NEW NEBRASKA LAW CONNECTS 911 OPERATORS WITH 988 SUICIDE PREVENTION LINE

LINCOLN- A new law is going to offer a clear interface between the three-digit mental health assistance providers and other emergency services in Nebraska. The 988 number was established two years ago as a nationwide suicide prevention helpline, available at any time to anyone experiencing a mental health crisis. Their goal was to give free access to trained care and support for Nebraskans, who previously had to call the Boys Town National Hotline in Omaha.

The change in practice took effect recently, allowing 988 centers to route and receive calls from 911 operators. Before this, 988 operators could direct calls to 911, but not vice versa. The legislation, Legislative Bill 1200, was brought by Omaha State Senator John Fredrickson this spring.

Nebraska's Department of Health and Human Services stated the department had already piloted the connection between the two services earlier this year. The DHHS will establish pilot sites in each of the state's six behavioral health regions to expand the connectivity of the services. “This helps ensure Nebraskans in crisis are getting the right services for their circumstances,” Fredrickson said.

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NEBRASKA GOV. PILLEN WOULD REDUCE OWN PROPERTY TAX BILL NEARLY $1M IF CUTS PASS

LINCOLN- Along with his gubernatorial duties, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen is one of the state's wealthier businessmen as an owner of the hog producer Pillen Family Farms and over 30 other limited liability companies in Nebraska. Pillen paid almost $2 million in property taxes in 2023, but analyses point to that bill being reduced by around $1 million if the governor's tax plan is passed. Pillen remains one of the state's most aggressive land buyers with his Columbus-based companies, and critics are pointing out what he has to gain from his reform ideas.

The governor's investment in this issue has been heavily criticized by opponents who state that he is only looking out for his interests. After failing to get his plan passed during the 2024 Legislative Session, Pillen toured the state promoting his tax reform ideas before calling a special legislative session to implement those ideas. Opponents claim that his town halls were filled with false promises to people genuinely in need of relief.

Pillen looks to lift $2.61 billion off of the property tax burden by cutting spending and frontloading existing property tax relief programs. The rest of the lost revenue will be made up by new taxes on previously exempt items and increases on what the governor describes as "sin taxes," or sales taxes on nicotine, alcohol, or hemp products. Pillen believes that to be an economically prosperous state, sales, property, and income taxes must be balanced.

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'WE ARE NOT HIS SLAVES': LAWMAKERS DEMAND RESPECT BEFORE A PROPERTY TAX SPECIAL SESSION

LINCOLN- Nebraska legislators have been increasingly disgruntled with Governor Jim Pillen's lack of an announcement proclaiming the special legislative session he's repeatedly alluded to this month. Two days before the session was slated to commence, there was still no confirmation. Pillen's plan revolves around cutting property taxes and budgets while rescinding sales tax exemptions.

Omaha State Senator Justin Wayne voiced his disdain in an email to his colleagues Tuesday evening, stating that lawmakers did not have the necessary information to do their jobs. “We have families and lives, and this lack of consideration is unacceptable," Wayne said. Wayne continued to note that the only way to solve this crisis is through collaboration, and he doesn't want his and his peers' tax ideas to be disregarded.

Pillen first issued a statement advising senators to clear their schedules for the end of July into early August last month. A suggested schedule was provided by Speaker John Arch, but Pillen has yet to confirm whether it will be followed. Wayne is encouraging his peers to call for the session to be delayed a full week due to the lack of communication and planning from the governor's office.

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PILLEN ISSUES LIST OF NEBRASKA SALES TAX EXEMPTIONS 'PRINCIPLES' AHEAD OF LEGISLATURE'S SPECIAL SESSION

LINCOLN- While Nebraskan citizens and lawmakers await an announcement from Governor Jim Pillen regarding the special legislative session soon approaching, Pillen has released a "statement of principles." He released this list of principles for legislators to prepare for the session. “This legislative process depends on everyone bringing their good faith ideas for the purpose of producing property tax reform for all Nebraskans,” Pillen said.

