LAWMAKER REVIVES PROPOSAL TO HOLD NEBRASKA SCHOOLS LIABLE FOR SOME CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULTS

LINCOLN — A state lawmaker is seeking to uphold her promise to a Lincoln family to fight for and revive a 2024 vetoed proposal for families to sue public schools in some cases of child sexual assault.

State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln introduced Legislative Bill 156 on Monday as a revived version of LB 25 of 2024, which Gov. Jim Pillen vetoed after lawmakers had already adjourned the 2024 legislative session, preventing any attempt at a possible veto override. The new bill is narrower, applying only to sexual assaults of children in school settings.

Conrad said the legislation comes in response to a string of Nebraska Supreme Court decisions that closed the courthouse doors for families to allege negligence against political subdivisions in cases more broadly including abuse of children in foster care and deaths of state prisoners.

For the full article click HERE

NEW NEBRASKA BILLS FOCUS ON HUMAN DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION, HEALTH DIRECTOR AUTHORITY

LINCOLN- Nebraska’s K-12 schools would be required to teach students from elementary to high schools about human development under a new bill proposed Tuesday in the Legislature. Legislative Bill 213, from State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue, was one of 66 proposals introduced on the fifth legislative day. Holdcroft’s bill would require the State Board of Education, by March 1, 2026, to adopt measurable content standards for human embryology as part of the state’s science education standards. Teachings would need to begin by August 2026.

The curriculum must cover the stages of human embryonic development and include high-definition videos showing the development of the brain, heart, sex organs, and other vital organs. The State Board of Education has not adopted health education standards, and Holdcroft, when asked, said his bill is not about sex education, which embroiled the board more than three years ago, partly leading to significant changes in board membership and public attention.

For the full article click HERE

LAWSUIT AGAINST NEBRASKA MEDICAL CANNABIS EXTENDED TO REGULATORY BOARD, STATE AGENCIES

LINCOLN — The targets of a legal effort arguing that Nebraska’s voter-initiated legalization of medical cannabis is federally unconstitutional have been expanded to include a new regulatory commission, the state treasurer and two state agencies.

Attorneys for John Kuehn, a former state senator, a former member of the State Board of Health and a longtime marijuana opponent, amended his December lawsuit on Friday to include broader swaths of state government overseeing implementation of the new medical cannabis laws.The lawsuit first targeted Gov. Jim Pillen and Secretary of State Bob Evnen for allowing the measures to go into law, as well as the three ballot sponsors of the effort.

The amended complaint now adds:

• The three commissioners of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, who, by virtue of the voter initiatives, will compose a new Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission.

• State Treasurer Tom Briese and Tax Commissioner Jim Kamm of the Nebraska Department of Revenue, who will oversee the new collection of sales taxes on medical cannabis.

• CEO Steve Corsi of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, whose department handles oversight of medical practitioners.

For the full article click HERE

TWO GROUPS LOBBYING NEBRASKA SENATORS SHARE A NAME, BUT NOT THE SAME IDEALS

LINCOLN- The transcript that will eventually be published of Thursday's public hearing of the Nebraska Legislature's Rules Committee will be nothing if not confusing — and not just because the esoteric committee deals with the complex rules that govern the lawmaking process. Representatives from two opposing groups both known as Nebraskans Against Government Overreach testified at the hearing on proposals from Sen. Loren Lippincott to change the vote threshold to end the filibuster.

Right-wing activist Allie Bush, formerly Allie French, initially formed Nebraskans Against Government Overreach in the wake of the pandemic and became a frequent testifier at the Capitol but never formally organized the group as a nonprofit or lobbying group. Last year, left-wing advocate Karin Waggoner paid $200 to register as a lobbyist in Nebraska under the same name — but with a much different political agenda.

For the full article click HERE

THE 'GOAT': LAWMAKERS UNVEIL PLAN TO UPDATE NEBRASKA REGULATIONS, CUT RED TAPE

LINCOLN- Nebraska lawmakers unveiled a multi-step plan Thursday to cut red tape, periodically review or update state rules and regulations, and, ultimately, save taxpayers money. The legislative package coined as “GOAT” — Government Oversight, Accountability, and Transparency — is similar to the advisory Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) that President-elect Donald Trump has proposed to advise members of Congress on how to shrink the federal government and find efficiencies. Several other states have set up similar advisory boards.

