SWING VOTE REPUBLICAN MERV RIEPE ANNOUNCES RE-ELECTION BID FOR NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN - State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston announced Thursday he is running for reelection in his Omaha-area district of the Nebraska Legislature.

“District 12 deserves a senator who puts people before politics and who isn’t afraid to stand up for them,” Riepe said in a press release. “I’ll continue working to control health care costs, expand access to care, maintain a balanced budget, deliver real tax relief, support public safety and grow economic opportunity for families across Nebraska.” Riepe, 83, worked for decades as a hospital administrator in Omaha and was a hospital corpsman in the U.S. Navy. He was first elected to the Legislature in 2014 and lost reelection in 2018. He won his seat back in 2022. 

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DAN OSBORN PICKS UP ENDORSEMENT OF NEBRASKA’S LARGEST TEACHERS UNION

OMAHA — The former labor leader running for U.S. Senate in Nebraska got endorsed by the state’s largest teachers union. The Nebraska State Education Association endorsed registered nonpartisan Dan Osborn in his Senate bid against Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts. 

The endorsement comes months earlier than the last time Osborn ran for Congress against GOP U.S. Sen. Deb Fisher in 2024, which happened in the run up to the general election. NSEA President Tim Royers said it was “very important” for the union to lay “a marker down early” for a candidate who cares about public education.

“It’s really become clear to us how important these federal races are … candidly, it wasn’t something that we felt in the last election cycle,” Royers said. “The biggest thing is there’s a very clear contrast in candidates in this race.”

Royers said NSEA members have shown their ability to mobilize voters in communities of varying size — pointing to ballot measures that they helped organize and can help Osborn “move the needle in a demonstrably positive way.” Osborn called the endorsement “huge.”

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKER PUSHES TO PROTECT CLASSROOM QUALITY AMID SCHOOL FUNDING OVERHAUL

LINCOLN — A Nebraska state senator is warning that a proposed overhaul of school funding could undermine classroom quality, even as the state works to reduce property taxes. At a meeting of the School Finance Review Commission (SFRC), Sen. Danielle Conrad emphasized that the state must remain committed to education, not just tax relief.

Conrad pointed out that while reducing property taxes is widely supported, the conversations around revising TEEOSA — Nebraska’s school-aid formula — have largely ignored persistent challenges like teacher shortages, burnout, and declining student achievement. She argued that the reforms cannot be “tax cuts at all costs” and urged the committee to remember TEEOSA’s dual goals of funding equity and educational quality.

At the same meeting, Sen. Myron Dorn noted that state funding for schools has nearly doubled since 2020, yet he expressed concern about the long-term sustainability of proposed revenue sources. He warned that the Education Future Fund — a potential source of new funding — could be depleted within two years if current budget forecasts prove accurate. Looking ahead, the SFRC plans to issue its first formal report to the Legislature by December 1, then move into a second phase focused on concrete recommendations for improving (or potentially replacing) TEEOSA.

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TENSIONS RISE AT UNL FOLLOWING UNPRECEDENTED VOTE AGAINST CHANCELLOR

Faculty leaders at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) passed a historic “no confidence” resolution against Chancellor Rodney Bennett, with a 60–14 vote by the UNL Faculty Senate. The resolution—unprecedented in the university’s 157-year history—urged the University of Nebraska Board of Regents and system president Jeffrey Gold to review Bennett’s fitness to serve, and called for consideration of termination or negotiated departure. Faculty pointed to concerns about transparency, shared governance, resource allocation and a budget reduction plan that proposes to cut $27.5 million from UNL, including elimination of four academic programs.

In response to the vote, Regent Kathy Wilmot expressed full support for Bennett and his approach to managing UNL’s financial challenges. While she acknowledged that the proposed cuts would significantly impact faculty and careers, Wilmot said the university’s “financial viability” required budget discipline and warned against personalizing institutional conflict. Meanwhile, Regent Paul Kenney noted that while the faculty vote was their “100 % opinion” and part of campus dialogue, it did not change the board’s view of the budget shortfall—“we were short a lot of money to start with… that hasn’t changed.”