Pillen's statement mainly reiterated the tax exemptions that he won't be touching during this session. The governor's list was highlighted by a pledge to keep the tax exemptions on food and medicines used for human treatment. Pillen hopes that this announcement could provide clarity before the session convenes.

This announcement comes only a few days after Pillen's press conference formally presenting his tax reform plan to the public. Pillen spent much of the summer touring the state campaigning his reform ideas but conspicuously skipped the state's two most populous cities, Lincoln and Omaha. The governor promotes that his plan is not bold or innovative, but simply provides a solution to the issue of rampant property tax growth. Here is the governor's list:

• No sales tax on food

• No sales tax on medicines used for human treatment

• No taxing services or goods provided through nonprofits

• No sales tax on ag inputs or manufacturing materials (defined as physical economic resources used to create goods to be sold to an end user)

• No sales tax on services or items that are exempt in all other states

• No sales tax on services or items that are exempt in all surrounding states

• No double taxation

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OVERFLOW CROWD TURNS OUT FOR LAWMAKER-LED OMAHA EVENT ON PILLEN PLAN

OMAHA- Around 300 Nebraskans recently attended an event led by state senators in Omaha. Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen's tax plan and special legislative session were the topics of discussion with many posing questions to legislators regarding the logistical legitimacy of the governor's ideas and his reasons for neglecting to hold meetings in the state's most populous cities. The meeting was led by State Senators Machaela Cavanaugh, Terrell McKinney, Merv Riepe, Christy Armendariz, Jane Raybould, Carol Blood, and John Cavanaugh.

Those in opposition to Pillen's tax plan disagree with his plan to have the state absorb K-12 school funding, emphasizing the importance of maintaining local control and meeting the complex needs of each school. Criticisms were voiced over Pillen's avoidance of eastern Nebraska, where he is less popular. Though most of the lawmakers present weren't supporters of Pillen's tax reform ideas, they all recognized that increasing property taxes is a crisis in the state and that if it isn't addressed, it will continue to drive people from their homes.

Attendees voiced the same concerns that lawmakers have expressed in the past weeks. Constituents pointed to recent audits to support their point that the state government is wasteful. Citizens are also concerned that replacing lost revenue from lowering property taxes with new sales taxes will result in a disproportionately negative effect on lower-income Nebraskans. Pillen officially released his plan recently and is confident he will garner enough bipartisan support to get it passed.

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PILLEN DIRECTED AGENCIES TO MAKE 'UNPRECEDENTED' CUTS AHEAD OF SPECIAL SESSION

LINCOLN- Only days after Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen signed an updated budget he characterized as "fiscally sound," his office directed state agencies to make $280 million in cuts. This sentiment is a part of Pillen's property tax reform plan, and the savings would help make up for his intention to take on K-12 school funding. The governor is following up on his plan to make major budget cuts at the state level by directing 14 agencies to contribute to making these budget cuts.

Many were fairly surprised at the decision, noting its unprecedented nature. Lawmakers from across the political spectrum have voiced that they were not informed of the governor's intentions ahead of time. Some senators have celebrated the decision to save money, while others are outraged and believe that the move was made to circumvent any opposition.

Director of Nebraska's State Budget, Lee Will, sent an email to state agencies outlining Pillen's plans for budget cuts in the current and next fiscal years. He noted that they were looking for state agencies that were bloated or already not spending the entirety of their budget. The governor's office aims to save $525 million in the two fiscal years and reduce ongoing spending by $350 million according to Will.

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SENATE APPROPRIATIONS SETS ASIDE MORE MONEY FOR USDA-UNL RESEARCH CENTER

LINCOLN- A bill under the Senate Appropriations Committee that just advanced approved another $16 million in federal funds being allocated to a U.S. Department of Agriculture research center being built on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Innovation Campus. The new facility started being built in May. The purpose of the research center is to produce more food for a growing population while saving natural resources.

