LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL TO REPEAL NEBRASKA'S 2023 ABORTION AND GENDER CARE LAW WITHDRAWN

LINCOLN- A legislative bill that sought to repeal Nebraska’s 2023’s combo abortion and gender care law is dead this year, at the introducer’s request. Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh introduced LB879 to allow the public to weigh in further on LB574. That bill enacted a 12-week abortion ban tied to gestational age and charged the state’s chief medical officer to write regulations on care primarily targeted to transgender youths. The law also prohibits transition surgeries before age 19. 

Lawmakers voted 30-2 Thursday to withdraw LB 879. Instead, the Health and Human Services Committee, of which Cavanaugh is a member, has requested a briefing with Tesmer on the proposed final rules and regulations. Temporary rules and regulations have been in place since Oct. 1, and the final proposal cleared the State Board of Health last week.

The requested briefing is for Thursday, Feb. 29, at 1 p.m. The briefing would be public, but the public could not speak as they can at bill hearings. It is currently unclear whether Dr. Timothy Tesmer will agree to attend the public hearing. The rules go to the offices of Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Gov. Jim Pillen for a final say. 

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'CLUB OF ONE': NEBRASKA ADMINISTRATORS, PROFESSORS CRITICZE EFFORT TO END FACULTY TENURE

LINCOLN- On Tuesday, faculty groups and administrators from the University of Nebraska lined up to oppose Sen. Loren Lippincott's LB1064, which would end faculty tenure in Nebraska. Lippincott said his goal in introducing the bill is not to stifle academic freedom, but to put benchmarks in place to allow for more transparency.

"A lot of these horses plowed the field very straight when they were young and they were earning their tenure," Lippincott told the Legislature's Education Committee, "But then those horses ended up staying in the barn and just simply eating hay." Interim NU President Chris Kabourek was the first to testify, arguing that tenure is something NU need in its "toolbox."

"It takes years of work and a proven record and scholarly performance and productivity, and that's good news for Nebraska," Kabourek said. Should LB1064 pass, Kabourek added, it would put NU at a "great competitive disadvantage." Colby Woodson, a UNL graduate student, argued that the institution of tenure has become a sort of academic caste system, and that it's not necessarily what it used to be.

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NEBRASKA STUDENTS TAKE FIGHT AGAINST 'PERIOD POVERTY' TO LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- On Monday, a hearing was held before the Legislature's Education Committee over Sen. Danielle Conrad's LB1050, which would require school districts to provide menstrual products in girls' bathrooms or locker rooms by the 2025-26 school year. The bill, which did not include an appropriation, is expected by the Nebraska Department of Education to cost $750,000 annually.

The Legislature previously removed a sales tax on menstrual supplies and provided menstrual products to incarcerated women and girls, which Conrad described as the first steps. Alyssa Capek, a Nebraska eighth grader, told the Education Committee that it can be "traumatic and embarrassing" for girls when their school lacks adequate menstrual products.

"Once female students hit puberty, we're given this insurmountable task of being our own nurses and our own janitors," said another testifier, Cassidy Bell, "And because we don't talk about it, we girls never say to each other, 'Maybe it doesn't have to be like this.'" The Nebraska State Education Association, Nebraska Association of School Board, and ACLU of Nebraska all testified in support of the proposal.

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BILL TO RESTRUCTURE NEBRASKA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MAY BE DEAD IN LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- A lack of committee support indicates that a constitutional amendment to restructure the Nebraska State Board of Education may be dead in the Legislature this year, although the introducer still has hope. The Legislature's Education Committee held off on voting to advance Sen. Murman's LR278CA on Tuesday.

The proposal would reduce the number of elected members on the State Board of Education to five, with two additional members appointed by the governor. The Board is currently composed of eight members, each elected from separate districts. Murman argued that his proposal would put Nebraska in line with a majority of states, which do not elect their Board of Education members.

Murman acquiesced to not voting on the amendment Tuesday, noting the amount of opposition testimony it received, but said he wasn't committed to leaving the proposal stuck in committee for the rest of the legislative session. On Tuesday, the committee also decided to hold off on advancing LB635, which would require providers of digital and online resources to K-12 schools to filter and block obscene materials.

