PILLEN CONFIRMS NO LOSS OF LIFE FROM FRIDAY STORMS, PLEDGES EMERGENCY FUNDING

OMAHA- Gov. Jim Pillen joined leaders from the Omaha, Bennington, Elkhorn, and Waterloo areas at a press conference Saturday, thanking them for listening to Friday's weather forecasts and directing their respective constituents. "It is an extraordinary miracle that we've had this kind of cell come through," said Pillen of the destructive storms, "and no categories of serious injuries, and no loss of life."

Pillen said during the press conference that he had missed a call from President Joe Biden on Friday night, who left a message offering whatever assistance Nebraska needed from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. State and local emergency management officials are still surveying the damage, which largely occurred in Douglas, Lancaster, Saunders, and Washington Counties.

On Sunday, just a day later, Gov. Pillen issued a post-tornado emergency declaration, which allows the use of an emergency fund established under the Nebraska Emergency Management Act, to respond to the storm damage. The Governor directed the Nebraska Adjutant General, who also serves as the State Disaster Coordinator, to activate the appropriate state emergency plans and take the steps necessary until the threat to life and property has been alleviated.

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THREE CANDIDATES COMPETE FOR SOUTH OMAHA LEGISLATIVE SEAT

OMAHA- Three people, including two Democrats and one Republican, are set to vie for the south Omaha legislative seat that has been held for eight years now by the term-limited Sen. Mike McDonnell. Margo Juarez and Flint Harkness, both Democrats, and Gilbert Ayala will all be on the ballot during the May 14 Primary Election.

The district encompasses a large portion of south Omaha, and roughly 37% of the voting-age population is Hispanic. All three candidates have previously run for public office, but only Margo Juarez, who serves on the Omaha Public Schools Board, has been elected. Ayala, a 54-year-old Republican, unsuccessfully challenged McDonnell in 2016 and 2020, receiving 30% and 37% of the vote respectively each year.

Of the candidates in the race, Ayala has taken the most conservative positions. He describes himself as "100% pro-life" and pro-law enforcement, supports the Second Amendment, and backs Donald Trump in 2024 presidential election. Juarez was endorsed by Planned Parenthood, the Sierra Club, and Women Who Run Omaha. Harkness, a special education teacher, said his priority is improving funding for public schools.

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PILLEN WON'T CALL SPECIAL SESSION ON NEBRASKA PROPERTY TAXES WITHOUT PLAN THAT CAN PASS

LINCOLN- Gov. Jim Pillen said he has no immediate plans for calling a special legislative session to reduce property taxes. Although he ended the regular session by vowing to call "as many sessions as it takes to finish the long-overdue work of solving the property tax crisis," he said he would not bring lawmakers back to Lincoln until he has a plan that can get 33 votes.

A solution eluded Pillen and the Legislature during the session that wrapped up April 18. The session ended without any major property tax legislation after a scaled-back version of the governor's plan lacked enough votes to overcome a filibuster on the last day. Pillen expressed determination to get something passed before the end of the year. He started 2024 by calling for a 40% reduction in property tax payments.

In addition to the difficulties of finding a solution that can garner 33 votes to end a potential filibuster, the timing of a special session could be problematic. Several senators have travel plans, while others are busy campaigning for reelection. Fifteen senators are on their way out, either because of term limits or because they are not seeking reelection.

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LEGISLATIVE LEADERS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT NEBRASKA'S FISCAL HEALTH AFTER CAREFUL SPENDING

LINCOLN- Top state senators say they feel comfortable with the level of state reserves they left behind in 2024 and beyond after carefully considering spending requests during this year’s legislative session. Lawmakers are statutorily required to have a balanced budget and are projected to end the next fiscal year, on June 30, 2025, with more than $500 million in the state’s cash reserves, or 4.5%, above the desired minimum amount.

The state is projected in the following biennium to end about $50 million under that minimum reserve. These figures could change when actual revenues come in. They also don’t account for any special sessions, such as one anticipated in late July on property taxes. State Sen. Robert Clements, who chairs the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee, said the $50 million shortfall by June 30, 2027, is an “acceptable number” and remains in an adequate range.

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, who chairs the Legislature’s Revenue Committee, said economic forecasts are too conservative, so the state could be in a better position than estimates show. She said she also doesn’t see state revenues declining or remaining flat. Linehan and Clements said that there is no recession and that Nebraska’s fiscal health is secure.