If the funding is approved, it is believed that it will assist Nebraska as a leader in agricultural innovation. The proposed funds are coming from a bill that focused on agriculture, food security, and rural development. The $16 million boost comes after $25 million was dedicated to the project by the state, totaling $160 million for the facility.

The project will combine USDA and UNL research, and part of the process will happen at the university's Ag-Tech Innovation Accelerator which was designed to take their research to the marketplace. “This facility is going to be a game-changer for our state,” new University of Nebraska President Dr. Jeffery Gold added. Gold thanked lawmakers for keeping the state and university at the forefront of the agricultural industry.

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NEBRASKA'S 2023-2024 GENERAL TAX RECEIPTS COME IN $10.6 MILLION BELOW LATEST PROJECTIONS

LINCOLN- Nebraska's tax receipts for the fiscal year showed the state falling $10.6 million short of February projections. State Senator Danielle Conrad prompted that this is because of recent changes to how big corporations handle their taxes. The receipts include net sales and use, individual income, corporate income, and miscellaneous taxes.

Governor Jim Pillen reacted by promoting his fix for the state's tax problem, set to be presented during the special legislative session scheduled for the end of July. “That feeds into our most immediate goal of fixing the state’s property tax crisis in the upcoming special session,” Pillen said. Critics have stated that Pillen's plan will make our taxes more unstable.

State Senator George Dungan ensured that the public got all the details, reminding people that lawmakers allocated $200 million into the state's general fund, partially to pay for future obligations. “I think it would be a mistake to rely on those numbers in making major decisions without taking into account the entire story,” Dungan stated. Some lawmakers have agreed with Pillen that this will provide momentum for their tax relief efforts.

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11 NE LAWMAKERS TO HOST LINCOLN, OMAHA LISTENING SESSIONS ON PROPERTY TAXES

LINCOLN- After Nebraska's Governor Jim Pillen opted out of leading two listening sessions in Lincoln and Omaha, a group of 11 bipartisan lawmakers will take his place. Pillen toured most of the state already, holding town halls regarding his tax reform plan in 26 cities. He encouraged citizens to offer feedback and to encourage lawmakers to help him, but senators have said they've received very little feedback.

The hosts of the event are State Senators Machaela Cavanaugh, Jane Raybould, Carol Blood, George Dungan, John Cavanaugh, Christy Armendariz, Megan Hunt, Merv Riepe, Wendy DeBoer, Mike McDonnell, and Terrell McKinney. The lawmakers are from the Lincoln and Omaha areas and are representative of the entire political spectrum. The public discussion forums will try to accommodate everyone who would like to speak, but they will be limited to two hours.

Pillen needs 33 of the state's 49 senators to agree with his tax plan for it to pass. Three of the hosts are a part of the group of lawmakers that have worked closely with Pillen on his plan. Since he has spent much of his time garnering support in smaller towns, Pillen has been critiqued for his lack of involvement in the state's most populous cities. The dates and times for the public forums are listed below.

• Sunday, July 21, 1-3 p.m., University of Nebraska at Omaha Thompson Alumni Center, 6705 Dodge St, Omaha

• Monday, July 22, 5-7 p.m., Wick Alumni Center, 1520 R St, Lincoln

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NE AUDIT BLASTS STATE TRANSPORTATION AGENCY FOR MILLIONS SPENT ON OVERTIME, 'UNEXPLAINED' FUEL BUYS

LINCOLN- According to the State Auditor's Office, the Nebraska Department of Transportation's questionable spending has been revealed by an audit. This includes over $6 million in annual overtime pay amassed by 71% of its workers as well as unexplained fuel and fleet-related costs. The audit displayed a plethora of gaps in oversight by the agency and they are facing strong scrutiny from leaders.