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HEARING BRINGS OUT BACKERS, OPPONENTS OF NEBRASKA ANTI-DEI BILL

LINCOLN- On Tuesday, critics of a proposal seeking to restrict Nebraska colleges and universities from spending public money and staff time on efforts to boost diversity, equity, and inclusion spoke for more than three hours, stretching an Education Hearing into the evening. Proponents of the bill spoke for just 45 minutes.

The bill, LB1330 introduced by Sen. Dave Murman, largely mirrors legislation passed in other red states, such as Oklahoma. The bill would make it unlawful in Nebraska for public higher education institutions to require employees to participate in training or workshops on power and privilege and how both impact people of different races, genders, and sexual orientations.

Murman, speaking to the Education Committee, told members that those in higher education who speak out against DEI are ostracized, marginalized, or outright fired. "This is the natural result of when public institutions put ideology into policy," Murman said, "It should be obvious and easy to say that race, ethnicity, gender and religion should never be used to discriminate against another person."

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PILLEN RAISES RECORD AMOUNT FOR FIRST-YEAR NEBRASKA GOVERNOR

LINCOLN- Just months after winning Nebraska's costliest governor's race, Gov. Jim Pillen set a record for first-year fundraising for the state's chief executive position. In 2023, Pillen raised $2.1 million, more than double the closest number ever raised by a first-year governor. Gov. Dave Heineman, the second-highest fundraiser, brought in only $815,000 in his first year.

Several Nebraska political consultants said they see Pillen's substantial early fundraising as a warning to any would-be challengers, like agribusinessman Charles Herbster, who Pillen beat in the 2022 Republican Primary. Chris Peterson, a Nebraska Republican consultant, called Pillen's figures "a stunning number," and argued that such an amount "doesn't happen by accident."

"It's clearly intended to both raise a war chest for 2026 and send a message to potential challengers that Governor Pillen isn't taking his re-election for granted, even though the primary election is more than two years away," said Peterson. Herbster declined to comment about his political intentions or Pillen's large haul. However, Herbster has expressed interest in a possible 2026 rematch.

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SENATOR CALLS FOR INCENTIVES TO REDUCE NITROGEN FERTILIZER USE, IMPROVE WATER QUALITY

LINCOLN- A rural state senator called for providing financial incentives for farmers to use less nitrogen fertilizer and help clean up the state’s groundwater. LB1368, introduced by Sen. Teresa Ibach, would pay no less than $10 an acre for farmers who reduce their use of synthetic fertilizers, such as anhydrous ammonia, and switch to “biological” alternatives, such as coating seeds with microbes that draw nitrogen from the air.

Ibach told members of the Legislature’s Agriculture Committee the goal of her “Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Act” is to encourage farmers to adopt “sustainable practices” to avoid and hopefully reduce nitrate contamination of groundwater. Currently, one in five public water supplies and private wells in Nebraska tests high for nitrate contamination, which has been linked to one of the nation’s highest rates of pediatric cancer.

Supporters of the bill said nitrogen fertilizer is often overapplied, allowing it to leech into groundwater or run off into streams and lakes, causing harmful algae blooms and the “dead zone” where the Mississippi River dumps into the Gulf of Mexico. Ibach said it has taken years for excess nitrates to leech into the state’s groundwater and it will take years to reverse that trend, but she said LB 1368 is a “proactive” first step to change farming practices.

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PARENTS, ACLU ALLEGE A NEBRASKA MIDDLE SCHOOL INAPPROPRIATELY OUTED A TRANS GIRL LAST FALL

LINCOLN- A federal complaint is asking the U.S. Department of Education to investigate whether Nebraska school officials outed a transgender middle school student last fall without parental consent. The new complaint alleges administrators violated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA, which prohibits schools from disclosing “personally identifiable information in education records” without written parental or guardian consent.

The ACLU states the case revolves around a 12-year-old trans girl’s parents who had a private meeting with school administrators at the start of the girl’s time in middle school in August 2023. They learned shortly afterward from the president of a private organization that he had just learned the girl was trans.

“Under FERPA, whether a student is transgender or not is confidential and protected information,” Grant Friedman, ACLU of Nebraska legal fellow, said in a statement. “Sharing that highly sensitive information without permission is a major violation of trust that can easily risk a student’s safety and well-being.” The ACLU declined to identify the middle school in the complaint or provide a copy of it.