The situation places Bennett’s leadership at a crossroads: hired in July 2023 as UNL’s twenty-first chancellor, his contract runs through June 30 unless extended. The faculty vote and the regents’ mixed responses highlight deeper tensions over how UNL should address structural budget deficits, faculty involvement in decision-making, and the future direction of the institution. As the board prepares to consider program eliminations and other cuts in December, the fallout from this vote could shape both Bennett’s tenure and the governance culture at the university.

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NEBRASKA’S PROJECTED BUDGET DEFICIT GROWS TO $471 MILLION AHEAD OF 2026 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers will begin their 60-day legislative session in January with a larger projected deficit than the hole they just filled during the 90-day session this year.

The new projected deficit stands at roughly $471 million, as confirmed by Legislative Fiscal Analyst Keisha Patent during a meeting on Thursday of the Nebraska Legislature’s Tax Rate Review Committee. “I wish it was rosier, but we’ll figure it out,” said State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, the committee’s chair, at the end of the meeting.

Lawmakers this spring grappled with a fluctuating deficit that at one point grew to $432 million. After some cuts, they ended the session with a projected surplus of about $4 million by the end of the biennium in 2027.

However, state senators left a structural deficit that would have grown to about $129 million by the end of the following biennium in 2029.

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PILLEN APPOINTS TWO COMMISSIONERS TO LIQUOR CONTROL, MEDICAL CANNABIS COMMISSIONS

LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen announced two appointments Monday to the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission. The appointees will also serve on the Medical Cannabis Commission.

Pillen announced his appointment of Robert “Bud” Synhorst of Lincoln and James Elworth of Nebraska City as the newest members of the regulatory boards. The duo succeeds Bruce Bailey of Lincoln and Kim Lowe of Kearney, respectively, who resigned Sept. 29 at Pillen’s request. Bailey and Lowe resigned following a federal indictment against the former executive director of the Liquor Control Commission they had worked with. Neither commissioner was implicated in the indictment alleging public corruption. The former director has pleaded not guilty.

Synhorst and Elworth will join retired District Judge J. Michael Coffey on the Liquor Control Commission, who joined the commission this summer. Coffey is a registered Democrat; the others are registered Republicans. 

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SUNDAY ALCOHOL SALES REGULATIONS CHANGING IN LANCASTER COUNTY

LINCOLN - Businesses in unincorporated parts of Lancaster County can now sell alcohol starting at 6 a.m. on Sundays. 

The Lancaster County Board of Commissioners at its regular meeting Tuesday morning updated 1992 regulations that prohibited businesses from selling beer before 9 a.m. and liquor before noon on Sundays. The Board of Commissioners considered updating the regulations following a request from Gurinder Singh Cheema, owner of Emerald Mini Mart, a mom-and-pop convenience store on West O Street in Emerald

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AUDITOR: NEBRASKANS 'MIGHT BE ABLE TO ESCAPE TAXES' WITH $310M LEFT UNCOLLECTED BY STATE

LINCOLN - In 1789, the American statesman Ben Franklin famously wrote that, in this world, “nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

But in Nebraska, the latter doesn’t seem so certain anymore, Auditor Mike Foley said Monday. Nebraska residents and businesses now owe the state $310.66 million in unpaid income, sales, and withholding taxes, Foley’s office reported Monday, marking a $41 million jump from last year and $171 million from a decade ago.

“I fear that word may be getting out that people essentially know, ‘They’ll put you on a list, but so what? You don’t have to pay,’” Foley said Monday. “You can’t escape death. But you might be able to escape your taxes. And that’s a bad message to give to people.”

The state’s $310.66 million delinquent tax balance is 15% higher than it was a year ago ($269.52 million) and is up nearly $100 million from 2021, when state residents and companies owed $212.41 million in unpaid taxes.