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NU BOARD OF REGENTS APPROVE DR. JEFF GOLD AS NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA

LINCOLN- This afternoon, the Nebraska University Board of Regents officially approved Dr. Jeff Gold as the President of the University of Nebraska systems. The Board approved Gold on a 7-1 vote with Regent Kathy Wilmot opposed. Wilmot did not offer a reason for her opposition. Gold's contract will pay a $1M base salary plus perks that come to about $1.3M in total compensation.

Gold, 71, who has been chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical Center since 2014, was announced as the priority candidate on March 20 following a nationwide search. A five-year contract was approved and pays about 10% more than Ted Carter was earning when he left NU to become president at Ohio State University.

The contract makes Gold amongst the best-compensated public university leaders in the U.S. when compared to data compiled by The Chronicle of Higher Education in 2022. Gold has spent last month meeting with faculty and students across the three Nebraska campuses. He has continuously asserted that he is eager to get to work.

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NURSING HOME OFFICIALS SAY FEDERAL MANDATE DOESN'T FIT NEBRASKA

KEARNEY- The White House announced their final ruling, mandating nursing homes to have a registered nurse on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That was a hot topic as local healthcare leaders gathered at the Nebraska Health Care Association Spring Conference in Kearney. President and CEO, Jalene Carpenter said these new rules will impact rural areas the most.

Some counties in Nebraska don’t have an RN that lives there. Additionally, the mandate is not funded by the federal government. “I would say it is going to limit access to care if this rule goes into place as it’s projected to do; we do not have the RNs in the state to be able to even meet this need,” said Carpenter. “So it’s not something that’s even rational to think that can happen.”

Other rules are 35 minutes of daily RN care per resident and over two hours of care from nurse aid. Carpenter said U.S. Senator Deb Fischer is working on a provision to minimize the staffing rule. Carpenter feels the federal mandate is unobtainable, making U.S. Senator Fischer’s provision right for Nebraska. Urban providers will have two years to meet federal mandates, while rural providers will have five years.

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CRITICS RALLY AGAINST NEW LAW FUNDING PRIVATE SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS, PILLEN APPROVES PROPOSAL

LINCOLN- Just two days after the Nebraska Legislature narrowly passed an "end run" to appropriate $10 million per year for private school scholarships, hundreds of protestors promised to challenge the new law. Many of those who gathered on Saturday on the steps of the State Capitol had backed a ballot initiative that aimed to repeal a similar law.

Jenni Benson, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, said passing the bill was a "shameful and cowardly act" that went against the will of the voters, as the new law is designed to thwart the ballot initiative to repeal last year's Opportunity Scholarships Act, an almost identical proposal.

LB1402, the new law, would appropriate funds for private and faith-based school scholarships over the next three years. Public school educators and other critics have argued that state funding for private school scholarships, whether direct or indirect, risks depleting funding for public education. Benson said opponents of the new law have two options: a new petition drive to place the issue on the ballot, or a lawsuit to challenge its constitutionality.

On Wednesday, Gov. Jim Pillen, sitting beside Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, signed LB1402 into law. "I'm very excited for a bunch of low-income kids who couldn't access an education that best fits their needs, and now they'll be able to," said Linehan after the signing ceremony. This is the first time in state history that a legislative act has repealed the subject of an active ballot referendum.

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POPULIST NEBRASKA GOP WAVE CRASHES OVER 2ND DISTRICT WALL, SEVERAL ENDORSEMENTS RESCINDED

OMAHA- For several years now, the populist wing of the Nebraska GOP ran into a wall of resistance in the Omaha area, where the local GOP fought to preserve a place for the more moderate Republicans who have historically won races in the politically mixed city and its suburbs. This month, however, this populist wing has seemingly broken through, winning a majority of seats on the party's governing board.

This change came during an April 6th party convention, during which the populist wing was able to recruit hundreds of party members to vote their way in elections for the Douglas County GOP central committee. The Douglas County GOP is the only county party in the 2nd District that endorsed the top GOP federal incumbents, including U.S. Rep. Don Bacon and Sen. Pete Ricketts, who are being targeted by some of the Nebraska GOP's most vocal supporters.

Now that the party has switched hands, there have been calls to rescind those endorsements and instead back other opponents. The elections this month for the central committee also swept away a handful of high-profile local Republicans, including Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine, Omaha City Council members Don Rowe and Aimee Melton, and Omaha Police Union president Anthony Conner. Former Mayor and U.S. Rep. Ha Daub, a longtime member of the local GOP, said he found it unusual to see Republicans reject longtime volunteers and donors.

