TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CUTS PUT NEBRASKA COUNTERTERRORISM RESEARCH CENTER FUNDING IN JEOPARDY

OMAHA- Federal funding for counterterrorism research at the University of Nebraska at Omaha remains in limbo after the consortium leading several projects received mixed messages from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security last week.

The National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology and Education Center, better known as NCITE, learned April 8 that its 10-year cooperative agreement originally worth $36.5 million had been terminated by DHS.

A day later, however, DHS notified UNO it was pausing the termination of NCITE’s cooperative agreement, which allowed the center to begin building a network of researchers across dozens of universities around the country and the world.

“NCITE and UNO have not received further updates from DHS,” the university said in a statement. "The university is hopeful that DHS will continue to fund NCITE research."

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GOV. JIM PILLEN ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION OF NEBRASKA'S PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR

LINCOLN — The director who handles public health matters for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Charity Menefee, has resigned.

Gov. Jim Pillen announced the departure, effective May 9, in a statement Tuesday that said Menefee decided to devote more time to her family. Menefee has served in the position since 2021. She oversees preventative and community health programs, including epidemiology, vital statistics, regulation, and the licensure of health-related professions and healthcare facilities and services.

“Leading and serving alongside the dedicated people at the Division of Public Health has been the greatest honor of my career,” Menefee said in a statement.

The Governor’s Office offered no information on interim leadership, saying details would come later.

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NEBRASKA MAY EXPAND LAW CREATING HARSHER PENALTIES FOR ASSAULTING HEALTH WORKERS

LINCOLN- A bill to increase the penalty for assaulting a pharmacist or any employee in a hospital or health clinic in Nebraska advanced from its first round of voting in the Legislature on Wednesday after an eight-hour filibuster that stretched over two days.

Senators disagreed over the preventative effects of LB322. Supporters said it would help to keep health care workers safe and feel more secure. Opponents said it is already a crime to assault anyone, and the bill set a harsh penalty that would put more people in prison. Despite the lengthy debate, the bill passed its first of three rounds of voting by a comfortable margin. 

An existing law makes assaulting health care professionals like doctors and nurses a felony, but it excludes pharmacists. State Sen. Stanley Clouse of Kearney said the Nebraska Pharmacists Association brought the bill to him to bring their profession in line with others in the health field. The Legislature's Judiciary Committee amended the bill to include all employees in a hospital or clinic, regardless of whether they're a health care worker.

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'IT'S NOT OVER': MEDICAL CANNABIS REGS FAIL TO ADVANCE FROM LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE

LINCOLN- A legislative committee failed to advance a bill Thursday meant to help implement and regulate medical cannabis in Nebraska, leaving the sponsor and advocates on the hunt for a new path forward. The General Affairs Committee stalled, voting 5-3 against advancing Legislative Bill 677 from State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair. Senators tried to advance the bill as-is after none of the eight members entertained a motion on whether to amend the bill during continuing negotiations on how best to implement the overwhelming voter approval of medical cannabis in November.

Hansen, after the vote, described his legislation as “a must” for 2025 to prevent the “Wild West.” That’s because without legislative action, the regulatory commission voters created with the ballot measure has no effective power or funds to regulate medical cannabis. The lead spokesperson for Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana also said the fight isn’t over. Unless the committee reconsiders, Hansen faces a tough path to getting LB 677 into law, though the legislative rules do provide a path.

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FORMER STATE SENATOR HEADS BACK TO UKRAINE TO SHOW SUPPORT

LINCOLN- A former state senator and decorated U.S. Army veteran is headed again to Ukraine in hopes of providing reassurance that Americans still support the country’s fight for freedom against Russia. This month, former Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon is making his fifth trip to Ukraine since Russia invaded in 2022, and he feels it might be the most precarious. The war, he said, has morphed from a battle at the front of artillery and tanks into an exchange of cheap but dangerous drones and Russian “glide bombs” that can’t be detected by air defense systems.

An additional goal of the latest trip, he said, is to make connections with agricultural officials in Ukraine. Nebraska, with its farm building and equipment sector, could play an important role in rebuilding the country, according to Brewer. “If we don’t do anything until the war ends, we’ll lose that opportunity,” he said. Don Hutchens, a retired head of the Nebraska Corn Board, is among those traveling to Ukraine this time.

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ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE ASKS APPEALS COURT TO RECONSIDER DISMISSAL OF HISTORY CASE

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Attorney General’s office, as promised, is challenging a State Court of Appeals dismissal of its prosecution of the former director of the state historical society. In a rarely filed and sometimes sharply worded “motion for rehearing,” state prosecutors maintain that the Appeals Court erred in granting a dismissal last month of the theft by deception charge faced by former director Trevor Jones.