State Auditor Mike Foley has been focusing his criticism on the department's use of credit cards. Foley stated that the agency has twice as many credit cards as they do workers. He went on to blame the lack of sufficient record-keeping for the errors.

Foley urged the dire need for big changes to ensure proper oversight and record-keeping in the department. “Without such drastic and immediate measures, NDOT remains ripe for potential and unrestrained financial fraud and abuse — with the taxpayers left footing the bill,” said Foley. The state agency responded by stating that they would be continuing an investigation into their mishaps and improving on the areas they're lacking in.

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NE BOARD OF PAROLE CHIDED AFTER EMPLOYEES USED STATE CARS FOR PERSONAL COMMUTES

LINCOLN- Auditors recently discovered that Nebraska parole officers were using state cars for inappropriate personal use. This exposed about 300 unapproved trips and more than 9,000 miles over a year. State Auditor Mike Foley was dismayed by the findings because the department's purpose is to work with former inmates to prepare them for reentry into society.

Chair of the Nebraska Parole Board, Rosalyn Cotton, said that they need to do more investigating to determine any disciplinary actions. While the Division of Parole and Supervision is shifting back under the Nebraska Department of Corrections, they are still committed to ensuring that misuse of their vehicles does not happen again. Auditors pointed out that a policy on vehicle use was not provided as a guideline for parole officers.

Foley added that the main issue was with management not reviewing GPS data to see whether vehicles were being used properly. “The agency never even asked for the data to check where those people were going, where those cars went. We could see them going back and forth to their homes,” said Foley. There were countless occasions discovered of state vehicle use for strictly personal activities, which is a misdemeanor in the state.

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SEVEN OMAHA BUSINESS DISTRICTS TO GET PANDEMIC-RELATED GRANTS FOR SAFETY LIGHTNING, BOLLARDS

OMAHA- Seven business districts in Omaha are going to receive grants from the city's portion of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. These proposed allocations are set to be approved by the Omaha City Council this week. The grants amount to a total of about $1.68 million.

These districts are being rewarded as Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert follows up on a commitment announced two years ago. In June 2022, Stothert held a conference announcing that the city was receiving federal funding for business development. In Nebraska, business districts can be established to plan and fund infrastructure projects that advance a particular area of a city.

Under the act signed into law by President Joe Biden, the grant dollars had to be allocated to areas located within a census tract that meets income and other requirements. “These ARPA-funded projects will provide safety improvements as these areas become more popular and new development occurs,” Stothert said. Other similarly funded projects in Omaha are already completed or underway, including grants for affordable housing, improvement of public parks, and the betterment of the hotel industry.

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OWNERS OF FOUR MORE NE VAPE SHOPS, STORES SELLING DELTA-8 SETTLE WITH AG

LINCOLN- Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers recently announced legal settlements against four more stores characterized as selling mislabeled and dangerous products containing THC. The four stores agreed to take these products off their shelves after being advised to stop selling prohibited products that contain synthetic THC. If the agreement is violated, the stores will face financial penalties.

These settlements join two others from last month, all of which were among the targets of 2023 lawsuits against vape retailers across the state. Hilgers alleged that the stores violated consumer protection laws and implemented deceptive trade practices. Some of the products were marketed to look like candy and snacks while containing a substance that alters the user's mental state, which some find unethical.

Hilgers has stayed committed to closing the legal loopholes surrounding the use of synthetic THC products, created by a 2018 farm bill that made the hemp farming industry national. State Senator Teresa Ibach attempted to put an outright ban on these products, but the bill stalled. “We encourage retailers to stop selling these products, whether they have been sued yet or not — our campaign will continue until the industry is cleaned up,” Hilgers said.

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GOV. PILLEN RELEASES 'NEBRASKA'S PLAN' FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF WITH FEW NEW CONCRETE DETAILS

LINCOLN- Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen stated during his recent press conference that he was sure the tax plan he released would receive bipartisan support during the special legislative session that he called for starting in late July. Pillen needs 33 of 49 state senators to agree with his plan for it to pass. The plan has continued to receive criticism during Pillen's campaign for it.

