WASHINGTON —Vice President Kamala Harris marking the final days in the Biden administration added her signature to the desk drawer in her ceremonial office on Tuesday. 

This is a tradition carried on by presidents and vice presidents since the 1940s.

WASHINGTON —Vice President Kamala Harris marking the final days in the Biden administration added her signature to the desk drawer in her ceremonial office on Tuesday. <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Vice President Kamala Harris adds her signature to the desk drawer in her ceremonial office, following a long tradition of outgoing vice presidents. <a href="https://t.co/EhHjG5ZY0P">pic.twitter.com/EhHjG5ZY0P</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1880012806973493719?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>This is a tradition carried on by presidents and vice presidents since the 1940s.

Harris joins a decades-old tradition for vice presidents

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/15/nebraska-lawmakers-adopt-resolution-honoring-former-president-jimmy-carter/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;The Nebraska Legislature adopted a ceremonial resolution Wednesday honoring former President Jimmy Carter for his devotion to public service and humanitarian work.

<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59482" target="_blank">Legislative Resolution 1</a>&nbsp;was introduced by State Sen. John Arch of La Vista, the speaker of the Legislature, on the first day of the legislative session, one week ago. All but one of Arch’s colleagues in the 49-member body joined the effort to recognize and thank Carter.

Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100 in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. He was the 39th U.S. president, between 1977 and 1981.

The resolution acknowledges Carter’s life around his presidency, such as his 1946 graduation with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy, his honorable discharge from the Navy with the rank of lieutenant and the establishment of the nonprofit Carter Center, which seeks to improve lives in more than 80 countries.

Arch’s resolution also highlights Carter’s 2002 Nobel Peace Prize win “in recognition of his efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights and to promote economic and social development.”

“The Legislature recognizes, honors and thanks former President Carter for his service to the United States of America and to the people of the world,” the resolution reads.

Arch told the Nebraska Examiner that any time a president dies is a significant event, their life of which he thought the Legislature could recognize together.

“Regardless of where you are in the politics, the work of the president is extremely important to the United States,” Arch said. “President Carter, in particular, served, and following his term in office, the humanitarian work was unbelievable.”

The Legislature offered its condolences to Carter’s friends and family and intends to send a copy of the resolution to the former president’s family.

“Everybody recognizes good,” Arch added. “I think the resolution reflected the heart of President Carter and his generosity to humanitarian affairs.”

State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha was the lone senator not to join Arch’s resolution. She said she didn’t sign because she remembers growing up under Carter’s presidency.&nbsp;She was 6 years old when he was elected to the White House.&nbsp;

Kauth pointed to Carter’s involvement in the Middle East and the Iran hostage crisis involving U.S. diplomats and citizens between Nov. 4, 1979, and Jan. 20, 1981. It ended when Carter’s successor, President Ronald Reagan, took office.&nbsp;

President Joe Biden ordered U.S. flags to be flown at half staff through Jan. 28, and he declared Jan. 9, the day of Carter’s funeral, as a national day of mourning, a longstanding tradition after the deaths of former U.S. presidents.&nbsp;

Gov. Jim Pillen, on the day of Carter’s death, said the former president’s life “was defined by public service,” from his in the military and governor of Georgia to U.S. president and with Habitat for Humanity.

“His unwavering faith in almighty God and his dedication to his family were a model for us all,” Pillen said then.

Pillen has ordered that flags fly at full staff once during the 30 days of mourning for Carter: Monday, Jan. 20, for the inauguration of former President Donald Trump.

“The official installation of a President is a historic day in the calendar of our nation and should be recognized as such,” Pillen said Tuesday. “Having the flag at full staff symbolizes the respect to that office and our nation’s newly elected leader.”

Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/15/nebraska-lawmakers-adopt-resolution-honoring-former-president-jimmy-carter/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;The Nebraska Legislature adopted a ceremonial resolution Wednesday honoring former President Jimmy Carter for his devotion to public service and humanitarian work.<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59482" target="_blank">Legislative Resolution 1</a>&nbsp;was introduced by State Sen. John Arch of La Vista, the speaker of the Legislature, on the first day of the legislative session, one week ago. All but one of Arch’s colleagues in the 49-member body joined the effort to recognize and thank Carter.Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100 in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. He was the 39th U.S. president, between 1977 and 1981.The resolution acknowledges Carter’s life around his presidency, such as his 1946 graduation with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy, his honorable discharge from the Navy with the rank of lieutenant and the establishment of the nonprofit Carter Center, which seeks to improve lives in more than 80 countries.Arch’s resolution also highlights Carter’s 2002 Nobel Peace Prize win “in recognition of his efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights and to promote economic and social development.”“The Legislature recognizes, honors and thanks former President Carter for his service to the United States of America and to the people of the world,” the resolution reads.Arch told the Nebraska Examiner that any time a president dies is a significant event, their life of which he thought the Legislature could recognize together.“Regardless of where you are in the politics, the work of the president is extremely important to the United States,” Arch said. “President Carter, in particular, served, and following his term in office, the humanitarian work was unbelievable.”The Legislature offered its condolences to Carter’s friends and family and intends to send a copy of the resolution to the former president’s family.“Everybody recognizes good,” Arch added. “I think the resolution reflected the heart of President Carter and his generosity to humanitarian affairs.”State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha was the lone senator not to join Arch’s resolution. She said she didn’t sign because she remembers growing up under Carter’s presidency.&nbsp;She was 6 years old when he was elected to the White House.&nbsp;Kauth pointed to Carter’s involvement in the Middle East and the Iran hostage crisis involving U.S. diplomats and citizens between Nov. 4, 1979, and Jan. 20, 1981. It ended when Carter’s successor, President Ronald Reagan, took office.&nbsp;President Joe Biden ordered U.S. flags to be flown at half staff through Jan. 28, and he declared Jan. 9, the day of Carter’s funeral, as a national day of mourning, a longstanding tradition after the deaths of former U.S. presidents.&nbsp;Gov. Jim Pillen, on the day of Carter’s death, said the former president’s life “was defined by public service,” from his in the military and governor of Georgia to U.S. president and with Habitat for Humanity.“His unwavering faith in almighty God and his dedication to his family were a model for us all,” Pillen said then.Pillen has ordered that flags fly at full staff once during the 30 days of mourning for Carter: Monday, Jan. 20, for the inauguration of former President Donald Trump.“The official installation of a President is a historic day in the calendar of our nation and should be recognized as such,” Pillen said Tuesday. “Having the flag at full staff symbolizes the respect to that office and our nation’s newly elected leader.”

Nebraska lawmakers adopt resolution honoring former President Jimmy Carter

Zach Wendling <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/15/gov-pillen-proposes-his-answer-to-432-million-projected-budget-shortfall/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen presented his first answers Wednesday to a projected two-year $432 million budget shortfall that key Nebraska lawmakers said they’re ready to dive into.

Pillen unveiled the&nbsp;<a href="https://das.nebraska.gov/budget/publications/docs/2025-2027/2025/ExecutiveBudgetinBrief2025-2027Biennium.pdf" target="_blank">proposal</a>&nbsp;as part of his&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/15/gov-pillen-touts-second-shot-at-life-need-to-shrink-spending-in-state-of-state-speech/">annual State of the State speech</a>&nbsp;to the Legislature, put together a&nbsp;<a href="https://das.nebraska.gov/budget/publications/docs/2025-2027/2025/ExecutiveBudgetPresentation2025-2027Biennium.pdf" target="_blank">budget request</a>&nbsp;for the two fiscal years between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2027.&nbsp;

The request to lawmakers would close the projected shortfall with more than $62.4 million in the other direction,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/03/legislative-leaders-optimistic-about-nebraskas-fiscal-health-after-careful-spending/">filling the projected hole</a>&nbsp;in Nebraska’s&nbsp;<a href="https://statespending.nebraska.gov/CurrentFiscalYearBudget" target="_blank">more than $17.5 billion</a>&nbsp;budget.

Read the full 2025-27 budget proposal from Gov. Jim Pillen&nbsp;<a href="https://das.nebraska.gov/budget/publications/docs/2025-2027/2025/ExecutiveBudgetinBrief2025-2027Biennium.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.

Key contours of the Pillen-led plan include:

“We must balance the budget, we must reduce spending to offset these costs and we must have the courage to say, ‘No,’” Pillen wrote in a Wednesday letter to the Legislature. “We have to use what we have before we ask for more.”

Pillen’s proposal would still grow property tax relief programs by more than $400 million over the next two years and take incremental steps toward a long-term goal to stabilize state aid to public schools.

Speaker John Arch of La Vista, who sets the daily agenda for the Legislature, has described the state budget and closing the shortfall as “<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/07/speaker-arch-nebraska-budget-without-a-doubt-biggest-issue-of-2025-session/">without a doubt</a>” the biggest issue of the 2025 session.&nbsp;

He has noted part of the hole comes from some “pretty big swings in the last couple of sessions,” including income tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Nebraskans that won’t be fully implemented until Jan. 1, 2027.

Estimates show that the state budget hole could grow to $1.13 billion by the middle of 2029 if the budget is left unchanged, a circumstance that State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams, an Appropriations Committee member, said would be more of a challenge to address.

Pillen’s proposal would close that hole with more than $5 million to spare.

“We didn’t get here by COVID, overspending or by inflation or recession,” said State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, a new member of the Appropriations Committee. “We got here by aggressive tax cuts that were short-sighted, and I think we need to revisit some of those tax cuts.”

Cavanaugh joins the nine-member committee that will balance Pillen’s recommendations with lawmakers’ proposals and agency requests and propose its own budget this spring.&nbsp;

She said her priority will be ensuring that funding is preserved to continue providing high-quality services and access to health care for vulnerable populations. That includes protecting essential government services — behavioral health, developmental disabilities and child welfare.

Among the recently adopted laws Pillen plans to cut are incentive tax credit programs to offset relocation expenses for businesses that hire out-of-state workers, which was led by Pillen); film or TV expenditures for in-state productions; qualified shortline rail maintenance and food donations by grocery stores, restaurants or agricultural producers.

His budget proposal also would claw back $528,352 annually from a yet-to-be-enacted&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/13/nebraska-lawmaker-looks-to-partner-with-iowas-prescription-drug-donation-program/">prescription drug donation program</a>&nbsp;for low-income or uninsured Nebraskans, which was&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/12/24/nebraska-lawmaker-seeks-federal-waiver-for-prescription-drug-donation-program-with-iowa-nonprofit/#:~:text=LINCOLN%20%E2%80%94%20A%20Nebraska%20lawmaker%20will,partner%20with%20SafeNetRx%20in%20Iowa.">delayed</a>&nbsp;due to a newly enforced federal rule.

Pillen also recommended rejecting a Nebraska Supreme Court request for $4.5 million to implement a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/24/nebraska-leads-with-new-veteran-justice-program-aiming-to-steer-veterans-back-to-hero-status/">veterans justice program</a>&nbsp;to complement Veterans Treatment Courts and further improve outcomes. It was slated to begin July 1; it didn’t include legislatively authorized funds.

The push for that 2024 law was led by former State Sens. Tom Brewer, Lou Ann Linehan and Justin Wayne, with support from former U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., a former U.S. Department of Defense Secretary.

