HHS COMMITTEE ADVANCES TWO ABORTION-RELATED BILLS TO FULL LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- Abortion appears likely to be debated on the floor of the Nebraska Legislature again this year after a legislative committee advanced two related bills on Wednesday night. The Health and Human Services Committee voted 5-0 to advance Legislative Bill 632 from State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair. That bill would require any health care facility performing and completing on-site elective abortions to dispose of the remains of the aborted fetus by cremation or burial, or, if not possible, in a manner directed by the State Board of Health.

The committee also voted 4-2 to advance LB 512 from State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue, which would require doctors to screen pregnant women for ectopic pregnancies and schedule a follow-up appointment 3 to 28 days after prescribing abortion-inducing medications. State Sen. Dan Lonowski of Hastings chose Hansen’s bill as his 2025 priority, increasing the likelihood it will be scheduled for debate this year.

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LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL WOULD LET VOTERS DECIDE IF STATE SHOULD DROP INHERITANCE TAX

LINCOLN- Nebraska lawmakers have resisted efforts for years to join the vast majority of states in ending the inheritance tax, siding with county officials who have said they rely on the funds and would otherwise have to turn to property taxes to make up the revenue. Sen. Bob Hallstrom of Syracuse has proposed letting voters decide, but he indicated in a Wednesday Revenue Committee hearing that another senator may have a solution to the inheritance tax that's more digestible for county governments.

If adopted, Hallstrom's LR13CA to prohibit the inheritance tax would go on the ballot next November. Only four other states have an inheritance tax. Iowa ended its tax this year. Hallstrom said counties would have to adjust to losing those dollars. He said families have to make tough choices to make ends meet, and county officials sometimes have to do the same. Several of those officials said the cuts would be severe and affect essential local functions. They indicated they prefer LB468 from Sen. Robert Clements of Elmwood.

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A PROPOSED SCHOOL BOOK DATABASE LAW MOVES FORWARD

LINCOLN- A bill requiring all public school districts to adopt a policy so parents can see what materials are in school libraries advanced with a vote Tuesday after a roughly 90-minute debate. State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, who filed Legislative Bill 390, said during its hearing that the bill is an important next step after the Legislature updated parental access to curriculum content and training last year. The proposed law would require creating a public online or hard-copy catalog of all books in the district’s libraries, categorized by school building.

Under the bill, parents also could opt in for automatic email notification or another form of electronic notification when their student checks out a book. The book title, author, and due date for returning the book will be included in the notice. “This is important so parents can be fully informed and make knowledgeable and family-specific decisions on the content their children are reading,” Murman said on the floor Tuesday.

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LAWMAKERS CONSIDER REMOVING REQUIREMENT FOR CITIES TO ADD FLUORIDE

LINCOLN- Public health versus personal freedom was the central debate during a discussion Wednesday of a bill that would eliminate a requirement that Nebraska communities fluoridate their water supplies. LB147 from State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair was up for a public hearing before the Nebraska Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee. In all, eight testifiers supported the measure compared to 10 opponents, with an additional 53 submitted comments in support and 105 in opposition.

A 2008 state law required certain Nebraska cities add fluoride to their water supplies, offering a window until 2010 for local governments to opt out of the mandate. Hansen noted that out of the 61 communities that put the issue on the ballot during that window, 49 chose to opt out. "People don't want to be forced to take medications in their water," Hansen said.

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PILLEN'S NUDGE HELPS WINNER-TAKE-ALL PROPOSALS ADVANCE OUT OF GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

LINCOLN- After public pressure from Gov. Jim Pillen, Nebraska lawmakers advanced to the full Legislature a winner-take-all bill and a separate proposed constitutional amendment to let voters alter how the state awards Electoral College votes for president. The Government, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee of the officially nonpartisan Legislature advanced both proposals Monday along party lines.

State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City, who filed LB 3 and made it his priority bill for the session, said he was grateful for the “opportunity to try and get Nebraska back to the same rules” as the rest of the country. The Government Committee also advanced Legislative Resolution 24CA, a proposed amendment to the state constitution from State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams, allowing voters to decide whether to change to winner-take-all.

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BILL FOR EPINEPHRINE INJECTOR COST CAP, SEVERE ALLERGY RESPONSE PLANS ADVANCES

LINCOLN- Lawmakers took a step Wednesday to cap the out-of-pocket cost for epinephrine injectors and ensure Nebraska schools and licensed child care programs have policies to respond to allergic reactions. Legislative Bill 457, from State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln, advanced 31-0 to the second stage of debate. It would limit out-of-pocket costs for medically necessary epinephrine injectors, including EpiPens, to no more than $60 for a two-pack, regardless of the type.