State Sens. Bob Andersen of Omaha, Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, Dan McKeon of Amherst, Dan Quick of Grand Island, Merv Riepe of Ralston and Tanya Storer of Whitman are leading the efforts with the Platte Institute, a nonprofit think tank, and Americans for Prosperity-Nebraska. Among a half-dozen proposals is Legislative Bill 29, from Conrad, to require executive agencies to review the necessity of existing regulations every three years.

For the full article click HERE

NU PRESIDENT JEFFREY GOLD SAYS JIM PILLEN'S BUDGET WOULD HARM GROWTH, NEBRASKA'S ECONOMY

LINCOLN- University of Nebraska President Jeffrey Gold on Wednesday spoke out against some $25 million in annual budget cuts Gov. Jim Pillen has proposed for the university system, saying they would harm the institution that serves as a key economic driver for the state. In his two-year budget plan, Pillen proposed cutting $14 million, or 2%, from the state’s current annual $717 million appropriation to the university system.

In addition, Pillen, who once served on the NU Board of Regents, proposed taking away $11 million in annual state tobacco settlement dollars that fund biomedical research at the university. That makes the governor’s budget equate to a 3.5% general fund cut, Gold said — and at a time when the university and nation are facing 3% annual inflation.

For the full article click HERE

'NOT WHAT WAS INTENDED': $2M IN TAX DOLLARS VANISHES AS MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT STALLS IN GRETNA

GRETNA- State lawmakers hoped to inspire transformational development in areas like Nebraska Crossing with a 2023 law that resulted in a sales tax cut there and in other designated “good life” districts. Now two years later, that project in Gretna appears in limbo and the state is out more than $2 million in sales tax dollars as lawmakers face a projected budget shortfall.

That money went uncollected thanks to the evolving state law and a stalemate between developer Rod Yates and the City of Gretna. Yates, who owns Nebraska Crossing and backed the 2023 law, received one of the first good life designations in the state. Now, he hopes to spur a law change that would let him bypass Gretna and work with the state instead.

For the full article click HERE

GOV. PILLEN, LAWMAKERS AIM AT YOUTH SOCIAL MEDIA AND CELL PHONE USE

LINCOLN — Nebraskans under age 18 would need parental permission before opening a social media account under new legislation to be considered this year by state lawmakers.

The measure, to be introduced by State Sen. Tanya Storer of Whitman, was among four proposals promoted Monday by Gov. Jim Pillen and Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers at a news conference announcing legislation aimed at “protecting our kids” from online abuse and “addictive” phone apps and online services.

“Just as a parent must consent for a child to get their ears pierced, (consent) should also be required for access to platforms that collect personal data and expose children to potential harm,” Storer said during the event at the Governor’s Office that drew nine state senators. “Social media poses inherent risk, and parents deserve the tools to make informed decisions about their children’s online safety,” said the newly elected lawmaker.

For the full article click HERE

GOVERNOR PILLEN DELIVERS 2025 STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS

LINCOLN- In his vision for Nebraska's next two budget years, Gov. Jim Pillen focused primarily on reducing government spending, with less of an emphasis on new property tax relief than he's had in prior years. 

Pillen gave his third State of the State speech as Nebraska's governor Wednesday morning, in which he detailed his priorities for 2025, and unveiled his plan for the state's biennial budget, which will start July 1, 2025, and span until June 30, 2027. "Many important issues will consume our focus throughout this legislative session," Pillen said. "I pledge to you that we will be your partner throughout it all."

The governor's budget plan calls for a 0.5% reduction in state spending over two years, which is expected to help close the projected $432 million budget shortfall and leave Nebraska with roughly $62 million left over. Absent from his plan is a direct approach for additional property tax relief, which his staff anticipates will cost between $235 million to $245 million per year to sustain. 

Read the Governor's full remarks by clicking HERE

For more on this article click HERE

IN DEPTH: GOVERNOR PILLEN'S BUDGET PROPOSAL

LINCOLN- Gov. Jim Pillen focused primarily on reducing government spending, with less of an emphasis on new property tax relief than he's had in prior years. 

He said his budget includes shrinking state spending by half a percent over the next biennium. The budget leaves $755 million in the cash reserve and calls for $100 million in cuts to about $5.3 billion in general fund appropriations in 2025-26 and $5.4 billion in 2026-2027.

It solves a $432 million budget shortfall and still provides for $672 million in additional property tax relief, which the governor addressed in his speech.

The proposed budget includes legislation to reverse 20 incentive expansions that reduce state revenue and some examples are the Nebraska Advantage Rural Development Expansion Act; Good Life Transformational Projects; Sports Complex Financing; Large Public Stadium Financing; and Shortline Rail Credits.

