Office of U.S. Senator Deb Fischer

&nbsp; WASHINGTON ­–&nbsp;U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured&nbsp;$16 million in additional funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) facility at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s (UNL) Innovation Campus.

The funding was included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. It builds upon the $25 million Senator Fischer secured for the facility in&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2023/6/fischer-advances-25-million-for-ne-agricultural-research-service-facility-in-funding-bill-in-first-key-step">FY 2024 Appropriations Bill</a>.

Senator Fischer also&nbsp;secured funding in this year’s bill to support both the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) at UNL and the National Ag Producers Data Cooperative led by UNL.&nbsp;The legislation, which must still be voted upon by the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, was advanced today by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

“This bill includes new funding for the second phase of construction of UNL’s ARS&nbsp;Center, which will expand Nebraska’s&nbsp;leading role in agricultural innovation. This hub for research will attract students, scientists, and industry leaders&nbsp;focused on turning research into products and solutions in the field,”&nbsp;said&nbsp;Senator Fischer.

Additional details on the Nebraska projects Senator Fischer secured are below.

ARS National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture:$16 million appropriated to continue construction of the ARS National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture facility at UNL’s Innovation Campus.

Secured $3 million in program funding to help build resiliency to drought.

Secured $1 million in program funding to help promote collaboration between researchers and stakeholders to develop a framework for a standardized, secure system to process agricultural data.

Senator Fischer also secured language that would:1) Prioritize ARS research critical for the beef industry at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Nebraska.2) Require the USDA to better utilize the Conservation Loan Program as a Precision Ag Loan Program.3) Push the USDA to provide advanced cost share on the Emergency Conservation Program.4) Require reporting on lab-grown and plant-based protein labeling.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Office of U.S. Senator Deb Fischer&nbsp; WASHINGTON ­–&nbsp;U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured&nbsp;$16 million in additional funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) facility at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s (UNL) Innovation Campus.The funding was included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. It builds upon the $25 million Senator Fischer secured for the facility in&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2023/6/fischer-advances-25-million-for-ne-agricultural-research-service-facility-in-funding-bill-in-first-key-step">FY 2024 Appropriations Bill</a>.Senator Fischer also&nbsp;secured funding in this year’s bill to support both the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) at UNL and the National Ag Producers Data Cooperative led by UNL.&nbsp;The legislation, which must still be voted upon by the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, was advanced today by the Senate Appropriations Committee.“This bill includes new funding for the second phase of construction of UNL’s ARS&nbsp;Center, which will expand Nebraska’s&nbsp;leading role in agricultural innovation. This hub for research will attract students, scientists, and industry leaders&nbsp;focused on turning research into products and solutions in the field,”&nbsp;said&nbsp;Senator Fischer.Additional details on the Nebraska projects Senator Fischer secured are below.ARS National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture:$16 million appropriated to continue construction of the ARS National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture facility at UNL’s Innovation Campus.NDMC at UNL:Secured $3 million in program funding to help build resiliency to drought.National Ag Producers Data Cooperative:Secured $1 million in program funding to help promote collaboration between researchers and stakeholders to develop a framework for a standardized, secure system to process agricultural data.Senator Fischer also secured language that would:1) Prioritize ARS research critical for the beef industry at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Nebraska.2) Require the USDA to better utilize the Conservation Loan Program as a Precision Ag Loan Program.3) Push the USDA to provide advanced cost share on the Emergency Conservation Program.4) Require reporting on lab-grown and plant-based protein labeling.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fischer Advances Additional $16 Million for Construction of Agricultural Research Service Facility at UNL

&nbsp; WASHINGTON ­–&nbsp;U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a&nbsp;member of the Senate&nbsp;Appropriations Committee,&nbsp;secured a total of&nbsp;$121.9 million for Nebraska&nbsp;military construction projects in&nbsp;the 2025&nbsp;Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Act.

The majority of the funding will go towards the planning and design of aircraft hangars, ramps, operations training facilities, supply storage, and a fire and rescue station at Offutt Air Force Base—required infrastructure for the Air Force’s new Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) program.

SAOC will eventually replace the Air Force’s current fleet of E-4Bs, highly specialized&nbsp;“doomsday” planes hosted by Offutt Air Force Base. E-4Bs, which serve as mobile command centers for senior government leaders in crisis scenarios, are rapidly aging and must be replaced. Senator Fischer secured this funding in the MilCon-VA bill to prepare Offutt Air Force Base to host the new versions of the E-4Bs.The Senate Appropriations Committee voted to advance the legislation today. It now heads to the full Senate for passage.

“Nebraska is the proud home of the Air Force’s ‘doomsday’ planes, which the president and other military leaders use for command and control of our armed forces during extreme crisis situations. My provision provides Offutt with key resources needed to host the next generation of these highly specialized aircraft,”&nbsp;said&nbsp;Senator Fischer.

Nebraska’s Military Construction Funding:1) $110 million appropriated to plan and design the necessary facilities to support the new Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) program.2) $6 million to plan and design a new building to consolidate Offutt Air Force Base’s educational functions, military support functions, and the DOD STEM-based STARBASE program.3) $5.9 million to expand available housing at the Greenlief Training Site in Adams County, NE.

Veterans Affairs (VA) Request:1) Urges the VA to purchase essential medical devices from U.S. manufacturers or allied trading partners and requests the VA to submit a report on ways to reduce dependency on Chinese medical devices while safeguarding against shortages.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Office of U.S. Senator Deb Fischer&nbsp; WASHINGTON ­–&nbsp;U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a&nbsp;member of the Senate&nbsp;Appropriations Committee,&nbsp;secured a total of&nbsp;$121.9 million for Nebraska&nbsp;military construction projects in&nbsp;the 2025&nbsp;Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Act.The majority of the funding will go towards the planning and design of aircraft hangars, ramps, operations training facilities, supply storage, and a fire and rescue station at Offutt Air Force Base—required infrastructure for the Air Force’s new Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) program.SAOC will eventually replace the Air Force’s current fleet of E-4Bs, highly specialized&nbsp;“doomsday” planes hosted by Offutt Air Force Base. E-4Bs, which serve as mobile command centers for senior government leaders in crisis scenarios, are rapidly aging and must be replaced. Senator Fischer secured this funding in the MilCon-VA bill to prepare Offutt Air Force Base to host the new versions of the E-4Bs.The Senate Appropriations Committee voted to advance the legislation today. It now heads to the full Senate for passage.“Nebraska is the proud home of the Air Force’s ‘doomsday’ planes, which the president and other military leaders use for command and control of our armed forces during extreme crisis situations. My provision provides Offutt with key resources needed to host the next generation of these highly specialized aircraft,”&nbsp;said&nbsp;Senator Fischer.Additional details on the Nebraska projects Senator Fischer secured are below.Nebraska’s Military Construction Funding:1) $110 million appropriated to plan and design the necessary facilities to support the new Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) program.2) $6 million to plan and design a new building to consolidate Offutt Air Force Base’s educational functions, military support functions, and the DOD STEM-based STARBASE program.3) $5.9 million to expand available housing at the Greenlief Training Site in Adams County, NE.Veterans Affairs (VA) Request:1) Urges the VA to purchase essential medical devices from U.S. manufacturers or allied trading partners and requests the VA to submit a report on ways to reduce dependency on Chinese medical devices while safeguarding against shortages.&nbsp;&nbsp;

 Fischer Secures $116 Million for Offutt Air Force Base

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/11/nine-apply-to-become-next-director-of-history-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN – Applicants to become the next director of the state historical society include a supervisor of Nebraska historical parks, the head of an Indiana agency that handles historic documents and the manager of an&nbsp;agricultural exhibit at the Nebraska State Fair.

The list of applicants obtained by the Nebraska Examiner also includes a former Lincoln City Council member, a state legislative fiscal analyst and a former History Nebraska librarian who had complained about the policies of the agency’s then-director, Trevor Jones.

One of the 10 applicants was listed in error – Rob Dump, publisher of a group of community newspapers based in Hartington, said he was seeking appointment to the History Nebraska Board of Trustees, and not the director’s job.

July 1 was the application deadline for the job of replacing Jones, who resigned two years ago after six years in the post.&nbsp;

He left the job with the intention of traveling in Europe, just prior to the release of a state audit that accused him of improperly misappropriating a private donation to the history agency.

Jones is now awaiting trial on a criminal charge of theft by deception in Lancaster County District Court.