Bostar said some generic injectors can cost between $320 and $750, while name brand injectors can cost between $650 to $730. If passed, the cap would take effect Jan. 1, 2026. “The absence of a cure for life-threatening food allergies underscores the critical importance of epinephrine auto injectors for preventing fatal anaphylaxis, which is a life threatening allergic reaction that, without prompt administration of epinephrine, the consequences can be dire,” Bostar said at his bill’s Feb. 10 hearing.

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JUVENILE CRIME BILLS SPARK LENGTHY, SOMETIMES TESTY PUBLIC HEARINGS

LINCOLN- Nebraska lawmakers heard more than seven hours of public testimony Thursday on a trio of bills related to minors and crime — including a controversial proposal that, in part, would allow alleged offenders as young as 11 to be detained. Those addressing the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee were wide-ranging: law enforcement, elected officials, nonprofits, educators, moms of victims, Nebraskans imprisoned as youths, and more.

The lengthiest and most emotional discussion came in response to Legislative Bill 556, which State Sen. Merv Riepe has named his priority this session. The Ralston lawmaker said he introduced the measure at the request of Gov. Jim Pillen, with support from Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine and Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson. Under LB 556, the age at which a Nebraska youth could be detained for an alleged crime would be lowered from 13 to 11, and the age at which a minor could be charged as an adult for the “most serious” felonies would drop from 14 to 12.

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LAWMAKERS COULD ASK VOTERS TO EXPAND GAMBLING WITH ONLINE SPORTS BETTING

LINCOLN- Nebraska lawmakers heard from gambling lobbyists that they should expand state gambling to include mobile sports betting, while opponents called out an “industry driven by greed.” Legislative Resolution 20CA, a proposed constitutional amendment filed by State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln, would allow voters to approve online betting in the state. Currently, state law allows casino-style gambling at the state’s six existing horse racetracks — so-called “racinos.” Nebraskans approved the change in 2020.

“Nebraska is currently missing out on a $1.6 billion state online industry and $32 million in annual tax revenue,” Bostar said, “which instead goes to neighboring states like Iowa, Colorado, Kansas.” Bostar said the proposal would be “an opportunity to create a new source of tax revenue for property tax relief.” Before the hearing, Stop Predatory Gambling, Gambling with the Good Life and the Nebraska Family Alliance expressed concerns, saying LR20CA and other similar proposals represent a “direct threat” to families in the state.

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'NOT QUITE THERE YET': TEACHERS UNION NOW 'NEUTRAL' ON PROPOSED RETIREMENT TWEAKS

LINCOLN- Nebraska’s teachers union will no longer oppose a governor-backed bill to tweak the state’s school retirement plan, partly due to an amendment that could also benefit teachers. The Nebraska State Education Association formally shifted its stance this week, two months after urging caution and encouraging teachers statewide to speak out against Legislative Bill 645, which was introduced by State Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln at Gov. Jim Pillen’s request.

The bill would create stepped-down contribution levels from the state to the school retirement plan, depending on its actuarial funding level. As of July 1, the plan was 99.9% funded. If passed, LB 645 would drop the state’s annual contributions toward the retirement plan based on statewide school employee payroll. Once the plan reaches 100% funding, the state would no longer automatically contribute year over year. A Feb. 13 amendment from Ballard proposes similar changes to teacher and other employee contributions depending on actuarial funding, which could save teachers money each month, helping lead to the changed NSEA position.

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LAWMAKERS PASS BILL DEFINING UBER DRIVERS AS INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS

LINCOLN- Nebraska lawmakers passed a bill Monday that would change state law to define app-based ride-share and food delivery drivers as independent contractors, overcoming a filibuster to send the proposed law to Gov. Jim Pillen's desk. Lincoln Sen. Jane Raybould, a Democrat and grocery store executive, joined 32 Republican lawmakers in Nebraska's formally nonpartisan Legislature to end the Democrat-led filibuster and send the bill to Pillen's desk Monday morning.

Sen. Dave Wordekemper, a Republican from Fremont, joined 14 Democrats voting against the bill. Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt, a nonpartisan, was absent. Introduced at the request of a ride-share company by Sen. Bob Hallstrom of Syracuse, the bill (LB229) would make clear that drivers for platforms such as Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash are not employees of the companies.

Ride-share drivers are already considered independent contractors in Nebraska, but Hallstrom's bill codifies that status into law — a status that companies like Uber and Lyft have waged costly ballot campaigns or legal battles to win in some other states.

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LAWMAKERS TOLD EASIEST WAY TO DIG OUT OF BUDGET DEFICIT IS TO 'PAUSE' INCOME TAX CUTS

LINCOLN- A rural senator told fellow Nebraska lawmakers Thursday that the “simplest” and most “straightforward” way to dig the state out of a $289 million budget deficit would be to pause the deep income tax cuts passed two years ago. “While tax reductions are important, we also need to be responsible to the state budget,” State Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth told the Legislature’s Revenue Committee. “Let’s pause and take a breath.”

