JIM PILLEN, GRETNA DEVELOPER WANTED NEBRASKA IN 'CONVERSATION' FOR NHL TEAM, DESPITE LONG ODDS

LINCOLN- While Nebraska Crossing owner Rod Yates traveled to New York in February with Gov. Jim Pillen to make a pitch for a Nebraska team, Yates has acknowledged that the league isn’t actively pursuing expansion. League Commissioner Gary Bettman, in recent public interviews, has tamped down speculation that the league is looking at new sites.

But Yates said he wanted to get Nebraska in the conversation if the league’s position changes. Yates has talked of his desire to build a dual-use arena for hockey and volleyball as a major anchor in the Good Life District he is developing on 2,000 acres near Gretna. The state has approved his plan for a sports and entertainment complex under a new law that created such districts.

Yates said Pillen emphasized that Nebraska’s “brand” is its fan base. Husker fans follow their teams all over the country, Yates said, and the state has proved it can fill a stadium with 93,000 fans. Yates said situating an arena along Interstate 80 near Gretna would allow it to draw from both the Lincoln and Omaha metro areas, which have a combined population approaching 1.4 million.

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS FILIBUSTER BILL THAT WOULD ENHANCE PENALTIES FOR DRUG DEALERS IN OVERDOSE CASES

LINCOLN- A small group of Nebraska lawmakers launched a filibuster on Wednesday against a bill that would enhance the penalties that alleged drug dealers could face for providing substances linked to overdoses. LB137, a bill sponsored by Sen. Carolyn Bosn, would increase prison sentences for dealers who distribute a drug that kills or seriously injures a drug user.

The Legislature's Judiciary Committee advanced the bill on a 5-2 vote on Tuesday, but faced opposition from Sens. Machaela Cavanaugh, Justin Wayne, Terrell McKinney, and George Dungan during a floor debate on Wednesday. "I don't think that it's going to deter crime," said Cavanaugh, whose comments were echoed by Dungan, a former public defender, "And if we really want to deter crime we need to get to the root causes of crime..."

McKinney and Wayne repeatedly cautioned that Bosn's bill would bring unintended consequences and further strain Nebraska's prison system, which is already plagued by overcrowding. "It's easy to get behind what we could deem tough-on-crime bills," said Wayne, "It's easy to say that there is a drug problem and we have to be harder on drug dealers. I don't disagree with those statements. The problem is this bill is too broad."

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NORTHEAST NEBRASKA COUNTY DELIVERS BLOW TO PLANS FOR CARBON PIPELINE

LINCOLN- A rural Nebraska county delivered a blow on Tuesday to plans by an Iowa corporation to build a pipeline carrying carbon dioxide across the state. On a 3-0 vote, the Stanton County Board denied a conditional use permit for Summit Carbon Solutions, which is seeking to build the carbon pipeline to connect to more than 50 ethanol plants across the midwest.

Stanton County Clerk Wanda Heermann said commissioners believed they needed more information about potential health risks and possible foreign ownership of the company before they considered approving the permit. Summit Carbon Solutions, said Heermann, would have to reapply for a conditional use permit if it wants to try again to cross the northeast Nebraska community.

A spokeswoman for Summit said the company "respects the decision of the Stanton County Commissioners and will address their feedback. More than 90% of the landowners in Stanton County have signed voluntary easement agreements, demonstrating broad understanding and support of the project."

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PROPOSAL ADVANCES TO EXPAND NEBRASKA'S CHILD CARE WORKFORCE AND CUT COSTS

LINCOLN- On Wednesday, Sen. Fredrickson's LB856, which would make all child care workers eligible for their own child care aid, regardless of income, advanced in the Nebraska Legislature. To qualify, a worker would need to work at least 20 hours per week in direct child care at a licensed center or Early Head Start Program or as a licensed, self-employed child care provider.

If passed, the program would start three months after the Legislature adjourns this year and end in October of 2026. Fredrickson described the bill as "simple and measurable," and argued that the proposal would tackle both workforce and child care needs. The bill is based on a similar piece of Legislation that brought in more child care workers in Kentucky.