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LAWMAKER WANTS TO KEEP OUT-OF-STATE ENTITIES FROM BUYING SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES IN NEBRASKA

LINCOLN- Calling it a means to preserve local homeownership, a state senator has proposed legislation to keep businesses without a tie to the state from buying single-family housing in Nebraska. Under LB1405, introduced by Sen. Justin Wayne, a corporation, hedge fund or other business would not be able to purchase a single-family home in Nebraska unless that entity is domiciled in Nebraska and its principal members are state residents.

Speaking Monday to the Legislature’s Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee, Wayne referred to an Ohio-based private company as an example. He said Vinebrook Homes has snapped up scores of homes in North Omaha to become one of the state’s largest landlords. He said the companies have the financial capacity to outbid average families, and the homes become “perpetual renterships.”

He said he was inspired by the Omaha situation, but also by Gov. Jim Pillen’s idea to prevent foreign adversaries and sanctioned nationals from buying land in Nebraska. “I was like, Let’s just take it a step further and see if we can save some homes,” Wayne said. Three people spoke in support of the bill during the public hearing. No one testified in opposition, though pushback came from Sen. von Gillern.

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKER PROPOSES GRANT FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS TO COMBAT DYSLEXIA

LINCOLN- Several people testified on LB1253 on Monday. The bill aims to create a Dyslexia Research Grant Program for new technologies. State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, who introduced the bill, also has dyslexia and has fought for years to support students with dyslexia. The proposed research program would set aside $1 million for Nebraska businesses researching artificial intelligence-based writing assistance for individuals with dyslexia.

Linehan said that some educators have long discredited the lifelong disorder or cast it off as having to do with a student’s IQ or intelligence. She herself has struggled with the disorder, recalling how “horrified” she felt before her 1995 interview to work for then-U.S. Senate candidate Chuck Hagel. It’s estimated that as many as 15%-20% of the world’s population has dyslexia.

In the past year, a group of University of Nebraska-Lincoln college students working in this field approached Linehan to discuss their fledgling business, Dyslexico, which they started about two years ago in the UNL Raikes School. Unlike other programs, the Dyslexico software is powered through AI but finds a middle ground in not rewriting sentences.

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NORTH OMAHANS PACK A ROOM TO DISCUSS 'NEXT STEPS' IN SPENDING MILLIONS OF STATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDS

OMAHA- Not everyone is completely happy with the way $235 million in state development funds are to be doled out in North and South Omaha, Willie Barney of the African-American Empowerment Network told a group of about 100. But the Empowerment Network plans to use some of its grant funding to help fill gaps and multiply the financial impact in North Omaha, he said. It aims to do that in part by hiring a consultant who will guide groups and entities that were awarded grants as well as others that are seeking a financial boost.

Barney and heads of other key organizations called the community meeting Monday to discuss “next steps” since the State of Nebraska announced recipients of the $235 million in state funds on Jan. 26. Award-winners in the room said they were still awaiting the actual funds. “This is really about trying to move forward. To make this community stronger than it’s ever been", said Barney.

The meeting was just announced on Friday, but on Monday almost every seat in the auditorium was filled. Those who came ran the gamut from businesses that didn’t apply for the North-South grants but are seeking funding for their operation to those that were awarded funding but were in search of advice on compliance and other issues.

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GOVERNOR CHANGES COURSE, SAYS HE HAS A 'NEBRASKA WAY' TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FOOD FOR KIDS

LINCOLN- On Monday, Gov. Pillen reversed course and decided to apply for $18 million in federal funding for food over the summer for low-income Nebraska families. The program, according to Pillen's Office, is expected to deliver an additional $40 a month in grocery-buying funds to an estimated 150,000 kids across the state.

Gov. Pillen previously faced backlash after denying the funds in December, which he argued were leftover from a now-over COVID-19 pandemic. Pillen said a recent conversation with Se. Ray Aguilar and a visit to Boys Town last week prompted him to change his mind. "This isn't about winning," said Pillen, "It's about doing what's best for kids in Nebraska."

Pillen announced the change of heart during a Monday morning press conference, where has was joined by a bipartisan group of state senators. "I want to thank the Governor for heeding the call of myself, my colleagues and countless Nebraska who asked the Governor to rethink his decision," said Sen. Jen Day, a Democrat.