On Tuesday, the newly-elected leaders of the Douglas County Republican Party voted to withdraw their endorsements of Bacon and Ricketts and place them instead on their opponents in the 2024 primary, Dan Frei and John Glen Weaver. U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, however, kept her endorsement. The group also voted to censure Bacon in a rare move last utilized to rebuke then-U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse in 2021.

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ADVOCATES PLAN 'BOOTS ON THE GROUND' EFFORTS TO REACH NEBRASKANS AFFECTED BY NEW FELON VOTING LAW

LINCOLN- Roughly 7,000 Nebraskans directly benefit from a newly passed state law that eliminates the two-year waiting period and immediately restores voting rights to felons upon the completion of their sentence, according to advocates. "This is major," said Jasmine Harris of RISE, a coalition that has fought for years for the change.

RISE, according to Harris, is now planning to launch radio ads, a door-knocking campaign, and other efforts to make sure those eligible voters are aware of the change. "Especially in an election year," said Harris, "We're just really excited people can have their voices heard at the polls." The Voting Rights Restoration Coalition, a group of around 30 statewide organizations, held a news conference on Friday at the Nebraska State Capitol celebrating the change.

LB20, introduced by Sen. Justin Wayne, is set to take effect in mid-July, in time for the November General Election. Gov. Jim Pillen, upon receiving the bill, declined to sign it but allowed the provisions to become law. This was due to the fact that both Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Secretary of State Bob Evnen had identified "significant potential constitutional infirmities regarding the bill."

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FIRST FULLY COMPLETED CASINO IN NEBRASKA SET TO OPEN IN COLUMBUS ON MAY 13TH

COLUMBUS- Harrah's Nebraska, a new casino, sportsbook, and racetrack in Columbus, was approved to open next month by the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission. "This is a big deal," said Racing and Gaming Commission Chairman Dennis Lee of the vote to approve the new casino, which is set to officially open at 10:00 A.M. on May 13th.

It took roughly 14 months for Caesars Entertainment to build the 28,000-square-foot casino which, when opened, will feature more than 500 slot machines and 14 table games, along with a sportsbook that seats 78 people. The only technicality in approving the opening date for the casino was making sure it coincided with the opening of the race track.

Commissioner Jeff Galyen pointed out that a Nebraska city "can't have a casino without having a horse track." The Columbus casino will host a 15-day race beginning August 16th. Lynne McNally, CEO of the Nebraska Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, also announced at the meeting that WarHorse Casino Omaha could open as early as August 1st. Meanwhile, phase 2 of WarHorse Casino Lincoln is moving toward its October completion date.

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GOV. PILLEN SELECTS NEBRASKA'S NEW CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

LINCOLN- An information technology expert with Nebraska ties and experience as Florida’s chief data officer is taking the reins as the state’s new chief information officer. Gov. Jim Pillen announced his pick of Matthew J. McCarville, the previous chief information officer and assistant vice chancellor of IT services and operations at the University of Colorado, Denver.

“I look forward to working with Dr. McCarville to eliminate state reliance on obsolete IT systems and delivering transformative cost savings to taxpayers,” Pillen said, praising McCarville’s “extensive” national and international IT experience and expertise. In Florida, McCarville oversaw IT needs for all 32 state agencies, 67 counties, 28 colleges and 12 universities.

McCarville was raised in and attended school in Nebraska. He earned all his degrees from Creighton University, including a doctorate in business administration. Ed Toner retired from the chief information officer role Feb. 16 after eight years. at an annual salary of about $214,000. He consolidated and modernized state IT systems during his tenure. McCarville’s salary has not yet been identified.

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UNION OMAHA'S $60 MILLION DOWNTOWN STADIUM CLEARS MAJOR HURDLE

OMAHA- Ground has yet to be broken on the new Union Omaha soccer stadium going up in downtown Omaha, but a major piece of the project is now in place. On the final day of the Nebraska Legislature, lawmakers authorized $25 million over 20 years in support of the project. Union Omaha still has to raise the remaining funds. However, the approval of state money was essential for the stadium.

The stadium now has full momentum, heading for a groundbreaking later this year and an opening near downtown Omaha in 2026. The Sports Arena Financing Facility Act was amended to support the Union Stadium. The stadium is the centerpiece of a $300 million development called the “Good Life District,” including hotels, retail, and entertainment spots.

