HOW A NEW MEDICAL CANNABIS BILL COULD CHANGE YOUR DOCTOR, ACCESS AND PROTECTIONS

LINCOLN — After Nebraska voters approved medical cannabis in 2024, patients, caregivers and advocates spent much of the following year frustrated by a lack of legislative detail and funding to implement the law. The Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission adopted regulations that, in some cases, conflicted with the voter-approved initiatives, while also noting it lacked appropriated funds to carry out its responsibilities. Lawmakers are now attempting to provide clearer structure through LB1235, a bill sponsored by members of the Legislature’s General Affairs Committee that would consolidate the two voter-approved initiatives and establish a more defined framework for medical cannabis in the state.

The bill would create patient and caregiver registries, set qualifying medical conditions, and require practitioners who recommend cannabis to register with the commission while prohibiting them from having financial ties to cannabis businesses. It also outlines licensing, fees and oversight for medical cannabis businesses, expands the authority and staffing of the Medical Cannabis Commission, and grants it enforcement powers, including license suspension and product recalls. While some advocates acknowledge the bill adds clarity, others argue it is more restrictive than what voters intended and say they plan to oppose it.

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SHOULD RESIDENTS OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS GET A VOTE? LINCOLN LAWMAKER'S BILL SAYS YES.

LINCOLN - Nebraska law allows cities and villages to regulate planning and zoning in areas just outside their boundaries through extraterritorial zoning jurisdictions, or ETJs, to ensure consistent development as communities grow. Residents in those zones must follow city building codes, permitting rules and infrastructure standards even though they cannot vote in city elections, which Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln called a form of “taxation without representation.” Ballard emphasized that while ETJs help cities plan for future expansion, residents and developers in those areas lack accountability when disputes arise over zoning or building requirements.

Ballard’s bill, LB951, would allow residents living within ETJs to vote in municipal elections, giving people up to three miles outside Lincoln and Omaha — and one mile outside smaller cities — a say in city council and mayoral races. The proposal drew support from developers and Secretary of State Bob Evnen, who argued that voters should be able to hold officials accountable when their property is regulated. Election officials cautioned the bill would require widespread redistricting, while city officials from Lincoln and Omaha pushed back, saying ETJ residents already have indirect representation and are subject to similar regulations elsewhere.

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FEDS SAY NEBRASKA GDP GREW 5% IN Q3 OF 2025, AS STATE REVENUES DON’T TRACK

LINCOLN — For the second quarter in a row, Nebraska’s federally measured Gross Domestic Product grew by about 5%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

On Friday, the BEA released its report on statewide GDP growth for the third quarter of 2025, which includes tallies for July, August and September. The report showed that Nebraska’s GDP grew 5%, tying the state with Iowa and Vermont for the 13th-highest GDP growth over that time.

“The data is in — and Nebraska’s economy is knocking it out of the park,” Gov. Jim Pillen said in a social media post celebrating the BEA report Friday. The real GDP nationally rose about 4.4% for the quarter, making it the highest overall growth so far in 2025.

In 2025, Nebraska’s GDP has been a tale of extremes. In Q1, Nebraska tied with Iowa for largest losses of GDP at 6.1%, but the state bounced back in Q2, seeing its state GDP grow about 5.2% — the sixth highest growth nationally.

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AUDITOR FLAGS POSSIBLE PILLEN ‘FAVORITISM’ IN $2.5M NO-BID BIOECONOMY CONTRACT WITH LOBBYIST

LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen, while pressing the Nebraska Department of Economic Development in 2024 to tighten its belt, steered the state agency to award a $2.5 million no-bid emergency contract to a bioeconomy consultant and lobbyist he knew and had traveled with as part of state delegations. 

State Auditor Mike Foley alleges the Economic Development Department, in carrying out that Pillen-picked contract, broke state law by not specifying in writing what emergency justified skipping the required step of bidding out contracts worth more than $50,000, a step meant to save taxpayers money.

In a Jan. 6 audit letter Foley shared with the Governor’s Office, which was obtained by the Examiner and authenticated by the auditor, Foley dinged the department for leaving blank a required section for explaining the emergency on the state’s “Procurement Exception/Deviation” form.

That’s where department personnel must explain the circumstances justifying seeking no bids. Foley criticized the agency for leaving the second page of the May 2024 form blank, writing that it “contained questions regarding the reasons for designating the contract as an emergency.”

