SEN. MURMAN BRINGS THINNER, UPDATED PROPOSAL FOR K-12 TRANSPARENCY

LINCOLN- After trying to pass a "Parents' Bill of Rights" last year, Sen. Dave Murman is once again attempting to promote K-12 transparency through the newly introduced LB1399, the "Parents' Bill of Rights and Academic Transparency Act." He told the Education Committee on Tuesday that his previous bill received "great support," but that some teachers and school officials saw it as too burdensome.

"Teaching is already a difficult profession," Murman told the committee, "I've tried to put in the work to find some more reasonable compromises." LB1399, Murman's new bill, would set a time frame for which parents may obtain instructional material upon request, clarify to the public how curriculum materials are approved, maintain an online database of library resources, and require that schools receive parental approval before students can take surveys.

The bill would also update a 1994 law on parental involvement in schools, requiring schools to foster and facilitate "the fullest transparency allowed by law," instead of merely "informing" parents and guardians. Allie French, a 2024 legislative candidate and member of Nebraskans Against Government Overreach, said several proponents of the bill have requested records from K-12 schools and have received nebulous time frames in response.

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VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS PLEAD FOR FUNDS TO BUY RADIOS THAT LET THEM COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, STATE AGENCIES

LINCOLN- As a wall of flames engulfed a Crete firefighter working a wildfire in Lancaster County in October 2022, other first responders had a problem — their radios. Some radios were outdated, some couldn’t communicate with a nearby firefighter and overloaded circuits blocked colleagues from summoning help for Brad Elder as the fire roared over him.

“We need help. We need help desperately,” Johnson told members of the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee. He was among several volunteer firefighters who testified in support of a trio of bills that would provide more funding to purchase “interoperable” radios for the state’s volunteer first responders.

Right now, the state’s 449 volunteer fire and rescue department have a mixture of radios, old and new, with a mixture of ability to be “operable” with other departments, the State Patrol or other responders to multi-agency wildfires, accidents or floods. Those testifying told stories of seeing firefighters from other departments but being unable to communicate directly with them via radio because they were using different systems.

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PASSIONATE BATTLE OVER SCHOOL CHOICE RESUMES IN NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- The battle over school choice returned to the Nebraska Legislature on Tuesday over a proposal to allocate $25 million a year directly from state coffers to organizations that hand out scholarships to private and parochial schools. LB1402, introduced by Sen. Linehan, is meant to act as a replacement for the Opportunity Scholarship Act passed last year.

Last year's law is scheduled to appear on the November general election ballot, where Nebraskans will have the opportunity to decide its future. Scott Norby, an attorney for the Nebraska State Education Association, said last year's law "does indirectly what LB1402 does directly--the funding of private schools with public dollars."

Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, who introduced last year's proposal as well, said LB1402 is "an end run" around the ballot initiative, which she argued was marred by misinformation. "They don't want the competition, folks," she told the members of the Legislature's Appropriations Committee, "It's so clear." She added that she would ask the Legislature to repeal the original Opportunity Scholarships Act if LB1402 passes this year.

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JUDGE RULES THE STATE OF NEBRASKA WAS NOT IN CONTEMPT FOR REMOTE WORK ACTIONS AFTER CIR RULING

LINCOLN- The State of Nebraska did not knowingly violate a Commission on Industrial Relations order when managers notified some state employees they were terminating previously approved work-from-home or remote-work agreements. Lancaster County District Court Judge Andrew Jacobsen ruled that the state did not “willfully” disregard the CIR order telling it to stand pat on Gov. Jim Pillen’s return-to-work executive order by ending arrangements approved before Pillen issued his order. 

Jacobsen, in a six-page order, said the Nebraska Department of Administrative Services and other state agency leaders had met and tried to figure out what the order allowed and did not. They also sought clarity from the CIR in a formal filing. “That is exactly what the state should have done,” he wrote. “The state’s actions are not those of a party thumbing its nose at a tribunal. They are instead the actions of a party laboring to understand how a tribunal’s order should be applied to policies not considered by the tribunal.” 

Justin Hubly, executive director of NAPE, said on Monday that the state has “fallen in line” and started following the spirit of the CIR order and that agencies stopped terminating employees’ remote-work arrangements. “We had to hold our members’ rights up and hold the state accountable,” Hubly said. “We’re glad they’re following it now. We wish they would’ve followed it out of the gate.” 