The 21-page request, signed by acting Solicitor General Zachary Viglianco, argues that it was wrong to dismiss the felony charge without hearing arguments by the AG’s office, and that the dismissal was premature by not giving the AG’s office 10 days to contest it. The court granted a “summary dismissal” of the charge faced by Jones, thus discharging the prosecution without hearing arguments from the AG’s office.

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$50M PRICE TAGE FOR HISTORIC SANDHILLS RANCH SAID TO BE RECORD-BUSTER, THOUGH NOT ALL ARE HAPPY

LINCOLN- One of the most historic and largest multigenerational ranches in the Nebraska Sandhills — owned by only two families since the Cherry County land was settled in the late 1800s — is poised to find new owners. With an asking price of $50 million, the 55,136 acres could rake in the biggest sum ever for a Nebraska ranch. Located in the nation’s No. 1 cow county — and including nine miles of the Snake River, eight miles of Gordon Creek, 26 solar wells, 79 windmills, 20-plus artesian flowing wells and an airplane hangar — the property has grabbed the attention of potential buyers from numerous states.

Some members of the Abbott family, which bought the property from the Metzgers over a half-century ago, object to letting go of the ranch where whitetail and mule deer run, walleye and trout fishing is common, and the Ogallala Aquifer nourishes grassy meadows for acres. Chris, who has been the ranch’s main steward, wants to hold onto the operation, but the majority of the five brothers and sisters who are major shareholders have voted to sell and focus on other areas of their lives.

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NEBRASKA SUPREME COURT RULES AGAINST AG, FINDS CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM BILL CONSTITUTIONAL

LINCOLN- After a multi-year legal fight, Nebraska's Supreme Court ruled Friday that a 2023 criminal justice reform law challenged by the state's Republican Attorney General is constitutional after all, reversing a lower court's ruling.

In a 37-page ruling issued Friday morning, the state's high court said a Lancaster County District Court judge erred when she ruled last March that a portion of the law, known as LB50, violated the separation of powers laid out in Nebraska's constitution.

Friday's ruling paves the way for the full implementation of the law nearly two years after lawmakers passed the sweeping criminal justice reform package with bipartisan support on a 34-15 vote.

Prison officials never implemented the law's most substantive reform, which would have allowed some inmates to become eligible for parole earlier, establishing a "streamlined" route to parole for nonviolent offenders who complete required programming and avoid disciplinary issues for two full years ahead of their eligibility date.\

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WINNER-TAKE-ALL BILL STALLS IN LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Legislature killed a bill seeking to alter how the state awards Electoral College votes for president after Republicans in the officially nonpartisan body failed to secure enough votes to overcome a four-hour filibuster. Tuesday was Gov. Jim Pillen’s latest failed attempt in two years to pressure the Legislature to change the state’s system of awarding electoral votes since the resurgence of a decades-old fight after President Donald Trump and campaign surrogates expressed support for the change during his 2024 campaign, which some pundits thought might come down to the results in Nebraska’s Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District.

State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City lacked the 33 votes needed to overcome the filibuster and advance his bill, which echoed what he said on Monday — that he didn’t have the votes for LB 3. The measure secured 31 votes for cloture. “The argument for returning the winner-take-all system isn’t rooted in partisanship. It’s about ensuring that Nebraska’s electoral process aligns with the national framework and guarantees that every vote truly matters,” Lippincott said on the floor, introducing his bill.

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SOCIAL MEDIA PROTECTIONS, STUDENT PHONE BAN ADVANCE AGAIN IN LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- State lawmakers are one debate away from adopting two bills backed by Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen meant to increase online safety for minors and curb student phone use at school. Senators on Wednesday, by voice vote, advanced Legislative Bill 504, the “Age-Appropriate Online Design Code Act” by State Sen. Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln. It would require online services to explicitly protect minor users and their personal information in the physical design of certain applications or websites, including social media.

LB 504’s goal is to tackle rising youth social media use and harms such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, bullying, harassment, stalking, suicide, and more. Bosn, a former deputy county attorney in Lancaster and Saunders Counties and a mother of four young children, said the online services covered under her bill profit off of users’ data, including from screen time, clicks, or purchases. She added that families know the importance of bills such as LB 504 and how difficult it is to stay ahead of an “ever-changing online world.”