Foley’s letter alleges that omitting this information meant the contract did not comply with “the legal requirement to specify the nature of the supposed exigency” under the Nebraska State Procurement Act in Nebraska Revised Statutes 73-815. 

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SPEAKER ARCH FORESEES GOOD FORTUNE IN PROPOSED NEBRASKA-IRELAND ALLIANCE

LINCOLN — A newly proposed state law to create a Nebraska-Ireland trade commission brought some extra Irish charm and attention to the State Capitol this week. The president and speaker of Ireland’s Senate, Mark Daly, joined Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature John Arch in touting the value of Arch-led legislation they expect would open doors for Nebraskans to Irish business and academic exchanges, as well as to 26 other countries in the European Union.

Said Arch: “Sometimes it’s extremely difficult to know, Where is the door? How do you actually find the opportunity to trade into the European Union? This is what Ireland is offering to us. They can help facilitate that.”

Plus, there’s the cultural bond. Roughly 12% of Nebraskans claim Irish roots. “We have a lot of Irish people in Nebraska, a lot of descendants, a lot of heritage,” Arch said in an interview alongside Daly. “It’s a natural fit.” If Legislative Bill 1087 passes, Nebraska would join 25 other states that have formed similar commissions with the “Emerald Isle” nation on the western edge of Europe, said Arch, who introduced the bill on Thursday.

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U.S. SENATE PASSES FUNDING BILLS SENDING MONEY TO LANCASTER COUNTY AND UNL

LINCOLN - The U.S. Senate passed three funding bills on Thursday, sending millions of dollars to Nebraska, including $1.2 million for equipment for the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office. Sen. Deb Fischer said the bills contain nearly $50 million for state law enforcement, water infrastructure and research institutions. The bills now head to the president's desk for signing.

"Bringing tax dollars back to our communities is a crucial part of my job," Fischer said in a news release. "I'll continue working to ensure Nebraskans have a say in how our federal government spends their hard-earned tax dollars."

The equipment going to the sheriff's office includes body-worn cameras. A sheriff's office spokesperson said the office started working with Fischer in 2024 to get the money for the equipment. The bills also included $1 million for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln for equipment upgrades to support water quality research and another $1 million for UNL for work toward growing Nebraska’s bioeconomy. There was also $176,000 for Nebraska State Patrol task force technology upgrades to support investigations leading to the arrest of child predators.

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STATE SEN. DAN MCKEON RESIGNS FROM NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE MINUTES BEFORE EXPULSION DEBATE

LINCOLN — Instead of possibly becoming the first sitting senator to be expelled from the Nebraska Legislature, State Sen. Dan McKeon of Amherst resigned minutes before floor debate was set to begin. McKeon faced expulsion following allegations that he inappropriately touched a legislative staffer — allegations he denies. The Legislature’s Executive Board, which oversees the legislative branch’s internal discipline, introduced Legislative Resolution 282 for his expulsion.

That resolution was up for floor debate Tuesday. Just before the debate began at around 10 a.m., McKeon took the microphone and resigned his seat representing Legislative District 41. “This last year has humbled me,” McKeon said tearfully. McKeon, a married father of four, is a registered Republican who was elected to the officially nonpartisan Legislature in 2024, replacing former State Sen. Fred Meyer of St. Paul.

State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of the Millard area, who vocally supported McKeon’s expulsion, said she believed senators had enough votes to expel McKeon — it required 33 — after checking with lawmakers Tuesday morning. State Sen. Dan Lonowski of Hastings, who ran vote cards Monday to track legislators’ positions on expulsion, confirmed that he saw enough votes to possibly expel McKeon. Had the vote come, Lonowski said he planned to be present-not-voting.

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BILL SEEKS TO VOID NEBRASKA-ICE PARTNERSHIP AT FORMER STATE PRISON IN MCCOOK

LINCOLN — A legislative bill introduced Monday seeks to void a Nebraska-federal deal that last fall converted a rehabilitative-focused state prison to an ICE detention facility in McCook. Legislative Bill 963, from State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha, seeks to void any state-federal immigration agreements without legislative approval. That would include the most high-profile case in which Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services agreed to lease the state’s “Work Ethic Camp” to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

McKinney’s bill also seeks to narrow state law and say the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services can house offenders under only state laws, not any “law.” A Red Willow County District Court judge cited that section of law as a reason to not halt the Nebraska-ICE partnership. “The executive branch does not have that autonomy and should not have signed our state up to have an ICE detention facility,” McKinney said.