Since Jones resigned, Jill Dolberg,&nbsp;who had headed History Nebraska’s historic preservation office, has served as interim director.

Dolberg was not among the list of applicants released by the Governor’s Office. Gov. Jim Pillen, under a law passed this spring by the Nebraska Legislature, will choose a new director.&nbsp;

Previously, the 14-member History Nebraska board of trustees picked the director, as it has since the agency was founded as the Nebraska State Historical Society 146 years ago.

But state lawmakers, citing the controversy surrounding Jones and a previous case involving an assistant director embezzling funds, voted to shift the agency from an independent entity to one under the supervision of the governor.

The job paid $164,800 a year when Jones quit. There is no timeline for selecting a new director, according to Pillen spokeswoman Laura Strimple, and the salary will be negotiated with the successful candidate.&nbsp;

One former trustee, Jim McKee of Lincoln, said he was surprised at the shortage of applicants for director and about how only one was from out of state.

He said there were about 35 applicants for the job when Jones was hired, and only one was from Nebraska. Jones came from Kentucky, where he was director of historical resources for the state’s historical society

McKee said he was not familiar with any of the applicants.&nbsp;

But one, Bob Hanover of Crab Orchard, reportedly had emerged as a leading candidate during a director’s search conducted by the History Nebraska board of trustees. That search process was abandoned earlier this year when it became clear that oversight of the agency and the hiring decision would be shifting to the governor.

Hanover, according to his resume, currently supervises the 10 historical parks operated by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and he has worked at federal and state historical parks in Utah. Recently, he served as chair of the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Board, which reviews and decides whether properties should be included on the National Register of Historic Places.

Another applicant in the history field and the lone out-of-state candidate is&nbsp;Chandler Lighty of Indianapolis, who is the director of the Indiana State Archives, the official repository of historical documents in that state.

Another applicant,&nbsp;Sarah Polak of Hastings, works for Nebraska Extension as experience coordinator of Raising Nebraska, an agriculture literacy exhibit at the Nebraska State Fairgrounds.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720717790968.jpeg" alt=" History Nebraska, formerly known as the Nebraska State Historical Society, is located just off the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus at 1500 R St. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> History Nebraska, formerly known as the Nebraska State Historical Society, is located just off the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus at 1500 R St. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/11/nine-apply-to-become-next-director-of-history-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN – Applicants to become the next director of the state historical society include a supervisor of Nebraska historical parks, the head of an Indiana agency that handles historic documents and the manager of an&nbsp;agricultural exhibit at the Nebraska State Fair.The list of applicants obtained by the Nebraska Examiner also includes a former Lincoln City Council member, a state legislative fiscal analyst and a former History Nebraska librarian who had complained about the policies of the agency’s then-director, Trevor Jones.One of the 10 applicants was listed in error – Rob Dump, publisher of a group of community newspapers based in Hartington, said he was seeking appointment to the History Nebraska Board of Trustees, and not the director’s job.July 1 was the application deadline for the job of replacing Jones, who resigned two years ago after six years in the post.&nbsp;He left the job with the intention of traveling in Europe, just prior to the release of a state audit that accused him of improperly misappropriating a private donation to the history agency.<h2>Charge of theft by deception</h2>Jones is now awaiting trial on a criminal charge of theft by deception in Lancaster County District Court.Since Jones resigned, Jill Dolberg,&nbsp;who had headed History Nebraska’s historic preservation office, has served as interim director.Dolberg was not among the list of applicants released by the Governor’s Office. Gov. Jim Pillen, under a law passed this spring by the Nebraska Legislature, will choose a new director.&nbsp;Previously, the 14-member History Nebraska board of trustees picked the director, as it has since the agency was founded as the Nebraska State Historical Society 146 years ago.But state lawmakers, citing the controversy surrounding Jones and a previous case involving an assistant director embezzling funds, voted to shift the agency from an independent entity to one under the supervision of the governor.The job paid $164,800 a year when Jones quit. There is no timeline for selecting a new director, according to Pillen spokeswoman Laura Strimple, and the salary will be negotiated with the successful candidate.&nbsp;One former trustee, Jim McKee of Lincoln, said he was surprised at the shortage of applicants for director and about how only one was from out of state.He said there were about 35 applicants for the job when Jones was hired, and only one was from Nebraska. Jones came from Kentucky, where he was director of historical resources for the state’s historical societyMcKee said he was not familiar with any of the applicants.&nbsp;But one, Bob Hanover of Crab Orchard, reportedly had emerged as a leading candidate during a director’s search conducted by the History Nebraska board of trustees. That search process was abandoned earlier this year when it became clear that oversight of the agency and the hiring decision would be shifting to the governor.<h2>Runs historical parks</h2>Hanover, according to his resume, currently supervises the 10 historical parks operated by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and he has worked at federal and state historical parks in Utah. Recently, he served as chair of the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Board, which reviews and decides whether properties should be included on the National Register of Historic Places.Another applicant in the history field and the lone out-of-state candidate is&nbsp;Chandler Lighty of Indianapolis, who is the director of the Indiana State Archives, the official repository of historical documents in that state.Another applicant,&nbsp;Sarah Polak of Hastings, works for Nebraska Extension as experience coordinator of Raising Nebraska, an agriculture literacy exhibit at the Nebraska State Fairgrounds.&nbsp;Others who applied are:<ul>
 <li>Scott Danigole of Eagle, a fiscal analyst for the Nebraska Legislature whose responsibilities have included the budget of History Nebraska.</li><li>Cindy Drake of Avoca, who served as a librarian for History Nebraska for more than 40 years.</li><li>Roy Christensen of Lincoln, a former Lincoln City Council member and audiologist who specializes in hearing aids.</li><li>Scott Clarke of Lincoln, owner of a business that designs museum displays.</li><li>Darren Ivy of Firth, owner/publisher of the Hickman Voice.</li><li>Kenneth Albin of Omaha.</li>
 </ul>

Nine apply to become next director of History Nebraska

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/09/k-12-funding-shift-from-property-taxes-would-be-multiyear-effort-nebraska-lawmakers-say/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Some Nebraska lawmakers working with Gov. Jim Pillen on property tax reforms this summer said Monday if lawmakers do move to take over most K-12 school funding, it would be a multiyear process.

A group of 17 lawmakers has been meeting with Pillen regularly since the Legislature adjourned in April. The governor has spoken publicly as those meetings have progressed. But senators confirmed to the Nebraska Examiner that many details remained to be ironed out before a special session&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/25/property-tax-special-session-likely-to-begin-july-25-speaker-arch-offers-schedule/">could begin July 25</a>.

The 17 lawmakers who have been part of the property tax working group discussions with Gov. Jim Pillen are State Sens. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, Eliot Bostar of Lincoln, Rob Clements of Elmwood, Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, George Dungan of Lincoln, Steve Erdman of Bayard, John Fredrickson of Omaha, Ben Hansen of Blair, Teresa Ibach of Sumner, Mike Jacobson of North Platte, Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, Mike McDonnell of Omaha, Fred Meyer of St. Paul, Dave Murman of Glenvil, Merv Riepe of Ralston and Brad von Gillern of Elkhorn.

Thirteen Republicans and four Democrats make up the working group for the officially nonpartisan Legislature. Three are from the 1st Congressional District while seven each are from the 2nd and 3rd Congressional Districts.

Among Pillen’s most ambitious ideas is the state assuming control of most local K-12 funding, the “operational” side of school funding. Property taxes would remain a “backstop” if approved by a vote of the people, including for&nbsp;<a href="https://revenue.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/pad/research/annual-reports/2023/annrpt2023%20table%2014.pdf" target="_blank">bonds</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://revenue.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/pad/research/annual-reports/2023/annrpt2023%20table%2013.pdf" target="_blank">two other funds</a>.

With school budgets already in motion for the upcoming school year, lawmakers who were briefed on the closed-door meetings said they would likely need to clean up the proposals, if enacted this year, in the 2025 legislative session.

The model would be similar to how the state began funding community colleges after 2023 legislation was passed. However, the state has six community colleges, which have tuition power, compared to 244 school districts, which don’t have such a funding option.

“I think the governor is committed to being a good dance partner for the schools, and he wants to fund them. That doesn’t mean the Legislature always will,” said State Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, a task force member. “But I will give him credit that I think he does want to.”