This was done in the name of urban growth. It’s designed as a way to attract 20- and 30-year-old’s to Omaha — and keep them here. The stadium is also one of the final pieces of the remodeling of downtown Omaha. The city recently opened the new riverwalk, the revamped Gene Leahy Mall, and will soon complete a brand new skyscraper in the Mutual of Omaha building.

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AG HILGERS TARGETS MORE THC RETAILERS IN NEW LAWSUIT AFTER BID TO BAN DRUG FAILED

LINCOLN- After legislation backed by Nebraska's attorney general seeking to ban THC products stalled in the Legislature this year, Mike Hilgers' office targeted nine more THC storefronts in another consumer protection lawsuit filed this week. In the 39-page complaint filed in Lancaster County District Court, Hilgers' office accused those operating Midwest Smoke Shop stores across the state of engaging in deceptive and harmful trade practices and seeking to "ensnare Nebraska’s most vulnerable consumers: teenagers and children."

The state's attorneys broadly alleged that Midwest Smoke — the front-facing brand name of at least nine individually owned THC shops in Lincoln, Omaha and Gretna — sold THC vapes and edibles to Nebraska children and "has caused serious harm and hospitalization." The office did not provide any evidence linking them to sales to children or any hospital-related incidents.

A spokeswoman for Hilgers' office declined to provide further details on the alleged harm Midwest Smoke is purported to have caused Nebraska children, noting the lawsuit is "now in active litigation." Altogether, the lawsuits are just one prong of Hilgers' multifaceted attempt to crack down on THC products that have been available at various dispensary-type shops in Nebraska for nearly three years.

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NEBRASKANS EXCITED, SOME WORRIED AS PILLEN SAYS HE CAN FINALLY END WAITLIST FOR DISABILITY SERVICES

LINCOLN- For decades, Nebraskans with intellectual and developmental disabilities have had to wait for services like job coaching, training workshops, group homes, independent living support, and respite care. Just last month, over 2,700 Nebraskans were on what many describe as this 'wait list' for services.

That made advocates excited, but also confused and skeptical, when Gov. Pillen suddenly announced last month that he was going to eliminate the waiting list to "better support" Nebraskans with disabilities, minus any concrete details. State officials this week began a series of discussions with communities, providers, and families to outline Pillen's proposed changes.

Despite some who are skeptical, Tony Green, the director of DHHS' Division of Developmental Disabilities, said officials, including Pillen, intentionally left details out so they could be worked on later. He said the idea is to develop those details through the discussions. "The new approach to serving families as they need support will fundamentally change the way we do business," said Green.

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AWARDS TO GO TO URBAN AND RURAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS

LINCOLN- A small northeastern Nebraska town and an area nonprofit are this year's winners of the Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund award, an annual prize presented by the Nebraska Commission on Housing and Homelessness, which was established in 2018 to recognize organizations and projects that have worked to create quality affordable housing using previous Trust funding.

The 2024 winner are the Village of Clearwater and NeighborWorks Home Solutions. Clearwater was awarded $221,000 through the Trust in 2021, and worked with Stearns Construction to build a now-sold duplex. In Omaha, NeighborWorks had received a $338,800 grant in 2020 that allowed them to build two new homes in North Omaha.

"Communities throughout Nebraska are coming up with creative solutions to develop affordable housing," said K.C. Belitz, director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, "DED is grateful to support man projects that are putting quality housing within reach of Nebraska's families." The Trust is administered by the DED and is one of the state's key resources for affordable housing development.

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AARP NEBRASKA CELEBRATES NEW FAMILY CAREGIVER TAX CREDIT FOR 'UNSUNG HEROES'

LINCOLN- AARP Nebraska is celebrating the newly passed LB937, which included Sen. Eliot Bostar's Caregiver Tax Credit Act, for helping to cover family caregivers' costs as they care for and support eligible family members. The nonrefundable credits, which would begin January 1st, would be equal to 50% of eligible expenditures related to a family member's care or support of their loved ones.

"Caregiving is a critically important public health issue that affects the quality of life more millions of individuals nationally and thousands across Nebraska," Bostar said in a statement. To qualify, a caregiver must have an adjusted gross income of less than $50,000, and must care for a relative who requires assistance with at least two activities of daily living, as certified by a health care provider.