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OMAHA PORT AUTHORITY MAKES KEY HIRES, MOVES TOWARD $90M STATE-FUNDED BUSINESS PARK PROJECT

OMAHA — The publicly funded Omaha Inland Port Authority has taken new strides — including hiring three more top managers and greenlighting the purchase of long-awaited business park property — to help attain its goal of creating jobs and economic prosperity in one of Nebraska’s poorest areas. Authorized by a 2021 state law, the port authority essentially launched in mid-2024 when the Omaha City Council confirmed its nine-member governing board. The entity is empowered with economic development tools, including the ability to issue revenue bonds for construction in a district spanning roughly 3,000-acres of northeast Omaha near Eppley Airfield.

In recent weeks, the board and Garry Clark, who was installed last summer  as OIPA’s inaugural executive director, assembled the economic development team to guide an initial $120 million investment into the district by the state. Public records show the three new hires, who bring a combined five decades of experience, earning salaries ranging from $135,000 to $165,000 a year. Clark’s salary is $210,000. 

Another person is likely to be hired to coordinate a planned “innovation district” within the boundaries, said Thomas Warren, an OIPA board member who is also Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr.’s chief of staff.

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FIRST ‘KID GOVERNOR’ SWORN IN AMID JOY, CONTRASTING WITH TURMOIL ELSEWHERE IN STATE CAPITOL

LINCOLN — On a day unprecedented political tumult rocked the Nebraska Legislature, a new generation of elected leadership was sworn into office amid cheers and smiles in the State Capitol Rotunda.

Charlie Couch, a fifth-grader at Meadows Elementary School in Ralston, officially became Nebraska’s first-ever kid governor on Tuesday — after garnering the most votes in a November election of her peers.

The top six finalists in the race became Charlie’s cabinet and will help promote the platform she ran on, cancer awareness. They’ll also collectively come up with ideas and an agenda to push, offering a youthful perspective.

“We are showing everyone what leadership looks like in our state and in our communities,” Charlie said in her first official address following her swearing-in event attended by several state senators. 

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FORMER STATE SEN. FRED MEYER APPOINTED TO REPLACE DAN MCKEON IN NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN — One day after former State Sen. Dan McKeon of Amherst resigned from the Nebraska Legislature over allegations of workplace misconduct, Gov. Jim Pillen appointed Fred Meyer of St. Paul to represent Legislative District 41.

Meyer is familiar with the Legislature, having served in the same seat during the 2024 legislative session. Pillen appointed him then to replace Tom Briese, whom Pillen appointed as State Treasurer. Pillen said it was important for him to fill the seat for LD 41 as soon as possible, and he did not follow an application process. He said Meyer will begin serving in the Legislature on Thursday.

“He’ll be an asset from day one,” Pillen said of Meyer.

McKeon resigned Tuesday, minutes before floor debate on his potential expulsion was set to begin. He faced possible expulsion following allegations that he inappropriately touched a legislative staffer. Had he not resigned, multiple senators corroborated, there were enough votes to expel him, which would have been a first in Nebraska history.

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NEBRASKA GOV. JIM PILLEN SEEKS PROBE OF STATE SEN. MACHAELA CAVANAUGH’S PRAGERU ART INCIDENT

LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen is seeking a criminal investigation into State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha over removing and later returning part of a Nebraska Capitol display on American history from conservative nonprofit PragerU.

The governor released a statement Wednesday afternoon saying he and his team have “carefully consulted with law enforcement and members of the Legislature” and “concluded this warrants a criminal investigation by law enforcement.” Pillen says he told the Nebraska State Patrol to refer the materials from the incident to the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.

On the first day of this year’s legislative session, Cavanaugh, a progressive lawmaker in the officially nonpartisan Legislature, removed the frames because she said, “We are not allowed to adhere anything to the walls in the hallway of the Capitol.” She said that, typically, any such display would be placed near the information desk, not on the walls along the Capitol’s hallways.

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GOV. JIM PILLEN CALLS NEBRASKA ‘RECESSION-PROOF’ IN STATE OF THE STATE

LINCOLN — Despite needing to fill a state budget hole, Gov. Jim Pillen spent much of his 40-minute speech painting a picture of Nebraska that has seen economic growth, calling the state “recession-proof.” 

He touted Nebraska’s diverse economy, built on agriculture and said the return of the Trump administration had “created countless new opportunities” for the state and its people. “We can bet the farm that Nebraska is primed to grow,” Pillen told lawmakers Thursday. 