“We need to figure out what we can afford, keep some skin in the game, if you will, from the local property taxpayer, and let’s make sure that we get the right funding levels,” said State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte.

Many funding details of the joint proposal still need to be worked out, several senators said. That includes deciding which of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/10/everybodys-got-to-play-breaking-down-nebraskas-more-than-100-sales-tax-exemptions/">more than 120 sales tax exemptions</a>&nbsp;would be removed and which of various “sin” taxes, on alcohol, cigarettes and vaping, would be increased.

The “task force” of lawmakers had originally planned for Monday to be the group’s last meeting, but many said they had “homework” and would meet again at least once, likely July 22. That would be three days before Pillen&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/17/nebraska-gov-pillen-issues-save-the-date-for-special-session-on-property-taxes/">signaled</a>&nbsp;a special session would commence.

State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston said after Monday’s meeting that “we have work to do.” He&nbsp; said he has concerns about releasing a plan within five days of the special session, likely under the assumption it would be the final version.

“I just need time to digest it and, quite frankly, read it and study it and put it aside and then come back and read it again and study it,” Riepe said.

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn said she didn’t have concerns if a plan isn’t released until then as during a regular legislative session, bills are introduced and then sent for a hearing at least a week later. She also said Pillen has been sharing&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/24/gov-pillen-outlines-some-funding-levers-in-his-quest-to-lower-nebraska-property-taxes/">parts of the eventual proposal</a>&nbsp;publicly.

Jacobson said the task force set out to bring bold ideas and a framework to a special session and see whether a majority of lawmakers would agree to it.

“But I want to be clear that this is a working group and then what we bring forward is not ‘the plan,’ it is ‘a plan,’ ” Jacobson said.

State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston said she hopes Nebraskans will do their due diligence once the proposal is formally released and participate in public hearings, which are&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/25/property-tax-special-session-likely-to-begin-july-25-speaker-arch-offers-schedule/">tentatively slated to begin July 29</a>.

Throughout the summer, task force members have been asked to keep conversations private. Linehan confirmed they are at a point where they need to start talking with other senators, who agree high property taxes are pushing old people out of their homes and preventing young people from buying a home.

Linehan said the ideas would make a difference in a family’s monthly budget, pointing to an example of a the property tax portion of a monthly mortgage payment of $300, where a 60% reduction in property taxes would save about $180 each month.

“That’s a trip to the grocery store. And then, over a year of course, it’s enough that people would notice it,” Linehan said.

“I think if people realize you’re going to be saving, I don’t know, anywhere from $1,500 to thousands of dollars a year of property taxes, people will be willing to pay sales tax on things that aren’t essential,” Linehan continued.

DeBoer said Nebraskans will need to consider whether they are willing to pay more in sales taxes if property tax bills go down, even if they’re paying the same amount of taxes in the end.

“If it’s a wash, is that a wash they want?” DeBoer asked.

Jacobson said the state can’t continue to allow elected officials to have no limits on spending, though what that “cap” should be on additional property taxes year to year hasn’t been determined. Pillen has floated either keeping the amount of local property taxes each year flat during inflationary times or at a rate that increases as a measure of inflation.

Also to be determined are certain exceptions, Jacobson said, including how to account for real growth like building construction or land annexation, what happens if there is a declared emergency and funding for law enforcement or critical infrastructure.

Public votes could be used to override those increases, which Jacobson said should occur during regularly scheduled elections.

Albrecht, a former city council member from Papillion and former Sarpy County commissioner, said that spending is the key issue. She said there is urgency to act before she and at least 14 other lawmakers leave the Legislature this year, leaving a significant learning curve for the next Legislature.

Jacobson said school population growth is another factor that will need to be considered, including the number of students learning English as a second language and students with disabilities, similar to factors that currently help determine a school district’s level of state funding.

He pushed back on concerns that schools would lose local control because they would retain authority over curriculum, the hiring or firing of school leaders and school district policies.

“Local control is still about the local taxpayers having control, not necessarily the local boards having control of the tax dollars,” Jacobson said. “The local boards would have control over how the dollars are spent. That would not change.”

Jacobson said the proposal would be “EPIC light,” a nod to the ballot initiative that fell short in seeking to eliminate property, income and corporate taxes in place of a broad consumption tax.

State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, who led that petition effort, confirmed the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/03/epic-consumption-tax-nebraska-petition-falls-short-will-have-to-find-another-way/">EPIC model</a>&nbsp;will be introduced again this summer in the special session. He said the similarities between EPIC and the working group’s proposal end at a broad sales tax base.

“This broken system is not going to get fixed by anything that we’ve tried to do,” Erdman said, describing the working group’s discussions as open, fair and robust.

Erdman said that broadening the sales tax base has been needed for a long time and that it might be painful for some people. However, he said, if overall taxes are lowered, it will be valuable.

“But getting the public to, what shall I say, believe that we’re going to lower property tax will be the hard thing,” Erdman said, pointing to decades where lawmakers haven’t fixed the problem.

Pillen, in his monthly radio call-in show Monday afternoon, pushed back on criticism of his plan and reiterated that he’ll get the votes he needs in the special session. If there is a filibuster on any of the reform measures, the governor would need 33 of the Legislature’s 49 members.

“We’ll have the plan in black and white before the special session comes,” Pillen said. “It’s not going to be rocket science.”

He continues to face pushback from senators who are farmers and represent more agricultural communities and who are hesitant to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/07/agricultural-education-senators-push-back-on-some-of-gov-jim-pillens-property-tax-reforms/">taxing agricultural inputs</a>, or the raw materials used in directly producing a finished product.

Among those is State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner, who confirmed the group is still seeking solutions, but she said the governor wanted “transformational” ideas, and that’s what they’re working on.

Linehan said lawmakers still have to figure out the “how” of the ideas, which she said is “doable.” She agrees with Pillen that 33 votes can be achieved.

“We need a new way to fund schools, and we need to move away from property taxes and find a more equitable way to fund our schools and make sure that every kid in Nebraska, every kid, is getting treated well by the state,” Linehan said.

Erdman said determining whether a proposal has enough votes depends on the final version of the legislation.

Jacobson said multiple senators plan to bring their own proposals this summer, which he is encouraged by so the ideas can be combined so Nebraskans get meaningful tax reform.

