LAWMAKER WANTS TO RESHAPE HIGHER ED WITH DEI, TENURE BANS

LINCOLN- Several University of Nebraska-Lincoln and University of Nebraska at Omaha students expressed concerns Monday about a pair of bills that aim to reshape higher education in the state. “Our university system should be something we invest in,” said UNL student Carter Grier, representing the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska. “Not something we undermine.”

College students, faculty, and some university officials testified against Legislative Bills 551 and 552 during an afternoon hearing of the Education Committee. The proposed legislation, filed by State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City, would ban diversity, equity, and inclusion offices (LB 552) and dismantle tenure for faculty members (LB 551). Tenure provides a layer of protection for college faculty members from being dismissed and is often seen as a safeguard of academic freedom.

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LINCOLN SENATORS CLASH OVER SCHOOL RETIREMENT BILL, AS SCHOOL LEADERS WEIGH IN

LINCOLN- Two Lincoln state senators clashed Friday at a hearing over a governor-backed priority to reconsider what to do with Nebraska retirement plans once they are fully funded, starting with schools. The proposal in question, Legislative Bill 645 by State Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln, seeks to lower annual contribution rates to the statewide school retirement plan for eligible teachers and school employees, excluding those in the Omaha Public Schools, who have a separate retirement plan.

The initial bill, introduced at Gov. Jim Pillen’s request, had received broad condemnation from the Nebraska State Education Association and teachers statewide before the latest amendment that shifted the NSEA to neutral because it would lower employee payroll deductions, increasing take-home pay. State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, the current Legislature’s longest-serving lawmaker in her 11th year, repeatedly asked Ballard if lawmakers should pause given “great risk and significant economic volatility.”

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LAWMAKER'S BID TO PUT MOBILE SPORTS BETTING ON BALLOT ADVANCES FROM COMMITTEE

LINCOLN- A bid to allow Nebraska voters the chance to legalize mobile sports betting in next year's election took a crucial first step forward Monday as a committee of state lawmakers sent the proposal to the floor of the Legislature. For now, gamblers in Nebraska can only place sports bets in person at casinos that have sportsbooks. However, a proposed constitutional amendment introduced by Lincoln Sen. Eliot Bostar would legalize mobile sports betting through platforms like FanDuel and DraftKings.

In a vote Monday afternoon that signaled bipartisan support for the measure, the Legislature's General Affairs Committee voted 6-2 to advance the proposal to the full Legislature. Republican Sens. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue and Jared Storm of David City voted against the move, while the rest of the committee — three Democrats and three Republicans — voted for it. Bostar's proposal (LR20CA) still has several hurdles to reach the 2026 ballot. It will need the support of 30 of Nebraska's 49 lawmakers during each of three rounds of debate in the Legislature to be placed on the ballot, where its fate would then be decided by voters. The measure would need the support of 33 lawmakers if opponents filibuster it.

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DOCTORS REVIEWING MEASLES VACCINE RECOMMENDATIONS AMID TEXAS OUTBREAK

LINCOLN- With the growing outbreak of measles in Texas, New Mexico and now likely Oklahoma, doctors in Nebraska are reviewing vaccination recommendations for the highly contagious viral illness. It turns out the details behind those guidelines are a bit more complicated — and confusing to patients — than a quick glance at the federal recommendations might indicate, thanks to the way the measles vaccine was developed and how vaccination recommendations evolved over the years, said Dr. Mark Rupp, an infectious diseases specialist with Nebraska Medicine.

As a result, some patients, generally those in their late 30s through early 60s, may be asked about their vaccination status and offered the shot. Most, however, won't need to rush to get it. Meanwhile, Rupp and his colleagues have been updating their guidance and disseminating it to Nebraska Medicine clinics and emergency rooms. Both the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also have posted guidance for healthcare providers.

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DEBATE DELAYED ON PROPOSAL TO MORE FREQUENTLY CHANGE LAWMAKERS COMPENSATION

LINCOLN- A legislative proposal to let an independent, nonpartisan commission set the compensation of future Nebraska state senators is now “on pause” and will fall to the bottom of legislative priorities in 2025. State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, the sponsor of Legislative Resolution 25CA, announced the decision Monday after multiple senators spoke against the proposal during its first two hours of debate on Friday. Hansen said much of the opposition focused on issues that didn’t pertain to the proposal itself, and he wanted to move forward.