For Gov. Pillen's Budget in Brief Report, click HERE

For Gov. Pillen's Executive Budget Presentation, click HERE

NAVY DESTROYER NAMED AFTER BOB KERREY

LINCOLN — First a bridge and now a Navy destroyer has been named after former Nebraska governor and U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey.This week, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced that the Navy’s newest Arleigh Burke-class Guided Missile Destroyer has been named the USS Robert Kerrey (DDG 146).

Kerrey, a Navy SEAL during the Vietnam War who received the Medal of Honor, previously lent his name to a pedestrian bridge spanning the Missouri River between Omaha and Council Bluffs, Iowa. In a Navy press release, Kerrey said he was grateful for the honor. “My sincere thanks to President Biden, Secretary of the Navy Del Toro, and the United States Navy that gave me the opportunity to serve my country for three of the best years of my life,” Kerrey said. Del Toro said that the naming recognized his actions in Vietnam “and his continued service to this country well beyond his Naval service.”

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA'S NEXT STATE POET IS A JEWEL, FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO FILL ROLE

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s next state poet is a fixture around poetry slams and political events in the state’s largest city, having spoken beside mayors and members of Congress. But Jewel Rodgers of Omaha stepped on to a larger stage Monday, when Gov. Jim Pillen named her state poet and charged her with inspiring a new generation of Nebraska readers and writers.

Rodgers is the first Black Nebraskan to hold the five-year renewable post, which requires nominees to compete with finalists from across the state and be screened by the Nebraska Arts Council. Rodgers took a deep breath when asked what it means to be poet laureate of Nebraska. She credited others in her past who saw possibilities “she didn’t even know to be thinking about.” “For me … being the first African American woman to hold this position … is to show folks what’s possible, to instill a vision in them that they may not have had for themselves,” she said.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA CATTLE PRODUCERS BATTLE FREEZING TEMPERATURES TO KEEP HERDS SAFE IN ARCTIC BLAST

GRAND ISLAND- The first big blast of winter weather arrives in Nebraska where cattle producers battle the elements to protect the herd. “Constantly chopping ice,” Adriane Stoltenberg said. An arctic blast brings wind chills of 20 below to the Stoltenberg farm.

Water is a major consideration according to Extension Educator Troy Walz. “If they're not consuming enough water they're not going to eat as much and if they're not eating as much they're not getting the energy that they need so we really need to be vigilant with cold temperatures like this,” he said. Walz said for every degree under 19 there’s a one percent increase in energy needs.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA HOSPITAL LEADERS OUTLINE ISSUES FOR FUTURE OF RURAL HEALTHCARE

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Hospital Association (NHA) and the Nebraska Rural Health Association (NeRHA) unveiled the 2025-26 Roadmap to Strong Rural Health Care to help improve rural healthcare in the state on Tuesday. NHA President Jeremy Nordquist says Nebraska hospitals currently struggle with lagging reimbursement rates, higher labor costs, and aggressive practices from large insurance companies and big pharma.

According to a recent survey of NHA’s membership, many of Nebraska’s rural hospitals operated at a loss in the last quarter. The average operating margin for 2024 was 1.4%, well below a sustainable margin. “These tough financial conditions have forced over 20% of our hospitals to reduce or eliminate services in the last the years,” Nordquist said.

For the full article click HERE

STATE CHAMBER PRESIDENT BRYAN SLONE ANNOUNCES PLANS STEP DOWN

LINCOLN- Bryan Slone publicly announced today he intends to step down as President/CEO of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry following the 109th Legislative Session in June of 2025. A search committee has begun a search process to identify his successor and has started accepting applications.

During his tenure, the NE Chamber has continued to serve as the “Voice of Business” in legislative and regulatory matters and policy-making processes. Slone noted that his time at the NE Chamber has been a “great personal privilege due to the incredible support of the membership, the very talented staff members on the chamber team, and the many unique opportunities for the organization to make a difference for Nebraska’s businesses and economic competitiveness.”

For the full article click HERE

RECLASSIFICATION OF SMALL NEBRASKA SCHOOL DISTRICTS OPENS DOOR TO ARMING SELECT STAFF

LINCOLN — A new state law could lead to greater efficiency in setting rules, regulations and safety standards for some of Nebraska’s smallest school districts. Nebraska Education Commissioner Brian Maher reclassified or shifted roughly 80% of the state’s 245 school districts to new, smaller levels at the beginning of the year.