“No one’s going to be happy with all the pieces of this plan, or any plan that will be ultimately adopted, but we all, I think, are going to have to take a look at the state as a whole and try to come up with a plan that is more equitable to everyone, no matter where you live and no matter what your income may be,” Jacobson said. “And that’s going to be challenging.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720709542428.jpeg" alt=" Gov. Jim Pillen addresses attendees at a property tax town hall in Plattsmouth on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Jim Pillen addresses attendees at a property tax town hall in Plattsmouth on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/09/k-12-funding-shift-from-property-taxes-would-be-multiyear-effort-nebraska-lawmakers-say/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Some Nebraska lawmakers working with Gov. Jim Pillen on property tax reforms this summer said Monday if lawmakers do move to take over most K-12 school funding, it would be a multiyear process.A group of 17 lawmakers has been meeting with Pillen regularly since the Legislature adjourned in April. The governor has spoken publicly as those meetings have progressed. But senators confirmed to the Nebraska Examiner that many details remained to be ironed out before a special session&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/25/property-tax-special-session-likely-to-begin-july-25-speaker-arch-offers-schedule/">could begin July 25</a>.<h2>‘Figure out what we can afford’</h2><h2>Property tax working group members</h2>The 17 lawmakers who have been part of the property tax working group discussions with Gov. Jim Pillen are State Sens. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, Eliot Bostar of Lincoln, Rob Clements of Elmwood, Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, George Dungan of Lincoln, Steve Erdman of Bayard, John Fredrickson of Omaha, Ben Hansen of Blair, Teresa Ibach of Sumner, Mike Jacobson of North Platte, Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, Mike McDonnell of Omaha, Fred Meyer of St. Paul, Dave Murman of Glenvil, Merv Riepe of Ralston and Brad von Gillern of Elkhorn.Thirteen Republicans and four Democrats make up the working group for the officially nonpartisan Legislature. Three are from the 1st Congressional District while seven each are from the 2nd and 3rd Congressional Districts.Among Pillen’s most ambitious ideas is the state assuming control of most local K-12 funding, the “operational” side of school funding. Property taxes would remain a “backstop” if approved by a vote of the people, including for&nbsp;<a href="https://revenue.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/pad/research/annual-reports/2023/annrpt2023%20table%2014.pdf" target="_blank">bonds</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://revenue.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/pad/research/annual-reports/2023/annrpt2023%20table%2013.pdf" target="_blank">two other funds</a>.With school budgets already in motion for the upcoming school year, lawmakers who were briefed on the closed-door meetings said they would likely need to clean up the proposals, if enacted this year, in the 2025 legislative session.The model would be similar to how the state began funding community colleges after 2023 legislation was passed. However, the state has six community colleges, which have tuition power, compared to 244 school districts, which don’t have such a funding option.“I think the governor is committed to being a good dance partner for the schools, and he wants to fund them. That doesn’t mean the Legislature always will,” said State Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, a task force member. “But I will give him credit that I think he does want to.”“We need to figure out what we can afford, keep some skin in the game, if you will, from the local property taxpayer, and let’s make sure that we get the right funding levels,” said State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte.Many funding details of the joint proposal still need to be worked out, several senators said. That includes deciding which of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/10/everybodys-got-to-play-breaking-down-nebraskas-more-than-100-sales-tax-exemptions/">more than 120 sales tax exemptions</a>&nbsp;would be removed and which of various “sin” taxes, on alcohol, cigarettes and vaping, would be increased.<h2>Final product is not ‘the plan’</h2>The “task force” of lawmakers had originally planned for Monday to be the group’s last meeting, but many said they had “homework” and would meet again at least once, likely July 22. That would be three days before Pillen&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/17/nebraska-gov-pillen-issues-save-the-date-for-special-session-on-property-taxes/">signaled</a>&nbsp;a special session would commence.State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston said after Monday’s meeting that “we have work to do.” He&nbsp; said he has concerns about releasing a plan within five days of the special session, likely under the assumption it would be the final version.“I just need time to digest it and, quite frankly, read it and study it and put it aside and then come back and read it again and study it,” Riepe said.State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn said she didn’t have concerns if a plan isn’t released until then as during a regular legislative session, bills are introduced and then sent for a hearing at least a week later. She also said Pillen has been sharing&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/24/gov-pillen-outlines-some-funding-levers-in-his-quest-to-lower-nebraska-property-taxes/">parts of the eventual proposal</a>&nbsp;publicly.Jacobson said the task force set out to bring bold ideas and a framework to a special session and see whether a majority of lawmakers would agree to it.“But I want to be clear that this is a working group and then what we bring forward is not ‘the plan,’ it is ‘a plan,’ ” Jacobson said.State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston said she hopes Nebraskans will do their due diligence once the proposal is formally released and participate in public hearings, which are&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/25/property-tax-special-session-likely-to-begin-july-25-speaker-arch-offers-schedule/">tentatively slated to begin July 29</a>.<h2>Monthly tax savings or a ‘wash’?</h2>Throughout the summer, task force members have been asked to keep conversations private. Linehan confirmed they are at a point where they need to start talking with other senators, who agree high property taxes are pushing old people out of their homes and preventing young people from buying a home.Linehan said the ideas would make a difference in a family’s monthly budget, pointing to an example of a the property tax portion of a monthly mortgage payment of $300, where a 60% reduction in property taxes would save about $180 each month.“That’s a trip to the grocery store. And then, over a year of course, it’s enough that people would notice it,” Linehan said.“I think if people realize you’re going to be saving, I don’t know, anywhere from $1,500 to thousands of dollars a year of property taxes, people will be willing to pay sales tax on things that aren’t essential,” Linehan continued.DeBoer said Nebraskans will need to consider whether they are willing to pay more in sales taxes if property tax bills go down, even if they’re paying the same amount of taxes in the end.“If it’s a wash, is that a wash they want?” DeBoer asked.<h2>Spending as key focus</h2>Jacobson said the state can’t continue to allow elected officials to have no limits on spending, though what that “cap” should be on additional property taxes year to year hasn’t been determined. Pillen has floated either keeping the amount of local property taxes each year flat during inflationary times or at a rate that increases as a measure of inflation.Also to be determined are certain exceptions, Jacobson said, including how to account for real growth like building construction or land annexation, what happens if there is a declared emergency and funding for law enforcement or critical infrastructure.Public votes could be used to override those increases, which Jacobson said should occur during regularly scheduled elections.Albrecht, a former city council member from Papillion and former Sarpy County commissioner, said that spending is the key issue. She said there is urgency to act before she and at least 14 other lawmakers leave the Legislature this year, leaving a significant learning curve for the next Legislature.Jacobson said school population growth is another factor that will need to be considered, including the number of students learning English as a second language and students with disabilities, similar to factors that currently help determine a school district’s level of state funding.He pushed back on concerns that schools would lose local control because they would retain authority over curriculum, the hiring or firing of school leaders and school district policies.“Local control is still about the local taxpayers having control, not necessarily the local boards having control of the tax dollars,” Jacobson said. “The local boards would have control over how the dollars are spent. That would not change.”<h2>‘EPIC light’</h2>Jacobson said the proposal would be “EPIC light,” a nod to the ballot initiative that fell short in seeking to eliminate property, income and corporate taxes in place of a broad consumption tax.State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, who led that petition effort, confirmed the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/03/epic-consumption-tax-nebraska-petition-falls-short-will-have-to-find-another-way/">EPIC model</a>&nbsp;will be introduced again this summer in the special session. He said the similarities between EPIC and the working group’s proposal end at a broad sales tax base.“This broken system is not going to get fixed by anything that we’ve tried to do,” Erdman said, describing the working group’s discussions as open, fair and robust.Erdman said that broadening the sales tax base has been needed for a long time and that it might be painful for some people. However, he said, if overall taxes are lowered, it will be valuable.“But getting the public to, what shall I say, believe that we’re going to lower property tax will be the hard thing,” Erdman said, pointing to decades where lawmakers haven’t fixed the problem.<h2>Finding enough votes ‘doable’</h2>Pillen, in his monthly radio call-in show Monday afternoon, pushed back on criticism of his plan and reiterated that he’ll get the votes he needs in the special session. If there is a filibuster on any of the reform measures, the governor would need 33 of the Legislature’s 49 members.“We’ll have the plan in black and white before the special session comes,” Pillen said. “It’s not going to be rocket science.”He continues to face pushback from senators who are farmers and represent more agricultural communities and who are hesitant to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/07/agricultural-education-senators-push-back-on-some-of-gov-jim-pillens-property-tax-reforms/">taxing agricultural inputs</a>, or the raw materials used in directly producing a finished product.Among those is State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner, who confirmed the group is still seeking solutions, but she said the governor wanted “transformational” ideas, and that’s what they’re working on.Linehan said lawmakers still have to figure out the “how” of the ideas, which she said is “doable.” She agrees with Pillen that 33 votes can be achieved.“We need a new way to fund schools, and we need to move away from property taxes and find a more equitable way to fund our schools and make sure that every kid in Nebraska, every kid, is getting treated well by the state,” Linehan said.Erdman said determining whether a proposal has enough votes depends on the final version of the legislation.Jacobson said multiple senators plan to bring their own proposals this summer, which he is encouraged by so the ideas can be combined so Nebraskans get meaningful tax reform.“No one’s going to be happy with all the pieces of this plan, or any plan that will be ultimately adopted, but we all, I think, are going to have to take a look at the state as a whole and try to come up with a plan that is more equitable to everyone, no matter where you live and no matter what your income may be,” Jacobson said. “And that’s going to be challenging.”

K-12 funding shift from property taxes would be multiyear effort, Nebraska lawmakers say

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating an injury crash have made an arrest.