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UNL CHANCELLOR SHARES FINAL $27.5 MILLION BUDGET CUT PROPOSAL

LINCOLN - University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Rodney Bennett announced his final budget reduction proposal in an email to students, faculty, and staff on Monday. 

In his final plan, Bennett proposes eliminating four programs: Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Educational Administration, Statistics, Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design. Community and Regional Planning and Landscape Architecture, which were initially on the chopping block, were excluded from the final proposal, reducing the expected savings from program cuts from $7.7 million to $6.7 million. 

The chancellor is supporting an alternative proposal from the College of Architecture and the Academic Planning Committee to consolidate all its programs under one umbrella, which would achieve similar cost savings of $700,000 through administrative efficiencies. 

The proposed shared director position between the Glenn Korff School of Music and the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film was omitted from the final proposal. The college was able to find alternative savings of $350,000. Bennett said in the email that he modified the proposed cuts after receiving input from the Academic Planning Committee. The APC voted against eliminating Community and Regional Planning, Landscape Architecture, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and Statistics.

The final budget proposal comes despite the APC calling on the chancellor to delay the budget reduction process in a 12-page letter. The APC raised similar concerns that faculty groups and students shared regarding the university's process for deciding which programs to eliminate, such as the short timeline and the metrics, which some faculty have called flawed. The elimination of the staff positions, unfunded scholarships, and a 1% across-the-board budget cut will save the university $11.66 million, according to the final proposal.

All state-aid funding for the Division of Student Life, totaling $850,000, will be eliminated. The university will save $2.5 million by reducing unfunded scholarships and replacing them with private scholarships. Several administrative and staff positions within the Office of the Chancellor, the Executive Vice Chancellor’s Office, and Business and Finance will be eliminated, resulting in a $2.95 million savings. This is a $260,000 increase from the initial proposal. 

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FEDERAL SPENDING BILL INCLUDES BAN ON HEMP-DERIVED THC PRODUCTS

WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives gave final approval Wednesday to a spending bill that will end the record-long federal government shutdown — and shutter most of the 300 dispensary-type shops that have sold hemp-derived THC products in Nebraska for years.

A last-minute provision that Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky worked to include in the bill will outlaw the “unregulated sale of intoxicating hemp-based or hemp-derived products, including Delta-8,” which have been legal in Nebraska since 2019. The provision, which will take effect late next year, will close a loophole that Congress created in 2018 when lawmakers legalized hemp-derived products that contain no more than 0.3% of Delta-9 THC — placing no limits on the hundreds of other cannabinoids present in hemp, including Delta-8.

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LAW IN LIMBO: NEBRASKA VETERANS JUSTICE DIVERSION PROGRAM DEFUNDED, DELAYED UNTIL AT LEAST 2027

LINCOLN — Nebraska was set to lead the way July 1 with a new statewide criminal justice diversion program for eligible veterans through evidence-based treatment and case plans. But lawmakers delayed the rollout for two years in the face of growing budget woes.

It’s not yet clear whether Nebraska lawmakers can meet that later timeline and find the roughly $4.7 million in annual funding the state court system says is needed to start by July 1, 2027. Several current and former state lawmakers called the funding decision “disappointing” and “incredibly problematic.” Another former lawmaker said she wasn’t in a position to “second guess” a response to the state’s fiscal situation.

Former State Sen. Tom Brewer, the sponsor of the 2024 bill who represented north-central Nebraska, said in a May text that lawmakers had made a “conscious decision” to ignore veterans’ problems and wait to support those who have stumbled and need a second chance.

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RICKETTS RELIES ON RECORD AS OSBORN MOUNTS POPULIST CHALLENGE IN NEBRASKA SENATE RACE

LINCOLN - In the upcoming 2026 U.S. Senate race in Nebraska, incumbent Republican Pete Ricketts is running for his first full six-year term and is leaning heavily on his established conservative track record. He previously served as governor, uses his substantial campaign war-chest and influence within Nebraska politics to his advantage, and has the backing of prominent Republican leaders and donors. Ricketts’s strategy centers on emphasizing stability, continuity, and policy wins such as tax relief efforts and alignment with national conservative priorities, positioning himself as the safe, experienced choice in a state long dominated by Republicans.