Another key component of the budget would have the state take on more K-12 school operational expenses, albeit at a much smaller amount than Pillen proposed for the 2024 summer special session.

Rather than taking on the entirety of school operational expenses —&nbsp;about 80% of the portion of property taxes that go toward local K-12 schools —&nbsp;Pillen is partnering with State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward to cover a smaller amount.&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58984" target="_blank">Legislative Bill 303</a>, introduced by Hughes at Pillen’s request, would reduce maximum general fund school property tax rates from $1.05 to $1.02, per $100 of property valuations.

That’s down from a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/25/lawmakers-introduce-gov-pillens-property-tax-plan-which-would-require-legislation-in-2025/">previous Pillen plan</a>&nbsp;last summer to take the maximum tax rate from $1.05 down to 15 cents in the first year. The maximum rate would have gone down to 0 cents, with the state taking over the operational expenses, in the third year.

Hughes had proposed a slower,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/25/lawmakers-propose-decade-long-plan-to-reduce-nebraska-k-12-property-tax-rates/">10-year plan</a>&nbsp;to go down to 25 cents as the maximum property tax rate for schools, keeping some local “skin in the game,” an idea that received backing from many educational leaders.&nbsp;

The new $1.02 plan is flexible, depending on available state funds.

For example, one proposed potential revenue source to help Hughes possibly drop the maximum school tax rate further is from State Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth and Dorn to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/13/first-time-homebuyer-savings-account-new-sales-taxes-proposed-by-nebraska-senators/">broaden the sales tax</a>&nbsp;to about two dozen currently exempt goods and services.

Hughes, a former school board member, said she was “really happy” that Pillen was partnering with her on funding stability, which is at will to rising valuations. The state’s “equalization aid” is projected to decrease by $17.6 million in the next fiscal year before increasing $8.6 million.

“I’m pleased that the governor and his staff have seen merit in our past work and that we’re collaborating together to do what’s best for Nebraska,” Hughes said. “They see it as a trajectory for years to come, not just a one-time ‘fix.’”

Under Hughes’ LB 303, state foundation aid to schools, established in 2023, would increase by 6% to about $1,590 roughly per each student.

Dorn said he also appreciated increased property tax funding to match increased taxes because of those rising valuations.

“It would put it so that people aren’t now going to have to end up paying more than what they are today, which we haven’t had any concept like that the last few years,” Dorn said.

State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, the longest-tenured member in the body, said governor’s proposals are often seen as a “good start,” but she hadn’t yet dived into the budget proposal.

Conrad, who is working with Hughes, Brandt, Dorn and others on school finance reform, said lawmakers need to be honest that the shortfall is projected not because of an economic recession or because of a natural disaster but because of Pillen-led tax cuts.

She said postsecondary institutions, such as the University of Nebraska, might have to raise tuition to stay afloat. Regents last summer&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.edu/docs/board/agendas/Agenda%208-8-24%20with%20Materials.pdf" target="_blank">raised tuition rates</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/01/nebraska-regents-to-consider-multimillion-dollar-health-project-programs-for-ai-and-esports/">requested an increase in state dollars</a>&nbsp;to help grow research and&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nu-officially-expands-full-ride-scholarships-to-nebraska-students-who-score-32-35-on-act/">expand a new Pillen-led scholarship program</a>&nbsp;for top students.

State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, chair of the Appropriations Committee, described Pillen’s recommendations as part of a “balanced approach” that doesn’t include drastic cuts to agencies or heavily tap into cash reserves. He noted it also preserves pay increases for state employees.

Clements noted that the latest projection of a state shortfall included “very flat” revenues and was “very conservative.” He and others hope that a revised forecast at the end of February might narrow the projected shortfall, aided by strong receipts in December.

Pillen budget staffers said that if the state doesn’t see as much of a shortfall, it might lead to investments in more tax relief or school finance reform rather than preserving programs slated to be cut.

Clements, who joined the Legislature in February 2017, said the budget will be a challenge, but lawmakers will go day by day.

“It’s not easy,” Clements said. “Feeling like we’ll take it one day at a time and try not to look ahead too far, just one day at a time and prioritize the items that, as we look through the budget, what’s most important.”

The ins and outs of the governor’s proposed 2025-27 budget

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737061288463.jpeg" alt=" Gov. Jim Pillen talks with reporters after his annual State of the State speech to the Nebraska Legislature. Jan. 15, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Jim Pillen talks with reporters after his annual State of the State speech to the Nebraska Legislature. Jan. 15, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/15/gov-pillen-proposes-his-answer-to-432-million-projected-budget-shortfall/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen presented his first answers Wednesday to a projected two-year $432 million budget shortfall that key Nebraska lawmakers said they’re ready to dive into.Pillen unveiled the&nbsp;<a href="https://das.nebraska.gov/budget/publications/docs/2025-2027/2025/ExecutiveBudgetinBrief2025-2027Biennium.pdf" target="_blank">proposal</a>&nbsp;as part of his&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/15/gov-pillen-touts-second-shot-at-life-need-to-shrink-spending-in-state-of-state-speech/">annual State of the State speech</a>&nbsp;to the Legislature, put together a&nbsp;<a href="https://das.nebraska.gov/budget/publications/docs/2025-2027/2025/ExecutiveBudgetPresentation2025-2027Biennium.pdf" target="_blank">budget request</a>&nbsp;for the two fiscal years between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2027.&nbsp;The request to lawmakers would close the projected shortfall with more than $62.4 million in the other direction,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/03/legislative-leaders-optimistic-about-nebraskas-fiscal-health-after-careful-spending/">filling the projected hole</a>&nbsp;in Nebraska’s&nbsp;<a href="https://statespending.nebraska.gov/CurrentFiscalYearBudget" target="_blank">more than $17.5 billion</a>&nbsp;budget.<h2>The governor’s budget proposal</h2>Read the full 2025-27 budget proposal from Gov. Jim Pillen&nbsp;<a href="https://das.nebraska.gov/budget/publications/docs/2025-2027/2025/ExecutiveBudgetinBrief2025-2027Biennium.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.Key contours of the Pillen-led plan include:<ul>
 <li>Repealing recently passed state laws that included new spending or cost the state significant revenue, totaling $120 million, some of which were passed back in 2020 while others haven’t yet taken effect.</li><li>Holding&nbsp;<a href="https://das-nebs.ne.gov/public/faces/brdDetail.jsp" target="_blank">many state agencies</a>&nbsp;flat for spending and implementing key cuts in others, the largest proposed cut of which was $14.3 million from the University of Nebraska system where Pillen previously served as a regent.</li><li>Tapping into more federal dollars, particularly in health care programs, as mandated Medicaid and health costs rise and as a continued change from his predecessors.</li><li>Increasing “sin” taxes on cigarettes, vaping, consumable hemp products, spirits, fantasy sports and gambling cash devices.</li><li>Adding new taxes on candy, soft drinks, alternative nicotine products and electricity rates for cryptocurrency data-mining facilities while adding back sales taxes to net wrap and twine, which were recently exempted.</li>
 </ul>“We must balance the budget, we must reduce spending to offset these costs and we must have the courage to say, ‘No,’” Pillen wrote in a Wednesday letter to the Legislature. “We have to use what we have before we ask for more.”Pillen’s proposal would still grow property tax relief programs by more than $400 million over the next two years and take incremental steps toward a long-term goal to stabilize state aid to public schools.<h2>Impact of tax cuts</h2>Speaker John Arch of La Vista, who sets the daily agenda for the Legislature, has described the state budget and closing the shortfall as “<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/07/speaker-arch-nebraska-budget-without-a-doubt-biggest-issue-of-2025-session/">without a doubt</a>” the biggest issue of the 2025 session.&nbsp;He has noted part of the hole comes from some “pretty big swings in the last couple of sessions,” including income tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Nebraskans that won’t be fully implemented until Jan. 1, 2027.Estimates show that the state budget hole could grow to $1.13 billion by the middle of 2029 if the budget is left unchanged, a circumstance that State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams, an Appropriations Committee member, said would be more of a challenge to address.Pillen’s proposal would close that hole with more than $5 million to spare.“We didn’t get here by COVID, overspending or by inflation or recession,” said State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, a new member of the Appropriations Committee. “We got here by aggressive tax cuts that were short-sighted, and I think we need to revisit some of those tax cuts.”Cavanaugh joins the nine-member committee that will balance Pillen’s recommendations with lawmakers’ proposals and agency requests and propose its own budget this spring.&nbsp;She said her priority will be ensuring that funding is preserved to continue providing high-quality services and access to health care for vulnerable populations. That includes protecting essential government services — behavioral health, developmental disabilities and child welfare.<h2>Spending and program cuts</h2>Among the recently adopted laws Pillen plans to cut are incentive tax credit programs to offset relocation expenses for businesses that hire out-of-state workers, which was led by Pillen); film or TV expenditures for in-state productions; qualified shortline rail maintenance and food donations by grocery stores, restaurants or agricultural producers.His budget proposal also would claw back $528,352 annually from a yet-to-be-enacted&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/13/nebraska-lawmaker-looks-to-partner-with-iowas-prescription-drug-donation-program/">prescription drug donation program</a>&nbsp;for low-income or uninsured Nebraskans, which was&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/12/24/nebraska-lawmaker-seeks-federal-waiver-for-prescription-drug-donation-program-with-iowa-nonprofit/#:~:text=LINCOLN%20%E2%80%94%20A%20Nebraska%20lawmaker%20will,partner%20with%20SafeNetRx%20in%20Iowa.">delayed</a>&nbsp;due to a newly enforced federal rule.Pillen also recommended rejecting a Nebraska Supreme Court request for $4.5 million to implement a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/24/nebraska-leads-with-new-veteran-justice-program-aiming-to-steer-veterans-back-to-hero-status/">veterans justice program</a>&nbsp;to complement Veterans Treatment Courts and further improve outcomes. It was slated to begin July 1; it didn’t include legislatively authorized funds.The push for that 2024 law was led by former State Sens. Tom Brewer, Lou Ann Linehan and Justin Wayne, with support from former U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., a former U.S. Department of Defense Secretary.<h2>School finance reform</h2>Another key component of the budget would have the state take on more K-12 school operational expenses, albeit at a much smaller amount than Pillen proposed for the 2024 summer special session.Rather than taking on the entirety of school operational expenses —&nbsp;about 80% of the portion of property taxes that go toward local K-12 schools —&nbsp;Pillen is partnering with State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward to cover a smaller amount.&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58984" target="_blank">Legislative Bill 303</a>, introduced by Hughes at Pillen’s request, would reduce maximum general fund school property tax rates from $1.05 to $1.02, per $100 of property valuations.That’s down from a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/25/lawmakers-introduce-gov-pillens-property-tax-plan-which-would-require-legislation-in-2025/">previous Pillen plan</a>&nbsp;last summer to take the maximum tax rate from $1.05 down to 15 cents in the first year. The maximum rate would have gone down to 0 cents, with the state taking over the operational expenses, in the third year.Hughes had proposed a slower,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/25/lawmakers-propose-decade-long-plan-to-reduce-nebraska-k-12-property-tax-rates/">10-year plan</a>&nbsp;to go down to 25 cents as the maximum property tax rate for schools, keeping some local “skin in the game,” an idea that received backing from many educational leaders.&nbsp;The new $1.02 plan is flexible, depending on available state funds.For example, one proposed potential revenue source to help Hughes possibly drop the maximum school tax rate further is from State Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth and Dorn to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/13/first-time-homebuyer-savings-account-new-sales-taxes-proposed-by-nebraska-senators/">broaden the sales tax</a>&nbsp;to about two dozen currently exempt goods and services.Hughes, a former school board member, said she was “really happy” that Pillen was partnering with her on funding stability, which is at will to rising valuations. The state’s “equalization aid” is projected to decrease by $17.6 million in the next fiscal year before increasing $8.6 million.“I’m pleased that the governor and his staff have seen merit in our past work and that we’re collaborating together to do what’s best for Nebraska,” Hughes said. “They see it as a trajectory for years to come, not just a one-time ‘fix.’”Under Hughes’ LB 303, state foundation aid to schools, established in 2023, would increase by 6% to about $1,590 roughly per each student.Dorn said he also appreciated increased property tax funding to match increased taxes because of those rising valuations.“It would put it so that people aren’t now going to have to end up paying more than what they are today, which we haven’t had any concept like that the last few years,” Dorn said.<h2>‘One day at a time,</h2>State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, the longest-tenured member in the body, said governor’s proposals are often seen as a “good start,” but she hadn’t yet dived into the budget proposal.Conrad, who is working with Hughes, Brandt, Dorn and others on school finance reform, said lawmakers need to be honest that the shortfall is projected not because of an economic recession or because of a natural disaster but because of Pillen-led tax cuts.She said postsecondary institutions, such as the University of Nebraska, might have to raise tuition to stay afloat. Regents last summer&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.edu/docs/board/agendas/Agenda%208-8-24%20with%20Materials.pdf" target="_blank">raised tuition rates</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/01/nebraska-regents-to-consider-multimillion-dollar-health-project-programs-for-ai-and-esports/">requested an increase in state dollars</a>&nbsp;to help grow research and&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nu-officially-expands-full-ride-scholarships-to-nebraska-students-who-score-32-35-on-act/">expand a new Pillen-led scholarship program</a>&nbsp;for top students.State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, chair of the Appropriations Committee, described Pillen’s recommendations as part of a “balanced approach” that doesn’t include drastic cuts to agencies or heavily tap into cash reserves. He noted it also preserves pay increases for state employees.Clements noted that the latest projection of a state shortfall included “very flat” revenues and was “very conservative.” He and others hope that a revised forecast at the end of February might narrow the projected shortfall, aided by strong receipts in December.Pillen budget staffers said that if the state doesn’t see as much of a shortfall, it might lead to investments in more tax relief or school finance reform rather than preserving programs slated to be cut.Clements, who joined the Legislature in February 2017, said the budget will be a challenge, but lawmakers will go day by day.“It’s not easy,” Clements said. “Feeling like we’ll take it one day at a time and try not to look ahead too far, just one day at a time and prioritize the items that, as we look through the budget, what’s most important.”<h2>The ins and outs of the governor’s proposed 2025-27 budget</h2>WHAT IS INCLUDED:<ul>
 <li>$67.6 million to ensure the state can continue to reimburse local school districts for 80% of special education costs.</li><li>$30 million to invest in a Nuclear Command, Control and Communications Enterprise Center as part of U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base.</li><li>$23.6 million as federal “clawback” payments to reimburse the federal government for Medicaid/Medicare dual-eligible prescription drug costs.</li><li>$6.4 million, and $10.6 million in federal funds, for mandated coverage of new high-cost drugs entering the market.</li><li>$5.5 million to the Nebraska Corn Board for local, regional and international marketing.</li><li>$4.5 million for operational improvements at the Lincoln Regional Center.</li><li>$4 million to continue high-priority infrastructure and maintenance in the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services.</li><li>$2.5 million to upgrade security systems in Correctional Services.</li><li>$512,300 for a Wildland Incident Response Assistance Team (WIRAT) coordinator for local and state wildfire responses.</li><li>$250,000 to carry out a pilot program for distributing menstrual products in select K-12 school districts next school year.</li>
 </ul>WHAT IS OUT:<ul>
 <li>$44.5 million from income tax exemptions for Nebraska businesses that recruit out-of-state workers, which was led by the governor.</li><li>$42 million from the Broadband Bridge and Precision Agricultural Incentive programs that the governor’s budget proposal said are “redundant” to the $405 million federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.</li><li>$15 million to award grants to a federally recognized Indian tribe to construct, develop and manage a Standing Bear Museum and Visitor Center.</li><li>$11 million in additional dual enrollment funding for Nebraska community colleges.</li><li>$9.4 million requested by the Nebraska Supreme Court to administer a veterans court program to complement Veterans Treatment Courts and further help justice-impacted veterans.&nbsp;</li><li>$5.5 million in 2020 and 2021 increases in local public health department aid and “return to a normal pre-pandemic spending level.”</li><li>$1.5 million for income tax credits for in-state film or TV production expenses and $1.5 million for shortline rail maintenance.</li><li>$1.1 million to partner with Iowa nonprofit SafeNetRx to begin distributing donated and safe prescription drugs to low-income and uninsured Nebraskans.</li><li>$1 million in income tax credits for 50% of food donations from grocery stores, restaurants or agricultural producers to food banks, food pantries or food rescues.</li><li>$500,000 from the University of Nebraska designed to provide legal services to low-income families facing eviction (under Nebraska Supreme Court precedent, NU does not receive specific cash fund appropriations).</li>
 </ul>

