NEBRASKA UNVEILS FIRST CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, AIMING TO REDUCE EMISSIONS BY OVER 30%

LINCOLN- Earlier this month, the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy submitted the state's first Climate Action Plan to federal regulators, outlining voluntary and incentive-based programs aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollutants.

The 84-page plan, which the state submitted to the EPA, highlights the first steps Nebraska will take in its efforts to reduce emissions in six economic sectors across the state. Officials will eventually work to develop a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan targeting more long-term reductions in emissions.

The Department of Environment and Energy, which was given a grant of $3 million to develop the priority and comprehensive plans, proposed more than a dozen measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gases in agriculture, energy production, transportation, industry, commercial and residential buildings, and waste and water.

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SPECIAL EDUCATION, READING, COMPUTER SCIENCE AND OTHER BILLS ADVANCE FROM EDUCATION COMMITTEE

LINCOLN- Sen. Lynne Walz, a member of the Legislature's Education Committee, hailed the advancement of LB1284 from the committee, a package of nine bills geared toward training teachers in reading instruction, computer science and technology, dyslexia research, and special education.

"We, as the Education Committee, just put together a package of bills that will really provide good solutions for kiddos, for families, for people who may be going into the teacher profession," Walz said. The State Board of Education is in favor of nearly every bill in the package, having appeared in a neutral capacity on just LB985.

A tenth bill, Sen. Danielle Conrad's LB1050, is being considered for the package. LB1050 would require schools to provide access to menstrual products in school bathrooms, an endeavor that advocates say would reduce "Period Poverty" in the state. The committee voted 4-1 to advance the bill, falling just one vote short of placing it on the floor of the Legislature for broader debate.

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JIM MACY, STATE ENVIRONMENTAL CHIEF FOR NINE YEARS, TO RETIRE NEXT MONTH

LINCOLN- Effective April 19th, Jim Macy, the nine-year director of the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, will retire from his post. Macy worked 28 years with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources before being hired by then-Gov. Pete Ricketts for the top job at the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, which later merged with the state's energy department.

In a press release, Gov. Pillen thanked Macy for his years of public service and wished him well. Macy's tenure at the department was marked by criticism over the department's handling of an ethanol plant near Mead that had failed to comply with agency orders and state regulations with its use of pesticide-coated seed corn.

Last year, during debate over Macy's reconfirmation to the department in the Nebraska Legislature, Sen. Carol Blood criticized the director for not acting more quickly to shut down the ethanol plant. Pillen announced that Thad Fineran will serve as interim director of NDEE starting April 1st. Fineran is the current chief of staff to Maj. Gen. Craig Strong, the adjutant general of the Nebraska National Guard.

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NEBRASKA RANKED FIFTH IN THE NATION FOR LOW UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

LINCOLN- On Monday, the federal Labor Bureau released data indicating that Nebraska was ranked fifth in the nation for low unemployment, with the state sitting just behind North Dakota, South Dakota, Maryland, and Vermont. Nebraska's current unemployment rate sits at 2.5%, while the national average is 3.7%.

Nebraska Labor Commissioner John Albin said the state's labor force grew by about 5,111 last year, with the state's current workforce resting at 1.05 million people. "The number of employed workers increased by 1,019 over the year," Albin said. However, despite being quite low nationally, Nebraska's 2.5% unemployment rate was up from last year's 2.1% rate in January of 2023.

Additionally, the state's number of filled nonfarm jobs was 1.038 million in January 2024, down about 23,840 over the month before. This year, the Labor Bureau's date was delayed due to an annual benchmarking revision process, which will also push back February's employment data.

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LAWMAKERS FAIL TO OVERRIDE PILLEN VETO AS CONSERVATIVES FLIP VOTES, SIDE WITH GOVERNOR

LINCOLN- On Tuesday, the Nebraska Legislature failed to approve a veto override that would have allowed pharmacies and other entities in the state to distribute hypodermic needles to drug users to stave off the spread of communicable diseases. In a dramatic vote, the body voted 27-20, falling short three votes to override the veto. 