His challenger, independent candidate Dan Osborn, is pitching a very different vision: a working-class populist narrative built on his union leadership background, his identity as a Nebraska native, and his critique of elite political structures. Osborn frames the campaign as a clash between everyday Nebraskans and the wealthy establishment, emphasizing economic issues like rising costs and a belief that the political “system is rigged” for the well-connected. He is leveraging grassroots tactics—town halls in bars, informal meet-ups, direct voter engagement—to build momentum, especially among those who feel disconnected from traditional two-party politics. His candidacy is tilting the race into more competitive terrain than usual for this state.

For the full articles, click HERE and HERE.

NEBRASKA APPROVES FIRST DIGITAL ASSET BANK IN US

NEBRASKA - Telcoin Digital Asset Bank has received approval from the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance to operate as a “digital asset depository institution” in Nebraska, making it the first of its kind in the nation. The state charter, signed by Governor Jim Pillen, authorizes the bank to mint a stablecoin called “eUSD,” which will be fully backed by U.S. dollar deposits and short-term Treasury holdings. According to the bank’s leadership, this model aims to integrate traditional banking infrastructure with blockchain-based “digital cash,” offering users fast, transparent payments while operating under full regulatory oversight.

The charter was made possible by Nebraska’s 2021 law known as the Nebraska Financial Innovation Act, which created a legal framework for digital-asset banking in the state. Telcoin also announced it had raised about $25 million to support the bank’s launch and compliance operations. The approval positions Nebraska as a national pioneer in merging traditional finance with blockchain technology, potentially setting the stage for broader adoption of regulated stablecoins and digital-asset banking across the U.S.

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS SEEK EXTRA SECURITY AT STATE CAPITOL AHEAD OF 2026 SESSION

LINCOLN - Nebraska Legislature lawmakers are exploring enhanced security measures at the Nebraska State Capitol ahead of the 2026 session, prompted by concerns about recent political violence elsewhere. Ben Hansen, chair of the Legislature’s Executive Board, said the building currently uses State Patrol officers and surveillance cameras, and allows firearms by open-carry, but that officials are considering additional steps while striving not to restrict public access. 

Among the ideas under discussion are portable metal detectors at high-traffic entrances or hearing rooms, possibly for the 2026 session starting January 7, while permanent upgrades might roll out in 2027. The cost is expected to be modest—“less than tens of millions of dollars,” Hansen said—but the plan must contend with the Legislature’s major fiscal pressures, including a projected $451 million budget gap. 

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PILLEN APPOINTS DEREK VAUGHN TO NEBRASKA SUPREME COURT

LINCOLN - Gov. Jim Pillen announced Monday he is appointing Douglas County District Court Judge Derek Vaughn to the Nebraska Supreme Court. 

Vaughn has been a district court judge in Douglas County since 2023. Before that, he served on the county court, after serving 14 years as a deputy Douglas County Attorney. Pillen said Vaughn’s court experience, community involvement, incredible reputation and commitment to the state made him a great choice. Vaughn promised to bring an impartial approach to the job. “I always tell people … I have no agenda. This is your day in court, and I want people to feel that, even if you're upset with the decision, you were heard,” he said.

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AG HILGERS TARGETS NATIONAL DONORS BEHIND NEBRASKA BALLOT INITIATIVES

LINCOLN - The state of Nebraska, via the office of Mike Hilgers, Attorney General, has filed a lawsuit against six national nonprofits and a key funder for allegedly funneling more than $10 million into Nebraska ballot initiatives using “foreign money.” The lawsuit traces funds from Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss through a chain of nonprofits—such as Sixteen Thirty Fund, New Venture Fund, Hopewell Fund and The Fairness Project—which then contributed directly to ballot-question campaigns in Nebraska. The state’s 2022 law prohibits foreign nationals from contributing, either directly or indirectly, to ballot-measure campaigns, and the lawsuit asks the court to block future similar contributions. 