Gov. Pillen Proposes His Answer to $432 Million Projected Budget Shortfall

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;-- Doubling down on efforts to ‘clean out the closets’ and create efficiencies across state government, Governor Jim Pillen expressed appreciation to Speaker of the Legislature John Arch for introducing LB346 on his behalf.&nbsp; The measure will terminate or reassign the duties of over 40 different boards, commissions, committees, or councils.

Currently, there are more than 225 legislatively prescribed entities.

“They were well intended when they were created, but now is the time to take a look and see if all these entities are serving their stated purposes and should remain on the books,” said Gov. Pillen. &nbsp;

In some cases, state agencies have assumed the duties carried out by the entities. In other situations, the efforts across those entities have become duplicative.

A copy of LB346 can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnebraskalegislature.gov%2FFloorDocs%2F109%2FPDF%2FIntro%2FLB346.pdf&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cjim.buehler%40nebraska.gov%7C2eb9d83c12a14493683208dd366487f7%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C638726527576989633%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=cOcHA0vCpbQSCjIkoplnZKf8DqeZMP65Y8OT%2FSgy5%2Fs%3D&amp;reserved=0">here</a>, which includes the entities considered for termination or reassignment.&nbsp;

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE&nbsp;-- Doubling down on efforts to ‘clean out the closets’ and create efficiencies across state government, Governor Jim Pillen expressed appreciation to Speaker of the Legislature John Arch for introducing LB346 on his behalf.&nbsp; The measure will terminate or reassign the duties of over 40 different boards, commissions, committees, or councils.Currently, there are more than 225 legislatively prescribed entities.“They were well intended when they were created, but now is the time to take a look and see if all these entities are serving their stated purposes and should remain on the books,” said Gov. Pillen. &nbsp;In some cases, state agencies have assumed the duties carried out by the entities. In other situations, the efforts across those entities have become duplicative.A copy of LB346 can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnebraskalegislature.gov%2FFloorDocs%2F109%2FPDF%2FIntro%2FLB346.pdf&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cjim.buehler%40nebraska.gov%7C2eb9d83c12a14493683208dd366487f7%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C638726527576989633%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=cOcHA0vCpbQSCjIkoplnZKf8DqeZMP65Y8OT%2FSgy5%2Fs%3D&amp;reserved=0">here</a>, which includes the entities considered for termination or reassignment.&nbsp;

LB346 Introduced on Governor’s Behalf; Creates Efficiencies across Boards, Commissions and Other Entities

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/15/gov-pillen-touts-second-shot-at-life-need-to-shrink-spending-in-state-of-state-speech/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Faced with rising state health care expenses and an end to “bushel baskets” of federal pandemic dollars, Gov. Jim Pillen said he resorted to shaking the “pillowcases” to balance his recommended state budget — and slashing some programs he signed into law just last year.

In a move several lawmakers called atypical, Pillen targeted nearly 50 programs approved over the past five years by both the governor and the Legislature.

Those cost-cutting measures range from clawing back nearly $23 million set aside for the next fiscal year to encourage workers and businesses to relocate to Nebraska to slicing $60,000 earmarked for tax exemptions on livestock twine.

On the cutting board as well are dozens of boards and commissions formed to provide citizen input into government affairs.

“To shrink government we must eliminate its obsolete parts and clean out its closets,” Pillen said Wednesday in his annual State of the State speech. “Especially at a time when we must tighten our belt … we must continually assess which parts of government are still of use to the people.”

In a half-hour speech before lawmakers and friends in the Capitol, Pillen laid out his fiscal, philosophical and political roadmap for the year.

Not only did he tout his effort to shrink state spending, he promoted social and political goals —&nbsp; including a renewed push to change Nebraska’s unique way of assigning Electoral College votes for president to a “winner-take-all” system.&nbsp;

Perhaps the most emotional moments of the annual event — known also for pageantry, energy and bipartisan handshakes — was Pillen’s account of getting&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/03/nebraska-gov-jim-pillen-talks-about-his-injuries-recovery-and-getting-back-to-work/">bucked off of a horse</a>&nbsp;and landing in an operating room with injuries including seven broken ribs, fractured back vertebra and a lacerated spleen.&nbsp;

Choking up, Pillen said he was thankful for a “second shot at life” and the “renewed commitment” to fighting for Nebraskans. He got a standing ovation before pivoting to his talking points with the quip: “OK, no more horsing around.”

State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln called the governor’s recovery a highlight of the day. She said the Legislature and friends were excited to see Pillen doing well.

Conrad said she was disappointed but not surprised that the governor went on to spend so much attention on “divisive social issues.”

Conrad cited, for example, Pillen’s promotion in his speech of the<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/11/nebraska-lawmakers-aim-to-define-male-female-for-sports-bathrooms-and-more/">&nbsp;Stand With Women Act</a>&nbsp;by State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, which aims to define “male” and “female” in state law. Pointing to his granddaughters in the audience, Pillen said that he found it hard to understand how some think it is acceptable to allow “biological boys” to share bathrooms and playing fields with girls.&nbsp;

“This is unfair, unconscionable and a recipe for predatory behavior,” the governor said, causing Republicans on the legislative floor to clap and some Democrats to squirm.

State Sen. Margo Juarez said later that she would be among those opposing the Pillen-endorsed Kauth effort, and she also bristled at the governor’s pledge to fight for a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/09/its-back-winner-take-all-bill-in-first-wave-of-2025-proposed-nebraska-laws/">winner-take-all system</a>.&nbsp;

A bill requested by Pillen and led by State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City seeks to do away with allocating three of Nebraska’s five Electoral College votes by the winner in each congressional district. Nebraska and Maine are the only states that parcel out some of their electoral votes by district. The approach, adopted in Nebraska in 1991, has led to Democrats claiming a single electoral vote from the Omaha-based 2nd District three times since 2008 and, in this past election cycle, stoking the “blue dot” momentum.&nbsp;

“I find it fascinating that the governor recognizes the importance of everyone having a voice yet he wants to cut out certain voices, including the ‘blue dot’ voices,” said the freshman lawmaker representing South Omaha.

