Category: Nebraska politics

Nebraska passes bill requiring dyslexia reports, school dress codes, teacher compact 

dyslexia Education Education in Nebraska Government & Politics Health K-12 education Lou Ann Linehan Nebraska Department of Education Nebraska K-12 education Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News school dress code Terrell McKinney

LINCOLN — Nebraska school administrators, get out your No. 2 pencils. The Legislature just gave you two new assignments and a little help in hiring teachers.  On Wednesday, state senators approved Legislative Bill 298, which merged K-12 education proposals, tracking dyslexia, clarifying school dress codes and streamlining hires of teachers from other states. State Sens. […]

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Committee voter ID bill survives a second round of filibuster by Sen. Julie Slama

Bob Evnen Civic Nebraska Election 2024 Government & Politics Jim Pillen Julie Slama LB 514 Mike Hilgers Myron Dorn Nebraska elections Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News Tom Brewer trend- Voter ID in Nebraska

LINCOLN — A final push over Memorial Day weekend failed to result in a voter ID compromise acceptable to State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar and Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, despite help from Gov. Jim Pillen, Speaker John Arch and Attorney General Mike Hilgers. The result Tuesday was another four-hour filibuster by a […]

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Lawmakers pass Nebraska income tax cuts, property tax offsets, child tax credits 

child care tax credit Danielle Conrad Government & Politics Jane Raybould Labor & Growth Lou Ann Linehan Nebraska Chamber of Commerce Nebraska Farm Bureau Nebraska income taxes Nebraska politics Nebraska property taxes Nebraska State Front Page News OpenSky Policy Institute taxes in Nebraska Wendy DeBoer

LINCOLN — Under the shadow of tightening state revenues, the Nebraska Legislature gave final approval Thursday to a $6.4 billion tax relief package. State lawmakers approved income tax cuts, hikes in state property tax credits, a tax credit for child care and a boost to school funding to offset property taxes. State Sen. Lou Ann […]

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Committee again backs Brewer on Nebraska voter ID; Slama pledges to kill the bill

Bob Evnen Danielle Conrad Election 2024 Government & Politics Government and Military Affairs Committee John Arch Julie Slama Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News Secretary of State Tom Brewer voter ID witness attestation

LINCOLN — After a rare do-over Thursday, members of the Legislature’s Government and Military Affairs Committee again endorsed an approach to voter ID in Nebraska that supporters called “focused” and an opponent called an “abomination.” State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar, who sponsored a competing proposal, pressed to have the committee vote again Thursday, challenging […]

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Committee votes for Brewer’s voter ID proposal; Slama vows floor fight against ‘abomination’

Bob Evnen Election 2024 Government & Politics John Arch Julie Slama Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News Secretary of State Tom Brewer voter ID Voter ID in Nebraska voting rights in Nebraska

LINCOLN — Last-minute tweaks to a potential compromise amendment implementing voter ID in Nebraska ran up against a deadline for scheduling floor debate that forced members of the Legislature’s Government and Military Affairs Committee to take sides. On Wednesday, they decided to back a months-long push by State Sen. Tom Brewer, the committee chairman, to […]

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Nebraska merges abortion, gender-affirming care measures into single bill

12-week ban on abortion abortion abortion politics Ben Hansen Gender-affirming care Government & Politics Health Jim Pillen Justin Wayne LB 574 Machaela Cavanaugh Megan Hunt Merv Riepe Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News Social Services Steve Erdman Trend - Abortion

LINCOLN — With thousands of Nebraskans watching, including hundreds in person, state lawmakers shoehorned a stricter abortion ban into an already divisive bill to limit gender-affirming care for minors. The proposal is now one step from passage. Tuesday’s action was the culmination of months of public outcry and legislative fights over the two measures, both […]

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Proposed 12-week abortion cutoff hits sooner than Riepe’s, with no exception for fetal anomalies

12-week ban on abortion abortion abortion access ACLU Nebraska Ben Hansen Danielle Conrad Election 2022 Election 2024 Government & Politics Health Merv Riepe Nebraska abortion ban Nebraska Catholic Conference Nebraska Family Alliance Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska trans rights Trend - Abortion

LINCOLN — Last month, State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston was the reason the Nebraska Legislature fell a single vote short of outlawing abortions after an ultrasound detects embryonic cardiac activity, typically at about six weeks’ gestation.  But Riepe’s new deal with his conservative colleagues, which contains a stricter ban than he proposed, could spur […]

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Conservative group’s poll finds Nebraskans want photo ID and citizenship checks of voters

Citizens for Voter ID Dan Hughes Election 2024 Government & Politics Julie Slama Nebraska politics Nebraska Secretary of State Nebraska State Front Page News Nebraska voter ID Tom Brewer voter ID Voter ID in Nebraska WPA Intelligence