Opponents have called Pillen's plan unsustainable and that it would only increase taxes. Pillen repeatedly touted that the plan would result in an overall tax decrease, but did not have much to back up the claim. His plan includes placing hard caps on local property taxes, having the state absorb K-12 funding, removing a plethora of tax exemptions, and raising what he describes as "sin" taxes.

While the plan has faced criticism, every lawmaker has recognized that property taxes are a growing issue in Nebraska that needs to be addressed. Senators who have collaborated on the plan with Pillen are still uncertain over some details and have voiced that their concerns aren't being taken seriously. Pillen encouraged those who have issues with the plan to speak up and foster a discussion to solve the problem.

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AG HILGERS ISSUES OPINION THAT THREATENS NEW FELON VOTER REGISTRATIONS IN NEBRASKA

LINCOLN- Attorney General Mike Hilgers recently argued that Nebraska's Legislature was unconstitutional in creating a new law that restores voting rights to felons who have served their sentence. Hilgers stated that only the Nebraska Pardons Board has the authority to reinstate the right to vote, calling the law a violation of the separation of powers. The Pardons Board is made up of the governor, the secretary of state, and Hilgers.

The two bills in question are Legislative Bill 20 and LB 53. The former eliminates a two-year waiting period to restore felon voting rights, and the latter established the waiting period in 2005. Hilgers stated that it is solely the executive branch's responsibility to address an issue regarding the civil rights of an individual. While Hilgers doesn't have the authority to make his opinion the law, Secretary of State Bob Evnen recently exercised his power by stopping new registrations that would have been valid under the new law.

Opponents of Hilgers' opinion have called the move overly partisan and characterized it as voter suppression. Many find it unconstitutional to only halt registrations, allowing some felons suffrage and denying others. Omaha State Senator and sponsor of LB 20 Justin Wayne expressed immense disappointment at the news. “At the end of the day, if any elected official can decide not to follow the law, that’s a problem,” Wayne said.

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NE LABOR COURT SIDES WITH GOV. PILLEN'S ORDER CALLING STATE EMPLOYEES BACK TO THE OFFICE

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Commission of Industrial Relations recently sided with Governor Jim Pillen's order to send state government employees who work remotely back to their offices. The commission was displeased with the union representing the employees, the Nebraska Association of Public Employees, calling their efforts pervasive and disingenuous. Pillen executed this order late last year, stating the pandemic was over and that employees should return to their workplaces.

After the employees' union immediately objected to Pillen's order, the commission put its implementation on hold until a decision was met. Leaders of the union are dismayed by the decision and have expressed their disappointment, emphasizing that it will exacerbate the problem of employment vacancies. Pillen believes that workers need to be present to be productive and professional.

On top of a disappointing ruling, NAPE is also having penalties imposed on them, requiring them to pay attorney fees that the state incurred during the legal battle. Union leaders are confused by the hostility of the court's decision, stating that the case was brought with good intentions. “Our union is a group of employees who’ve united together to protect the interests of all Nebraskans in this case,” executive director of NAPE Justin Hubly said.

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GRAND ISLAND GEARS UP FOR AUG. 13 SPECIAL ELECTION, PUBLIC INCENTIVES RELATED TO GOOD LIFE DISTRICT

LINCOLN- While Grand Island is the most recent town to join Nebraska's Good Life Districts, it looks to be the first to start implementing the intended changes. The City Council has called a special election on August 13th to determine whether the city will create an economic development program to guide growing tourism and incorporate new public incentives outlined by the Good Life Law. Leaders in the city are working with developer Woodsonia Real Estate to build up the underdeveloped portion of the area.

Development plans from Woodsonia estimate 2,000 new apartments, 220 single-family homes, a business sector, and a large sports complex to attract tourists. Grand Island is now waiting for voter approval to repurpose eliminated state revenue towards district development. Their special election is happening ahead of similar communities that have yet to schedule or comment on their process.