To be sure, there was plenty of applause by the Republican majority in the officially nonpartisan Legislature when Pillen promoted his priorities that have or will be introduced as bills by various senators, including: a bill to<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/14/pillen-some-nebraska-lawmakers-seek-to-banish-lab-grown-meat/">&nbsp;ban lab-grown meat</a>&nbsp;and “beef up” consumer protections and false labeling, as well as legislative proposals seeking to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/13/gov-pillen-ne-lawmakers-take-aim-at-social-media-and-school-time-cell-phone-use-by-youths/">outlaw youths’ access to social media</a>&nbsp;unless they have parental consent and to restrict student use of cell phones on school property and school functions.&nbsp;

“Very good speech,” said State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams, a member of the nine-member Appropriations Committee that will balance Pillen’s recommendations and lawmakers’ proposals and present a new proposal this spring. “Now we get down to work.”

Pillen, whose family owns a hog operation based in Columbus, also pushed for the consolidation of two Nebraska state agencies, the Departments of Environment and Energy and of Natural Resources, saying: “It will save costs, eliminate duplicative overhead, and streamline the mission of stewarding and protecting our natural resources and environment.”

Bipartisan support flowed for certain proposals, including Pillen’s announcement of an expert commission tasked with recommending fixes to Nebraska’s 30-year formula for school funding that the governor said was broken and burdensome to taxpayers in districts with limited resources. State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward is helping to lead that and other school financing reform efforts.

“I applaud the governor for focusing on that,” said Conrad, a Democrat.

Said Hughes: “This is a really good path forward. I’m thrilled.”

However, Conrad was critical of the Pillen administration’s role in reaching today’s budgetary circumstance, a projected two-year budget gap of $432 million.

Pillen said the projected shortfall is exacerbated by a drop in annual funding from the federal government for mandated Medicaid and health service costs. The state’s annual share of those costs are expected to rise, the governor said, by about $200 million in the next fiscal year and about $352 million over the biennium.

He said the state no longer has available to it the millions of dollars of pandemic relief funds that flowed when he first took office two years ago.

Conrad says the projected shortfall has more to do with the governor and some in the Legislature promoting income and corporate tax cuts that Conrad said benefitted the wealthiest Nebraskans and corporations. She called it “reckless financial decision-making and leadership.”

Looking for cost savings, Pillen said he examined the “unprecedented” number of laws passed in the last five years that included expansion of state incentives and “Christmas tree bills” that sometimes “crammed” up to 30 bills into one package, along with related funding.

Such piling up of bills has got to stop, Pillen said. But he acknowledged to reporters that he had signed the bills into law and that in some cases made a mistake.

“Maybe the most disappointing thing I have experienced since being governor is all these Christmas bills,” he said.

Conrad, who is the current Legislature’s most seasoned senator, took issue with the so-called “legislative bill reductions” — which the governor’s office said would reverse about $120 million a year in appropriated funds and recently passed changes that had cut revenue — as an unfamiliar term in the budget process that she said sounds like “buyer’s remorse or going back on your words.”

State Sen. Terrell McKinney of North Omaha said the slate of reversals is something he’s not seen during his tenure. They include small business assistance grant dollars, an Internet Access Tower exemption, sports arena financing, reverse osmosis tax credits and more.

“My questions are: ‘Why did you sign the bills? Why did you make these commitments?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737046324329.jpeg" alt="Gov. Jim Pillen is greeted by members of the Nebraska Legislature during his annual State of the State speech on Wednesday. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Jim Pillen is greeted by members of the Nebraska Legislature during his annual State of the State speech on Wednesday. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/15/gov-pillen-touts-second-shot-at-life-need-to-shrink-spending-in-state-of-state-speech/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Faced with rising state health care expenses and an end to “bushel baskets” of federal pandemic dollars, Gov. Jim Pillen said he resorted to shaking the “pillowcases” to balance his recommended state budget — and slashing some programs he signed into law just last year.In a move several lawmakers called atypical, Pillen targeted nearly 50 programs approved over the past five years by both the governor and the Legislature.Those cost-cutting measures range from clawing back nearly $23 million set aside for the next fiscal year to encourage workers and businesses to relocate to Nebraska to slicing $60,000 earmarked for tax exemptions on livestock twine.On the cutting board as well are dozens of boards and commissions formed to provide citizen input into government affairs.“To shrink government we must eliminate its obsolete parts and clean out its closets,” Pillen said Wednesday in his annual State of the State speech. “Especially at a time when we must tighten our belt … we must continually assess which parts of government are still of use to the people.”<h2>Emotional moment</h2>In a half-hour speech before lawmakers and friends in the Capitol, Pillen laid out his fiscal, philosophical and political roadmap for the year.Not only did he tout his effort to shrink state spending, he promoted social and political goals —&nbsp; including a renewed push to change Nebraska’s unique way of assigning Electoral College votes for president to a “winner-take-all” system.&nbsp;Perhaps the most emotional moments of the annual event — known also for pageantry, energy and bipartisan handshakes — was Pillen’s account of getting&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/03/nebraska-gov-jim-pillen-talks-about-his-injuries-recovery-and-getting-back-to-work/">bucked off of a horse</a>&nbsp;and landing in an operating room with injuries including seven broken ribs, fractured back vertebra and a lacerated spleen.&nbsp;Choking up, Pillen said he was thankful for a “second shot at life” and the “renewed commitment” to fighting for Nebraskans. He got a standing ovation before pivoting to his talking points with the quip: “OK, no more horsing around.”State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln called the governor’s recovery a highlight of the day. She said the Legislature and friends were excited to see Pillen doing well.Conrad said she was disappointed but not surprised that the governor went on to spend so much attention on “divisive social issues.”Conrad cited, for example, Pillen’s promotion in his speech of the<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/11/nebraska-lawmakers-aim-to-define-male-female-for-sports-bathrooms-and-more/">&nbsp;Stand With Women Act</a>&nbsp;by State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, which aims to define “male” and “female” in state law. Pointing to his granddaughters in the audience, Pillen said that he found it hard to understand how some think it is acceptable to allow “biological boys” to share bathrooms and playing fields with girls.&nbsp;“This is unfair, unconscionable and a recipe for predatory behavior,” the governor said, causing Republicans on the legislative floor to clap and some Democrats to squirm.<h2>Cutting out the ‘blue dot’</h2>State Sen. Margo Juarez said later that she would be among those opposing the Pillen-endorsed Kauth effort, and she also bristled at the governor’s pledge to fight for a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/09/its-back-winner-take-all-bill-in-first-wave-of-2025-proposed-nebraska-laws/">winner-take-all system</a>.&nbsp;A bill requested by Pillen and led by State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City seeks to do away with allocating three of Nebraska’s five Electoral College votes by the winner in each congressional district. Nebraska and Maine are the only states that parcel out some of their electoral votes by district. The approach, adopted in Nebraska in 1991, has led to Democrats claiming a single electoral vote from the Omaha-based 2nd District three times since 2008 and, in this past election cycle, stoking the “blue dot” momentum.&nbsp;“I find it fascinating that the governor recognizes the importance of everyone having a voice yet he wants to cut out certain voices, including the ‘blue dot’ voices,” said the freshman lawmaker representing South Omaha.To be sure, there was plenty of applause by the Republican majority in the officially nonpartisan Legislature when Pillen promoted his priorities that have or will be introduced as bills by various senators, including: a bill to<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/14/pillen-some-nebraska-lawmakers-seek-to-banish-lab-grown-meat/">&nbsp;ban lab-grown meat</a>&nbsp;and “beef up” consumer protections and false labeling, as well as legislative proposals seeking to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/13/gov-pillen-ne-lawmakers-take-aim-at-social-media-and-school-time-cell-phone-use-by-youths/">outlaw youths’ access to social media</a>&nbsp;unless they have parental consent and to restrict student use of cell phones on school property and school functions.&nbsp;“Very good speech,” said State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams, a member of the nine-member Appropriations Committee that will balance Pillen’s recommendations and lawmakers’ proposals and present a new proposal this spring. “Now we get down to work.”Pillen, whose family owns a hog operation based in Columbus, also pushed for the consolidation of two Nebraska state agencies, the Departments of Environment and Energy and of Natural Resources, saying: “It will save costs, eliminate duplicative overhead, and streamline the mission of stewarding and protecting our natural resources and environment.”Bipartisan support flowed for certain proposals, including Pillen’s announcement of an expert commission tasked with recommending fixes to Nebraska’s 30-year formula for school funding that the governor said was broken and burdensome to taxpayers in districts with limited resources. State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward is helping to lead that and other school financing reform efforts.“I applaud the governor for focusing on that,” said Conrad, a Democrat.Said Hughes: “This is a really good path forward. I’m thrilled.”<h2>‘Reckless financial decision-making’</h2>However, Conrad was critical of the Pillen administration’s role in reaching today’s budgetary circumstance, a projected two-year budget gap of $432 million.Pillen said the projected shortfall is exacerbated by a drop in annual funding from the federal government for mandated Medicaid and health service costs. The state’s annual share of those costs are expected to rise, the governor said, by about $200 million in the next fiscal year and about $352 million over the biennium.He said the state no longer has available to it the millions of dollars of pandemic relief funds that flowed when he first took office two years ago.Conrad says the projected shortfall has more to do with the governor and some in the Legislature promoting income and corporate tax cuts that Conrad said benefitted the wealthiest Nebraskans and corporations. She called it “reckless financial decision-making and leadership.”Looking for cost savings, Pillen said he examined the “unprecedented” number of laws passed in the last five years that included expansion of state incentives and “Christmas tree bills” that sometimes “crammed” up to 30 bills into one package, along with related funding.Such piling up of bills has got to stop, Pillen said. But he acknowledged to reporters that he had signed the bills into law and that in some cases made a mistake.“Maybe the most disappointing thing I have experienced since being governor is all these Christmas bills,” he said.Conrad, who is the current Legislature’s most seasoned senator, took issue with the so-called “legislative bill reductions” — which the governor’s office said would reverse about $120 million a year in appropriated funds and recently passed changes that had cut revenue — as an unfamiliar term in the budget process that she said sounds like “buyer’s remorse or going back on your words.”State Sen. Terrell McKinney of North Omaha said the slate of reversals is something he’s not seen during his tenure. They include small business assistance grant dollars, an Internet Access Tower exemption, sports arena financing, reverse osmosis tax credits and more.“My questions are: ‘Why did you sign the bills? Why did you make these commitments?”

Gov. Pillen Touts ‘Second Shot at Life,’ Need to Shrink Spending in State of State Speech

Office of U.S. Senator Deb Fischer

&nbsp; WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, questioned Sean Duffy at the confirmation hearing on his nomination to be Secretary of Transportation.