LINCOLN — Citizens for Voter ID, which led the ballot initiative last year to add voter ID language to the Nebraska Constitution, released results from a new poll Tuesday aimed at steering a legislative compromise on implementing voter ID farther to the right.  Poll results indicated that a majority of Nebraska voters surveyed wants every […]

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Analysis: Record spending and turnout but same result in Lincoln mayor’s race

Election 2023 Government & Politics Leirion Gaylor Baird Lincoln mayor's race Nebraska Democratic Party Nebraska politics Nebraska Republican Party Nebraska State Front Page News outside spending Pete Ricketts Suzanne Geist Trend - Abortion University of Nebraska-Lincoln

LINCOLN — The costliest mayor’s race in Lincoln history may have motivated record turnout for a Capital City election, but all that campaign spending and outside advertising barely budged the result from four years ago. With all but about 700 provisional ballots counted, Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, Nebraska’s top elected Democrat, increased her lead and […]

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Democrat Leirion Gaylor Baird takes GOP’s best shot, beats Geist to win Lincoln mayor’s race

Election 2023 Government & Politics Labor & Growth Leirion Gaylor Baird Lincoln Fire Fighters Association Lincoln mayor's race Lincoln Police Union Nebraska Democratic Party Nebraska politics Nebraska Republican Party Nebraska State Front Page News Pete Ricketts Suzanne Geist Tom Peed Trend - Abortion

LINCOLN — Months of TV, digital and snail-mail advertisements painting the Capital City as some kind of criminal wasteland, and waves of billboards backing change in city leadership, weren’t enough to help Republicans boot Nebraska’s top elected Democrat from office. Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, a Democrat, won re-election Tuesday over former State Sen. Suzanne […]

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Key state senators must resolve three questions on Nebraska voter ID bill 

Bob Evnen Civic Nebraska Election 2024 Government & Politics John Arch Julie Slama Nebraska Legislature Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News Nebraska voter ID Tom Brewer voter ID Voter ID in Nebraska voting by mail voting rights

LINCOLN — Deadline negotiations this week over dueling plans to implement voter ID in Nebraska could decide whether the Legislature votes on a bill this session. County election officials who will carry out the plan have also weighed in, asking state lawmakers to keep things simple. State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar, who helmed the […]

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Nebraska abortion ban tied to cardiac activity falls one vote short; 20-week limit remains intact

12-week ban on abortion abortion Bureau of Justice Statistics cardiac activity Election 2024 Government & Politics Health heartbeat bill Jim Pillen Joni Albrecht Julie Slama Justin Wayne Megan Hunt Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News Trend - Abortion

LINCOLN — The Nebraska Legislature fell one vote short Thursday of passing a ban on abortions after an ultrasound detects embryonic cardiac activity, at about six weeks into a pregnancy. Republican State Sen. Joni Albrecht’s Legislative Bill 626, fell in a similar fashion as the near-total abortion ban proposed last year. Both lost to Democratic-led […]

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Nebraska AG’s opinion says abortion bill wouldn’t put doctors at risk of a crime 

abortion abortion ban cardiac activity Government & Politics Health Jen Day John Cavanaugh Joni Albrecht LB 626 Merv Riepe Mike Hilgers Nebraska abortion ban Nebraska Attorney General's Office Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News Trend - Abortion

LINCOLN — Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers released a legal opinion Tuesday disputing two top concerns about a proposed abortion ban tied to the ultrasound detection of embryonic cardiac activity.  The Legislature is expected to begin a pivotal second round of debate over State Sen. Joni Albrecht’s Legislative Bill 626 on Thursday. Hilgers and Solicitor […]

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Nebraska settles lawsuit involving 400 current and former State Troopers

Dan Fiala Government & Politics Jim Pillen Labor & Growth lawsuit over pensions Mike Hilgers Nebraska Attorney General's Office Nebraska Legislature Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News Nebraska State Patrol State Troopers Association of Nebraska trooper pay

LINCOLN — The State of Nebraska has settled a 12-year lawsuit involving more than 400 current and former State Troopers, agreeing to pay them a combined $18.75 million. Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Gov. Jim Pillen announced the settlement Thursday with Gary Young, a lawyer representing the State Troopers Association of Nebraska. The Troopers sued […]

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Nebraska gives final passage to concealed carry of handguns without permit or training

concealed carry concealed carry laws in Nebraska concealed handguns Government & Politics gun control gun rights Health Jane Raybould Jen Day Julie Slama Justin Wayne Mike Jacobson Mike McDonnell Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News Steve Halloran Tom Brewer Tony Vargas

LINCOLN — Nebraskans who want to carry concealed handguns in public will soon be able to do so legally without a state permit or state-mandated gun safety training. Once the bill becomes law, Omaha and Lincoln will lose the authority to enforce the stricter city gun ordinances, which local police chiefs and police unions have […]