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ADVOCATES, PAST DRUG OFFENDERS CALL FOR END TO LIFETIME BAN ON RECEIVING FOOD STAMP BENEFITS

LINCOLN- For some past drug offenders in Nebraska, a punishing Nebraska law prohibits them from obtaining food stamps, or benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. "SNAP would be such a great stepping stone to help me get the stability I need to keep my kids happy and to move forward in my career," said Kayla Tobey, a working mother of two children and passed drug offender.

On Friday, Tobey joined advocates and other offenders at a press conference to call on the Nebraska Legislature and U.S. Congress to pass bills to lift the ban for people who have since moved past drug use. "We continue to see the harm that results from the unnecessary lifetime SNAP ban," said Eric Savaiano of Nebraska Appleseed.

Some in the Legislature, however, are working to change the law. Sen. Hunt's LB88, introduced last year, would allow persons convicted of a felony involving the possession, distribution, or use of a controlled substance to have the ban lifted from them once they complete their sentence. U.S. Rep. Don Bacon is also a co-sponsor of the federal Restore Act proposal, which would do the same thing on a national level.

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SENATORS, SANDHILL RESIDENTS TOUT BILLS TO ADDRESS 'CARE DESERTS' DUE TO CLOSING OF SENIOR CARE CENTERS ACROSS NEBRASKA

LINCOLN- Eleven state senators, as well as a handful of rural residents who must drive hours to receive medical care, called last week for an end to the expansion of 'care deserts' in Nebraska. The coalition of senators addressing this issue argued that such deserts force families to travel further for medical care. "We can't continue at this pace," said Sen. Myron Dorn, "We have to try and find a way to stop this cycle."

To address the issue, Sen. Dorn introduced LB941 and LB942, which will be heard this week before the state's Appropriations Committee. LB941 would increase current Medicaid reimbursement rates for care at assisted-living facilities, while LB942 would appropriate funds to the Department of Health and Human Services to increase Medicaid reimbursement for nursing facility care by 5%.

Jalene Carpenter, of the Health Care Association, argued that it's important that care is adequately reimbursed so care centers can avoid closing. Sen. Dorn echoed a similar sentiment, arguing that inadequate reimbursement rates shift the cost of care onto non-Medicaid residents.

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JUDGE TEMPORARILY HALTS HANDGUN ORDER IN OMAHA UNTIL COURT CASE IS DECIDED

OMAHA- Handguns are legal now in Omaha's city parks, trails, sidewalks and parking areas after a judge issued a preliminary injunction Friday against Mayor Jean Stothert's executive order limiting handgun possession on city property. The order was paused by Douglas County District Judge LeAnne Srb.

Srb's order questioned the City of Omaha's contention that it was restricting guns as a landlord and not as an authority. The judge wrote that the city might own the premises it regulates, but that Stothert's order "appears to be an action taken for the public welfare pursuant to governmental or police power."

The Nebraska Firearms Owners Association sued Omaha and Lincoln last year after both cities issued similar orders restricting handguns. The Lincoln lawsuit is currently headed to the Lancaster County District Court, with a date set for February 27th. On Friday, Sen. Brewer, who introduced the bill allowing the permitless concealed carry of firearms statewide, said he was "very encouraged by Judge Srb's decision to stop Omaha from enforcing Mayor Stothert's illegal executive order."

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NU VOLLEYBALL COACH SAYS NEBRASKA CROSSING COULD BE NEW HOME FOR OLYMPIC VOLLEYBALL TRAINING CENTER

LINCOLN- Backers of turning Nebraska Crossing into a major, regional tourism destination for shopping and youth sports enlisted the help of a major state celebrity during a public hearing concerning the state's Good Life District Economic Development Act. John Cook, the University of Nebraska volleyball coach, told state senators that they should capitalize on the volleyball momentum in Nebraska and lure the Olympic volleyball training center to the state.

Cook told the Legislature's Revenue Committee that the current training site for the US's volleyball team is "abysmal," and that the head of USA Volleyball was "pretty fired up" about the possibility of moving to Nebraska. "They just fell in love with Nebraska," said Cook. Nebraska Crossing owner Rod Yates also told lawmakers that he was in "the final stages" of putting together an agreement to relocate the training facility to Gretna.