Two amendments adopted alongside the bill on Wednesday would cap LB856 at $10 million annually, which Fredrickson said would be a "fiscally responsible" but "prudent investment." Sen. Mike Jacobson said during debate that this bill could be the first to addressing the broader labor shortage in Nebraska, which plagues many industries besides child care.

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BILL WOULD REQUIRE NEBRASKANS TO VERIFY THEIR AGE TO PERUSE PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL

LINCOLN- On Wednesday, the Legislature's Judiciary Committee heard testimony on Sen. Dave Murman's LB1092, which would require pornographic websites to digitally verify the age of its users. Murman said his goal in introducing the bill is to protect "our most vulnerable women and children."

"We're not trying to do something new here," he told the committee, "We're trying to do what's been done in other states...and what's been successful in other states." Sen. Carol Blood questioned the wisdom of considering a bill that could put Nebraskan's personal identifying information online, including that of those under 18 years of age.

"If we're going to violate people's civil liberties, and it's about safety, why are we legitimizing a surveillance regime?" asked Blood. Privacy advocates, including Jane Seu of the ACLU of Nebraska, described the proposal as an unconstitutionally broad burden on all internet users that would force people to "share identifying information to access content online," risking embarrassment. 

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ACTORS, PRODUCERS AND SCREENWRITERS TESTIFY FOR BILL TO LURE MOVIE/TV PRODUCTIONS TO NEBRASKA

LINCOLN- Travis Beck, a film location scout who grew up in Lincoln, told the Nebraska Legislature's Revenue Committee that $70 million was recently spent in Montana to film a season of the television show Yellowstone. However, Beck said, "We could have filmed that here" if Nebraska had provided financial help for film crews.

Under Sen. Rita Sanders' LB1022, the Cast and Crew Nebraska Act, Nebraska could do just that. Sanders, testifying before the committee, said that Nebraska is currently at the bottom of states that provide film incentives, and that such incentives help keep young people from leaving the state to pursue careers in the film industry.

A crew of actors, producers and writers who grew up in Nebraska also attended the hearing, testifying in favor of the proposal. Even Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hansen testified in support of the bill, saying the film industry provides many jobs for skilled trades, like electricians and carpenters, which can help lift people out of poverty.

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STATE LAWMAKERS ADVANCE DETASSELING BILL TO PROTECT NEBRASKA YOUTH WORKERS

LINCOLN- On Tuesday, lawmakers advanced Sen. Steve Erdman's LB844, a bill to clarify that seed corn producers in Nebraska should hire local youths for detasseling before using temporary, nonimmigrant workers. More specifically, the bill requires that these producers solicit bids from contractors who seasonally employ largely young workers who are recruited locally before utilizing H-2A workers.

"This is an opportunity for us to protect the local workforce," said Erdman during debate over the proposal. Erdman said his bill was "very simple, straightforward," and argued that it would align Nebraska more adequately with federal law while also expanding workforce development.

Under the bill, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture would be required to post a director listing the information of detasseling and roguing contractors. A list of such contractors would also be distributed to seed corn producers each year, beginning in 2026. "I think it's an opportunity for the young people in Nebraska to understand that we've taken their concerns to heart and we'll make it available to them to work hard," said Sen. Steve Halloran of Erdman's proposal.

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MORE WORK AHEAD FOR BILL THAT WOULD PHASE OUT NEBRASKA'S INHERITANCE TAX

LINCOLN- State lawmakers adjourned floor debate on Tuesday without voting on a bill that would phase out Nebraska's inheritance tax, suggesting that more work must be done on the proposal. Sen. Rob Clements, who has made eliminating the "death tax" a top priority during his legislative career, acknowledged that changes may be necessary if his LB1067 is to pass.

One cosponsor of the bill, Sen. Mike Jacobson, said during debate that he couldn't support the measure as written because it didn't include ways to replace the funding lost by Nebraska counties from the repeal of the tax. Jacobson, as well as the Nebraska Association of County Officials, argued that repealing the tax would result in a widespread property tax increase.

"There's one thing I hate more than inheritance tax," said Jacobson, "and that's property tax." Clements said he has been seeking avenues to replace lost revenue for the counties, but also has faith that county commissioners can make the needed adjustments during the proposed five-year phase-out of the inheritance tax.