Seven lawmakers who had supported the original proposal, LB307 introduced by Sen. Megan Hunt, ultimately reversed their votes on Tuesday. Sens. Christy Armendariz, Carolyn Bosn, Tom Brewer, Rick Holdcroft, Jana Hughes, Fred Meyer, and Mike Moser all flipped their votes after supporting the bill just two weeks ago. 

Sen. Hunt argued that Pillen's veto came not because of the content of the proposal, but because of the governor's personal distaste for the Omaha lawmaker. "What happens on the board today is not because of policy," said Hunt. Several conservative lawmakers, including Speaker John Arch and Sens. Tom Brewer and Mike Jacobson, supported the override motion and the underlying bill.

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GOV. PILLEN APPROVES NEBRASKA GENDER CARE REGULATIONS

LINCOLN- Gov. Jim Pillen approved the final rules and regulations for Nebraska’s gender care law, ending the administrative process as a legal challenge continues to play out. Pillen, in a news release, announced the approval of Nebraska DHHS regulations for puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. The restrictions apply to Nebraska minors under 19 years old and will take effect in a week.

Pillen said the state must protect children from “potentially irreversible and regrettable decisions — decisions for which they may not completely understand the consequences” — and thanked lawmakers for passing Legislative Bill 574 last year to enact the requirements. Multiple doctors have disagreed with the regulations calling them unclear.

Under the final regulations, youths must receive at least 40 hours of “gender-identity-focused contact hours of therapy” before the prescription of puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones. The ACLU are challenging LB 574 in court, arguing that the bill, after lawmakers attached a 12-week abortion ban, violated the Nebraska Constitution’s “single subject” provision.

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ADVOCATES FOR DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED RALLY FOR MORE THAN 'GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU' FUNDING

LINCOLN- Advocates for the developmentally disabled filled the Capitol Rotunda this week to rally for adequate funding for service providers. Multiple service providers said their agencies have been forced to close locations and stop offering services due to inadequate state reimbursement for services. The rally came as floor debate began in the Nebraska Legislature on the state budget.

The budget calls for a $27.5 million increase in funding for services for the developmentally disabled, of which $10 million comes from state funds and the rest from federal funds. Advocates, during the noisy rally, called for an increase in that funding to $52 million, with $25 million in state funds attracting $27 million in matching federal funds. Proponents said the increase would address the state's DD waitlist.

State Sens. Ben Hansen of Blair, Tony Vargas of Omaha, Myron Dorn of Adams and Danielle Conrad of Lincoln attended the rally. Advocates are backing a bill introduced by Lincoln Sen. George Dungan that would provide $52 million in funding for DD services, about double what is in the proposed budget currently.

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PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION REJECTS RECONSIDERATION OF OVERLAPPING BROADBAND GRANTS

LINCOLN- A state commission that hands out grants to expand high-speed internet services decided to reject a request to reconsider a $535,500 grant that overlapped with another broadband project. Dan Watermeier, the chair of the Nebraska Public Service Commission, said Nextlink Internet failed to follow proper procedure by not challenging the grant given to a competitor, Pinpoint Communications, to deliver high-speed internet to the same area near Beatrice.

In its order denying the reconsideration, the PSC stated that Nextlink did not meet the deadline to challenge the Pinpoint grant and that the commission lacked specific, detailed information to determine whether Nextlink could serve the contested locations within 18 months, as required by the state-funded Broadband Bridge program.

During the 2023 grant cycle, the PSC received 51 applications for Broadband Bridge grants and approved 22 projects at a cost of $19.7 million. Those projects must be completed by July 9, 2025. Last year, as part of the Biden administration’s “internet for all” initiative, Nebraska received $405 million in federal funds to expand affordable, reliable high-speed internet service.

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PLATTE INSTITUTE, OTHER ADVOCATES CELEBRATE NEW NEBRASKA OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING REFORMS

LINCOLN- Advocates behind an overhaul of Nebraska occupational licensing celebrated the passage of a new law Wednesday, one week after Gov. Jim Pillen approved the measure. State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, who spearheaded LB16 this year, described the proposal as a “comprehensive rewrite” of the state’s occupational licensure laws. “After many, many years of hard work, we were able to finally bring it across the finish line this year,” Conrad said.