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New U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts raises $200k for campaign, $1.57 million for joint committee

Adrian Smith Ben Sasse campaign finance Charles Herbster Deb Fischer Election 2024 fundraising Government & Politics Jeff Fortenberry John Glen Weaver Mike Flood Nebraska politics Nebraska Senate race Nebraska State Front Page News Pete Ricketts

OMAHA — Former Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts raised $200,000 in his first quarter as an appointed U.S. senator this spring. But that’s only part of his funding picture. Like many senators, Ricketts formed a joint fundraising committee composed of his Senate campaign, his political committee to support other congressional conservatives, and the National Republican Senatorial […]

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Rep. Don Bacon raises record Q1 funds for NE-02 race in presidential year

abortion Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Don Bacon Election 2024 fundraising Government & Politics Nebraska Democratic Party Nebraska politics Nebraska Republican Party Nebraska State Front Page News Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District Tony Vargas Trend - Abortion

OMAHA — U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., with help from House Republican leadership and national GOP donors, set a financial marker this spring to tell potential challengers that the cost of running against the four-term incumbent is going up. Bacon’s campaign raised $483,000 in the first quarter of 2023. His federal political committee to elect […]

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Lincoln mayoral candidates Gaylor Baird and Geist trade jabs over which is best for business

abortion Election 2023 Government & Politics gun laws Leirion Gaylor Baird LGBTQ Lincoln mayor's race Lincoln politics Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News Pete Ricketts Suzanne Geist Tom Peed Trend - Abortion

LINCOLN — Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird told more than 200 people at a candidate forum Thursday that her opponent, former State Sen. Suzanne Geist, is bad for business, while Geist described Lincoln under Gaylor Baird’s watch as a harder place to do business than it should be.  Gaylor Baird said Geist’s legislative record could cost […]

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Nebraska bill banning abortions when cardiac activity is detected passes first round of debate

abortion politics Ben Hansen Government & Politics Health heartbeat bill Jim Pillen Joni Albrecht Machaela Cavanaugh Megan Hunt Mike McDonnell Nebraska abortion ban Nebraska Catholic Conference Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News Planned Parenthood Trend - Abortion

LINCOLN — Nebraska anti-abortion advocates celebrated clearing a major legislative hurdle Wednesday in a decades-long effort to curb what they call “elective abortions,” or abortions by choice.  Every Republican in the Legislature and one Democrat, State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha, provided the 33 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. Lawmakers gave first-round passage to […]

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Debate begins this week on Nebraska abortion ban timed to cardiac activity

12-week ban on abortion abortion abortion in Nebraska ACLU Nebraska Election 2023 Government & Politics Health heartbeat bill Jen Day Joni Albrecht Machaela Cavanaugh Megan Hunt Merv Riepe Nebraska politics Nebraska Right to Life Nebraska State Front Page News Planned Parenthood Trend - Abortion

LINCOLN — A legislative bill that supporters and opponents agree would outlaw abortions in Nebraska before many women know they’re pregnant heads into Wednesday’s first round of debate with reportedly just enough votes to overcome cloture — 33 — but no wiggle room.  State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston appears to have held together a […]

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Next steps for voter ID in Nebraska: No notary required, narrower focus on verification

early voting Election 2022 Election 2023 Government & Politics Julie Slama mail-in ballots Nebraska elections Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News notary public requiring notaries Steve Erdman voter ID voting by mail

LINCOLN — Nebraska state senators are setting aside the most controversial parts of two legislative proposals to implement voter ID and writing something new and “narrower.” Key senators say the Legislature’s next proposal to verify the IDs of Nebraska voters will not require a notary to sign ballots by mail, nor will it propose limiting […]

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Pillen appoints Carolyn Bosn, former Lancaster County prosecutor, to replace Geist in Legislature

abortion Carolyn Bosn Election 2023 Government & Politics Jim Pillen Joe Kelly Machaela Cavanaugh Megan Hunt Nebraska Legislature Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News Suzanne Geist Tom Briese transgender youth Trend - Abortion

LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen picked former prosecutor Carolyn Bosn on Thursday to replace one of law enforcement’s favorites in the Legislature, State Sen. Suzanne Geist. Pillen said he knew and trusted Bosn’s “extraordinary public servant heart” because she grew up in his hometown of Columbus. He said their families have known each other […]

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Republicans pick Geist to take on Lincoln Mayor Gaylor Baird in general election

2023 primary election Election 2023 fundraising Government & Politics Labor & Growth Leirion Gaylor Baird Lincoln mayor's race Nebraska Democratic Party Nebraska politics Nebraska Republican Party Nebraska State Front Page News Pete Ricketts record spending Sandhills Publishing Stan Parker Suzanne Geist Tom Peed