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LAWMAKERS APPROVE SMALL INCREASE IN STATE AID TO NU

LINCOLN- Lawmakers on the Appropriations Committee approved a 1.25% increase to the University of Nebraska's state aid Tuesday but opted not to give an additional boost in the second year of the biennium budget cycle. In approving the increase on a 7-1 vote, the committee reversed a previous decision backed by Gov. Jim Pillen to trim 2% from NU's state appropriations over the next two years.

The decision came after several delays over the past week as lawmakers considered how cuts from the federal government were impacting NU. The increase adds roughly $8.7 million to NU's existing appropriation in both the 2025-26 and 2026-27 budget years, bringing the university system's total funding from the state to $708 million.

Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, who raised concerns about a meeting Tuesday morning among committee members in which registered Democrats were excluded, was the lone no vote against the agreement struck by Pillen and NU administrators. Omaha Sen. Ashlei Spivey did not vote.

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BILL ADVANCES TO END LIFETIME FOOD AID BAN FOR NEBRASKANS WHO SERVED TIME FOR DRUG FELONIES

LINCOLN- A Bellevue state senator’s priority bill to remove a lifetime ban on public food assistance for Nebraskans convicted of drug felonies advanced Thursday to its next law-making step, despite resistance from a fellow Sarpy County lawmaker. Currently, Nebraska has a narrow exception to the ban for people with one or two drug possession or drug use felony convictions. They can access Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), previously known as food stamps, if they have completed a licensed and accredited treatment program.

Legislative Bill 319, championed by State Sen. Victor Rountree of Bellevue, would open the door for other felony drug offenders who currently can’t access SNAP benefits, as long as they’ve completed their sentence or are on parole or under post-release supervision. A 32-5 vote moved LB 319 forward. Seven lawmakers were present and did not vote. The most vocal opponent was State Sen. Bob Andersen.

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SOLAR ADVOCATES URGE CONGRESS TO KEEP CLEAN ENERGY TAX CREDITS

LINCOLN- A nonprofit solar energy advocacy group joined a Nebraska business and others for a press conference Wednesday calling on Congress to preserve federal tax credits for clean energy projects. The tax credits, Liz Veazey of Solar United Neighbors Action said, have and will continue to benefit residents and businesses should they stay in place in the next federal budget, which is being negotiated in Washington, D.C.

In 2023, Veazey said, more than 16,000 households in Nebraska saw benefits from the credit. She added that federal investments have also supported 20 new clean energy facilities in Nebraska, including five that are manufacturing American products. Veazey specifically thanked U.S. Rep. Don Bacon and 20 other House Republicans who, as reported by news website Politico last month, have urged “the party to preserve the clean energy tax credits” established in the Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law by former President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in 2022.

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FUNDING RESTORED FOR NEBRASKA-IOWA PRESCRIPTION DRUG DONATION PARTNERSHIP

LINCOLN- Just a week after stripping approximately $530,000 each year for Nebraska to partner with an Iowa nonprofit for a prescription drug donation program for low-income Nebraskans, all funding has been restored. In a 6-1 vote Thursday afternoon, the budget-writing Appropriations Committee fully restored the program. The funds are designated for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to identify an eligible nonprofit — the law’s sponsor has said her intent is for Iowa’s SafeNetRx — and set up the program to get safe, donated meds back to low-income Nebraskans.

Gov. Jim Pillen suggested pulling funding in his January budget recommendations. It was one of many recent programs on the governor’s “last in, first out” suggestions list to help plug a nearly half-a-billion-dollar projected budget shortfall. State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, who supports Hughes’ program, was the lone “no” vote. That was because the committee didn’t immediately restore a requirement that DHHS administer the program.

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LAWMAKERS APPROVE NO LONGER ISSUING FRONT-FACING LICENSE PLATES IN STATE BY 2029

LINCOLN- By the start of Nebraska’s next license plate cycle in 2029, the state could only issue drivers a rear-facing license plate and allow multiyear registrations. State lawmakers gave near-unanimous approval Thursday, on a 46-0 vote, to approve Legislative Bill 97 led by State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha. It included the new license plate change from State Sen. Brad von Gillern of the Elkhorn area (originally LB 279) and the multiyear registration allowance from State Sen. Rob Dover of Norfolk (originally LB 543).

Von Gillern said his bill, originally LB 279, could save taxpayer dollars by not issuing dual license plates to about 2 million vehicles in the state. Nebraskans currently pay $4.10 per license plate, leading to potential savings of about $8 million. Nebraskans incarcerated at the Nebraska State Penitentiary manufacture state plates. New car buyers could also save about $6 million to $8 million, von Gillern estimated. His bill could also have an environmental benefit, von Gillern said, reducing 200 tons of aluminum mined. At least 26 other states no longer require front-facing plates.