Laura Ebke, senior fellow for the Platte Institute, which advocates to remove barriers in the state, pointed to a handful of states, such as Arizona, that have advanced universal recognition of licenses and seen success. “If we can have a portion of that success, that’ll be wonderful,” Ebke said. LB 16 proves that good policy is cross-partisan and cross-ideological, Ebke said.

The legislation provides additional ways to license experienced workers coming from out of the state. Conrad said the bill removes red tape and barriers at a minimal cost with specific relief. The legislation is also part of “proven strategies” allowing second chance employment for people who have been involved with the criminal justice system but can then reenter society and the workforce successfully, Conrad explained.

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PARTS OF TAX-RELIEF PACKAGE START TAKING SHAPE

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Legislature’s Revenue Committee started shaping two of the six bills Wednesday that leaders say will contain the group’s broader tax-relief package. The committee spent much of the morning in an executive session combining tax credits, tax deductions and tax tweak proposals into Legislative Bills 937 and 1023.

That proposal from Revenue Chairwoman State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha comes after Gov. Jim Pillen has discussed reducing sales tax exemptions to provide property tax relief. Most of the measures added to the committee bills were folded in unanimously. Albrecht’s received no votes from State Sens. George Dungan and Eliot Bostar, both of Lincoln.

Thus far, the proposal includes portions of Legislative Bills 606, 1158, 1184, 1400, and 1049. The committee started discussing the potential to reduce some separate tax incentives for businesses now that the state has cut income taxes. They said they needed more time to talk. The Committee spent the remainder of the week discussing plans to increase the state sales tax to offset property taxes.

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MORE SCRUTINY COMING OVER USE OF STATE LEGISLATIVE SPACE AFTER BIBLE STUDY HELD IN HEARING ROOM

LINCOLN- A Bible study group that ministers to the State Capitol is in hot water after using a state legislative hearing room for an unauthorized purpose. Public spaces in the Capitol are reserved for meetings that “have a reasonable relationship to the legislative process,” according to policy. However, a meeting by a group called Capital Studies was deemed a religious event.

“I got lied to,” said Brandon Metzler, the clerk of the Legislature, whose office approves requests to use legislative hearing rooms and other “public” spaces in the building. The Capital Studies meeting had about eight attendees, including three state senators, at least one legislative staffer and Arin Hess, a former minister who serves as the chaplain and president of Capital Studies.

“It’s not an open forum for any group that wants space,” Metzler said. State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City, in his written request for the use of the hearing room, listed the purpose as “hosting district community leaders” and stated that 10 state senators and a total of 40 people would be attending. It did not list Capital Studies as leading the meeting. Metzler said requests will be under additional review in the future.

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SENATORS GIVE FIRST-ROUND APPROVAL FOR STATE BUDGET ADJUSTEMENTS WITH FEW CHANGES

LINCOLN- State lawmakers gave first-round approval Wednesday to the mid-biennium budget bill that made few changes from the spending proposals of Gov. Jim Pillen. The budget calls for a spending increase of 3.1%, which is slightly higher than the 2% increase called for by the governor because of an unexpected, $94 million increase in state aid to K-12 schools.

The “good news,” according to State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, the chair of the budget-writing Appropriations Committee, is that $904 million will be left in the state’s cash reserve fund at the end of the two-year budget in June 2025, and the budget should show excess funds of nearly $575 million. During the debate, concerns were voiced about various spending cuts such as in developmental disabilities.

Concerns were also raised about whether the state can sustain the deep cuts in state income taxes passed a year ago, but there was also talk of amendments during second-round debate. State budget figures indicate that the excess $575 million in cash will shrink to $68.5 million at the end of the 2026-27 fiscal year, as the reduction in income tax revenue takes effect.

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HOUSING ADVOCATES CONVERGE AT STATE CAPITOL, HEAR GRIM UPDATE ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING EFFORTS

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Legislature gets a “low” score for progress so far this year on improving affordable housing options, State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha said Wednesday during an annual housing justice and lobbying event that drew about 100 advocates to the Unicameral. “We are not keeping up,” Vargas said, adding that Iowa spends twice as much as Nebraska on affordable housing.