His State of the State address comes in a year when Pillen is seeking re-election with a massive war chest and many of the advantages of incumbency — and the possibility of a GOP primary race rematch with multistate agribusinessman Charles Herbster — or perhaps another Republican waiting in the wings. Former Democratic State Sen. Lynne Walz is also considering a bid.

Pillen’s speech emphasized his eagerness to work with Trump — pointing to his volunteering the state to be the first in the country to implement new federal work requirements for Medicaid recipients, beginning May 1 of this year. He also stressed that his administration’s staffers had initiated conversations with the federal government about the possibility of assisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by offering ICE the use of a now-former state prison in McCook as a new detention center for migrants. “Nebraska is proud to be doing our part to get the border secure and to protect America’s kids from criminals,” Pillen said. 

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NU REGENTS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVE $800M CLARKSON DEAL FOR NEBRASKA MEDICINE

LINCOLN — The University of Nebraska Board of Regents voted unanimously Thursday to proceed with an $800 million deal with Clarkson Regional Health Services to give NU sole ownership of Nebraska Medicine, which officials anticipate will close by June 30.

NU and Clarkson, as well as Nebraska Medicine, will finalize the transaction and craft new governing documents in the meantime. Barring major changes to the plan, approved 7-0, the regents would not need to take another vote. Nonprofit Nebraska Medicine is the hospital, clinical and medical services partner to the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

NU President Jeffrey Gold, who was UNMC chancellor between 2014 and 2024, a role that had him chair the Nebraska Medicine Board of Directors, said the “critically important decision” would allow NU to continue to lead in health care. 

Dr. Gold said his final analysis on the choice came down to his Hippocratic oath 46 years ago. He said the Clarkson transaction was an extension of that oath. “I said I would heal people, I would do my best, that altruism and humanism and professionalism were key, and that, above all, I swore to do no harm,” Gold said Thursday.

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GOV. JIM PILLEN WANTS VOTERS ACROSS NEBRASKA TO DECIDE THE FATE OF THE ‘BLUE DOT’

OMAHA - Gov. Jim Pillen said in his State of the State speech Thursday that he will again back an effort to unify Nebraska's Electoral College votes in presidential elections. 

This time, he wants lawmakers to approve a ballot initiative on the measure, putting the future of the "Blue Dot" — the colloquial term for Nebraska's Omaha-centered 2nd Congressional District, which has voted for Democrats in the past three presidential races — in the hands of all Nebraska voters. 

"I favor restoring the law to award our Electoral College votes to the candidate who gets the most votes," Pillen, a Republican, said. "I call upon this Legislature to pass Sen. (Myron) Dorn's, LR24CA, to place this question on the November ballot so that the people of Nebraska can have the final say on how their voice is heard in America's most important national elections."

Dorn, who lives in Adams, introduced his resolution last year. It advanced from the Government, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee, but it has not had a floor debate in the Legislature. 

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NEBRASKA AND ISRAEL ARE FIGHTING TOGETHER FOR FREEDOM — AND FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE

LINCOLN - Governor Jim Pillen said, "We live in an increasingly dangerous world. Terrorists from Hamas, Hezbollah  and Iran wish to destabilize the Middle East and attack the Jewish people. Much of the region is a hot bed for radical activity and militant factions. But Israel stands apart. 

Israel is a beacon of democracy and a defender of our shared values, including the rule of law. Israel is a country built by a people who are innovative and believe in free trade. Israel is a global partner in America’s pursuit of lasting peace. 

Our two countries have benefitted from decades of friendship, shared security goals, and thriving trade. Without question, America and Israel are each other's most important allies. Today, we remain committed to strengthening the relationship between our two countries. Following the barbaric Oct. 7 attacks, we stood together in our defense of the Israeli people. When you walk the streets of the Kfar Aza Kibbutz or visit the site of the Nova Festival Massacre, you see the lasting impact of Oct. 7 on the Israeli people. The scars are deep, and the brutality of the horror remains shocking."

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DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY ADVOCATES FEAR PROPOSED CHANGES

LINCOLN - Parents and advocates of people with developmental disabilities are pushing for Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services to stop proposed limits on a waiver program. Meanwhile, the state said it’s taking the outpouring of comments under review and will respond to each of them. The waiver program in question is called the Aged and Adult and Children with Disabilities Waiver, commonly called the Aged and Disabled Waiver.