Hansen said he still hopes to address the proposal later this year, or early next year, which if passed would send the final decision to voters at the November 2026 general election. The intent of the commission is to remove lawmakers’ annual $12,000 salary from the Nebraska Constitution. Because it is in the Constitution, pay increases, or decreases, can’t happen without a statewide vote, unlike other state officials. The commission could also consider health care benefits, per diems, or reimbursement rates.

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BILL TO PREVENT LOCAL RENT CONTROLS IN STATE MOVES A STEP FORWARD, WITH CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS

LINCOLN- A measure that would prevent local governments from imposing rent controls on private property, with some exceptions, took a step forward in the Nebraska Legislature on Monday. Legislative Bill 266, introduced by State Sen. Rob Dover of Norfolk, moved ahead on a 32-5 vote despite objections from a handful of Democratic lawmakers. Under LB 266, cities and counties generally would be prohibited from enacting local laws that have the effect of placing rent controls on private property.

The bill outlines exemptions for ordinances aimed at increasing the affordable housing supply “through land use or inclusionary housing requirements” or for programs in which the landlord voluntarily and contractually agrees to rent restrictions. Dover told fellow lawmakers that 37 other states had enacted similar legislation prohibiting rent controls, and he believes it is better to “look at what is going on in the country and get in front of it.”

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BILL TO CATALOG SCHOOL 'TOOLS OF MASS SURVEILLANCE' HITS ROADBLOCK

LINCOLN- A state lawmaker’s attempt to publicly catalog “tools of mass surveillance” in Nebraska public school districts is on pause, at least for now, as she finds an alternate path forward. Legislative Bill 31, from State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, would require all of Nebraska’s 245 public school districts to publicly inventory and catalog student surveillance, monitoring, and tracking technology tools used by or contracted for use in each district. The bill was debated Feb. 21 and Feb. 24 before not returning to the legislative agenda, at Conrad’s request.

Conrad has pledged to find a path forward for her bill with some bipartisan support, such as through a different bill or by working with the State Board of Education, the Nebraska Department of Education, or specific school districts. The bill faced stiff opposition from some senators who feared the bill could require schools to disclose sensitive information or impose unfunded burdens to compile the necessary information.

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LEGISLATURE ADVANCES BILL LIMITING WHEN SCHOOLS CAN SCHEDULE BOND ELECTIONS

LINCOLN- A proposal to limit when Nebraska school districts can have special bond elections advanced from first-round debate at the Legislature on Wednesday. The bill (LB135) from Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue would require school districts to put bond issues to voters during regularly scheduled statewide primary or general elections in even-numbered years. Holdcroft's bill also prohibits school districts from seeking a second election within 10 months of a bond issue's defeat.

An amendment adopted Wednesday would also allow special elections to be held during May or November in odd-numbered years — times Holdcroft said Nebraska voters would be accustomed to voting. Holdcroft, who introduced a similar measure last year, said the changes would give more voters a chance to weigh in on whether or not school districts should borrow money or exceed their property tax levy limits.

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COMMITTEE DELAYS VOTE ON BILL TO DEFINE MALE, FEMALE IN LAW FOR SPORTS, BATHROOMS

LINCOLN- A Nebraska legislative committee has delayed, for now, a final vote on whether to advance a proposal to define “male” and “female” in state law and restrict student-athlete participation by sex at birth. The Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee elected to not yet vote on advancing Legislative Bill 89, the “Stand With Women Act” from State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, over questions from some committee members about whether a proposed amendment would require all students to get a notarized doctor’s note of that student’s sex to participate in single-sex sports.

State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue, the committee chair, said “more clarity would provide a better debate” after Omaha State Sens. John Cavanaugh, Dunixi Guereca, and Megan Hunt asked whether a doctor’s “attestation” would implicate the need for a notary. Hunt said this would increase costs for some families. She asked her colleagues to consider if they lived in the land of the free and thought of all the people who died for the freedom to play sports who would need to find a notary to do so. Cavanaugh said the requirement should lead to a new public hearing.

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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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