During the hearing, Senator Fischer asked Duffy if he supports electric vehicles contributing to the Highway Trust Fund and how revenues can sustain highway spending moving forward. She also questioned him on his plans to ensure that all state Departments of Transportation receive clear, consistent guidance from the Federal Highway Administration over&nbsp;funding requests and on the implementation of new crash test dummy rules.

Senator Fischer questions Sean Duffy:

Senator Fischer:&nbsp;Welcome, Mr. Duffy, and welcome to your family. We're very excited you're here, and&nbsp;congratulations&nbsp;on your nomination. Regardless of anybody's opinions that we may have on EVs, the fact remains that we now have more electric vehicles on the roads of this country. They are 30 percent heavier on average than gas powered cars, and because of that, they crash with up to 50 percent more impact on the vehicle and the roadway infrastructure.

Despite this wear and tear that we're seeing on our infrastructure, EVs do not pay into the Highway Trust Fund—a trust fund that, as you know, is already woefully inadequate. It's facing a shortfall, and last Congress, I introduced a bill to remedy this by requiring EVs to pay their fair share. Do you think that EVs should be paying into the Highway Trust Fund? And would you work to figure out a way to make this feasible?

Sean Duffy:&nbsp;Absolutely. Senator, I think you brought that up in the office in our conversation. They should pay for use of our roads. How to do that, I think, is a little more challenging, but I'd love to work with you and the committee to make that happen.

Senator Fischer:&nbsp;As you look long term, how would you, as the Secretary of Transportation, be able to ensure that the revenues are going to be there, so that we can continue to manage a Highway Trust Fund that has been so vital in the growth of commerce across this country, and so that we can continue to have a road system that works?

Sean Duffy:&nbsp;You know, I think there's been three scenarios talked about. You can increase the gas tax, which, I'm not going to join you in that effort. But there's the gas tax, we could increase tolling, or there's a mile-driven formula that could be used as well. My concern with that, though, is the privacy around the American citizens. So, I think that's a conversation that will fall within the purview of this committee. But I'd be happy to work with you.

I do think, and I think Senator Cantwell brought this up, we can be far more efficient with our dollars. We can streamline the approach, and get dollars into projects quicker. I think we would go a long way to shoring up the trust fund—not all the way, but a long way to making sure there's more available dollars, not for studies and consultants, but more for turning dirt.

Senator Fischer:&nbsp;I would agree with you on that. When we look at the length of projects, what it takes from planning to be able to be shovel-ready takes years in some cases, and every single year the cost increases for those projects. So, if we can shorten that time period, I'd be thrilled to work with you on that.

As we look at the FHWA, they have struggled to provide, I think, clear, consistent guidance across their division offices. For example, I've heard from state Departments of Transportation that there's a lack of consistent guidance from the U.S. DOT regarding the requirements needed for states to justify building back better after a disaster.

If confirmed, how do you think you would be able to work across the Federal Highway Administration to ensure that division offices in regions all across this country, that they're consistent, that they are clear in their guidance to our state departments?

Sean Duffy:&nbsp;I think that's a great question. So, I would work with the divisional heads in each state, get their feedback, hear their complaints, and take the best advice about how we can actually be clearer and streamline the process. I think one of the many complaints is often the rules and regulations that come from the department. And if we can—not diminish safety—but also improve efficiency, I'd like to work with you and the committee on that.

Senator Fischer:&nbsp;I recently introduced the She DRIVES Act, which is bipartisan legislation that would require NHTSA to update its testing devices for female and male crash test dummies. And this legislation was necessary because the agency has taken over ten years to move the rulemaking forward. If confirmed, how will you ensure that NHTSA is going to see some progress on rulemaking and safety priorities that we as a Congress, have directed them to implement in a timely manner?

Sean Duffy:&nbsp;Senator, I didn't know this was an issue until you brought it up in your office. I think there's only male crash test dummies. Obviously men and women are different, and there's not crash test dummies for females. So, I would like to work with you. I will have a conversation with NHTSA, and loop you into that conversation and see what we can do to move that forward.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Office of U.S. Senator Deb Fischer&nbsp; WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, questioned Sean Duffy at the confirmation hearing on his nomination to be Secretary of Transportation.During the hearing, Senator Fischer asked Duffy if he supports electric vehicles contributing to the Highway Trust Fund and how revenues can sustain highway spending moving forward. She also questioned him on his plans to ensure that all state Departments of Transportation receive clear, consistent guidance from the Federal Highway Administration over&nbsp;funding requests and on the implementation of new crash test dummy rules.Senator Fischer questions Sean Duffy:Senator Fischer:&nbsp;Welcome, Mr. Duffy, and welcome to your family. We're very excited you're here, and&nbsp;congratulations&nbsp;on your nomination. Regardless of anybody's opinions that we may have on EVs, the fact remains that we now have more electric vehicles on the roads of this country. They are 30 percent heavier on average than gas powered cars, and because of that, they crash with up to 50 percent more impact on the vehicle and the roadway infrastructure.Despite this wear and tear that we're seeing on our infrastructure, EVs do not pay into the Highway Trust Fund—a trust fund that, as you know, is already woefully inadequate. It's facing a shortfall, and last Congress, I introduced a bill to remedy this by requiring EVs to pay their fair share. Do you think that EVs should be paying into the Highway Trust Fund? And would you work to figure out a way to make this feasible?Sean Duffy:&nbsp;Absolutely. Senator, I think you brought that up in the office in our conversation. They should pay for use of our roads. How to do that, I think, is a little more challenging, but I'd love to work with you and the committee to make that happen.Senator Fischer:&nbsp;As you look long term, how would you, as the Secretary of Transportation, be able to ensure that the revenues are going to be there, so that we can continue to manage a Highway Trust Fund that has been so vital in the growth of commerce across this country, and so that we can continue to have a road system that works?Sean Duffy:&nbsp;You know, I think there's been three scenarios talked about. You can increase the gas tax, which, I'm not going to join you in that effort. But there's the gas tax, we could increase tolling, or there's a mile-driven formula that could be used as well. My concern with that, though, is the privacy around the American citizens. So, I think that's a conversation that will fall within the purview of this committee. But I'd be happy to work with you.I do think, and I think Senator Cantwell brought this up, we can be far more efficient with our dollars. We can streamline the approach, and get dollars into projects quicker. I think we would go a long way to shoring up the trust fund—not all the way, but a long way to making sure there's more available dollars, not for studies and consultants, but more for turning dirt.Senator Fischer:&nbsp;I would agree with you on that. When we look at the length of projects, what it takes from planning to be able to be shovel-ready takes years in some cases, and every single year the cost increases for those projects. So, if we can shorten that time period, I'd be thrilled to work with you on that.As we look at the FHWA, they have struggled to provide, I think, clear, consistent guidance across their division offices. For example, I've heard from state Departments of Transportation that there's a lack of consistent guidance from the U.S. DOT regarding the requirements needed for states to justify building back better after a disaster.If confirmed, how do you think you would be able to work across the Federal Highway Administration to ensure that division offices in regions all across this country, that they're consistent, that they are clear in their guidance to our state departments?Sean Duffy:&nbsp;I think that's a great question. So, I would work with the divisional heads in each state, get their feedback, hear their complaints, and take the best advice about how we can actually be clearer and streamline the process. I think one of the many complaints is often the rules and regulations that come from the department. And if we can—not diminish safety—but also improve efficiency, I'd like to work with you and the committee on that.Senator Fischer:&nbsp;I recently introduced the She DRIVES Act, which is bipartisan legislation that would require NHTSA to update its testing devices for female and male crash test dummies. And this legislation was necessary because the agency has taken over ten years to move the rulemaking forward. If confirmed, how will you ensure that NHTSA is going to see some progress on rulemaking and safety priorities that we as a Congress, have directed them to implement in a timely manner?Sean Duffy:&nbsp;Senator, I didn't know this was an issue until you brought it up in your office. I think there's only male crash test dummies. Obviously men and women are different, and there's not crash test dummies for females. So, I would like to work with you. I will have a conversation with NHTSA, and loop you into that conversation and see what we can do to move that forward.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fischer Questions Sean Duffy at Confirmation Hearing

JAN 16, 2025 (LINCOLN, NEB.) - The Nebraska Department of Revenue, Property Assessment Division, reminds owners, lessees, and managers of any aircraft hangar or land upon which is parked or located any aircraft that the Nebraska Aircraft Information Report (Report) must be filed on or before February 1 with the county assessor in the county where the hangar or land is located. 

For tax year 2025, February 1 is on a weekend, which allows for the filing of the report on the next business day, which is Monday, February 3, 2025. 

A Report must be filed for all aircraft parked or located in the hangar or on the land as of January 1, 12:01 a.m. of each year. 

Any owner, lessee, or manager (as described above) who fails to file the Report accurately listing all aircraft involved may be subject to fines. 

The Nebraska Aircraft Information Report is available at revenue.nebraska.gov/PAD then hover over&nbsp; “Property Assessment” to “Forms and Calendars” then click on “Forms” and select “Miscellaneous” and locate “Aircraft Information Report.” 

County assessor contact information is available by hovering “Property Assessment”, then click on “Assessor/ Parcel Search.”

JAN 16, 2025 (LINCOLN, NEB.) - The Nebraska Department of Revenue, Property Assessment Division, reminds owners, lessees, and managers of any aircraft hangar or land upon which is parked or located any aircraft that the Nebraska Aircraft Information Report (Report) must be filed on or before February 1 with the county assessor in the county where the hangar or land is located. For tax year 2025, February 1 is on a weekend, which allows for the filing of the report on the next business day, which is Monday, February 3, 2025. A Report must be filed for all aircraft parked or located in the hangar or on the land as of January 1, 12:01 a.m. of each year. Any owner, lessee, or manager (as described above) who fails to file the Report accurately listing all aircraft involved may be subject to fines. The Nebraska Aircraft Information Report is available at revenue.nebraska.gov/PAD then hover over&nbsp; “Property Assessment” to “Forms and Calendars” then click on “Forms” and select “Miscellaneous” and locate “Aircraft Information Report.” County assessor contact information is available by hovering “Property Assessment”, then click on “Assessor/ Parcel Search.”

Nebraska Aircraft Information Report Due On or Before February 1, 2025 

LINCOLN, Neb.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance (<a target="_blank" href="https://ndbf.nebraska.gov/">NDBF</a>) is part of an $80 million&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.csbs.org/newsroom/state-regulators-issue-80-million-penalty-block-inc-cash-app-bsaaml-violations">multi-state enforcement action</a>&nbsp;against Block Inc. for&nbsp;violations of the federal Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), as well as anti-money laundering (AML) laws that safeguard the financial system from illicit use.&nbsp;

More than 50 million U.S. consumers use Cash App, which is Block’s mobile payment service, to spend, send, store, and invest money. Block cooperated with the states in the settlement.

Block has agreed to pay a combined $80 million penalty to the participating state agencies, hire an independent consultant to review the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of its BSA/AML program, and submit a report to the states within nine months. Block then will have a year to correct any deficiencies.&nbsp;

NDBF Director Kelly Lammers said: “This is another example of our staff’s work with multi-state coalitions to protect Nebraskans and maintain confidence in the financial services industry. In just the last few weeks, the Department has participated in three multi-state settlements that have returned more than $1.5 million to Nebraska and ensured our regulated financial institutions are complying with Nebraska law.”