On July 2,&nbsp;&nbsp;Brown County Deputies responded to a report of an injury accident in the vicinity of U.S. 73 Highway near 220th, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

Upon conclusion of the accident investigation, it was determined that&nbsp; 38-year-old William Bundy of Bellevue, Nebraska who was driving a 2024 Dodge pickup crossed the center line and struck a 2014 KIA Optima.&nbsp;

 Both drivers were taken to Amberwell by ambulance with non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp; 

On Wednesday, Merchant reported deputies arrested Bundy on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Assault of&nbsp; a Law Enforcement Officer, Obstruction, DUI, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Opiate and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720643967190.png" alt="Bundy photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Bundy photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating an injury crash have made an arrest.On July 2,&nbsp;&nbsp;Brown County Deputies responded to a report of an injury accident in the vicinity of U.S. 73 Highway near 220th, according to Sheriff John Merchant.Upon conclusion of the accident investigation, it was determined that&nbsp; 38-year-old William Bundy of Bellevue, Nebraska who was driving a 2024 Dodge pickup crossed the center line and struck a 2014 KIA Optima.&nbsp; Both drivers were taken to Amberwell by ambulance with non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp; On Wednesday, Merchant reported deputies arrested Bundy on requested charges of Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Assault of&nbsp; a Law Enforcement Officer, Obstruction, DUI, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Opiate and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Nebraska man arrested after investigation of 2-vehicle Kan. crash

FBI Omaha and the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit are urging people to take notice when their friends, family, classmates, and coworkers show disturbing signs they may be on a “pathway to violence.”&nbsp;

Drawing on years of research on targeted violence and mass shooters—to include the mass shooting in &nbsp;Uvalde, Texas, in 2022 in which 19 elementary school students and two teachers were killed—the FBI &nbsp;unit best known for its “profilers” is asking people to confide in someone they trust or respect when they &nbsp;see behaviors they think are concerning. Too often, the signs are ignored or dismissed because they are &nbsp;not recognized as potentially dangerous, or observers will directly confront the person they are concerned &nbsp;about, believing that alone will be enough to defuse concerning behaviors.&nbsp;

“Parents and family, loved ones and friends are most likely to observe concerning behaviors. Mass &nbsp;shooters don’t snap. They spend time planning and preparing for their attacks, which offers opportunities &nbsp;for intervention and prevention,” said FBI Omaha Special Agent in Eugene Kowel. “Educating our &nbsp;communities on how to recognize behaviors, identify a threat and report it is critically important to &nbsp;preventing a tragedy.”&nbsp;

“Our goal is to get bystanders, who are the most important part of the prevention cycle, to be able to &nbsp;consistently identify concerning behaviors that are backed by research and experience,” said Taylor Cilke, &nbsp;a crime analyst in the unit of BAU that studies threats. BAU resides in the FBI’s Critical Incident &nbsp;Response Group and is part of the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, which was &nbsp;established in 1984 to develop strategies to combat serial and violent crimes.&nbsp;

“In order to prevent a threat, we have to identify it, and we have to assess it, and then we have to take &nbsp;steps to manage it,” Cilke said. “The hardest part is that identification piece. And that’s where the public &nbsp;and potential bystanders can really help us empower our communities and force-multiply our work. But if &nbsp;we never identify the threat, we can't assess and manage it.”&nbsp;

To that end, BAU has launched a Prevent Mass Violence campaign that includes a new webpage and &nbsp;brochures containing tips and strategies to help potential bystanders understand what types of behaviors &nbsp;may be concerning and ways to respond. “The most important thing is to tell someone,” the webpage &nbsp;says. That may not necessarily mean law enforcement; it could be a school administrator, employee &nbsp;assistance peer, a boss, or someone else you trust.

“We’ve seen time and again that there are noticeable, observable behaviors,” said Brad Hentschel, a &nbsp;supervisory special agent in BAU, pointing to nearly three decades of academic research, along with &nbsp;BAU’s findings from studying mass violence events. “Mass shooters don't just snap. Recognizing and &nbsp;reporting the warning signs of someone thinking about and preparing for violence can be lifesaving.”&nbsp;

According to BAU, some concerning behaviors may include:&nbsp;

▪ Comments, jokes, or threats about violent plans&nbsp;

▪ Repeated or detailed fantasies about violence&nbsp;

▪ Comments about hurting themselves or others&nbsp;

▪ Creating a document, video, suicide note, or other item to explain or claim credit for future &nbsp;violence&nbsp;

▪ Seeing violence as a way to solve their problems&nbsp;

▪ Unusual difficulty coping with stress&nbsp;

▪ Increasing isolation from family, friends, or others&nbsp;

▪ Angry outbursts or physical aggression&nbsp;

▪ Obsessive interest in prior attackers or attacks&nbsp;

▪ Changing vocabulary, style of speech, or how they act in a way that reflects a hardened point of &nbsp;view or new sense of purpose associated with violent extremist causes&nbsp;

Last spring, as the one-year anniversary of the Uvalde shootings approached, BAU developed and &nbsp;distributed brochures related to preventing mass violence. BAU-trained special agents who serve as threat &nbsp;management coordinators in their field offices and provided the brochures to school administrators, &nbsp;mental health providers, and the human resource departments of companies in their regions. These &nbsp;resources are meant to help communities identify concerning behaviors and take action to get help— before violence is imminent.&nbsp;

For a more comprehensive list of concerning behaviors, to include brochures—along with resources and &nbsp;research about targeted violence—please visit the new webpage at www.fbi.gov/prevent. The webpage &nbsp;and all the supporting information are provided to encourage the public to “be the key to preventing &nbsp;violence by talking to someone you trust.”&nbsp;

FBI Omaha Field OfficeFBI Omaha and the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit are urging people to take notice when their friends, family, classmates, and coworkers show disturbing signs they may be on a “pathway to violence.”&nbsp;Drawing on years of research on targeted violence and mass shooters—to include the mass shooting in &nbsp;Uvalde, Texas, in 2022 in which 19 elementary school students and two teachers were killed—the FBI &nbsp;unit best known for its “profilers” is asking people to confide in someone they trust or respect when they &nbsp;see behaviors they think are concerning. Too often, the signs are ignored or dismissed because they are &nbsp;not recognized as potentially dangerous, or observers will directly confront the person they are concerned &nbsp;about, believing that alone will be enough to defuse concerning behaviors.&nbsp;“Parents and family, loved ones and friends are most likely to observe concerning behaviors. Mass &nbsp;shooters don’t snap. They spend time planning and preparing for their attacks, which offers opportunities &nbsp;for intervention and prevention,” said FBI Omaha Special Agent in Eugene Kowel. “Educating our &nbsp;communities on how to recognize behaviors, identify a threat and report it is critically important to &nbsp;preventing a tragedy.”&nbsp;“Our goal is to get bystanders, who are the most important part of the prevention cycle, to be able to &nbsp;consistently identify concerning behaviors that are backed by research and experience,” said Taylor Cilke, &nbsp;a crime analyst in the unit of BAU that studies threats. BAU resides in the FBI’s Critical Incident &nbsp;Response Group and is part of the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, which was &nbsp;established in 1984 to develop strategies to combat serial and violent crimes.&nbsp;“In order to prevent a threat, we have to identify it, and we have to assess it, and then we have to take &nbsp;steps to manage it,” Cilke said. “The hardest part is that identification piece. And that’s where the public &nbsp;and potential bystanders can really help us empower our communities and force-multiply our work. But if &nbsp;we never identify the threat, we can't assess and manage it.”&nbsp;To that end, BAU has launched a Prevent Mass Violence campaign that includes a new webpage and &nbsp;brochures containing tips and strategies to help potential bystanders understand what types of behaviors &nbsp;may be concerning and ways to respond. “The most important thing is to tell someone,” the webpage &nbsp;says. That may not necessarily mean law enforcement; it could be a school administrator, employee &nbsp;assistance peer, a boss, or someone else you trust.“We’ve seen time and again that there are noticeable, observable behaviors,” said Brad Hentschel, a &nbsp;supervisory special agent in BAU, pointing to nearly three decades of academic research, along with &nbsp;BAU’s findings from studying mass violence events. “Mass shooters don't just snap. Recognizing and &nbsp;reporting the warning signs of someone thinking about and preparing for violence can be lifesaving.”&nbsp;According to BAU, some concerning behaviors may include:&nbsp;▪ Comments, jokes, or threats about violent plans&nbsp;▪ Repeated or detailed fantasies about violence&nbsp;▪ Comments about hurting themselves or others&nbsp;▪ Creating a document, video, suicide note, or other item to explain or claim credit for future &nbsp;violence&nbsp;▪ Seeing violence as a way to solve their problems&nbsp;▪ Unusual difficulty coping with stress&nbsp;▪ Increasing isolation from family, friends, or others&nbsp;▪ Angry outbursts or physical aggression&nbsp;▪ Obsessive interest in prior attackers or attacks&nbsp;▪ Changing vocabulary, style of speech, or how they act in a way that reflects a hardened point of &nbsp;view or new sense of purpose associated with violent extremist causes&nbsp;Last spring, as the one-year anniversary of the Uvalde shootings approached, BAU developed and &nbsp;distributed brochures related to preventing mass violence. BAU-trained special agents who serve as threat &nbsp;management coordinators in their field offices and provided the brochures to school administrators, &nbsp;mental health providers, and the human resource departments of companies in their regions. These &nbsp;resources are meant to help communities identify concerning behaviors and take action to get help— before violence is imminent.&nbsp;For a more comprehensive list of concerning behaviors, to include brochures—along with resources and &nbsp;research about targeted violence—please visit the new webpage at www.fbi.gov/prevent. The webpage &nbsp;and all the supporting information are provided to encourage the public to “be the key to preventing &nbsp;violence by talking to someone you trust.”&nbsp;

FBI Launches Prevent Mass Violence Campaign 

JULY 10, 2024 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol removed from the road 29 impaired drivers during the Independence Day weekend.