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NU UNVEILS FULL COST OF ATTENDANCE SCHOLARSHIP, STIPEND FOR PERFECT ACT PERFORMANCE

LINCOLN- The University of Nebraska announced it will pay Nebraska students who score perfectly on the ACT to obtain an NU education. Interim NU President Chris Kabourek joined with regents, state senators, three NU chancellors and Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen to outline the inaugural President’s Scholarship for in-state students who obtain a 36 on the ACT.

The scholarship will cover cost of attendance — including tuition, fees, books and room and board — and provide a $5,000 annual stipend “to pursue whatever your dream in life is.” Kabourek said NU wants Nebraska students to list the university at the top of their list of desired colleges or universities, but many are leaving the state to continue their education. Moving forward, he’s said, NU can’t lose its “best and brightest.”

“If you sign with us, we’re going to go celebrate it just like we celebrate our five-star athletes,” Kabourek said at a news conference, explaining that many student-athletes receive a stipend. Unlike the Regents Scholarship, a top scholarship that waives the cost of tuition for qualifying students, the new scholarship will pay NU for students’ attendance.

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SEN. LOREN LIPPINCOTT SEEKS TO ALLOW OFFSITE RELIGIOUS ELECTIVES FOR PUBLIC K-12 STUDENTS

LINCOLN- A Nebraska state senator testified that allowing offsite religious electives could be “another tool” in addressing K-12 students’ behavior and academic performance. LB1066, introduced by Sen. Lippincott and 11 other senators, would allow a private entity approved by a public school board to offer elective courses in religious instruction. Students would be able to attend, at most, one period or one hour of such a course per day during a semester.

Lippincott said this method of instruction, or release time, could add a “valuable missing component” to Nebraska K-12 electives. “It would be no different than a kid working at the John Deere store or doing something like this,” Lippincott said. LB 1066 would allow school boards to adopt policies authorizing students to attend such courses, as long as they do not “undeniably promote licentiousness,” lack legal, moral or sexual restraints, or go against other school policies.

Parents or the sponsoring entity would be required to transport students to and from school, time that would be counted in the one-period-per-day window, but Lippincott told the Examiner the time would still be meaningful. Six states allow academic credit for such release time, according to School Ministries: Alabama, Indiana, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah.

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NEBRASKA TOURISM SLOGAN IS NO MORE. 'EVERYTHING HAS A SHELF LIFE,' OFFICIAL SAYS

LINCOLN- Frankly, it was a state tourism slogan that wasn’t for everybody. The Nebraska tourism director announced publicly that it was ditching its edgy, 5-year-old tagline: “Nebraska, honestly it’s not for everyone.” Officials said the slogan was successful in getting previously uninterested travelers curious about visiting Nebraska, but it had also been criticized — including by Gov. Jim Pillen — as reinforcing the state’s lack of soaring mountains and ocean beaches.

“It’s a thing of the past,” John Ricks, director of the Nebraska Tourism Commission, told members of the Legislature’s budget-writing Appropriations Committee. “Times change. Everything has a shelf life,” added David Fudge, executive director of North Platte’s Nebraskaland Days festival. Ricks made the revelation during a public hearing in which he requested an increase in spending authority for his commission, from $7.4 million to $10.5 million, to increase marketing of visiting the state.

The increased spending, Ricks emphasized, would be financed by a combination of state lodging taxes and surplus tourism commission funds, not tax dollars. Dropping the slogan comes as a proposal is being considered in the Nebraska Legislature to transfer the now-independent Tourism Commission back under the control of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKERS REJECT BILL TO MAKE DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME PERMANENT

LINCOLN- On Monday, after three days of sporadic floor debate, lawmakers rejected two proposals that would have signaled Nebraska's support for shifting to a year-round daylight saving time if Congress agreed to allow it. A 14-25 vote determined the fate of this proposal. Lawmakers also rejected an amendment that would have gone a different route, establishing a permanent standard time in Nebraska, no matter what other states decided to do.

The bill was originally introduced last year by former Sen. Tom Briese, who had pushed for the idea since 2021. When Briese stepped down from the Legislature, the bill was adopted by Sen. Danielle Conrad. If LB143 had passed, daylight saving would only have become permanent in Nebraska if federal law was changed and if three neighboring states also made the change. So far, two bordering states, Colorado and Wyoming, have made that move, along with 17 other states.