Under BSA/AML rules, financial services firms must perform due diligence on customers, including verifying customer identities, reporting suspicious activity, and applying appropriate controls for high-risk accounts. State regulators found that Block was not in compliance with certain requirements, creating the potential for its services to be used to support money laundering, terrorism financing, or other illegal activities.&nbsp;

State financial regulators – like the NDBF – license and serve as the primary supervisor of money transmitters. In fiscal year 2023-24, the NDBF oversaw 185 money transmitters with combined assets of $735.2 billion.

Additional information on the state regulatory framework for money transmission can be found&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.csbs.org/reality-money-transmission-secure-convenient-and-trusted-under-state-supervision">here.</a>&nbsp;Nebraska residents with questions regarding the settlement may call the NDBF at (402) 471-2171 or send an email via the NDBF’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ndbf.nebraska.gov/about/contact-us">contact page</a>&nbsp;at ndbf.nebraska.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737036958128.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance (<a target="_blank" href="https://ndbf.nebraska.gov/">NDBF</a>) is part of an $80 million&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.csbs.org/newsroom/state-regulators-issue-80-million-penalty-block-inc-cash-app-bsaaml-violations">multi-state enforcement action</a>&nbsp;against Block Inc. for&nbsp;violations of the federal Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), as well as anti-money laundering (AML) laws that safeguard the financial system from illicit use.&nbsp;More than 50 million U.S. consumers use Cash App, which is Block’s mobile payment service, to spend, send, store, and invest money. Block cooperated with the states in the settlement.Block has agreed to pay a combined $80 million penalty to the participating state agencies, hire an independent consultant to review the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of its BSA/AML program, and submit a report to the states within nine months. Block then will have a year to correct any deficiencies.&nbsp;NDBF Director Kelly Lammers said: “This is another example of our staff’s work with multi-state coalitions to protect Nebraskans and maintain confidence in the financial services industry. In just the last few weeks, the Department has participated in three multi-state settlements that have returned more than $1.5 million to Nebraska and ensured our regulated financial institutions are complying with Nebraska law.”Under BSA/AML rules, financial services firms must perform due diligence on customers, including verifying customer identities, reporting suspicious activity, and applying appropriate controls for high-risk accounts. State regulators found that Block was not in compliance with certain requirements, creating the potential for its services to be used to support money laundering, terrorism financing, or other illegal activities.&nbsp;State financial regulators – like the NDBF – license and serve as the primary supervisor of money transmitters. In fiscal year 2023-24, the NDBF oversaw 185 money transmitters with combined assets of $735.2 billion.Additional information on the state regulatory framework for money transmission can be found&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.csbs.org/reality-money-transmission-secure-convenient-and-trusted-under-state-supervision">here.</a>&nbsp;Nebraska residents with questions regarding the settlement may call the NDBF at (402) 471-2171 or send an email via the NDBF’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ndbf.nebraska.gov/about/contact-us">contact page</a>&nbsp;at ndbf.nebraska.gov.

Nebraska Joins $80M Enforcement Action Against Block, Cash App for Violations

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/14/new-nebraska-bills-focus-on-human-development-education-health-director-authority/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

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.

<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59291" target="_blank">Legislative Bill 213</a>, 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.

“That’s why we call it human development, not sex education,” Holdcroft said. “Part of the bill is that if parents think that’s too much for their child, well, then they can opt-out.”

Holdcroft said LB 213 aims to raise understanding among young children, such as by first or second grade, of what is going on in a mother’s womb and “hopefully start to build some knowledge of the importance of the unborn.”

His goal for the legislation is similar to that of laws in other states where lawmakers mandated viewings of videos like “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-lQOooYAs8" target="_blank">Meet Baby Olivia</a>,” which was produced by an anti-abortion group and walks through the stages of human development from conception to just before birth.

He said such efforts rarely go much beyond showing the development of the embryo and fetus in the mother’s womb.

State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha reintroduced multiple health care-related bills from her first two years as a lawmaker, including:

A third bill,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58780" target="_blank">LB 203</a>, would require&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/15/lawmakers-weigh-whether-to-restrict-local-health-directors-authority-over-public-health-measures/">health department directors</a>&nbsp;to get written approval from a majority of local elected representatives, primarily county board members, before issuing community-wide directed health measures in which there is no “epidemiological link.” Such measures would need to be ratified at the next regularly scheduled meeting of a local board.&nbsp;

The bill is a response to backlash that health officials in Lincoln and Omaha faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, some of which led to a recall campaign against Lincoln officials and a lawsuit against the health director in Omaha for issuing a mask mandate without the city council’s approval.

“If you’re talking about removing someone’s rights, that can only be an elected representative, because then we have a chance to unelect them,” Kauth said, referring to her LB 203.

Suicide awareness, disaster area penalties

<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59381" target="_blank">LB 217</a>, from State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha, would require that all staff serving in the child welfare system of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and employees of child-placing agencies receive suicide awareness and prevention training.

That was a recent recommendation of the Office of Inspector General for Child Welfare.

“When you think about our youth in foster care, these are some of the most vulnerable kids in the state of Nebraska,” Fredrickson said. “It’s incumbent upon us as a state to ensure that we’re doing everything to ensure their safety and well-being.”

<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58809" target="_blank">LB 206</a>, from State Sen. Brad von Gillern of Omaha, would bump up criminal penalties by one degree for a list of 10 offenses, if committed in an emergency or disaster area. This includes assault, robbery, arson, burglary or theft, criminal mischief or trespassing.

The bill is in response to the “<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/29/gov-pillen-outlines-nebraskas-local-federal-next-steps-following-war-zone-tornadoes/">war zone</a>” tornadoes that tore through eastern Nebraska, including in the Elkhorn area that von Gillern represents, that led to looting and other crimes.

“It just seems to strike a chord that people believe that if you steal from somebody, that’s bad,” von Gillern said. “If you steal from somebody that’s just been through a horrible disaster, it’s even worse.”

Bill introduction continues through Wednesday, Jan. 22.&nbsp;

Among other legislation introduced Tuesday was:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736971924983.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue applauds an announced guest during Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen’s State of the State address on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue applauds an announced guest during Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen’s State of the State address on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/14/new-nebraska-bills-focus-on-human-development-education-health-director-authority/">Nebraska Examiner</a>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.<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59291" target="_blank">Legislative Bill 213</a>, 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.“That’s why we call it human development, not sex education,” Holdcroft said. “Part of the bill is that if parents think that’s too much for their child, well, then they can opt-out.”Holdcroft said LB 213 aims to raise understanding among young children, such as by first or second grade, of what is going on in a mother’s womb and “hopefully start to build some knowledge of the importance of the unborn.”His goal for the legislation is similar to that of laws in other states where lawmakers mandated viewings of videos like “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-lQOooYAs8" target="_blank">Meet Baby Olivia</a>,” which was produced by an anti-abortion group and walks through the stages of human development from conception to just before birth.He said such efforts rarely go much beyond showing the development of the embryo and fetus in the mother’s womb.<h2>Health-related measures</h2>State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha reintroduced multiple health care-related bills from her first two years as a lawmaker, including:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58779" target="_blank">LB 202</a>&nbsp;to prohibit discipline against a health care provider’s license to practice medicine or surgery as a result of the person expressing an opinion in a public or professional forum. Kauth said some providers have not spoken out on certain topics, such as those related to COVID-19 or gender dysphoria, out of fear they will be “shunned and silenced and censored.”</li><li><a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58083" target="_blank">LB 204</a>, the Biometric Autonomy Liberty Law, to require private entities to get users’ written consent before either collecting, storing or selling biological characteristics, such as fingerprints, voice prints, retina or iris images or other unique identifiers. Kauth said, each day, people are asked “more and more and more to give away the rights to your face, to your fingerprints, to your breath, to your emotions, how your body moves, and people don’t realize that. They just breeze through a 300,000-word disclosure and say, ‘Oh, it’s fine.’”</li>
 </ul>A third bill,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58780" target="_blank">LB 203</a>, would require&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/15/lawmakers-weigh-whether-to-restrict-local-health-directors-authority-over-public-health-measures/">health department directors</a>&nbsp;to get written approval from a majority of local elected representatives, primarily county board members, before issuing community-wide directed health measures in which there is no “epidemiological link.” Such measures would need to be ratified at the next regularly scheduled meeting of a local board.&nbsp;The bill is a response to backlash that health officials in Lincoln and Omaha faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, some of which led to a recall campaign against Lincoln officials and a lawsuit against the health director in Omaha for issuing a mask mandate without the city council’s approval.“If you’re talking about removing someone’s rights, that can only be an elected representative, because then we have a chance to unelect them,” Kauth said, referring to her LB 203.<h2>Suicide awareness, disaster area penalties</h2><a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59381" target="_blank">LB 217</a>, from State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha, would require that all staff serving in the child welfare system of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and employees of child-placing agencies receive suicide awareness and prevention training.That was a recent recommendation of the Office of Inspector General for Child Welfare.“When you think about our youth in foster care, these are some of the most vulnerable kids in the state of Nebraska,” Fredrickson said. “It’s incumbent upon us as a state to ensure that we’re doing everything to ensure their safety and well-being.”<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58809" target="_blank">LB 206</a>, from State Sen. Brad von Gillern of Omaha, would bump up criminal penalties by one degree for a list of 10 offenses, if committed in an emergency or disaster area. This includes assault, robbery, arson, burglary or theft, criminal mischief or trespassing.The bill is in response to the “<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/29/gov-pillen-outlines-nebraskas-local-federal-next-steps-following-war-zone-tornadoes/">war zone</a>” tornadoes that tore through eastern Nebraska, including in the Elkhorn area that von Gillern represents, that led to looting and other crimes.“It just seems to strike a chord that people believe that if you steal from somebody, that’s bad,” von Gillern said. “If you steal from somebody that’s just been through a horrible disaster, it’s even worse.”Bill introduction continues through Wednesday, Jan. 22.&nbsp;<h2>Other new bills</h2>Among other legislation introduced Tuesday was:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59103" target="_blank">LB 196</a>, by State Sen. Jared Storm of David City, would allow snowmobiles and other snow-removal vehicles to operate between sunset and sunrise.</li><li><a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59260" target="_blank">LB 207</a>, also by von Gillern, would increase the $150 fee for commercially registered alternative fuel vehicles weighing more than 7,500 pounds, such as Amazon delivery trucks, to $450. Motorcycles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles would be $75, and any other alternative fuel vehicle would be $150. The goal is to make up for the lack of state revenue from fuel taxes that are used to maintain roads.</li><li><a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59371" target="_blank">LB 212</a>, by State Sen. Dave “Woody” Wordekemper of Fremont, would tax cigars, cheroots and stogies at 20% of their purchase price, up to a maximum of 50 cents.</li><li><a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59263" target="_blank">LB 220</a>, by State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, would require certain legislative proposals to include an impact note describing what the potential effects of new laws could be on persons with developmental and intellectual disabilities.</li><li><a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59531" target="_blank">LB 221</a>, also by Cavanaugh, would set an approximate nine-month process by which the Legislature could fill vacant gubernatorial appointments to boards or commissions.</li><li><a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59595" target="_blank">LB 224</a>, by State Sen. Dunixi Guereca of Omaha, would offer 12 weeks of paid maternity leave to state employees.</li><li><a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59411" target="_blank">LB 226</a>, by State Sen. Margo Juarez of Omaha, would set up a process to set aside and expunge records related to convictions and adjudications for certain concealed weapon offenses that existed before Sept. 2, 2023. That was the date that a new state law took effect allowing people to carry concealed weapons without having first completed training or obtained a permit.</li><li><a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58948" target="_blank">LB 233</a>, by State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, would require in vitro fertilization to be covered by health insurance for state employees. It could be limited to four completed egg retrievals and to individuals who have been unable to conceive or produce conception or sustain a successful pregnancy through less expensive and medically viable treatments or procedures that are otherwise covered.</li><li><a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59447" target="_blank">LB 258</a>, by State Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln, would slow annual increases in the state’s minimum wage after Jan. 1, 2027, when it reaches $15 an hour. Rather than increasing automatically by changes in cost of living, the wage would increase to the lesser of 1.5%, rounded to the nearest cent, or the cost of living. The bill also would create a lower baseline $13.50 youth minimum wage, for teens aged 14 or 15, and a training wage for employees aged 16 or 17 at $13.50 through Dec. 31, 2026. After that point, the training wage would be 75% of the general minimum wage.</li><li><a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59049" target="_blank">Legislative Resolution 12CA</a>, also by Kauth, is modeled after California’s Proposition 13, which passed in 1978. The Nebraska version would&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/08/05/property-valuations-freeze-could-be-backup-plan-during-nebraskas-tax-focused-special-session/">lock in property valuations</a>&nbsp;for tax purposes at no more than 1.5% above its “full cash value, or the initial purchase or construction value of a property after 2025. That valuation could increase annually at the rate of inflation, but by no more than 2%. Valuations for existing properties would be locked in at the 2027 level. If approved by the Legislature, voters would weigh in at the November 2026 election.</li><li><a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59122" target="_blank">LR 13CA</a>, by State Sen. Bob Hallstrom of Syracuse, would allow voters to outlaw counties from imposing an inheritance tax on someone who inherits money or property after someone in Nebraska has died. Lawmakers have been looking for replacement funds to offset the loss in tax revenue for counties if the tax were to go away.</li>
 </ul>