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STATE ASKS TO OMIT POP AND ENERGY DRINKS FROM SNAP BENEFITS

LINCOLN- Gov. Jim Pillen and other state officials have asked for federal permission to prevent Nebraskans from using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to purchase pop or energy drinks. The change is aimed at directing families toward healthier purchases and protecting Nebraska’s children, Pillen said at a news conference Monday, during which he signed a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture. SNAP provides money to households — adults and children — with little or no income to purchase food. More than 150,000 Nebraskans benefit from SNAP, about 7.5% of residents.

Steve Corsi, chief executive of the Department of Health and Human Services, and Eric Sherman, chief medical officer of Omaha’s Charles Drew Health Center, said sugary, caffeinated drinks are linked to diabetes, tooth decay and obesity, along with behavior and focus issues for children. Sherman said lower-income people have higher rates of obesity and the measure Nebraska requested will help prevent obesity in poorer communities and create opportunities to teach SNAP recipients about healthy diets. More than one-third of residents are obese, according to DHHS.

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STATE SUICIDE MORTALITY REVIEW TEAM PROPOSAL WITH EMPHASIS ON VETERANS, ADVANCES

LINCOLN- State lawmakers are looking to boost action by recent governors to combat suicide in Nebraska through new legislation with an extra focus on veterans and their families. Legislative Bill 414, by State Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln, would house a new suicide mortality review team in the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs. The team would review the circumstances around any suicides in the state generally, with an extra focus on veterans with the location. Dungan called the bill a “first step” toward working to prevent future suicides and said it would “help Nebraska as a whole.”

LB 414, which advanced 37-0, follows efforts from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, seeking similar reviews at the state and community level. Former Gov. Pete Ricketts, now in the U.S. Senate, joined the “Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans and their Families” in 2022. Nebraska joined the suicide mortality review efforts under Gov. Jim Pillen in 2024. 

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STATE SEN. MERV RIEPE STILL THE CENTER OF ATTENTION IN LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- State Sen. Merv Riepe, the Ralston lawmaker at the nexus of controversy the past three years since returning to the Nebraska Legislature, isn’t afraid to go against his Republican colleagues. Riepe returned to the Legislature in January 2023 after losing a reelection bid to his predecessor in 2018. While his first term was more in line with the then-Nebraska Republican Party, which he notes was different, too — his return has positioned him differently, as more of an independent thinker and pivotal vote on many proposals.

From new abortion restrictions, Medicaid expansion, and gender-related care to sports and bathrooms for transgender students, winner-take-all and criminal justice for teen offenders, the 82-year-old Riepe found a spotlight he says he never intended to seek. “If I’m the 33rd vote to kill something, then I say, ‘OK.’ If I feel strongly about it, I will do that, regardless of what the consequences are,” Riepe told the Nebraska Examiner during a two-hour interview.

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STATE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NAMES NEW CEO, A UTAH MANUFACTURING LEADER

LINCOLN- A Utah manufacturing expert has been named the next president and CEO of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the largest statewide business lobbying group. Todd Bingham, most recently president and CEO of the 120-year-old Utah Manufacturers Association, is to assume the post in mid-May. He was selected by a search committee that included state chamber board members and business leaders.

Bingham will replace Bryan Slone, who earlier had announced his departure from the chamber following seven years in that position. Slone said he planned to pursue other possibilities in Nebraska, including a possible political bid, though he didn’t provide details. Slone, in a statement, said he was pleased about Bingham’s appointment. He said Bingham’s connections across the country and experience in urban and rural business development make him a great choice to continue the chamber’s work.

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3 REPUBLICANS, 3 DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENTS ADVANCE IN AT-LARGE LINCOLN COUNCIL RACE

LINCOLN- Three Lincoln City Council incumbents, a former councilman, a mayoral hopeful, and a small business owner advanced to the general election, beating out three newcomers for three at-large seats Tuesday. The top vote-getters in Tuesday's primary election included incumbents Sändra Washington and Tom Beckius, with challenger Jerry Shoecraft edging out incumbent Bennie Shobe by 282 votes. Washington garnered 18,387 votes; Beckius 17,884, and Shobe 16,477 -- all Democrats who make up a 6-1 majority in the officially nonpartisan council.

Three Republican challengers -- Shoecraft (16,759 votes) and Stan Parker (15,895 votes), and Maher Aurang Zeb (5,761 votes) -- also advanced. Shoecraft, who served two terms on the City Council in the 1990s, said he's grateful for the opportunity to move on to the general election. Shobe said he expected to be competing with Shoecraft and Parker because he didn't spend as much money. He expects his support to go up in the general election.

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