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LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE CONSIDERS BILL TO BOOST NEBRASKA'S 911 SYSTEM, ADD TRANSPARENCY

LINCOLN- This year, Sens. Wendy DeBoer and John Fredrickson are looking to create additional redundancy in the state's 911 system to thwart future outages. "We're talking about 911," said Fredrickson, "We're not talking about streaming, Hulu or Netflix, we're talking about life-saving emergency services."

The Nebraska Public Service Commission, which handles 911 oversight, testified in support of Sens. DeBoer and Fredrickson's LB1256 and LB1255, which would require a public hearing after a 911 outage and set a timeline for the transition to next-gen 911, respectively. Sheriff Neil Miller of Buffalo County, testifying on behalf of the Nebraska Association of Sheriffs, said any delays in the implementation of next-gen 911 must be avoided.

"Continuing to rely on outdated technology only increases the chances of an outage," said Miller. However, Brian Thompson, who serves on the state's advisory committee related to the next-gen 911 transition, said the change will come at a cost. He estimated that the cost of a company working outside Nebraska's border could require an annual price stage of $15,000 per company, should the transition be made.

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FLOOD, BOSTAR WORK WITH NEBRASKA LAW ENFORCEMENT TO LURE OUT-OF-STATE OFFICERS

LINCOLN- U.S. Rep. Mike Flood and State Sen. Eliot Bostar hope to lure out-of-state law enforcement officers to Nebraska by promoting a new state education benefit aimed at their kids. On Tuesday, Flood, surrounded by local police chiefs, sheriffs, and the colonel of the Nebraska State Patrol, touted Bostar's LB727, which expanded a tuition waiver for law enforcement officers to include paid firefighters and dependents.

"Our message today, while very important today in Nebraska, is really a message to the rest of America," said Flood, "Nebraska embraces and supports our law enforcement community." Last fall, 80 students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 31 at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, 5 at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and six at the University of Nebraska Medical Center collected the benefit.

State and local law enforcement leaders said the new benefit has made it easier to retain experienced officers, deputies, and troopers. Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner said his staffing is down about 10%. "We have about 15 people in our new class, which will help," he said, "But we could always use more."

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NEBRASKA AUDITOR SAYS STATE AGENCY WAS SEEKING TO REPLACE HIM AND HIRE A 'HAND-PICKED' CPA FIRM

LINCOLN- In what was described as an "extraordinarily bold move," the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services attempted to bypass the scrutiny of the Nebraska State Auditor by hiring its own "hand-picked" private accounting firm last year. State Auditor Mike Foley revealed the move during a public hearing on Tuesday concerning a bill seeking to clarify that the auditor is the "exclusive authority" in reviewing state spending.

DHHS and Foley have clashed in the past over the Auditor's often blunt and sometimes critical audits of the agency. Foley, testifying before the Legislature's Appropriations Committee, called last year's effort to replace his office's services "a direct assault upon the inherent constitutional authority" of his office.

A spokesman for the Department said the agency sought a Request for Information a year ago from private firms as part of its "due diligence to determine if other options may save taxpayer resources." Jeff Powell, the spokesman, said is costs the agency $830,000 each time the State Auditor conducts a federally required "Statewide Single Audit," which reviews the spending of federal dollars by state departments.

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NEBRASKA'S UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS COULD BE SLASHED BY 10 WEEKS IF PRIORITY BILL PASSES

LINCOLN- Nebraskans who get laid off from work could have a tougher time if state lawmakers pass a bill that has been flying under the radar so far. LB1170 would cut the length of time people could get unemployment benefits by nearly 40%, slashing the maximum from 26 weeks down to 16 weeks. State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston introduced the bill.

It has now advanced from the Business and Labor Committee, which he chairs, and has been named a committee priority, which increases the chances it will be debated by the full Legislature. Riepe called the measure a “motivation bill” that could encourage workers to take jobs more quickly, while saving money for the state’s unemployment trust fund.

“I’m not trying to be brutal on this thing,” he said. “There’s plenty of job opportunities in the marketplace.” But opponents said the measure would shrink an important safety net. They said it would force more workers to take jobs that are not a good match for their skills and experience, or it would leave them and their families without needed benefits.