LINCOLN — Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird faces the test of her political career on May 2 after she and State Sen. Suzanne Geist advanced in Tuesday’s nonpartisan primary race.  The mayor, as expected, secured the largest portion of votes, 49% as of the final unofficial count Tuesday night. Geist finished second, with 34%. Nonprofit […]

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Property tax portion of Nebraska’s tax-relief package advances 41-0

community colleges consumption tax Government & Politics Jim Pillen Labor & Growth Lou Ann Linehan Lynne Walz Nebraska Legislature Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News property tax relief Revenue Committee Steve Erdman tax package

LINCOLN — The property tax portion of the Nebraska Legislature’s push for a tax relief package took a major step Monday toward passage. Senators passed Legislative Bill 243 on the first round of debate, 41-1. LB 243, as introduced by State Sen. Tom Briese of Albion and amended by the Revenue Committee, would make a […]

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Lincoln mayor’s primary pits top Nebraska Dem against dueling wings of GOP

Election 2023 Government & Politics Leirion Gaylor Baird Lincoln Fire Fighters Association Lincoln mayor's race Lincoln Police Union Nebraska Democratic Party Nebraska politics Nebraska Republican Party Nebraska State Front Page News Pete Ricketts Stan Parker Suzanne Geist

LINCOLN – The barbed tone of the Lincoln mayor’s race hints at the statewide political stakes of Tuesday’s primary election.  Incumbent Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird is running for a second term. She is Nebraska’s highest-profile elected Democrat. Mike Johanns is the last Republican elected Lincoln mayor, serving from 1991-1998. Republicans Suzanne Geist, a state senator, […]

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Nebraska Education Department picks a new commissioner with a familiar name: Maher

Deb Neary Education Elizabeth Tegtmeier jacquelyn morrison Kirk Penner Lisa Fricke McPherson Jacobson Mid-Nebraska Disposal Nebraska Education Commissioner Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News Patsy Koch Johns Patti Gubbels Steve Joel

OMAHA — The Nebraska Board of Education looked north for its next education commissioner Friday, but not before exposing board divisions over his selection and how he was chosen. A 5-3 majority chose Brian Maher, former executive director of the South Dakota Board of Regents and a former superintendent in Kearney, Neb.; Utica, Neb.; and […]

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Legislature debates who should oversee up to $400 million in Nebraska broadband funds

broadband Bruce Bostelman Election 2022 filibuster George Dungan Government & Politics Jim Pillen John Cavanaugh Labor & Growth Machaela Cavanaugh Megan Hunt Myron Dorn Nebraska Broadband Office Nebraska politics Nebraska Public Service Commission Nebraska State Front Page News Steve Erdman Steve Halloran Suzanne Geist

LINCOLN — Decades of legislative frustration with Nebraska’s results after spending billions of dollars in fees and funds since the late 1990s to boost broadband access boiled over into a floor debate Thursday about possible fixes for a state agency’s funding decisions and follow-through. Senators are weighing who at the state level should direct up […]

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Rules changes fail to curb partisan rancor in Nebraska Legislature

filibuster Government & Politics Health John Arch Machaela Cavanaugh Megan Hunt Mike Moser Nebraska Legislature Nebraska politics Nebraska State Front Page News Steve Erdman Tom Briese trans rights transgender youth

LINCOLN — Frayed nerves over how much power the Nebraska Legislature gives to minority voices to delay or derail the majority’s will erupted into a floor fight Tuesday over Unicameral rules. The result: A frustrated majority set new limits on motions that slow the passage of bills.  The senators causing the slowdown promised to continue […]

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Dueling GOP bills to implement voter ID could hit rural areas hardest

Bob Evnen early voting Election 2023 Government & Politics Julie Slama Missouri Secretary of State Nebraska politics Nebraska Secretary of State Nebraska State Front Page News Nebraska voter ID requiring notaries South Dakota Secretary of State Steve Erdman voter ID voting by mail

LINCOLN — Legislative proposals to carry out Nebraska’s new constitutional requirement that voters show photo ID would make voting tougher on the 20% of voters who return ballots by mail or county election drop boxes. One of the voter ID bills with the best chance to pass this year would require early ballots returned by […]

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Nebraska State Sen. Merv Riepe proposes less stringent, 12-week abortion ban

abortion abortion ban aging farmers amendment Government & Politics Health heartbeat bill Joni Albrecht LB 626 Legislative Bill 626 Nebraska Family Alliance Nebraska politics Nebraska Right to Life Nebraska State Front Page News Planned Parenthood

LINCOLN — The path to passage for a proposed ban on Nebraska abortions after an ultrasound detects cardiac activity ran into a Ralston-sized roadblock on Wednesday. Ralston State Sen. Merve Riepe, a former hospital administrator who supported previous efforts to restrict abortion, proposed amending the  restriction in Legislative Bill 626 to instead make abortions illegal […]

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