNOUNCES LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

LINCOLN- Attorney General Mike Hilgers announced his 2024 legislative priorities alongside a trio of state senators introducing legislation including Greater Nebraska’s Teresa Ibach and District 25 state senator Carolyn Bosn, and District 18 state senator Christy Armendariz. According to a press release, the bills focus on strengthening the protections for vulnerable Nebraskans from exploitation.

The first bill, sponsored by Sen. Bosn, will strengthen the ability of the Attorney General to protect Nebraskans who have been financially exploited. The second bill, sponsored by Sen. Ibach, will make substantial modifications to the Nebraska Hemp Farming Act to limit a perceived loophole for Delta 8 and related products. The third and final bill, sponsored by Sen. Armendariz, is critical legislation to combat child exploitation and human trafficking online.

“Our office works tirelessly to protect vulnerable Nebraskans. The tools in these bills will help protect Nebraskans, including trafficking victims and children, from exploitation. I am grateful for the senators for introducing these bills, and look forward to working with the Legislature to pass these common-sense bills that will do enormous good for Nebraskans’ health and well-being., said AG Hilgers.

For the full article click HERE

LAWMAKER INTRODUCES MEASURE TO URGE CONGRESS TO HAVE COUNTIES EAST OF THE PANHANDLE IN CENTRAL TIME ZONE

LINCOLN- Among the many bills introduced this year, one is a legislative resolution by District 44 Senator Teresa Ibach that would urge Congress to have all Nebraska counties east of the Panhandle be located entirely in the central time zone. According to the LR, changing the location of a time zone in the United States is the purview of the federal government and can only be altered through federal legislation by Congress or regulation of the Department of Transportation.

Senator Ibach stated in the legislative resolution that “changing all the counties located east of the Panhandle to the central time zone would create greater consistency for commerce, transportation, and communication and convenience a uniformity that would impact positive education, recreation, healthcare, and, religious worship as well as benefit the general Nebraska economy.”

If enacted, all counties in Nebraska east of Sheridan, Garden, and Deuel counties would be located in the central time zone. Legislative Resolution 276 has been co-sponsored by District 42 Senator Mike Jacobson along with District 43 Senator Tom Brewer, District 32 Senator Tom Brandt, District 36 Senator Rick Holdcroft, and District 7 Senator Tony Vargas.

For the full article click HERE

LAWMAKERS PROPOSE CHANGES TO STATE'S SAFE HAVEN LAW

LINCOLN- Less than three months ago, a baby boy just a few hours old was left at Omaha Fire Station. While technically, based on Nebraska law, the drop-off was illegal, no charges were pressed. Nebraska’s first Safe Haven Law was passed in 2008. It originally allowed parents to surrender children up to 18 years old at a hospital. That was quickly changed as 36 children were left to the state.

“I don’t think there was a lot of thought that was put into the idea,” said Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue. “It was just that we wanted to save kids.” The law now allows parents to surrender their infant face-to-face at a hospital within 30 days of birth. Sen. Holdcroft aims to broaden the law and reduce barriers for parents facing this difficult decision. He introduced LB876: an updated Newborn Safe Haven Act.

The bill expands the locations where parents can surrender a baby to include hospitals and fire and law enforcement stations manned 24/7. They can also call 911 and let emergency services take the baby to safety. The proposed act extends the age an infant can legally be surrendered from 30 days to 90, and it eliminates the requirement for face-to-face surrender.

For the full article click HERE

SPECIAL PROSECUTOR SEES NO CRIME IN ALLEGED NEGOP BREAK-IN

LINCOLN- A months-long review of a LPD investigation into an alleged break-in during a leadership transition at the Nebraska Republican Party ended with no charges. Special Prosecutor Ryan Swaroff said her review found that the events immediately after a July 2022 leadership transition at the state’s top political party showed a “turbulent leadership handover,” not a crime.

“This handover resulted in the report by the new leadership of an alleged trespass and alleged theft of Nebraska Republican Party property by the prior leadership,” Swaroff wrote. She said she reviewed the case, spoke with police and reviewed reports and emails from Tom Nesbitt, a private investigator the GOP hired after some items briefly went missing.

In a statement, she wrote that “charges cannot be filed in this case without stretching the limits of speculation as to intent and specific actions of those involved in this case.” Swaroff was the second special prosecutor to review the reports since February, when Lancaster County Attorney Pat Condon, a Republican, requested an outside review of the investigation.

For the full article click HERE

LEGISLATION WOULD CUT CHILD CARE COSTS FOR NEBRASKA CHILD CARE WORKERS

LINCOLN- The state could address part of its need for childcare workers by replicating a Kentucky program that pays childcare costs for childcare workers. Sen. John Fredrickson introduced LB856, which would make all childcare workers eligible for childcare aid, regardless of their income. Nebraska daycare workers passing a criminal background check would be eligible for aid if they work at least 20 hours a week at a licensed daycare facility or in-home daycare.

Fredrickson modeled his proposal after Kentucky’s, which used pandemic relief funds to make child care cheaper for childcare workers, many of whom earn too little to pay for daycare. The program attracted thousands more child care workers to the industry, and it opened up more slots in parts of the state without them, including rural Kentucky, researchers found.

Kentucky is exploring how to maintain the expanded aid using state funds as pandemic-related federal funds run low. Iowa adopted its own pilot version of the aid program last year. Health officials in both states had no immediate comment, nor did the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Fredrickson's push is one of several being made to address childcare in the state.

For the full article click HERE

SENATORS BEGIN 2024 SESSION WITH HOPE, APPREHENSION

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Legislature began its 2024 session on Wednesday with a combination of high hopes and apprehension about being able to tackle the issues that really matter to Nebraskans. In a speech urging senators to use the shorter, sixty-day session wisely, Speaker of the Legislature John Arch acknowledged that last year's rancorous legislative session reflected the division felt nationwide.

"What we must develop," Arch told his colleagues, "is the ability to have passionate but civil discourse on very difficult subjects. That's going to take everyone's commitment to work together to craft legislation that allows the majority to govern...with respecting minority input." Despite Arch's hopes that senators can work to better collaborate across party lines, the first day of session brought with it some division.

That came in the form of the Legislature's first order of business: the election of the Executive Board's chairperson and vice chairperson. Sen. Ray Aguilar and Sen. John Lowe were elected to each respective position by the body, but not without objection. Sen. Terrell McKinney, who represents a portion of north Omaha and ran against Sen. Lowe for the vice chairmanship, argued that the Executive Board's leadership needed representation from eastern, more urban areas of Nebraska.

For the full article click HERE

MORE NEBRASKA TEACHING JOBS GO UNFILLED AS STATEWIDE SHORTAGE GROWS

LINCOLN- A new report issued by the Nebraska Department of Education suggests that the state's teacher shortage is continuing to escalate as 900 positions go unfilled for the 2023-24 school year. More specifically, the data indicates that, as of this fall, there were 908 unfilled teaching positions across Nebraska, up from last year's 769.

That total, however, includes jobs that were filled by an underqualified educator. But, roughly all of the increase in unfilled positions over last year involved positions that could not be filled at all. "It's a lot of data, what do we choose to do with the data now that we have it?" said Jenni Benson, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, "Nine hundred eight is a lot."

The true number of unfilled positions might be even larger as well. Of Nebraska's 436 public and nonpublic district and educational service units, only 310 responded to NDE's survey this year, down from 402 respondents last year. Special education shortages have been especially prevalent across Nebraska, with almost one in four special education positions going unfilled this year.

For the full article click HERE