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SPARKS FLY AT OMAHA MEETING ABOUT $90M AIRPORT BUSINESS PARK AND EMINENT DOMAIN QUESTIONS

OMAHA- Outbursts of frustration and anger punctuated a community meeting aimed at clarifying parts of a proposed airport area business park funded by $90 million in state funds. At the end of the two-hour meeting, however, key questions from the 75 or so people there remained anything but clear. That is: Will eminent domain be in play?

“I can’t answer that,” said Michael Maroney, executive director of the Omaha Economic Development Corp., which is leading a coalition that has been awarded the state contract to create a shovel-ready site for the business park. Omaha-based Burlington Capital and the Greater Omaha Chamber are partners in the project, and each had a representative at the meeting.

Monday’s meeting, held at the Metropolitan Community College Fort Omaha campus, was the first to include most of the major players involved in the proposed airport business park. The project, to be completed in phases, is to start on about 160 acres north of Carter Lake and west of Eppley Airfield.

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NEW POLLING FINDS 70% SUPPORT FOR LEGALIZING MEDICAL CANNABIS

LINCOLN- New polling found that 70% of respondents are ready to legalize medical marijuana in Nebraska and that a majority of those responding want to approve a novel alternative to property, sales and income taxes. The poll, conducted for Neilan Strategy Group, mirrors polling done by a group seeking to place the medical cannabis issue on the 2024 ballot.

The Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana said their polling in 2022 showed that 80% of registered voters were in favor of legalization. “Nebraskans are clearly ready to legalize medical marijuana,” said Perre Neilan of Neilan Strategy Group. Crista Eggers of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana said that she’s not surprised “whatsoever” by the poll results in that it mirrors what they’ve seen in recent years.

This year marks the third time the medical marijuana group has tried to get the issue before voters, after failing to find favor with the issue in the Nebraska Legislature. To qualify for the ballot, an initiative seeking a law change must gather the signatures of about 86,000 registered voters and get signers from at least 5% of voters from 38 of state’s 93 counties.

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PROPOSAL WOULD PUT LOCAL WATER FLUORIDATION TO PUBLIC REFERENDUM

LINCOLN- Conversations about water fluoridation may be on the horizon for more Nebraska cities or villages, in light of a legislative proposal under consideration. LB1387, introduced by Sen. Ben Hansen, would set up a referendum vote on whether communities should fluoridate their water supply, which is meant to fight tooth decay. In 2008, the Legislature mandated fluoridation for certain cities.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, LB1387 would require cities or villages to opt-in through an ordinance and a vote of its residents at the next regular election. It’s unclear whether communities already fluoridating would need to adopt another ordinance or put it to a vote; Hansen said they wouldn’t have to end fluoridation in the meantime. Hansen said communities should get to decide if they want the chemical.

“Our water systems are not to be used for drug distribution,” Hansen said at a hearing on the bill last Thursday. Testifying in opposition to Hansen’s bill were dentists from Nebraska, such as Dr. Jessica Meeske, a pediatric dentist in Hastings, who said it does not make sense for communities to reaffirm the decision to put fluoride in the public water supply.

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TWO NEBRASKA COMMUNITIES AWARDED A TOTAL OF $2.55 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT HELPS REPLACE STOCK LOST TO FLOODING

LINCOLN- Two Nebraska communities are to receive state grants totaling $2.55 million for affordable housing that will help replace dwellings lost in the substantial 2019 floods. In a press release, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development announced the grants.

They are, according to the press release, to go to Sarpy County and Dodge County. Sarpy County was awarded $1.95 million to build 13 homes just west of Offutt Air Force Base, while Dodge County will receive $600,000 to construct four new homes. The funds come from the Affordable Housing Construction Program-Homeownership Production Program.

The program is intended to help facilitate the construction of affordable housing that targets the areas federally designated as most distressed by the 2019 flooding disaster. DED officials said that distribution of state and federal aid has been ongoing since the flood occurred, and that interest in disaster recovery housing programs has exceeded expectations.