If Nebraska had voted to make daylight saving time permanent, Sen. Steve Erdman argued that the sun would rise as late as 9:10 A.M. on some days. Nebraska's golfing and broadcasting industries also argued against the adoption of the bill, claiming that such a change would make Nebraska an "island," disrupting programming like news and weather reports.

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NEBRASKA SEN. JOHN CAVANAUGH MAKES PITCH FOR ADDITIONAL STEPS BEFORE USE OF EMINENT DOMAIN

LINCOLN- Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh called for increased regulation and local government approval before a utility or pipeline company could use eminent domain to obtain the right of way for an electric transmission line or pipeline during a Friday legislative hearing. The discussion surrounding LB1366, Cavanaugh's proposal, comes as the issue of eminent domain begins to heat up.

Two companies, Summit Carbon Solutions and Tallgrass Energy, are seeking to build pipelines across Nebraska to transport carbon dioxide captured at ethanol plants. Sen. Cavanaugh said his proposal wasn't designed to target CO2 pipelines in particular, but to ensure that landowners have recourse with their local government, should eminent domain be used.

Under LB1366, a local government or the Nebraska Public Service Commission would have to vote to approve the use of eminent domain. Cavanaugh called his proposal "no condemnation without representation." The bill would also require "good faith" negotiations and the providing of an appraisal to a landowner by a company before eminent domain could be utilized.

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PILLEN VISITS TEXAS AGAIN, PLEDGES MORE BORDER HELP AT NEBRASKA'S EXPENSE

LINCOLN- Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen joined more than a dozen other Republican governors in Eagle Pass, Texas over the weekend, pledging state taxpayer support for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's months-long dispute with President Joe Biden over border security. Pillen has already spent over $1 million in state funds to deploy drone pilots from the Nebraska State Patrol and National Guard to the southern border.

Pillen said he would dip into federal pandemic relief funds to offset the costs to state taxpayers. On Sunday, Pillen pledged even more state help for Texas, but didn't specify whether that would be financial or personnel. He and other GOP governors who have helped Abbott's "Operation Lone Star" say they are trying to stem the tide of illegal border crossings.

Pillen and leaders with the State Patrol have argued that their efforts help to reduce the number of people and illegal substances being trafficked across the border, stating that both of these end up in Nebraska and other states with disastrous consequences for public safety. "We're a border state even though we're in the middle of the United States," Pillen said.

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PUSHBACK MEETS GOVERNOR'S PLAN TO 'STREAMLINE' APPROVAL OF NEBRASKA LIVESTOCK OPERATIONS

LINCOLN- Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, a hog farmer himself, recently requested the introduction of a bill that would eliminate public hearings during county zoning board considerations of permits to allow large hog confinement operations, chicken farms, and feedlots. "The goal is simple: to smooth out the process of obtaining the proper permits and do business at the county level," said Gov. Pillen of the bill.

LB1375, the bill in question, received a wave of opposition at a Government, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on Wednesday. "This will restrict the opportunity of the public to voice their opinions," said Mark Schoenrock, a Jefferson County board member. He and other testifiers pointed out the inscription above the main entrance to the State Capitol: "The Salvation of the State is the Watchfulness of the Citizen."

Supporters of the bill, however, argued that the bill's intent was not to eliminate a public hearing at the zoning board level, but rather to make it optional and allow written comments instead. The sponsor of the bill, Sen. John Lowe, said he would amend the bill to ensure that public hearings at the zoning board level are still allowed.

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CONFIRMATION HEARING FOR CEO OF NEBRASKA DHHS REVOLVES AROUND RELIGION, SIN, SOCIAL MEDIA

LINCOLN- A legislative hearing on Wednesday to confirm the leader of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services diverted at times from agency goals to religion, sin, social media, and more. DHHS CEO Steve Corsi assumed the seat on September 11th, but faced immediate opposition over past controversies related to his previous service in Missouri and Wyoming, as well as his past activity on Twitter.

Corsi, who holds a doctorate in clinical psychology, said he appreciated Pillen's recognition of how his background and experience may prove beneficial. "I believe when called to public service," said Corsi, "there is only one right answer: yes." During the hearing, Corsi committed to improving DHH's timelines and the quality of economic assistance processing, overhauling the state foster care system, and addressing the needs of early childhood education.

Asked whether or not he had heard that Gov. Pillen planned to cut DHHS spending by 18%, Corsi said he had never heard that number. He also shot down rumors that mass layoffs could come soon to the department. Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, during the hearing, questioned Corsi over his likes, posts, and reposts on Twitter. Corsi walked the committee through each like and post, often veering into religious territory.