The related article provides a detailed breakdown of eight Nebraska ballot-measure campaigns from 2018 through 2025 and shows how much of each one’s funding came from the targeted nonprofits. For example, the 2022 “Raise the Wage Nebraska” initiative raised about $3.67 million, of which roughly $2.77 million (about 75 %) came from those nonprofits. Even though the 2022 law took effect in July of that year, many of the contributions occurred before that date, and the state argues that a significant volume of activity post-law also may violate the statute. 

For the full article on our website, click HERE. 

NEBRASKA'S PROJECTED BUDGET DEFICIT GROWS TO $451MILLION AFTER NEW FORECAST

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s projected budget hole just widened to approximately $451 million following new economic forecasts.

Nebraska’s Economic Forecasting Advisory Board met Friday to update state revenue projections for the current two-year budget cycle. Members lowered their previous tax revenue projections from April by about $367 million over the two years.

The current projected deficit listed in Nebraska’s general fund financial status stands at about $95 million, which would bring the new deficit up to about $462 million if the tally were added straight from Friday’s meeting. However, Legislative Fiscal Analyst Keisha Patent said several other factors contributing to state finances mean the projected deficit is expected to rise about $355 million, to reach an estimated $451 million gap.

Gov. Jim Pillen, in a statement, acknowledged the lower receipts and said he had anticipated the need for belt-tightening, which is why he said he seeks “critical” work to trim $500 million a year from the budget over the next two years.

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FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO FULLY FUND SNAP BENEFITS IN NOVEMBER

RHODE ISLAND - A federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration Thursday to find the money to fully fund SNAP benefits for November.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. gave President Donald Trump's administration until Friday to make the payments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, though it's unlikely the 42 million Americans — about 1 in 8, most of them in poverty — will see the money on the debit cards they use for groceries nearly that quickly. The order was in response to a challenge from cities and nonprofits complaining that the administration was only offering to cover 65% of the maximum benefit, a decision that would have left some recipients getting nothing for this month. 

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MIDWEST ICE PRISON IN MCCOOK NOW OPERATIONAL, FIRST 200 BEDS TO BE FULL BY THANKSGIVING

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s McCook prison for federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees is now operational, with the first migrants having arrived this week, Gov. Jim Pillen confirmed on Thursday. Pillen said he expects the first phase of about 200 beds to be full by Thanksgiving, “as detainees are coming in each day.” He said the facility, used previously as the state’s Work Ethic Camp for men, continues to be renovated for a second phase of about 100 additional ICE detainees and will include adult men and women.

“There is work that just got approved for the bid with the federal government, and I would expect that the second phase will be ready in the first part of the new year,” Pillen said.

For the full article, click HERE.

STATE LAWSUIT TARGETS NATIONAL DONORS BEHIND NEBRASKA BALLOT INITIATIVES

LINCOLN - The state of Nebraska, via the office of Mike Hilgers, Attorney General, has filed a lawsuit against six national nonprofits and a key funder for allegedly funneling more than $10 million into Nebraska ballot initiatives using “foreign money.” The lawsuit traces funds from Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss through a chain of nonprofits—such as Sixteen Thirty Fund, New Venture Fund, Hopewell Fund and The Fairness Project—which then contributed directly to ballot-question campaigns in Nebraska. The state’s 2022 law prohibits foreign nationals from contributing, either directly or indirectly, to ballot-measure campaigns, and the lawsuit asks the court to block future similar contributions. 

The related article provides a detailed breakdown of eight Nebraska ballot-measure campaigns from 2018 through 2025 and shows how much of each one’s funding came from the targeted nonprofits. For example, the 2022 “Raise the Wage Nebraska” initiative raised about $3.67 million, of which roughly $2.77 million (about 75 %) came from those nonprofits. Even though the 2022 law took effect in July of that year, many of the contributions occurred before that date, and the state argues that a significant volume of activity post-law also may violate the statute. 

For the full article, click HERE and HERE.