“Nebraska roadways were busy over the 4th&nbsp;of July weekend,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “While our troopers were busy on patrol, the vast majority of drivers were making good driving decisions and doing their part to keep the roads safe. As the summer continues, we urge all drivers to watch their speed, wear their seat belt, put their phone down, and always drive sober.”

In addition to the 29 arrests for driving under the influence, troopers issued citations for speeding (592), driving under suspension (32), open alcohol container (16), no seat belt (18), improper child restraint (12), and minor in possession of alcohol (10). Troopers also assisted 172 motorists in need of help on Nebraska roadways.

This effort was made possible thanks in part to grant funding from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office. The campaign ran from July 3 – July 7.

Cody ThomasNebraska State PatrolJULY 10, 2024 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol removed from the road 29 impaired drivers during the Independence Day weekend.“Nebraska roadways were busy over the 4th&nbsp;of July weekend,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “While our troopers were busy on patrol, the vast majority of drivers were making good driving decisions and doing their part to keep the roads safe. As the summer continues, we urge all drivers to watch their speed, wear their seat belt, put their phone down, and always drive sober.”In addition to the 29 arrests for driving under the influence, troopers issued citations for speeding (592), driving under suspension (32), open alcohol container (16), no seat belt (18), improper child restraint (12), and minor in possession of alcohol (10). Troopers also assisted 172 motorists in need of help on Nebraska roadways.This effort was made possible thanks in part to grant funding from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office. The campaign ran from July 3 – July 7.

Troopers Make 29 DUI Arrests During Holiday Weekend Campaign

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen announced that Tom Riley, director of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be leaving his position with the state and transitioning back to the private sector. Riley’s last day with the agency will be Aug. 2.

“I appreciate Director Riley’s public service to the state, and I wish him the best in all future endeavors,” said Gov. Pillen. Riley was appointed director of DNR in November 2020.

Further determinations about interim leadership and the pending appointment of an agency director will be announced at a future date.

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen announced that Tom Riley, director of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be leaving his position with the state and transitioning back to the private sector. Riley’s last day with the agency will be Aug. 2.“I appreciate Director Riley’s public service to the state, and I wish him the best in all future endeavors,” said Gov. Pillen. Riley was appointed director of DNR in November 2020.Further determinations about interim leadership and the pending appointment of an agency director will be announced at a future date.

DNR Director Riley Announces Departure from State Government

Office of U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE)&nbsp;urged eligible&nbsp;Nebraskans to apply for FEMA disaster assistance&nbsp;before the&nbsp;deadline July 15, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.

“I urge all eligible Nebraskans affected by April’s storm to apply for federal financial assistance before the deadline next week,”&nbsp;said Senator Ricketts.&nbsp;“My team and I are here to offer any necessary assistance as our communities recover and rebuild from the severe storms.”

Nebraskans in Douglas and Washington counties who were affected by the severe storms and tornadoes that occurred on April 25-27, 2024 are eligible to apply for FEMA disaster assistance.

Office of U.S. Senator Pete RickettsWASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE)&nbsp;urged eligible&nbsp;Nebraskans to apply for FEMA disaster assistance&nbsp;before the&nbsp;deadline July 15, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.“I urge all eligible Nebraskans affected by April’s storm to apply for federal financial assistance before the deadline next week,”&nbsp;said Senator Ricketts.&nbsp;“My team and I are here to offer any necessary assistance as our communities recover and rebuild from the severe storms.”Nebraskans in Douglas and Washington counties who were affected by the severe storms and tornadoes that occurred on April 25-27, 2024 are eligible to apply for FEMA disaster assistance.To apply, individuals can:<ul>
 <li>Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.disasterassistance.gov/">DisasterAssistance.gov</a></li><li>Call FEMA directly at 800-621-FEMA (3362)</li><li>Download and use the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fema.gov/about/news-multimedia/mobile-products">FEMA app</a></li><li>Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service. For an accessible video on three ways to apply for FEMA assistance, visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU7wzRjByhI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU7wzRjByhI</a></li>
 </ul>

Ricketts Urges Nebraskans Impacted by April Tornadoes to Apply for FEMA Relief Before Deadline

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/09/state-files-complaint-against-windstream-after-investigating-nebraska-911-outages/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The 911 outages that slammed eastern Nebraska in late 2023 and early 2024 led the Nebraska Public Service Commission this month to file a formal complaint against Windstream, the telecommunications company whose systems failed.&nbsp;

The commission’s monthslong investigation, which included testimony from 911 center directors, Windstream representatives and state emergency responders, found that the company might have violated state regulations, Chairman Dan Watermeier said.

“The complaint provides the commission the ability to hold the carrier accountable through punitive actions,” Watermeier said in a statement issued Tuesday about three major disruptions of 911 service over the past year.

Those disruptions, which occurred on Sept. 2-3, Nov. 28 and Jan. 13, spurred calls from the PSC&nbsp;and state lawmakers for possible changes, including&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/20/legislative-committee-considers-bills-to-boost-nebraskas-911-system-add-transparency/">proposed legislation</a>&nbsp;aimed at speeding up the state’s public hearings on 911 outages.

The PSC is Nebraska’s catch-all regulator. Its duties include regulating emergency communications, including 911 service, and helping first responders communicate across radio systems.

Windstream’s troubles in providing stable 911 service in Nebraska trace to Aug. 28, when a contractor working for a third party accidentally&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/06/agency-assures-state-senators-that-finding-the-cause-of-911-outages-is-top-priority/">struck a City of Lincoln sprinkler line</a>&nbsp;buried along Centennial Mall, the commission’s documents show.

A resulting leak into a transformer room at Windstream’s Lincoln facility at 1440 M St. sparked a fire and “small explosion” that shorted out a grounding wire. This killed the power and forced systems used by the 911 centers onto a backup generator.&nbsp;

But much of&nbsp;<a href="https://psc.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/Department%20Complaint%20911-078%20DC-104%20C-5596.pdf" target="_blank">the commission’s complaint</a>&nbsp;focused on what happened 13 hours later, when the company’s backup generator failed and ate through six hours of battery backup. That stranded 911 callers in roughly 17 of 20 911 centers in southeast Nebraska.

Then in November and January, separate problems with internet network instability isolated Windstream’s Lincoln office and required a restart that left Lincoln’s 911 center down for nearly an hour and several others out for up to two hours.

At one point during testimony, David Sankey, director of the PSC division that handles emergency communications, said the outages left 911 calls disrupted across much of southeast Nebraska. He called it a critical failure.

Sankey also said Windstream failed to notify the state of the November outage within 14 days, as regulations require.

The PSC found that Windstream had not done enough work to prepare, including proper testing of backup systems for power, network switching, redundancy and more, according to the complaint that identified possible regulatory violations.

Windstream’s representative who testified before the PSC, Brad Hedrick, oversees operations in a five-state area that includes Nebraska. He said Windstream has since contracted out for backup services, including generators and power and network switches.

The company said it has also redesigned its network to reduce the chances of single points of failure, boost the system’s redundancies and improve its reliability. It’s also worked to boost the number of “selective routers” handling 911 traffic, Hedrick said.

Scott Morris, a spokesman for Windstream, shared a statement Tuesday with the Examiner saying, “Windstream is committed to being a reliable communications provider to Nebraskans, and we will continue to work with the commission on this matter.”&nbsp;

The PSC complaint has been served to Windstream. A public hearing will follow, and Windstream can respond. The PSC will issue a decision after.

Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/09/state-files-complaint-against-windstream-after-investigating-nebraska-911-outages/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The 911 outages that slammed eastern Nebraska in late 2023 and early 2024 led the Nebraska Public Service Commission this month to file a formal complaint against Windstream, the telecommunications company whose systems failed.&nbsp;The commission’s monthslong investigation, which included testimony from 911 center directors, Windstream representatives and state emergency responders, found that the company might have violated state regulations, Chairman Dan Watermeier said.“The complaint provides the commission the ability to hold the carrier accountable through punitive actions,” Watermeier said in a statement issued Tuesday about three major disruptions of 911 service over the past year.<h2>Outages fueled response</h2>Those disruptions, which occurred on Sept. 2-3, Nov. 28 and Jan. 13, spurred calls from the PSC&nbsp;and state lawmakers for possible changes, including&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/20/legislative-committee-considers-bills-to-boost-nebraskas-911-system-add-transparency/">proposed legislation</a>&nbsp;aimed at speeding up the state’s public hearings on 911 outages.The PSC is Nebraska’s catch-all regulator. Its duties include regulating emergency communications, including 911 service, and helping first responders communicate across radio systems.Windstream’s troubles in providing stable 911 service in Nebraska trace to Aug. 28, when a contractor working for a third party accidentally&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/06/agency-assures-state-senators-that-finding-the-cause-of-911-outages-is-top-priority/">struck a City of Lincoln sprinkler line</a>&nbsp;buried along Centennial Mall, the commission’s documents show.A resulting leak into a transformer room at Windstream’s Lincoln facility at 1440 M St. sparked a fire and “small explosion” that shorted out a grounding wire. This killed the power and forced systems used by the 911 centers onto a backup generator.&nbsp;<h2>What happened after leak is key</h2>But much of&nbsp;<a href="https://psc.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/Department%20Complaint%20911-078%20DC-104%20C-5596.pdf" target="_blank">the commission’s complaint</a>&nbsp;focused on what happened 13 hours later, when the company’s backup generator failed and ate through six hours of battery backup. That stranded 911 callers in roughly 17 of 20 911 centers in southeast Nebraska.Then in November and January, separate problems with internet network instability isolated Windstream’s Lincoln office and required a restart that left Lincoln’s 911 center down for nearly an hour and several others out for up to two hours.At one point during testimony, David Sankey, director of the PSC division that handles emergency communications, said the outages left 911 calls disrupted across much of southeast Nebraska. He called it a critical failure.Sankey also said Windstream failed to notify the state of the November outage within 14 days, as regulations require.The PSC found that Windstream had not done enough work to prepare, including proper testing of backup systems for power, network switching, redundancy and more, according to the complaint that identified possible regulatory violations.<h2>Company responds</h2>Windstream’s representative who testified before the PSC, Brad Hedrick, oversees operations in a five-state area that includes Nebraska. He said Windstream has since contracted out for backup services, including generators and power and network switches.The company said it has also redesigned its network to reduce the chances of single points of failure, boost the system’s redundancies and improve its reliability. It’s also worked to boost the number of “selective routers” handling 911 traffic, Hedrick said.Scott Morris, a spokesman for Windstream, shared a statement Tuesday with the Examiner saying, “Windstream is committed to being a reliable communications provider to Nebraskans, and we will continue to work with the commission on this matter.”&nbsp;The PSC complaint has been served to Windstream. A public hearing will follow, and Windstream can respond. The PSC will issue a decision after.

State files complaint against Windstream after investigating Nebraska 911 outages

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said NATO “is more powerful than ever” in remarks Tuesday to honor the 75th anniversary of the alliance and reaffirm allied support for Ukraine one day after Russian missile strikes on a children’s hospital&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/07/08/nx-s1-5033075/russia-ukraine-war-missile-strike-childrens-hospital-kyiv" target="_blank">killed</a>&nbsp;dozens in Kyiv.

Biden spoke at the annual North American Treaty Organization’s summit happening this week in Washington, D.C., where the 12 original member nations signed the Washington Treaty in 1949.

Heads of state fanned out across Washington, visiting lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson Wednesday afternoon. Ukraine is not one of the 32 NATO member nations, but the country is in discussions to join and the alliance has sided with Ukraine in its war with Russia.

“It’s a pleasure to host you all in this milestone year, to look back with pride on all we’ve achieved and look ahead to our shared future with strength and resolve,” Biden said during the opening ceremony.

Biden’s 15-minute address came after a dozen days of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/texas-us-house-member-calls-biden-withdraw-amid-debate-fallout" target="_blank">near</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/congressional-dems-urge-more-robust-biden-campaign-trail-few-openly-revolt" target="_blank">constant</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/united-their-objections-trump-congressional-dems-largely-close-ranks-behind-biden" target="_blank">focus</a>&nbsp;on his health and mental acuity after he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/golf-abortion-jan-6-and-felonies-biden-and-trumps-memorable-debate-moments" target="_blank">flubbed</a>&nbsp;his June 27 presidential debate performance against former President Donald Trump, whose criticism of NATO is well documented.

Biden spoke forcefully about the alliance’s history from the stage in the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, where world leaders and hundreds of dignitaries from NATO’s 32 member nations gathered, joined by other partner nations.

“Together we rebuilt Europe from the ruins of war, held high the torch of liberty during long decades of the Cold War. When former adversaries became fellow democracies, we welcomed them into the alliance,” Biden said.

“When war broke out in the Balkans, we intervened to restore peace and stop ethnic cleansing,” Bidden added. “When the United States was attacked on September 11, our NATO allies, all of you, stood with us, invoking Article Five for the first time in NATO history, treating an attack on us as an attack on all of us. A breathtaking display of friendship that the American people will never, ever, ever forget.”

Biden used the remarks to announce a joint package of air defense systems for Ukraine in conjunction with Germany, Romania, the Netherlands and Italy. The package is expected to include donations of advanced missile launching systems known as Patriot batteries as well as other equipment, according to a joint statement issued by the White House shortly after Biden’s speech.

Biden described Russian President Vladimir Putin as NATO’s primary antagonist.

He praised the alliance for moving “swiftly” after Putin further invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and said “the war will end with Ukraine remaining a free and independent country.” Putin previously annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula by force in 2014.

“Before this war, Putin thought NATO was going to break. Today, NATO is stronger than it’s ever been in its history,” Biden declared.

Biden concluded the ceremony by honoring NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said NATO “is more powerful than ever” in remarks Tuesday to honor the 75th anniversary of the alliance and reaffirm allied support for Ukraine one day after Russian missile strikes on a children’s hospital&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/07/08/nx-s1-5033075/russia-ukraine-war-missile-strike-childrens-hospital-kyiv" target="_blank">killed</a>&nbsp;dozens in Kyiv.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden: &quot;Today, NATO is stronger than it&#39;s ever been in its history.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/EhgUZP5x1V">pic.twitter.com/EhgUZP5x1V</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1810803125348958208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden spoke at the annual North American Treaty Organization’s summit happening this week in Washington, D.C., where the 12 original member nations signed the Washington Treaty in 1949.Heads of state fanned out across Washington, visiting lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson Wednesday afternoon. Ukraine is not one of the 32 NATO member nations, but the country is in discussions to join and the alliance has sided with Ukraine in its war with Russia.“It’s a pleasure to host you all in this milestone year, to look back with pride on all we’ve achieved and look ahead to our shared future with strength and resolve,” Biden said during the opening ceremony.Biden’s 15-minute address came after a dozen days of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/texas-us-house-member-calls-biden-withdraw-amid-debate-fallout" target="_blank">near</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/congressional-dems-urge-more-robust-biden-campaign-trail-few-openly-revolt" target="_blank">constant</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/united-their-objections-trump-congressional-dems-largely-close-ranks-behind-biden" target="_blank">focus</a>&nbsp;on his health and mental acuity after he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/golf-abortion-jan-6-and-felonies-biden-and-trumps-memorable-debate-moments" target="_blank">flubbed</a>&nbsp;his June 27 presidential debate performance against former President Donald Trump, whose criticism of NATO is well documented.Biden spoke forcefully about the alliance’s history from the stage in the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, where world leaders and hundreds of dignitaries from NATO’s 32 member nations gathered, joined by other partner nations.“Together we rebuilt Europe from the ruins of war, held high the torch of liberty during long decades of the Cold War. When former adversaries became fellow democracies, we welcomed them into the alliance,” Biden said.“When war broke out in the Balkans, we intervened to restore peace and stop ethnic cleansing,” Bidden added. “When the United States was attacked on September 11, our NATO allies, all of you, stood with us, invoking Article Five for the first time in NATO history, treating an attack on us as an attack on all of us. A breathtaking display of friendship that the American people will never, ever, ever forget.”<h2>Military aid</h2>Biden used the remarks to announce a joint package of air defense systems for Ukraine in conjunction with Germany, Romania, the Netherlands and Italy. The package is expected to include donations of advanced missile launching systems known as Patriot batteries as well as other equipment, according to a joint statement issued by the White House shortly after Biden’s speech.Biden described Russian President Vladimir Putin as NATO’s primary antagonist.He praised the alliance for moving “swiftly” after Putin further invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and said “the war will end with Ukraine remaining a free and independent country.” Putin previously annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula by force in 2014.“Before this war, Putin thought NATO was going to break. Today, NATO is stronger than it’s ever been in its history,” Biden declared.Biden concluded the ceremony by honoring NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S.