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NEBRASKA'S PROPOSED ONE-CENT SALES TAX INCREASE STILL FACES RESISTANCE

LINCOLN- The effort of Sen. Lou Ann Linehan and Gov. Jim Pillen to add one cent to the state's sales tax faced stiff resistance during a Wednesday hearing. Linehan's LB1315, which received backing from the Nebraska Association of County Officials and Nebraska Farm Bureau, is intended to balance the state's "three-legged stool."

More specifically, the bill is meant to help the state provide more property tax relief. Opponents, however, argued that the majority of Nebraskans would be opposed to such a change. Suzan DeCamp of AARP Nebraska told the Legislature's Revenue Committee that the bill would disproportionately harm fixed-income seniors and low-income Nebraskans more broadly.

Doug Kagan of Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom also argued that Nebraskans want real tax relief, rather than the raising of one kind to make another feel less painful. John Gage of Americans for Prosperity-Nebraska emphasized the need for hard spending caps on K-12 school districts. "We do not like the Legislature's attempt to hike the sales tax and call it tax reform," he told the committee.

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SEN. WAYNE PITCHES SHIFTING THE COST AND OPERATION OF COUNTY JAILS AND COUNTY ATTORNEYS TO THE STATE

LINCOLN- Under two bills introduced by Sen. Justin Wayne, the state would be allowed to take over the management and financing of county kails and county attorneys' offices across the state. A fiscal note released Wednesday estimates that it would cost the Nebraska Department of Corrections roughly $186 million to manage the county jails, while an additional $100 million be shifted off the local property tax rolls if the county attorneys become state-funded "district attorneys" instead.

Wayne, who chairs the Legislature's Judiciary Committee, said the shifts make sense because the state controls who goes to jail anyway via its sentencing laws. "We create the laws, we create the punishment, we should pay for it," Wayne told the Judiciary Committee, "It's a clear unfunded mandate on counties."

The bills faced opposition from the Nebraska County Attorneys Association and the Nebraska Association of County Officials, who argue that such a shift would dilute local control and accountability if an appointed attorney, rather than an elected county attorney, handles local prosecutions. "It's a cost shift," said Michelle Weber, a lobbyist for the County Attorneys Association, "It will not cost less."

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A BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW ARMED TEACHERS IN NEBRASKA SCHOOLS PROMPTS EMOTIONAL TESTIMONY

LINCOLN- State Sen. Tom Brewer's proposal that would allow Nebraska teachers and other staff to be armed on school property, one piece of a broader movement to expand gun rights, drew dozens of people to the Nebraska Legislature's Education Committee on Tuesday.

The bill, made up of three parts, would give local school boards the ability to allow off-duty law enforcement to carry guns onto school property, require the creation of detailed maps of school buildings and grounds, and allow teachers and other staff to be armed, so long as they have taken gun handling and safety training.

Sen. Brewer argued that such a bill is necessary to protect Nebraska's rural schools, which could be many miles away from the nearest law enforcement vehicle or department. The bill drew heaps of opposition testimony, including from a teacher who was present during a school shooting in Omaha 13 years ago. Brewer argued that those opposing the bill weren't being fair to schools in rural Nebraska, many of which "are unable to fill law enforcement positions, let alone resource officer positions."

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SEN. CLEMENTS MAKES ANOTHER ATTEMPT OT REPEAL NEBRASKA'S INHERITANCE TAXES

LINCOLN- Sen. Rob Clements renewed his attempt to repeal the state’s inheritance tax, arguing that it was “antiquated, regressive and arbitrary.” Clements, an Elmwood banker and tax preparer, said he’s had grieving clients who have presented tax bills of up to $50,000 after inheriting a farm.

“They may have to sell the real estate they just inherited to pay the tax they owe, or take out a loan to pay it,” the senator told members of the Legislature’s Revenue Committee. But several officials from Nebraska counties — the beneficiaries of the inheritance tax revenue — told legislators that while they don’t like paying the tax, either, repealing it would force them to raise property taxes unless the state provides some alternative revenue source.

“If you take this tax away, we’ll have to put it on property taxes — we don’t have other revenue sources,” said Troy Uhlir, a Madison County Board member. Currently, Nebraska is one of only six states that have an inheritance tax, and one of those, Iowa, will phase out its “death tax” at the end of the year. Under LB1067, Nebraska’s inheritance taxes would be phased out over five years.