State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, the sponsor of Legislative Bill 1329 from 2024, said his legislation could lead to more efficiency in creating laws or regulations that include the districts with fewer than 5,000 total residents. “I’m just trying to make a more efficient way of addressing the needs of different sized districts and different demographics,” Murman told the Nebraska Examiner.

One of the immediate effects of the law gives school boards of smaller districts the option to authorize select school security personnel to carry firearms on school grounds.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA NOW HAS 18TH-HIGHEST MINIMUM WAGE; ADVOCATES WANT TO ENSURE IT KEEPS RISING

OMAHA - The new year brings a new minimum wage to Nebraska, and supporters of the higher wage don’t want lawmakers tampering with the law that boosted it. The state now has the 18th-highest minimum wage after the increase effective Jan. 1. That’s according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, which tracks minimum wages in the 50 states.

The new minimum wage of $13.50 an hour is the result of a successful 2022 ballot initiative that authorized a series of annual increases. Initiative 433 was an effort of Raise the Wage Nebraska, supported financially by labor unions and various progressive organizations. The measure passed with more than 58% of voters in favor.

The minimum wage will remain at $13.50 an hour through December 31, 2025. In 2026, it will rise to $15. In successive years, the wage will increase based on the cost of living. Sue Martin, president and secretary-treasurer of the Nebraska State AFL-CIO, commented on the boost. “These consistent, predictable increases toward $15 since 2023, along with the annual cost of living increases that will begin in 2027, will ensure that hardworking Nebraska workers don’t fall behind,” she said.

For the full article click HERE

GOV. JIM PILLEN TALKS ABOUT HIS INJURIES, RECOVERY AND GETTING BACK TO WORK

LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, a former University of Nebraska defensive back, knew about getting hit hard long before he played for Hall of Fame football coach Tom Osborne. He got bruising lessons at home, on family land near Columbus, where big brother, Clete, an all-Big 8 linebacker, pummeled him long before the Pillen boys played against Big 8 offenses.

But the governor said the pain of backyard tussles was “nothing” compared to what he felt after a few slow-motion seconds on Dec. 22, when his son-in-law’s horse and his got spooked. “I’ve never experienced anything close,” said Pillen, who broke seven ribs, two of them twice, along with a collapsed lung, a lacerated spleen, a bruised kidney and a fractured vertebra.

Pillen discussed his injuries during that horse ride, his recovery at hospitals in Columbus and Omaha and getting back to work in a sit-down interview with the Nebraska Examiner on Friday. He laughed and teared up in a high-backed chair in the living room of the Governor’s Mansion, where he has stayed since being released from the Nebraska Medical Center a week earlier.

For the full article click HERE

NEBRASKA LAWMAKER WHO CHAMPIONED GOOD LIFE DISTRICTS LAW CRITICIZES ROLLOUT

GRETNA- When State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan proposed legislation to create good life districts two years ago, she envisioned the result would be a Nebraska tourist magnet akin to Kansas City’s Legends retail complex or Minnesota’s Mall of America. Inspiring her, she said, was businessman Rod Yates’ dream to build a sports-retail-entertainment mecca around the existing Nebraska Crossing shopping center he owns in Gretna, between the state’s two largest cities, Omaha and Lincoln.

However, two key drivers of the Good Life Act say they are disappointed in how the law and subsequent updates are playing out. Yates’ plan appears deadlocked with the Gretna City Council, and Linehan now fears that she let language slip by that could allow Gretna and a handful of Nebraska cities to use the state incentive in ways she didn’t intend — boosting projects that are less spectacular than one-of-a-kind.

For the full article click HERE

BILL INTRODUCED TO PLUG ‘MISSING YEAR’ OF NEBRASKA PROPERTY TAX RELIEF

LINCOLN — Lawmakers have formally introduced a “fix” to Nebraska’s summer special session changes to a key property tax relief program, which closed off some tax relief for Nebraskans.

State Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering introduced Legislative Bill 81 on Thursday, a promise he and five other lawmakers made in October. The legislation would allow all Nebraskans to claim a credit on any property taxes paid in 2024 when they file their tax returns this spring, in the middle of the 90-day legislative session. The aim is to make whole the people who missed out on claiming an income tax credit for property taxes assessed in December 2023.

LB 81 would offer a one-time extension for the income tax credit program established in 2020 and designed to offset K-12 school taxes, which comprise most local property taxes.

For the full article click HERE