NEBRASKA'S HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE GETS NEARLY 100 CALLS DURING FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION

LINCOLN- A hotline established to collect anonymous tips concerning human trafficking got nearly 100 calls in its first full year of operation, state officials said. Those calls to the Nebraska Human Trafficking hotline resulted in law enforcement being dispatched 21 times to various locations in Nebraska. 

“The public can absolutely make a difference in this fight … and if you suspect a human trafficking situation is going on, report it,” said Col. John Bolduc, superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, which manages the hotline. The hotline number is 1-833-PLS-LOOK or 1-833-757-5665. 

Bolduc was among state officials who held a press conference Thursday to recognize January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month in Nebraska and to release an annual report from a task force devoted to addressing the problem. That report indicated that last year, nine persons were convicted of sex trafficking felonies. Since 2016, there have been 102 prosecutions related to sex trafficking in Nebraska.

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DEMOCRAT PRESTON LOVE, A NORTH OMAHA ADVOCATE, TO RUN FOR U.S. SEN. PETE RICKETTS' SEAT

OMAHA- Preston Love Jr., a longtime advocate for North Omaha, is running again for the U.S. Senate, four years after stepping in as a write-in candidate for Nebraska Democrats in 2020. Love’s campaign said he is announcing his bid Jan. 17. He is the highest-profile Democrat running for a seat held by Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, a former governor who was appointed to the seat in Jan. 2023. 

Love said he wants to unite people, to “represent all Nebraskans — not just the ones who agree with me or look like me.” He said he is “excited to celebrate this announcement with my supporters on Wednesday and build the movement we need to win this race.” In 2020, Democrats supported Love’s write-in bid instead of the Democratic nominee, Chris Janicek. 

Love earned more than 58,000 votes, or 6% of the vote. His bid was Nebraska’s first by a Black Senate candidate who was backed by a major party in a general election. Ricketts faces former 1st District House candidate John Glen Weaver in the Republican primary. Weaver lost the 2022 primary to Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb.

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NEBRASKA COMMISSION: STATE VIOLATED ORDER TO PAUSE RETURN-TO-OFFICE MANDATE

LINCOLN- Nebraska's commission responsible for settling labor disputes ruled that some state departments violated the commission's order to pause return-to-office directives for remote workers represented by the state's largest public employee union. Employees had been granted a temporary relief order from Gov. Pillen's broad executive order that ended remote work.

But days after the relief was granted, some state departments began contacting remote and hybrid employees to notify them that their previously agreed-upon hybrid or work remote arrangements had been terminated and that they would be required to return to their physical worksite in mid-January.

The union accused the state of "willfully and contumaciously" violating the relief order. The relief order was clarified and deemed that the remote work status of union members "was not to be altered during the pendency of this case." The union's executive director, Justin Hubly, said, "Our union will hold management accountable for their actions, and should they ignore this order, they should expect to be held in contempt by the District Court.”

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NEARLY $125 MILLION IS ANNOUNCED FOR NORTH OMAHA GROWTH, THOUGH SOME ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE QUALMS

OMAHA- Gov. Pillen joined Mayor Stothert and top business leaders of the state’s largest city to announce plans for nearly $125 million in public funds headed to historically disadvantaged northeast Omaha. The group said the public funding makes possible job-producing and family activities that otherwise likely would not materialize. 

The money will go towards two transformational projects. About $90 million in state funds will go to a development team poised to turn 160 acres near Eppley Airfield and north of Carter Lake into “shovel-ready” land for an industrial business park. The other $35 million, in pandemic recovery funding, is to help build a city-owned and -operated multipurpose sports complex nearby in Levi Carter Park.

Pillen acknowledged the work of State Sens. Justin Wayne and Terrell McKinney of North Omaha, who led the legislative effort to fund the business park and other major projects intended to boost their community. Despite the praise, both Senators were unaware of the event. “It’s a slap in the face of the Legislature and my community,” said Wayne. “No other senator would not be invited to something that they worked on for over five years.”

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NEBRASKA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION SELECTS LEADERSHIP POSITIONS FOR 2024

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) re-elected District 1 Commissioner Dan Watermeier of Syracuse as Chair for 2024. Commissioner Watermeier was selected during the Commission’s January 9, meeting in Lincoln. The Commission leadership positions are elected on an annual basis. 

Watermeier was elected to the Commission in 2018, for a six-year term. He represents eight counties in Southeast Nebraska. Fourth District Commissioner Eric Kamler of Geneva was elected Vice-Chair. Kamler was elected in 2022 for a six-year term. The fourth district encompasses 31 counties and includes all of northeast Nebraska stretching the length of the entire state vertically north & south.

The Commission consists of five Commissioners. Those who did not get elected to a leadership position include Kevin Stocker, Tim Schram, and Christian Mirch. The next Commission meeting is Wednesday, January 17th.

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NEBRASKA'S TAX SYSTEM IS 'UPSIDE DOWN,' REPORT SAYS, WITH HIGHER EFFECTIVE TAX RATES FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES

LINCOLN- The state’s tax system is “upside down,” with low- and middle-income Nebraskans paying a higher share of their income on taxes than more affluent residents, a watchdog group claims. The OpenSky Policy Institute, citing a new national report, said that Nebraskans who are among the lowest 20% of wage earners pay an effective state and local tax rate that is 56% higher than those with the top 1% of incomes. 

OpenSky, which assesses state tax and budget policies, warned that the disparity will grow as recently passed cuts in state income taxes are phased in or if the state shifts the tax load more heavily onto sales taxes. OpenSky Executive Director Rebecca Firestone said state lawmakers have crafted policies that have led to low- and middle-income families paying higher effective tax rates than the wealthy. 

OpenSky cited the newest edition of the “Who Pays?” report from the Washington, D.C.-based Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. That report, which analyzes the economic progressivity and regressivity of state tax systems, stated that in Nebraska, households with the lowest 20% in incomes (less than $30,000) paid 11.2% of their earnings on taxes and the middle 20% (incomes of $52,500 to $89,400) paid 11%. Meanwhile, the top 1% income households (over $557,100 in income) paid 7.2%, and the top 5% (over $252,600) paid 9.1%.

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'WIN-WIN' HOSPITAL PROPOSAL COULD GENERATE NEARLY $1 BILLION TO IMPROVE BOTTOM LINE, SERVICES

LINCOLN- Nebraska hospitals could reap an additional $950 million in federal funds — money that could be used to improve services and help hold down medical bills — under a new proposal. The idea, contained in LB1087, was described as a “game changer” and “win-win” proposition by state hospital officials to help deal with high inflation and low reimbursement rates.

Under the Hospital Quality Assurance and Access Assessment Act, Nebraska would seek to join 44 other states in obtaining higher reimbursement for Medicaid and Medicare patients in exchange for seeking to improve the quality of care. Under Sen. Mike Jacobson's LB1087 the reimbursement rate for Medicaid and Medicare would be over 90% of the actual cost, Jacobson said, while not requiring any more state general funds. It would also help hold private insurance costs down, he said.

Representatives of the Nebraska Hospital Association, which sought the bill, said it comes at a time when health care facilities are struggling with inflation and below-cost reimbursement rates that have forced some hospitals, especially those in rural areas, to eliminate or reduce needed services — services such as maternal care, behavioral health and home health.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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.

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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."

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'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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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