Yates said the facility would likely cost between $150 and $200 million, which would be financed via a voter-approved slice of sales tax proceeds from the expanded Nebraska Crossing. According to Yates, who cited Creighton University economic Ernie Goss, an expanded Nebraska Crossing could bring nearly 18 million visitors per year, and create 40,000 full-time jobs.

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NEBRASKA CHILD WELFARE, PRISON WATCHDOGS HAVE TEMPORARILY RESTORED ACCESS FOR OVERSIGHT ROLES

LINCOLN- A six-month battle between Nebraska's legislative and executive branches has gotten a reprieve, with watchdog access at least temporarily restored on Wednesday to the state inspectors general. Speaker John Arch and Executive Board Chair Ray Aguilar joined Gov. Pillen in a memorandum of understanding, which specified what information the executive branch would provide to the state ombudsman and inspectors general for corrections and child welfare.

"Over the years, this effort to provide greater and more effective oversight has now become an opportunity to step back and have a broader assessment of the oversight function of the Legislature and how to better coordinate that function," said Arch. The memorandum is set to expire at the end of the 2025 legislative session unless mutually extended.

Arch said that the varying parties in the oversight battle came up with three separate agreements. Firstly, a special committee to consider legislative oversight will be established. Second, certain statutes will be amended to address concerns from the Nebraska Attorney General. And finally, access to information will be reestablished between the executive branch and the office of the inspectors general.

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HANSEN BILL WOULD CUT NEBRASKA'S EARLY VOTING PERIOD TO 22 DAYS

LINCOLN- The window for voting early in Nebraska would open about two weeks later if the Legislature adopts Sen. Ben Hansen's LB1211, the subject of a public hearing on Wednesday. Several states, including Iowa, have reduced the window for early voting, often in response to Republicans pushing to limit voting by mail.

Early voting by mail in Nebraska currently begins 35 days before the statewide primary and general elections, with in-person voting starting 30 days before elections. "This bill is simple to understand," Hansen told lawmakers, "I believe 22 days is a reasonable amount of time...It limits the amount of time for ballots to lay around."

LB1211 received the backing of Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, who submitted a letter calling the change a "sensible policy solution that sets uniformity in early voting practices without requiring additional changes to state law." Brian Kruse, the Douglas County Election Commissioner, said more ballots would be rejected if the timeframe was cut short, since, if issues were to arise, voters would have far less time to correct them.

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STATE SEN. SLAMA DECIDES AGAINST RE-ELECTION BID AT LAST MOMENT

LINCOLN- Southeast Nebraska will elect a new state senator this year after State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar changed course and decided not to run for re-election. Slama, a lawyer who earlier announced that she was running for a second term, said in a statement that she was stepping back to focus on her family, including a newborn child. She called serving in the Legislature an “honor and privilege.”

“I’ve decided to begin a new chapter as an attorney in the private sector and focus on the joys and responsibilities of being a new mom,” she said in a statement, the deadline for incumbents to file for re-election. Slama might not be finished with her political career, however. She steps away from the race with $146,000 raised cash on hand, more than any of her Republican peers in the Legislature.

Slama has made no secret about wanting to run for higher office one day, having applied for Gov. Jim Pillen’s consideration as the state treasurer after John Murante took another job. Local political observers have said she might eventually run for state treasurer, secretary of state or attorney general. She did not address those possibilities in her announcement.

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BLOOD ASKS PILLEN TO RESPOND TO 'WORSENING' VIOLENCE, WORKER SAFETY AT STATE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL

LINCOLN- Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue has ramped up her plea to Gov. Jim Pillen, requesting that he act quickly to improve “worsening” safety conditions for workers at the state psychiatric hospital. In a letter sent to Pillen, she said the safety of patients and staff at the Lincoln Regional Center is “completely compromised.” Blood pointed to various situations she has been informed of.

“It’s our understanding that many of the patients at LRC are more akin to Nikko Jenkins than not,” Blood said in the letter to Pillen, referring to the Nebraska death row inmate who killed four people in a 10-day span in 2013 and has self-mutilated while in prison. “The situation at LRC continues to be dire.” Blood also said the staffing issue has been around for years.

DHHS said the department has already been working to implement improvements, including increasing wages by, he said, “over 50%.” He said 110 new nurse and mental health specialist positions recently were posted. Blood said she and her team continue to listen to workers and share the information publicly because she believes that lives are at risk.

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