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LABOR COURT SIDES WITH THE STATE ON LATEST LEGAL VOLLEY IN REMOTE WORK CASE

LINCOLN- On Friday, a state labor court sided with the state of Nebraska over a case introduced by the 8,000-member Nebraska Association of Public Employees, which requested that the state provide records that could cost potentially $1 million to produce. This request was denied by the Nebraska Commission on Industrial Relations.

"The disputed requests are overly broad, unduly burdensome, and without any tie to potentially relevant or admissible evidence for the commission's consideration in deciding this dispute," said Commissioner Gregory Neuhaus. Justin Hubly, the Association of Public Employees's executive director, said he didn't see the decision as a significant setback.

At issue is Gov. Pillen's November executive order that aimed to end remote work for most state employees, with just a handful of exceptions. The order, which called for most employees to return to their offices by January 2nd, set off a firestorm of objections. Hubly said it will likely impact over 1,300 state employees.

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'DEFENDER OF DOWNTRODDEN' KEEPS VOTERS GUESSING AS DEADLINE NEARS TO FILE FOR 2024 ELECTION

OMAHA- The self-proclaimed "Defender of the Downtrodden," former state Senator Ernie Chambers, the longest-serving legislator in Nebraska history, said recently that he's "thinking about" running against incumbent Sen. Terrell McKinney. However, Chambers, now 86 years old, added that thinking about running is "different than planning or intending to."

The final deadline to file as a candidate for the Nebraska Legislature is March 1st. This year, sixteen of the 25 seats up for election in the Legislature are "open," or lacking an incumbent. Three other races feature appointees making their first run to retain their post. As of Friday, the incumbent deadline for re-election, only one legislative seat lacked candidates entirely: District 15, which is now held by the soon-to-be term limited Sen. Lynne Walz.

After leaving office in 2021, Chambers said he'd consider running again in 2024 if his health was good and his mind was "clear." Recently, Chambers asserted that both boxes were checked this year, but that "people won't let me be." He said that some in Nebraska believe he carries a "magic wand" to block some of the "bad things" that have happened in recent legislative sessions. "But," said Chambers, "there's only so much one person can do. Even Jesus would end up on the cross."

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CONFLICTING POLLS SHOW BOTH OPPOSITION AND SUPPORT FOR PILLEN'S PROPOSED SALES TAX INCREASE

LINCOLN- Two public opinion polls provided contrasting results over whether or not Nebraskans agree with Gov. Pillen's proposal to raise the state sales tax in an attempt to offset property taxes. Pillen's proposal, which has yet to be debated by the full Legislature, has been criticized by some as a "tax hike" and an unacceptable tax shift from typically conservative and tax-cutting groups.

However, others, especially farm groups, have praised the governor's measure, arguing that it's a necessary step to address an unfair property tax burden on farms and ranches. One of the polls, released on Thursday by the Nebraska Association of County Officials, was praised by Pillen in a press release. It found that 65% of Nebraskans supported a 1% state sales tax hike "to allow governments to continue to provide important services."

However, another poll conducted by the Holland Children's Institute found that a plurality of respondents, roughly 45% opposed reducing "Nebraska's state property taxes by raising state sales taxes from 5.5% to 6.5%." The two polls also followed one released in January by Americans for Prosperity Nebraskan, which suggested that 70% of Nebraskans opposed raising sales taxes to decrease property taxes.

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FULL TUITION WAIVERS PROPOSED FOR NEBRASKA STUDENT TEACHERS

LINCOLN- If passed, LB953 introduced by Sen. Kathleen Kauth could give student teachers 100% tuition waivers beginning in 2025. "Encouraging and supporting prospective teachers will help us rebuild our teacher population," Kauth told the Education Committee last week during a public hearing over LB953.

The proposed program would run for six consecutive school years, ending during the 2030-31 school year, and is estimated to cost roughly $15 million in lost tuition revenue. However, this would be offset by annual appropriations of up to $3 million, argued Kristen Hassebrook, a lobbyist for the University of Nebraska System.

Paul Turman, chancellor of the state college system of Peru, Chadron, and Wayne State Colleges, said some school districts, such as Omaha Public Schools, provide stipends to student teachers, but that the practice is not widespread, especially in rural Nebraska. "Any type of legislation that begins to address ways to help incentivize students teachers in their final year of experiences is very warranted," Turman told the Education Committee.

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