Carol Bodeen, director of policy for the Nebraska Housing Developers Association, was among others who offered a grim update: “We do feel concern.” Their remarks come on the heels of a recent survey in which state legislators boosted affordable housing to among the top two priorities warranting action, said Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, who chairs the Legislature’s Planning Committee.

Affordable housing, as defined by the federal government, is that in which the occupant is paying no more than 30% of gross income for housing costs, including utilities. Bodeen and others told the group that the increased cost to build new homes, low inventory of existing homes and out-of-state investors scooping up used houses to rent have put homeownership out of the reach of many Nebraska families.

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GOV. PILLEN SLAMS UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA OVER PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR'S DEPARTURE

LINCOLN- Gov. Jim Pillen is blaming Nebraska’s eight elected regents for not naming a presidential successor for the University of Nebraska and for the departure of the flagship campus’ athletic director. Pillen, in a “call to action,” said that NU is “immeasurably bigger than one person” but that leadership matters. He urged the regents to support a decisive choice for both athletic director and president.

“I am deeply disappointed by Trev Alberts’ decision to leave so soon after restating his commitment to Nebraska and I don’t fully understand or know his reasons why,” Pillen said in a statement. “I do know that the time for reflecting on the failures of university leadership, which led to his decision, must come later,” Pillen continued. “Now is the time to act.”

Alberts confirmed that leadership, or the lack thereof, played a role in his decision to leave. Regent Rob Schafer, board chair, said that the selection of the next NU president is the “highest duty” of a regent and that the regents owe it to the university community to find the best possible leaders. Schafer did note that the search process is reflecting previous search timelines.

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EPIC BATTLE OVER TAXES SHAPING UP, WITH ONE GROUP WARNING AGAINST AN 'EPIC' MISTAKE

LINCOLN- A group of Nebraska organizations publicly launched its effort to oppose the initiative petition seeking to replace all state taxes with a consumption tax. They called the EPIC Option Consumption Tax initiative “flawed,” a “devastating” elimination of local government control, and a proposal based on inaccurate estimates of its ability to replace all sales, income and property taxes.

A new analysis of the EPIC tax, released Thursday morning by the business-oriented Tax Foundation, reported that a consumption tax rate of 21.6% percent would be required to totally replace other state taxes — much higher than the 7.5% stated by EPIC backers. That would dramatically harm the state’s economy, the EPIC opponents said. The group was formed to combat EPIC misinformation.

State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, a leading proponent of the EPIC tax, said he wasn’t surprised by the opposition. He said it’s been those organizations that have been spreading misinformation. Erdman maintained that the new group is being financed by former Gov. and now U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts “and his people.”

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AG HILGERS, TREASURER BRIESE: NEBRASKANS NEED TO BEWARE OF TAX-RELATED SCAMS

LINCOLN- Nebraskans are being cautioned about tax-related scams as the season continues through April 15. Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Treasurer Tom Briese said that scammers are sending messages that look like official documents from the Internal Revenue Service, state agencies or officials, tax software companies or Nebraskans’ own tax professionals.

“They may copy language, logos or fonts from the IRS to make it look as legitimate as possible,” Hilgers and Briese said in a joint news release. “These scammers are seeking to steal personally identifiable information from your official tax documents.” Hilgers and Briese said Nebraskans should never click on any links in these suspicious communications and should check on their status of any pending refunds directly with the IRS.

Nebraskans who think they may owe back taxes can call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 or visit irs.gov/balancedue. More information is available from the Attorney General’s Office or with its Consumer Affairs Response Team at 402-471-2682. “Take extreme caution if you get an unsolicited contact about your tax information,” Briese and Hilgers said.

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BILL TO 'SWEEP' $244 MILLION FROM STATE AGENCY EXCESS FUNDS ADVANCES AFTER AMENDMENTS

LINCOLN- State lawmakers advanced a controversial portion of the state budget on Thursday — $244 million in “sweeps” of state agency cash reserves — but not before adopting two minor amendments. The contentious portion is a proposed $70 million transfer from the state unemployment insurance trust fund, the largest of the transfers.