New Nebraska bills focus on human development education, health director authority

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen and state senators presented three bills critical to preserving and protecting agriculture in Nebraska.&nbsp;

“As the first farmer-governor in more than 100 years, I know how important it is that we take steps to preserve our way of life, for the benefit of those who consume our products,” said Gov. Pillen. “We feed the world and save the planet. To ensure that we can do that for generations to come, we need to take steps that protect our water supply, the data that farmers use to improve their yields and their profits and that we keep extremists from introducing unproven meat products from being sold to consumers.”&nbsp;

Senator Barry DeKay is bringing legislation to keep lab-grown meat from being manufactured, distributed, or sold in Nebraska. The bill defines “cultivated food protein” and requires those products to be labeled “adulterated food products” under the Pure Food Act.&nbsp;

"There are clear, recognized benefits of meat as a source of protein. It is uncertain whether manufactured meat protein is a substitute for natural meat sources as essential dietary needs. I question elevating lab meat to a level of equivalency with real meat,“ said Sen. DeKay. “Until or unless there are clear labeling rules that adequately disclose that cultured meat is not real meat, its sale allows lab meats to unfairly benefit from industry investments in marketing and production. What’s more, this industry is supported by organizations that want to do away with animal production in Nebraska and the United States. This is part of the process that we’re going to go through to make sure our way of life, our livestock, and our product that we can put on the dinner table stays intact going forward."

Gov. Pillen added, “It's important we get on the offense so that Nebraska farmers and ranchers are not undermined. Our job is to protect consumers, grow agriculture and defend agriculture. Most of us want government out of our hair, but there are places where government needs to step in and protect us.”&nbsp;

At the request of the Governor, Senator Tom Brandt is bringing a bill to merge the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy with the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. Policies and programs focused on water quality and quantity will now be under the same leadership. This will improve long-range planning for water and natural resource management issues such as nitrogen management and soil health. Related to nitrogen management, the Governor also announced the formation of his Task Force on Water Quality and Quantity.&nbsp;

Speaking on the merger, Sen. Brandt said, "By merging the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environment and Energy, we are streamlining government operations to better address our state’s critical water needs. This legislation represents an opportunity to enhance efficiency, strengthen resource management, and ensure a sustainable future for Nebraska."&nbsp;

Another emerging issue for the agricultural community is producer data privacy.&nbsp; Senator Mike Jacobson’s planned bill will keep the ownership of producer generated data with the farm or the producer where it was created. It prohibits sale of that information to other agricultural corporations. In this regard, it would be similar to the recently adopted Consumer Data Privacy Act. If passed, Nebraska would be a national leader by being the first state to have a law restricting the sale of agricultural data.

“Nebraska farmers and ranchers are increasingly concerned about the variety of new ag data products that are arriving on the market,” said Sen. Jacobson. “They want to know what happens to their data once they provide it to ag tech providers. They have a lot of questions about how the data is used, if they can retrieve it and should they trust the providers?”

“It’s important we not only defend agriculture but go on the offensive,” said Gov. Pillen. “The better agriculture does, the better our economy does. I’m eager to work with the legislature this year to lead the nation and protect and grow our agriculture industry.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736971735555.jpeg" alt="Governor Jim Pillen at the podium" />
 <figcaption>Governor Jim Pillen at the podium</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen and state senators presented three bills critical to preserving and protecting agriculture in Nebraska.&nbsp;“As the first farmer-governor in more than 100 years, I know how important it is that we take steps to preserve our way of life, for the benefit of those who consume our products,” said Gov. Pillen. “We feed the world and save the planet. To ensure that we can do that for generations to come, we need to take steps that protect our water supply, the data that farmers use to improve their yields and their profits and that we keep extremists from introducing unproven meat products from being sold to consumers.”&nbsp;Lab-Grown MeatSenator Barry DeKay is bringing legislation to keep lab-grown meat from being manufactured, distributed, or sold in Nebraska. The bill defines “cultivated food protein” and requires those products to be labeled “adulterated food products” under the Pure Food Act.&nbsp;"There are clear, recognized benefits of meat as a source of protein. It is uncertain whether manufactured meat protein is a substitute for natural meat sources as essential dietary needs. I question elevating lab meat to a level of equivalency with real meat,“ said Sen. DeKay. “Until or unless there are clear labeling rules that adequately disclose that cultured meat is not real meat, its sale allows lab meats to unfairly benefit from industry investments in marketing and production. What’s more, this industry is supported by organizations that want to do away with animal production in Nebraska and the United States. This is part of the process that we’re going to go through to make sure our way of life, our livestock, and our product that we can put on the dinner table stays intact going forward."Gov. Pillen added, “It's important we get on the offense so that Nebraska farmers and ranchers are not undermined. Our job is to protect consumers, grow agriculture and defend agriculture. Most of us want government out of our hair, but there are places where government needs to step in and protect us.”&nbsp;Merging NDEE &amp; DNRAt the request of the Governor, Senator Tom Brandt is bringing a bill to merge the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy with the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. Policies and programs focused on water quality and quantity will now be under the same leadership. This will improve long-range planning for water and natural resource management issues such as nitrogen management and soil health. Related to nitrogen management, the Governor also announced the formation of his Task Force on Water Quality and Quantity.&nbsp;Speaking on the merger, Sen. Brandt said, "By merging the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environment and Energy, we are streamlining government operations to better address our state’s critical water needs. This legislation represents an opportunity to enhance efficiency, strengthen resource management, and ensure a sustainable future for Nebraska."&nbsp;Agricultural Data PrivacyAnother emerging issue for the agricultural community is producer data privacy.&nbsp; Senator Mike Jacobson’s planned bill will keep the ownership of producer generated data with the farm or the producer where it was created. It prohibits sale of that information to other agricultural corporations. In this regard, it would be similar to the recently adopted Consumer Data Privacy Act. If passed, Nebraska would be a national leader by being the first state to have a law restricting the sale of agricultural data.“Nebraska farmers and ranchers are increasingly concerned about the variety of new ag data products that are arriving on the market,” said Sen. Jacobson. “They want to know what happens to their data once they provide it to ag tech providers. They have a lot of questions about how the data is used, if they can retrieve it and should they trust the providers?”“It’s important we not only defend agriculture but go on the offensive,” said Gov. Pillen. “The better agriculture does, the better our economy does. I’m eager to work with the legislature this year to lead the nation and protect and grow our agriculture industry.”

Governor Pillen and Senators Introduce Legislation to Benefit Nebraska Agriculture

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;-- President Kelly, Speaker Arch, members of the 109th Legislature, tribal leaders, fellow Nebraskans.

What a time of promise and opportunity for our state and nation.

What a tremendous moment for those of us who have been blessed with the privilege to serve our fellow citizens in public office.

I am as grateful today for that privilege as I was when I stood in this chamber just over two years ago and swore to uphold our Constitution—and I am more invigorated than ever before.

I recently had a very real reminder of the preciousness of each moment.

For the many Nebraskans whose livelihood depends on their stewardship of powerful animals, respect for that power is no mystery.

I dropped my guard, and I was humbled by a reminder of that power.

I am here before you today only by God’s grace.

But a life-GIVING moment like the one I experienced can have the effect of clarifying one’s sense of mission.

It reminds one of how delicate life is, and to make the most of every moment one is given.

I’m grateful that almighty God has given me a second shot, and I continue on the road to recovery, instilled with a renewed commitment to spending my days fighting for the people of this state and, most importantly, making a positive difference.

I am grateful beyond words to my wife and our First Lady, Suzanne, for her constant love and care.

And I am grateful for the outpouring of support from so many Nebraskans, and I am especially grateful for the power of their prayers and for sending me the gift of the holy spirit.

To all of the public servants in this room—and especially to our new senators and their families—thank you for answering the call to public life and for taking on the burdens and sacrifices of service.

The road ahead is full of long days and late nights, of time away from loved ones, and of sometimes trying debates and disagreements.

But with it comes the daily opportunity to leave the greatest place in the world even better than we found it for our kids and grand babies.

If we keep their futures and the betterment of this state as our north star—and set our own personal political fortunes aside—there is no limit to what we can achieve here.

I am excited to partner with both the veterans and the new arrivals to this Legislature.

And, I assure you, every moment will be worth it.

I am pleased to report that the state of our state is extraordinarily strong.

Our unemployment rate is among the lowest in America.

Our state’s population is growing faster than it has in decades, and our population has now topped two million people.

The engines of our economy are powering that growth—from our agricultural backbone to our powerhouse financial services and manufacturing sectors.

Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE&nbsp;-- President Kelly, Speaker Arch, members of the 109th Legislature, tribal leaders, fellow Nebraskans.What a time of promise and opportunity for our state and nation.What a tremendous moment for those of us who have been blessed with the privilege to serve our fellow citizens in public office.I am as grateful today for that privilege as I was when I stood in this chamber just over two years ago and swore to uphold our Constitution—and I am more invigorated than ever before.***I recently had a very real reminder of the preciousness of each moment.For the many Nebraskans whose livelihood depends on their stewardship of powerful animals, respect for that power is no mystery.I dropped my guard, and I was humbled by a reminder of that power.I am here before you today only by God’s grace.But a life-GIVING moment like the one I experienced can have the effect of clarifying one’s sense of mission.It reminds one of how delicate life is, and to make the most of every moment one is given.I’m grateful that almighty God has given me a second shot, and I continue on the road to recovery, instilled with a renewed commitment to spending my days fighting for the people of this state and, most importantly, making a positive difference.I am grateful beyond words to my wife and our First Lady, Suzanne, for her constant love and care.And I am grateful for the outpouring of support from so many Nebraskans, and I am especially grateful for the power of their prayers and for sending me the gift of the holy spirit.Thank you.Okay, no more horsing around.***To all of the public servants in this room—and especially to our new senators and their families—thank you for answering the call to public life and for taking on the burdens and sacrifices of service.The road ahead is full of long days and late nights, of time away from loved ones, and of sometimes trying debates and disagreements.But with it comes the daily opportunity to leave the greatest place in the world even better than we found it for our kids and grand babies.If we keep their futures and the betterment of this state as our north star—and set our own personal political fortunes aside—there is no limit to what we can achieve here.I am excited to partner with both the veterans and the new arrivals to this Legislature.And, I assure you, every moment will be worth it.***I am pleased to report that the state of our state is extraordinarily strong.Our unemployment rate is among the lowest in America.Our state’s population is growing faster than it has in decades, and our population has now topped two million people.The engines of our economy are powering that growth—from our agricultural backbone to our powerhouse financial services and manufacturing sectors.Our state government is smaller, more efficient, and more productive.And, at long last, the tax burden on our citizens to pay for that government is less than it was two years ago.Our natural resources are plentiful, our people are the hardest-working of anywhere on earth, and it will soon be morning again in America with the return of a presidency and congress committed to making this nation prosperous, secure, strong, and healthy again.But even with these strengths, this legislative session affords us tremendous opportunities to take further steps forward.***Simply put, the work of making Nebraska a low-tax state is far from over.We should remember how we got here and why our tax system is so out of whack.In the past, during a deflationary period, city, county, and state government in Nebraska grew at an excessive rate.There was little fiscal restraint—and the result was bloated government growing unchecked on the backs of its people.The burden is upon US to correct it NOW.And to make Nebraska competitive with our neighbors, we must set the example at the state level.Despite dire warnings of budget shortfalls, I have presented a budget that SHRINKS state spending by half a percent over the next biennium.In fact, if you set aside increased and unreimbursed Medicaid spending required by the federal government, State spending in this budget is REDUCED by 2.3 percent.Even as we make a multigenerational investment in the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and significantly increase our state commitment to supporting the mission of Offutt Air Force Base and U.S. Strategic Command, we have presented to you a fully balanced budget that CUTS spending.We have achieved this historic spending restraint by having the courage to say no, and to focus on needs, not wants, and we will continue to have that courage.***Not all are happy when we work to fix the tax system.But as my dad used to tell us on the farm: what does happy have to do with it? We have work to do.Our job as public servants is not to make everyone happy—much less any one industry or special interest group.Our job is to focus on schools, public safety, roads, and critical services—the NEEDS of Nebraskans and nothing else.***This year we will prioritize improvements to Nebraska’s school funding system.TEEOSA—Nebraska’s thirty-year-old formula for school funding—remains broken, burdening local communities and property tax payers in districts with limited resources and shortchanging our kids.It would shock most Nebraskans to hear that 25 years ago, 226 school districts received state aid—by 2024, that number had shrunk to 60.That was not the intent with the original law.We are going to have the courage to make serious and lasting fixes to this system.I will establish a blue-ribbon commission of experts to cut through the bureaucracy and vested special interests in our current school funding system and recommend a new model for Nebraska, which THIS Legislature will be able to consider and adopt.And along with other technical changes to strengthen TEEOSA, Senator Hughes is championing a bill that will honor the state’s constitutional obligation to fund K-12 education by increasing the foundation aid per student across the state, consistent with the principle that school funding should ALWAYS follow the student, not the system.***Although you wouldn’t always know it reading the papers, last year did result in real wins for Nebraskans struggling with our spiraling property tax crisis.After years in which only some Nebraska homeowners took advantage of property tax credits, now ALL homeowners receive this relief.For the first time in a generation, Nebraskans opened their property tax statements last month to find the amount they owed was LOWER than the year before.Like many of you, I have been overwhelmed by the gratitude shown by so many Nebraskans for this relief.For the first time EVER, the amount of property taxes local governments can collect will be capped, with commonsense flexibility to allow investments in public safety, police, and firefighters.But the work is not done, and we must do more this year.There are leaders in this body like Senator Clements who continue the fight to eliminate Nebraska’s death tax.By making commonsense adjustments to our tax code and making it more competitive with other states, we will invest two hundred million MORE dollars into Nebraska’s property tax credit fund.From Harrison to Omaha, Nebraskans of all stripes have recognized how out of whack our property taxes have become and what a burden they put on families, communities, and our ability to grow.They expect us to continue to work to solve it—and we WILL.***To shrink government we must eliminate its obsolete parts and clean out its closets.Over the years, we have created far too many boards and commissions.Many have missions duplicative of those of other government agencies, or which have grown outdated over time.All add regulatory power or more government where none is needed.Especially at a time when we must tighten our belt and treat every nickel like manhole covers, we must continually assess which parts of government are still of use to the people.The clock ran out on these efforts last session, but we must right size our boards and commissions with a commonsense, bipartisan bill that will eliminate or consolidate dozens of them.Speaker Arch has reintroduced a bill that will do just that.I am grateful for his leadership on this important issue and I look forward to signing it into law.***We have an opportunity to consolidate and streamline two of our major code agencies, as well.Water is the lifeblood of Nebraska, and what we do to protect our QUANTITY and improve our QUALITY of water will be our legacy.Through both our vast system of surface waterways and our treasured Ogallala Aquifer—we have a natural hedge against drought and therefore a God-given foundation for our agricultural and industrial economy in the toughest of times.State government bifurcates its management of this resource through two separate departments—of Environment and Energy and of Natural Resources.By doing so, we needlessly divide our focus on water quality and quantity.Given the interrelatedness of these two things, this makes no sense.Further, it places Nebraska out of step and uncompetitive with the majority of our fellow states.For our most treasured resource to remain the envy of North America for the next seven generations, a new model of stewardship is needed.I am grateful to Senator Brandt for carrying an important measure that will combine DEE and DNR and establish the new combined Department of Water, Energy, and Environment.It will save costs, eliminate duplicative overhead, and streamline the mission of stewarding and protecting our natural resources and environment, and enhance collaboration, as well.We have begun the work of consolidating all of the important work of these two agencies under unified leadership, and I look forward to working with you to carry that work to its completion.***Now more than ever, it is vital that our state speaks with a unified voice on the national stage.For three decades, under our current allocation of electoral college votes by congressional district, we have divided our voice and diminished our impact in presidential elections.Not one of our fellow states except one has followed us down this path.Now is the time to fix it, and I thank Senator Lippincott for his leadership in giving it the priority it deserves.With no presidential election right around the corner, there is no better time to dispassionately deliver on the will of a majority of the people of this state, honor our constitutional founding, and unify our voice in our most important exercise of national democracy.I call on this body to end this thirty year experiment and pass winner take all THIS legislative session.***In the modern world, it can be extremely difficult to protect our kids and culture from the harmful effects of ever-present social media, online bullying, and attacks on our values.Every parent knows firsthand the worry of what their kids are being exposed to online and on screens.Here in Nebraska, we are going to level the playing field between parents and Big Tech giants.I am grateful to Senators Sanders, Hardin, Bosn, and Storer for introducing a package of bills to protect children from the harms of social media, ban phones in classrooms, and fix our child pornography laws to include AI-generated images.We protect kids from tobacco, alcohol, tattoos under certain ages, and even restrict the age when kids can work—there’s no reason why we should not protect their mental health from the damage caused by social media, too.***We must protect our kids—and especially our daughters and granddaughters—in other ways, too.In a world where common sense has become uncommon, it remains our north star here in Nebraska.It’s hard to understand, a small minority believe it is acceptable to allow biological boys to share bathrooms, locker rooms, and playing fields with girls.This is unfair, unconscionable, and a recipe for predatory behavior.Senator Kauth has brought back a new and improved Stand With Women Act, which will make sure that women’s spaces are protected FOR women.I don’t want my granddaughters—or ANYONE’S daughters and granddaughters, for that matter, sharing a locker room with boys, and I know the overwhelming majority of Nebraskans agree.Pass the Stand With Women Act to my desk so we can protect common sense here in Nebraska.***Last, but absolutely not least, we must take steps to protect both our farmers and producers AND the consumers of the food our state produces.I’m grateful to Senator Jacobson for his work to protect farmers’ data from being taken advantage of by large corporate and big data interests.We have another opportunity to protect both our consumers and our agricultural producers in a single step.The big food industry wants to flood our supermarket shelves with deceptively-named products that purport to be “meat” on par with what our ranchers, feeders, and farmers produce throughout Nebraska.But in reality, this stuff is made in bio-reactors, and is a masquerade of the original, with unreliable protein, unknowable ingredients, and a flat-out dishonest label on the front.The backers of these products are cut from the same cloth as the anti-farmer activists who want to put our agriculture producers out of business, and we need to recognize them as such.I will never stop fighting for Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers, and I stand with Senator DeKay, who has introduced a strong bill to “beef up” our consumer protections and false labeling laws to eliminate these dishonest products from Nebraska’s grocery shelves.***Last year, Nebraskans experienced countless examples of public service in its purest form.2024 was a year when we felt mother nature’s wrath time after time.Record blizzards, raging wildfires, torrential floods, and vicious tornadoes set the stage for a record ELEVEN declared emergencies throughout the year.Many Nebraskans experienced the worst day of their lives, with homes destroyed, families in peril, and futures uncertain.But in the darkest moments, the people of our state were at their best.Nebraskans helped Nebraskans, and the strength and resilience of our people shone through.One of the greatest privileges of the work as your Governor is to get to know firsthand the men and women who have answered the call to be the first to respond when crisis strikes.With us today is Chris Potter, the chief of the Kennard Volunteer Fire Department from Washington County, whose fire and EMS responders were there for their community moments after a deadly tornado tore through it.Please join me in welcoming him as a representative of all of our first responders across Nebraska.Also with us is the entire Nebraska Emergency Management Agency team.These dedicated professionals are the hub of the wheel of our state’s emergency response system.When the call comes in the middle of the night, they are the ones making it.Their work is often unseen and unknown to many Nebraskans, but that in no way diminishes the dedication of their work or the pride with which they do it.Join me in welcoming the NEMA team, honoring them, and thanking them.***Many important issues will consume our focus throughout this legislative session.I pledge to you that we will be your partner through it all.Thank you for your service to our state, and thank you to your families.God bless you and God bless the State of Nebraska.