Under his proposal, Legislative Bill 171, the stair-stepped reductions in individual and corporate income tax rates passed in 2023 would be paused at 4.99% in tax year 2026 and would not drop further to 3.99% as the 2023 law prescribed. That change, which Brandt maintained was “not a tax increase,” would provide an extra $497 million dollars to state coffers over the next two fiscal years, more than covering the budget gap and allowing funds to be devoted to property tax relief.

Supporters of the bill, which included the state’s major farm groups, said it would help fulfill promises by Gov. Jim Pillen and state leaders to address the state’s worst tax issue, high property taxes, while providing the revenue to head off deeper budget deficits predicted in coming years. The tax rate could be cut further, they said, when state tax revenues allow it.

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LAWMAKERS ADVANCE BILL FORCING DRUGMAKERS TO DISCOUNT CERTAIN MEDICATIONS

LINCOLN- Nebraska lawmakers advanced a bill Wednesday forcing drugmakers to continue selling certain outpatient medications at a discount to hospitals and clinics that serve low-income patients. The bill (LB168) from Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering would prohibit pharmaceutical companies from restricting or interfering in the sale of drugs included in the 340B program. Under 340B, which was enacted by Congress in 1992, pharmaceutical manufacturers are required to sell certain drugs to critical access hospitals and other qualified health centers at a discounted price.

Hardin said the 340B program allows manufacturers to participate in Medicaid and Medicare, while the savings generated for health care facilities allow them to invest in their services and communities. "The savings can literally keep the doors open for some struggling rural hospitals," Hardin said Wednesday, which was Day 38 of the 90-day legislative session. According to the Nebraska Hospital Association, 54% of critical-access hospitals in the state are operating at a loss. The 340B program offers those hospitals in two dozen legislative districts across the state a lifeline, Hardin told the Legislature.

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PETE RICKETTS SAYS TRUMP LIKELY TO SEEK COMPENSATION FOR FARMERS HARMED BY TARIFFS

LINCOLN- U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts expects President Donald Trump will seek to compensate Nebraska’s farmers if they suffer economic damages due to a brewing trade war over Trump’s tariffs. Trump addressed his trade policy and farmers in his speech before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, asking farmers to “bear with me again” as he seeks to use tariffs to reset trade relations with nations around the world.

The Nebraska Farm Bureau in 2019 had estimated the tariff dispute had cost Nebraska producers $1 billion. It’s unclear whether aid payments covered all such losses in the end. While Trump has already slapped tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada and says he will roll out more tariffs on countries that have tariffs on U.S. products, Ricketts emphasized it’s not clear which tariffs will ultimately stick and what their impacts will be.

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ENTREPRENEURS, INTERNS, HOUSING ADVOCATES OPPOSE CUTS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

LINCOLN- Nebraska entrepreneurs, interns, and affordable housing advocates were among those who converged at the Capitol Wednesday to oppose several of Gov. Jim Pillen’s recommended budget cuts. Fifteen Nebraskans, in all, objected to various reductions proposed in the Nebraska Department of Economic Development agency budget over the next two years.

Garnering the most protest during the hearing before the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee was a $5 million annual slash from the Business Innovation Act program and a shift of any remaining balance from the internNE fund. Currently about $11 million is in the intern fund, which started at $20 million two years ago and still has some obligations outstanding.

Defending program trims was DED Director K.C. Belitz, who said the agency worked with Pillen’s office to find savings that would help balance the state’s biennial budget and provide support for other priorities, including property tax relief. In some cases, Belitz said, the agency would return to pre-COVID spending levels, and in a few instances, programs with less than desired payoff were discontinued.

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LAWMAKER PUSHES TO OVERHAUL ELECTIONS, EARLY VOTING OVER INTEGRITY CONCERNS

LINCOLN- State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue says he wants to eliminate online voter registration, restrict absentee voting, provide more security for ballot boxes, and require hand-counting of election results, citing election integrity concerns. State and local election officials testified against Holdcroft’s Legislative Bill 541 during its public hearing Wednesday before the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, questioning the need for changes to election law and raising concerns about possibly violating federal law and the potential costs to taxpayers.

Other bill opponents said the changes would introduce unnecessary burdens to voters and make it harder for Nebraskans to participate in elections. Holdcroft said while he has confidence in the integrity of Nebraska elections, the bill is “simply to give peace of mind to the electorate and our state regarding the security of our elections.”

Supporters of the bill claim it would prevent voter fraud and “cheating” in state elections, pointing to the 2020 election, when President Donald Trump falsely claimed victory but lost to former President Joe Biden. The Nebraska proposal is being discussed as Republicans across the country ramped up unproven claims of non-citizen voting and fraud.