If removed from Legislative Bill 1413 it would “blow a hole” into the plan by Gov. Jim Pillen to provide interim government funding for his proposal to increase state taxes and funds, in order to lower local property taxes by 40%. The transfer is opposed by groups representing state businesses, who pay premiums into the unemployment insurance fund to cover payments to workers who find themselves unemployed.

Two amendments to LB 1413 that were adopted would drop a $5 million transfer out of the State Visitors Promotion Cash Fund. North Platte Sen. Mike Jacobson proposed the change, saying that sweeping the state lodging taxes would damage local tourism promotion. And, halt transfers of interest earned off the Universal Service Fund in June 2025. The bill had allowed such transfers indefinitely.

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FEBRUARY 2024 GENERL FUND RECEIPTS RELEASED

LINCOLN- Tax Commissioner James R. Kamm reported that gross General Fund receipts for February were $758 million. The breakdown is as follows:

• Gross Sales and Use: $ 257,769,741

• Gross Individual Income: $ 429,718,075 

• Gross Corporate Income: $ 41,423,487 

• Gross Miscellaneous: $ 28,865,234

 February tax refunds amounted to $292 million and February net receipts were $466 million. The breakdown is as follows:

• Net Sales and Use: $ 178,327,210 

• Net Individual Income: $ 231,182,127 

• Net Corporate Income: $ 27,915,533 

• Net Miscellaneous: $ 28,832,902

Net General Fund receipts for fiscal year 2023-24 are $5.085 billion. The breakdown is as follows:

• Net Sales and Use: $ 1,653,970,334 

• Net Individual Income: $ 2,209,121,591 

• Net Corporate Income: $ 1,040,464,112 

• Net Miscellaneous: $ 181,229,189

The Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board (Board) met on February 29, 2024 and revised the current year forecast upward by $575 million to $7.020 billion. The Board forecast was divided into monthly estimates by the Tax Commissioner and Legislative Fiscal Analyst on March 11, 2024. For the full report click HERE. 

HARDIN BILL TARGETS LAND PURCHASES BY 'FOREIGN ADVERSARIES NEAR NEBRASKA MISSILE SILOS

LINCOLN- On Tuesday, Nebraska lawmakers advanced Sen. Hardin's LB1120, which curbs the purchase of property in eight Panhandle counties by anyone connected with a country or person determined by the federal government to be a foreign adversary. More specifically, the bill would require land buyers in those counties to file an affidavit certifying that they are not affiliated with any foreign adversary.

Hardin argued that the measure is necessary as the federal government prepared to update its Minuteman III missiles. Nebraska's Panhandle is home to 80 missile launch sites and nine later facilities. "We've seen purchases of land in very interesting ways by very interesting people," said Hardin.

Hardin also said that he knows of at least seven purchases in which buyers from different states offered up to four times the market rate and paid for Nebraska land with "a briefcase full of cash." Those properties, argued Hardin, were located near the missile sites. The foreign adversaries on the federal government's current list include China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and the Venezuelan politician Nicolas Maduro.

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UPDATES ON LAST YEAR'S MOTORCYCLE HELMET LAW ADVANCE IN LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- Two months after certain motorcyclists could take advantage of a new law allowing for helmetless riding on Nebraska highways, lawmakers advanced revisions to the law on Tuesday. Sen. Ben Hansen, who led the helmet law last year, brought forth LB1004 this session to address "all concerns" with last year's changes.

According to Hansen, the updates in the new bill come from discussions with the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles, law enforcement, experienced motorcyclists, and communities around the state. Under the new proposal, Nebraska motorcyclists with a Class M license can complete the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's three-hour online course to ride helmetless.

However, those who don't obtain a Class M license before May 1st must complete the 14-hour basic safety course. LB1004 would also allow out-of-state motorcyclists with a non-Nebraska license to ride helmetless, regardless of whether they have completed a safety course. Passengers over the age of 21 will also be able to ride helmetless if the motorcyclist is permitted to do so. These updates advanced on a 34-3 vote.

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