AARP Nebraska said the state has approximately 179,000 family caregivers, an experience they say is "stressful, isolating, and has a real financial cost." The cost, they said, averages roughly $7,200 per household per year. "When lawmakers agree on an issue regardless of political affiliation, the message is clear," said Todd Stubbendieck, state director of AARP Nebraska, "AARP is proud of the Nebraska Legislature for recognizing this critical need to help our state's unsung heroes."

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$62 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT EXPECTED TO USHER IN NEW ERA OF SOLAR POWER USE ACROSS NEBRASKA

LINCOLN- On Monday, it was announced that the Lyons-based Center for Rural Affairs would receive a $62 million federal grant to help make solar energy more accessible and affordable to a wider slice of Nebraskans. The "Solar for All" grant is meant to help the Center install power systems for more than 9,000 historically disadvantaged Nebraska households that stand to save roughly 20% in monthly utility costs.

The funds are also designed to create jobs, reduce pollution, and increase the amount of deployed solar energy in the state by more than 60%, according to Brian Depew, executive director of the Center for Rural Affairs. "It's exciting," he said, "We are just at the vanguard of solar in Nebraska, and this can be part of building our solar industry in a way that goes beyond the folks we'll be able to serve through this project."

Coinciding with Earth Day, the Biden Administration announced the Center for Rural Affairs as one of 60 awardees set to share $7 billion worth of Solar for All grants. The federal Environmental Protection Agency described the Nebraska project as the state's first to ensure that low-income and disadvantaged households in the state have equitable access to solar power.

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NEBRASKA ECONOMIC INDICATOR DROPS IN MARCH AFTER RECORD FEBRUARY JUMP

LINCOLN- A University of Nebraska-Lincoln economic index fell sharply during March, but its author, Eric Thompson, is still forecasting growth in the summer months. The Nebraska Leading Economic Indicator's 1.31% decline in March came on the heels of a record jump in February, which Thompson said still indicates "there will be rapid economic growth in Nebraska during mid-2024."

The indicator is designed to predict economic activity six months into the future, and last month's rise was revised to 3.97%, up from an earlier reading of 3.48%. Thompson said that the March decline was due to a drop in manufacturing hours worked and building permits authorized, two factors that were strong in February.

On a positive note, Thompson also pointed out that business expectations remained strong in March, with respondents to the March Survey of Nebraska Business reporting plans to increase sales and employment over the next six months.

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STUDY RANKS NEBRASKA AMONG TOP 10 STATES FOR RISKY HOUSING

LINCOLN- The Private Equity Stakeholder Project, a nonprofit, national watchdog group, released its first state-by-state "risk index" aimed at informing policymakers about problems that can arise from imbalanced investment by private equity groups. In its analysis, the group looked at four distinct categories: jobs, health care, pension, and housing. These were scored and utilized to determine private equity risk.

Nebraska's cumulative score was 42 out of 100, placing the state in the medium-risk category and among the bottom 15 states for overall threat. "It should raise the hairs on the backs of necks," said Matt Parr, a spokesman for the group, "That means there is a lot of risk in the housing market in Nebraska, for renters and especially for those wanting to purchase homes."

Between 2018 and 2022, the study found, medium, large, and mega investors bought 10% of Nebraska homes. More remarkable, the group added, was the fact that the share of homes purchases by those investors jumped 60% in that timeframe. According to Omaha Habitat for Humanity CEO Amanda Brewer, that required her organization to come up with a "workaround" to help clients compete for editing for-sale homes.

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PILLEN VETOES LB25 BY SENATOR WAYNE WHICH SOUGHT TO INCREASE LIABILITY ON SCHOOL DISTRICTS, CITIES, COUNTIES

LINCOLN- On Wednesday, Gov. Jim Pillen vetoed a proposal that would have allowed lawsuits to be enacted against school districts or other political subdivisions if they failed to act on suspected claims of child sexual assault or abuse. The governor said the bill, Sen. Wayne's LB25, was "overly broad" and would "substantially erode" sovereign immunity protections for political subdivisions.

Pillen, echoing opponents of the proposal, also added that the bill would have increased taxpayer costs, including property taxes. "We must hold perpetrators accountable and protect children from abuse by enforcing the criminal laws that exist and by targeting the wrongdoer," Pillen wrote in his veto letter, "Taxpayers should not bear this burden."

Lawmakers had originally passed the bill on a 28-17 vote on the final day of the 2024 session, but will be unable to override it since they adjourned sine die. Wayne described the veto as a "travesty of justice," and argued that Pillen had chosen "the shadow of bureaucracy over justice for children."

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