There is a public campaign and a newly formed political committee that have been pushing further efforts to develop a district. The campaign has emphasized the importance of educating the public on what the new district would look like and the importance of a special election. If the vote is affirmative, the city will move on to creating the economic development program and mechanisms to allocate the necessary funds.

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STATE FILES COMPLAINT AGAINST WINDSTREAM AFTER INVESTIGATING NEBRASKA 911 OUTAGES

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Public Service Commission has been led to file a complaint against the telecommunications company that was responsible for the 911 outages that affected eastern Nebraska in late 2023 and early this year. The company, Windstream, has been the subject of an extensive investigation that found they may have violated state regulations. “The complaint provides the commission the ability to hold the carrier accountable through punitive actions,” Chairman Dan Watermeier said.

Since these outages, the commission and lawmakers have been proposing changes, such as legislation aimed at speeding up the process of hearings for 911 outages. The trouble with Windstream began last August when a third-party contractor struck one of the city's sprinkler lines causing a leak and fire explosion in the company's Lincoln facility. What the commission's complaint mainly pertains to is what happened only 13 hours later, when the company's backup generator failed, stranding 911 callers in most of the 20 emergency call centers in southeast Nebraska.

Problems with network stability arose last winter resulting in two separate Lincoln outages, the first of which went unreported within the regulatory requirement. The Nebraska Public Service Commission found that there were not enough precautions taken, including proper testing of backup power systems, network switching, and redundancy. Windstream representatives have voiced that they are committed to making amends, fixing all issues, and continuing to provide 911 services for Nebraskans.

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MAJOR CLEANUP EFFORTS UNDERWAY AT BELLEVUE PROPERTIES IMPACTED BY FLOOD

BELLEVUE- American Heroes Park was among the few areas that had been closed since Bellevue was hit by flooding in late June. Now, the Bellevue park is slowly being reopened to the public, as efforts to clear the water and debris have progressed. "We went through the sidewalks and made sure there was no debris, but came pretty well unscathed and we’re happy to have that open to the public," said Phil Davidson, City of Bellevue Communications Director.

Amenities such as the fishing pond have been reopened, and the city is continually working on reopening the fountains. Similar places like Haworth Park and Winsor Cove are still closed due to the flooding. Those involved have noted that there is still a lot of work to do in some areas because of the excess of mud and some potential safety hazards.

The damage has unfortunately forced the parks to cancel thousands of reservations. Haworth Park's parking lot is still covered in dirt and debris near the boat docks, and the ramps won't be replaced until cleaning is finished. While park services are working hard to reopen their services, Bellevue has learned from previous flooding incidents with worse damage.

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NINE APPLY TO BECOME NEXT DIRECTOR OF HISTORY NEBRASKA

LINCOLN- Several qualified individuals have submitted applications to be the next director of History Nebraska. Among the applicants are a supervisor of historical Nebraska parks, the head of an Indiana agency that manages historic documents, the manager of an agricultural exhibit at the Nebraska State Fair, a former Lincoln City Council member, a state legislative fiscal analyst, and the former History Nebraska librarian who complained about the former director's policies. Former director Trevor Jones left his position in 2022 after six years on the job due to the release of an audit that accused him of misappropriating funds.

Jones was charged with theft by deception and is waiting for a Lancaster County District Court trial. The head of History Nebraska's historic preservation office, Jill Dolberg, has been serving as interim director. Dolberg did not apply for the permanent position, and there was a lack of applicants which surprised some.

Previously, History Nebraska's 14-member board of trustees would pick the new director, but under a new law, Governor Jim Pillen will be the one to make the choice. Before the law change, some candidates had emerged as potential replacements, although the board stopped searching when they learned the decision would be Pillen's. When Jones was hired, most candidates were from other states, but now, all but one are Nebraska natives.

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