According to a DHHS webpage, family caregivers for people with a high-level of need, also called skilled nursing facility level of care, couldn’t receive more than about $162,000 per year for waiver services under the proposal. Also, a department review would take place if service costs surpass roughly $139,000 annually.

Many people have submitted public comments about a proposed cap for the Aged and Disabled waiver on the number of billable hours per week for “live-in caregivers” to 40 hours and an additional 30-hour cap per week for other caregivers, DHHS said. That language can be found at the bottom of page 53 in the full proposal written by the department.

Susan Samuelson is a parent of a child with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and a member of a new advocacy organization called Nebraska Rare. Limits on family caregiving would push more people to seek agency care, which is understaffed, Samuelson said at a press conference Wednesday. “Agencies cost two to three times more than what families are paid,” Samuelson said. “And I want to just say, families are only — nobody’s making bank. It’s $15 an hour, minimum wage.”

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NEBRASKA GOVERNOR UNVEILS BUDGET PROPOSAL WITH SPENDING CUTS ACROSS DEPARTMENTS

LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen on Thursday released his proposed budget, calling for spending cuts across state departments to address a projected $471 million shortfall. The plan emphasizes fiscal restraint while reallocating funds to priority areas.

The governor’s proposal would reduce overall spending by 0.4% in the 2025-26 fiscal year and 1.8% in 2026-27. About $192.6 million would be transferred from various cash funds into the state’s general fund. The budget office reviewed more than 900 cash funds, and 39 inactive funds would either be repealed or returned to the general fund.

The Department of Health and Human Services would see significant reductions, including roughly $22 million in the current year and over $130 million in the next fiscal cycle, largely through staffing adjustments and cash-fund reallocations. Some areas, such as the Department of Children and Family Services, would receive increased funding to meet growing demand, including support for more Medicaid-eligible residents.

Other elements of Pillen’s plan include eliminating retroactive Medicaid coverage, repurposing vacant positions across agencies, and expanding scholarship opportunities for K-12 students to attend private or parochial schools. The governor described the budget as a “practical and responsible approach” to stabilizing Nebraska’s finances while prioritizing taxpayers and essential services.

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MIKE FOLEY WANTS TO ADD ANOTHER NEBRASKA AUDITOR TERM

LINCOLN — Mike Foley is seeking another four-year term as Nebraska auditor of public accounts, embracing a job designed to help root out fraud, inefficiency and misuse of government resources.

At 71, Foley’s political career in Nebraska has spanned a quarter century, starting as a state senator representing south Lincoln in 2001. In the Legislature, he was a social conservative who often emphasized his opposition to abortion. He was also criticized by some for pressing his faith into public positions.

After six years making laws, the Republican won back-to-back terms as state auditor. He ran for governor in the 2014 election and lost in the primary to Pete Ricketts, who later named Foley as his running mate, which led to an eight-year stint as lieutenant governor.

Foley then chose to take another shot at the auditor’s post and voters returned him to the office in 2023. After filing paperwork this week for what would be a fourth term as auditor, though not all consecutive, Foley told the Nebraska Examiner he hadn’t seriously considered any other job.

“I enjoy this work. It’s a good fit for me,” he said. “We have a great team and I think we’re making a difference.” The auditor provides independent investigations of financial activities of state and local governments. Oversight extends to about 2,700 entities and agencies, Foley said. Findings go to policymakers and taxpayers via reports and Internet-based budget and audit databases.

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BUSINESS, STATE LAWMAKER GROUPS CALL CHILD CARE SUBSIDY BILL VITAL TO NEBRASKA WORKFORCE

LINCOLN — Calling affordable child care vital to Nebraska’s workforce, business leaders joined other advocates Thursday in championing a proposed state law to extend current income eligibility levels for a child care subsidy.

Hunter Traynor, executive vice president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry was among dozens gathered at the State Capitol in support of Legislative Bill 304, which would make permanent the income eligibility caps enacted into law in 2021.

Now set to expire in October, income eligibility for the state child care subsidy program was raised from 130% to 185% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, that meant household earnings could be $59,000 instead of $42,000.

State Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, who was part of a bipartisan group of about 20 lawmakers supporting the bill, said she has named LB 304 her priority legislation for the 2026 session. The bill stalled last year in a committee, as state officials estimated the annual financial impact at about $14 million in general funds. The state’s latest shortfall is estimated at $471 million. DeBoer said Thursday she was working with the Department of Health and Human Services to find the additional funding to support the bill.

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