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LAWMAKERS, ADVOCATES MULL MEDICAL CANNABIS REGS TO PREVENT 'WILD WEST' IN STATE

LINCOLN- The decade-long fight to secure a safe, regulated medical cannabis system in Nebraska could hinge on whether state lawmakers adopt legislation this spring to help implement the ballot measures. Senators and advocates for medical cannabis urged the Legislature’s General Affairs Committee to take action this year, before the laws take full effect by Oct. 1. The Monday push came one day after the urging of Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers and U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., to delay any legislative action in an op-ed published Sunday.

Nebraska voters overwhelmingly approved legalizing medical cannabis in November to the tune of more than 71%, passing in all of the state’s 49 legislative districts. A second measure, to set up a regulatory scheme through a new Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission, structured similarly to and including the three members of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, passed with 67% support statewide, winning majority support in 46 of 49 legislative districts. “The bottom line is the people have spoken: They want safe, legal access to medical cannabis,” said State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, who is sponsoring a related bill.

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PILLEN ORDER EXPANDS BAN ON CHINA-BASED SOFTWARE ON STATE NETWORKS

LINCOLN- Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen on Wednesday banned the use or download of applications, software, and platforms created or owned by the Chinese Communist Party or its affiliates on state networks and devices. The executive order blasts China, a foreign adversary, as a critical security risk because of human rights violations and military threats to seize Taiwan. The order states China “poses a comprehensive threat to national sovereignty — intellectually, militarily and economically — through its aggressive actions, data exploitation and attempts to undermine global security and stability.”

Pillen said the order is about protecting Nebraska and continuing to identify and eliminate threats from the Chinese Communist Party. “They don’t mean well, and we must ensure that America’s adversaries can’t hack our state’s data or critical digital infrastructure,” Pillen said in a statement. “This is important, ongoing work and commonsense governance.” The latest order doesn’t target any specific applications, software, or platforms but states the technology could compromise the state’s information infrastructure security or lead to the “harvesting” of data from users, including confidential, private, or other sensitive data.

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PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE COMPENSATION COMMISSION ADVANCES FROM COMMITTEE

LINCOLN- Compensation for Nebraska’s 49 state senators could be removed from the state constitution, possibly making it easier to change the annual $12,000 salary. The Nebraska Legislature’s Executive Board, the top-ranking committee overseeing daily legislative operations, voted unanimously Wednesday to advance Legislative Resolution 25CA, which would create a “nonpartisan, independent legislative compensation commission.” Future lawmakers would need to set specific parameters for the commission, such as the number of members, a method for appointing commissioners, or which branch of government controls the commission.

The proposed constitutional amendment would remove the requirement that voters approve any pay increase for legislators at the ballot box and put that power in the hands of the newly created commission. Voters last approved a pay increase narrowly in the 1988 primary election, raising state senators’ monthly salary from $300 a month (or $4,800 annually) to $1,000 a month (or $12,000 annually). Voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposed pay increase in 2012. The latest proposal, from State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, who chairs the Executive Board, would go to voters in November 2026 if passed by the Legislature.

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PILLEN'S CELLPHONE BAN IN SCHOOLS ADVANCES

LINCOLN- One of Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen’s priorities advanced to the second round of debate with a vote on Monday, as a statewide cell phone ban in schools inched closer to becoming law. The bill would ban student use of personal electronic devices, such as cellphones, on school grounds or while attending a “school instructional function,” like field trips, but it would leave school districts wide latitude in approving student cellphone use, including some exceptions.

Senators advanced Legislative Bill 140 Monday with bipartisan support, 44-0, with five lawmakers not voting or excused. The proposed law moved out of the Education Committee 7-0, with one member absent. Pillen said during its public hearing last month that the bill focuses on student mental health and that he should have pushed the legislation earlier in his term as governor.

Several other states have pushed for similar legislation on students’ cell phones with similar bipartisan support, but some experts warn that these types of restrictions could be outdated or challenging for classroom teachers and schools to enforce. State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha echoed similar concerns.

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COLUMBUS OFFICIAL TALKS HOUSING CRISIS TO CAPITOL HILL PANEL LED BY U.S. REP. MIKE FLOOD

LINCOLN- Nebraska U.S. Rep. Mike Flood held his first hearing Tuesday as chair of a Housing & Insurance Subcommittee, and introduced as one of the group’s testifiers a local face: Columbus city administrator Tara Vasicek. Flood, a Norfolk Republican, earlier this year was tapped to lead the subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee, pledging to try to find solutions to America’s housing crisis and provide more access to reliable insurance products.

In opening the Capitol Hill hearing, Flood described himself as a “straight shooter” who doesn’t “hide the ball” and who would try to be fair to all, regardless of political affiliation. He discussed a subject that he said touches the lives of every person, both on the coasts and in Midwest rural communities: the cost of housing. In the hearing titled: Building Our Future: Increasing Housing Supply in America, Vasicek said she wanted to provide a local perspective.

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