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NEBRASKA BILL TO EXPAND PRENATAL MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENTS ADVANCED TO FULL LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- A bill to expand Medicaid reimbursements for prenatal care to include nutrition counseling and targeted case management has advanced to the floor of the Legislature. LB857, introduced by State Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln, would adopt the Nebraska Prenatal Plus Program, similar to ones in Florida and Colorado. Under Dungan’s bill, reimbursement could begin at about six months prior to birth.

The Health and Human Services Committee adopted an amendment intended to tighten up definitions and significantly reduce a sizable fiscal note attached to the bill. LB 857 would apply to at-risk mothers who are Medicaid recipients but not mothers in the Children’s Health Insurance Program. It would also reduce reimbursements to prenatal care, not postpartum care.

“They may seem small, but to the moms who actually take advantage of those programs, they will be huge and they will have a massive impact both on their health and the health of their baby,” Dungan said. The Prenatal Plus Program would be funded through the state’s Medicaid Managed Care Excess Profit Fund, instead of the state General Fund.

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LAWMAKERS CONSIDER WHETHER TO EXPAND 'STAND YOUR GROUND' LAW

LINCOLN- "I believe in the principle that all individuals have the inherent right to protect themselves and their loved ones from harm," said state Sen. Brian Hardin. He's proposed LB1269, which gives Nebraska a "Stand Your Ground" law. Hardin said it would line Nebraska up with 38 other states, including all surrounding states, that have case law or written laws that support Stand Your Ground rights.

"The main goal is provide an avenue that an individual who's already a victim of a crime and had to use force in self-defense is not also victimized by the legal system," Hardin said. Nebraska has what's known as Castle Doctrine on the books in its self-defense laws. This allows somebody to protect their home or dwelling. But Hardin said it doesn't go far enough. LB1269 would give a person the right to self-defense wherever they have a legal right to be.

"Requiring a duty to retreat imposes an unrealistic expectation on a person to make a split-second decision about their safety," he said. The bill was supported by many gun rights advocates and has 16 other co-sponsors. Kleine, a Republican, believes the current law already allows for the use of deadly force when necessary. He said the bill would create problems in Omaha because of gang activity.

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'ETHICAL HACKING' LEGISLATIVE BILLS WOULD PROVIDE MILLIONS TO UPGRADE, TEST NEBRASKA CYBERSECURITY

LINCOLN- Two bills in the Nebraska legislature would provide millions of dollars in cybersecurity upgrades to the state. One would hire "ethical hackers," where the state would pay an outside company to try to break into state agencies, cities, schools and even election infrastructure. Sen. Lippincott's first of two bills would spread $11 million across the state for cybersecurity upgrades.

Lippincott's second bill would pay for the Nebraska State Patrol to hire ethical hackers. "Hire 10 of them. That was my only thought when I read that was just one? Yeah, get a team of folks to do it," Hunter said. "And the idea is they can identify potential problems then turn around and say, I was able to do this, now go fix and patch that."

Lippincott wants to go beyond that and test Nebraska's election infrastructure. The Nebraska Secretary of State's office says it partners with Homeland Security, the FBI and other national security agencies year-round, including presidential election years, to maintain and improve their current security protocols.

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NEBRASKA BILL WOULD ALLOW PARENTS TO REFUSE NEWBORN HEALTH SCREENINGS

LINCOLN- LB1060, a new bill in the Nebraska Legislature introduced by Sen. Ben Hansen, the chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, would allow parents to refuse newborn health screenings, which typically involve blood samples being drawn from an infant's heel. Nebraska is currently one of three states that do not offer any exemptions from this screening.

Hansen said he introduced the bill to protect the rights of parents, and to allow them to make medical decisions for their child. "I see no reason to deny the option of consent," Hansen told the committee. Sen. Hansen also said that the bill does not aim to discourage parents from agreeing to newborn screenings, and actually stated that he hopes such evaluations remain the norm.

Many proponents of the bill agreed with this sentiment, arguing that the only problem is the fact that the screenings are required. Some parents who testified at the hearing said they had attempted to object to screenings involving blood samples for their newborns, citing the desire for a "pain-free birth." Timothy Tesmer, the state's chief medical officer, opposed the bill, saying mandatory screenings are necessary because of the serious risks involved with diagnosing some conditions too late.

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