🎥Biden commends NATO strength, pledges more aid for Ukraine 

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/09/ne-audit-of-dhhs-child-care-subsidy-program-exposes-as-much-as-12-8m-in-improper-payments/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;A new probe of Nebraska’s child care assistance program has uncovered what the state auditor calls rampant abuses that led to as much as $12.8 million in improper payments to child care providers.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2024/SA2514-07082024-July_1_2023_Through_March_31_2024_Attestation_Report.pdf" target="_blank">33-page audit</a>&nbsp;released Tuesday looked at a sample of nearly $93 million in federal and state funds spent by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services on child care subsidies during a nine-month period starting in July 2023.

State Auditor Mike Foley said his team found that some providers took advantage of the state’s “lax oversight” of billings submitted through the Nebraska Family Online Client User System (NFOCUS).&nbsp;

He said offending providers were “startlingly successful” in bilking DHHS out of payments in excess of those to which they were entitled. The public agency subsidizes child care centers and home care providers on a sliding scale basis for the care of children from low-income families.

“Some of the spurious billings were so wildly excessive that one wonders whether anyone at DHHS took even the most cursory glance at them before authorizing their payment,” Foley said.&nbsp;

Millions in billings were at least “inordinately inflated” by various providers, he said, and may be “outright fraudulent.”

Overall, Foley said, it appeared that invoices to the NFOCUS system were routinely processed and paid with little, if any, meaningful oversight. Foley said the audit reflects a “classic problem” in cases of financial abuse.

“People tiptoe a little, fudge the number and nobody says anything. Then it gets bigger and bigger and bigger,” he said.

Among examples of improper billing cited by the audit team:

The audit covers July 2023 through March 2024, and the sampling of cases reviewed found $328,997 in questionable costs due to various regulation violations, including claims not agreeing with attendance records and parents’ employment that did not appear to meet a requirement for economic self-sufficiency.&nbsp;

With the dollar error rate for the random sample being 13.85%, the team estimated potential dollars at risk, or loss, for the audit period to be $12.87 million.

The auditing team provided DHHS managers opportunity to review and respond to its comments and recommendations, and an agency response is included in the report.&nbsp;

DHHS also released a media statement, saying it agrees with the audit findings and has started processes to recoup funds questioned in the audit.&nbsp;

‘Tireless efforts’ appreciated, CEO says

It also said that an investigation already is underway for one of the providers noted in the audit.&nbsp;

DHHS said that its practices include “internal targeted high-risk reviews” of provider invoices. When a review identifies billed units that exceed authorization, the agency can refer the matter to its fraud unit and can recover full or partial payments. Child care providers also are trained, and refreshed, on billing procedures.

CEO Steve Corsi said that he appreciated Foley’s “tireless efforts to safeguard taxpayer dollars.”

Corsi said that since being appointed as DHHS’ top administrator less than a year ago, the agency’s primary focus has been to put in place effective guards to ensure taxpayer dollars are allocated properly.

“These efforts will be continued aggressively,” Corsi said. “We look forward to the ongoing collaboration with the State Auditor’s Office.”

Foley said that discussions with Corsi left him confident that problems would be fixed.

That is where they’re dropping the ball. They go in after the fact and spot check — but not very thoroughly.

– Mike Foley, Nebraska state auditor

As noted in the audit, Nebraska’s child care subsidy program uses state and federal funds to assist qualified families with the cost of child care. Applicants must meet requirements, including income eligibility, outlined in federal Child Care and Development Block Grant regulations.

Financial help is available on a sliding fee scale to eligible families according to a child’s age and special needs. If a family requests a child care subsidy to facilitate a parent’s employment, the family is required to document that the subsidy helps them retain a job that leads to economic self-sufficiency.

Wrong rates, overlapping times, no attendance logs

The audit released Tuesday delved into payments made to providers who submitted billings through the NFOCUS system.

Providers are supposed to keep detailed attendance logs for children, and the government subsidy is generally granted on a partial- or full-day basis up to a maximum of 60 hours a week.

Among other examples of improper billings that Foley and the audit team said violated administrative requirements that are to be enforced by DHHS:

Foley said in an interview the crux of the problem is that DHHS “spot checks” cases after providers plug the billing information into the online system used for the child care subsidy program.&nbsp;

He said the NFOCUS system is not set up to audit and relies on human oversight.

“That is where they’re dropping the ball,” Foley said of DHHS workers. “They go in after the fact and spot check — but not very thoroughly.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720554973170.jpeg" alt="Mike Foley, Nebraska state auditor. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Mike Foley, Nebraska state auditor. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/09/ne-audit-of-dhhs-child-care-subsidy-program-exposes-as-much-as-12-8m-in-improper-payments/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;A new probe of Nebraska’s child care assistance program has uncovered what the state auditor calls rampant abuses that led to as much as $12.8 million in improper payments to child care providers.A&nbsp;<a href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2024/SA2514-07082024-July_1_2023_Through_March_31_2024_Attestation_Report.pdf" target="_blank">33-page audit</a>&nbsp;released Tuesday looked at a sample of nearly $93 million in federal and state funds spent by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services on child care subsidies during a nine-month period starting in July 2023.State Auditor Mike Foley said his team found that some providers took advantage of the state’s “lax oversight” of billings submitted through the Nebraska Family Online Client User System (NFOCUS).&nbsp;He said offending providers were “startlingly successful” in bilking DHHS out of payments in excess of those to which they were entitled. The public agency subsidizes child care centers and home care providers on a sliding scale basis for the care of children from low-income families.“Some of the spurious billings were so wildly excessive that one wonders whether anyone at DHHS took even the most cursory glance at them before authorizing their payment,” Foley said.&nbsp;Millions in billings were at least “inordinately inflated” by various providers, he said, and may be “outright fraudulent.”<h2>‘People tiptoe a little’</h2>Overall, Foley said, it appeared that invoices to the NFOCUS system were routinely processed and paid with little, if any, meaningful oversight. Foley said the audit reflects a “classic problem” in cases of financial abuse.“People tiptoe a little, fudge the number and nobody says anything. Then it gets bigger and bigger and bigger,” he said.Among examples of improper billing cited by the audit team:<ul>
 <li>DHHS at times paid double and triple billings for the same child during the same period of service. In one instance, a provider billed and was paid by the agency a “toddler” rate for a child and then again, for that same child, a preschool rate for the same two weeks during February. The audit team cited another child care provider for 13 instances of similar multiple billings.</li><li>Billings were processed and paid for child care services supposedly provided to 210 children on Thanksgiving Day 2023, when the child care centers were not even open for business.</li><li>Some child care providers billed for more days than were in the month covered. For instance, Foley said in a news release, one provider billed DHHS and was paid for 168 partial days of service during February, yet only 29 partial days would have been possible. Another provider billed DHHS and was paid for 120 partial days of service during January when only 31 billing days would have been possible. In another situation, the provider billed and was paid for 40 full days of service and 78 partial days in a single month.</li>
 </ul>The audit covers July 2023 through March 2024, and the sampling of cases reviewed found $328,997 in questionable costs due to various regulation violations, including claims not agreeing with attendance records and parents’ employment that did not appear to meet a requirement for economic self-sufficiency.&nbsp;With the dollar error rate for the random sample being 13.85%, the team estimated potential dollars at risk, or loss, for the audit period to be $12.87 million.The auditing team provided DHHS managers opportunity to review and respond to its comments and recommendations, and an agency response is included in the report.&nbsp;DHHS also released a media statement, saying it agrees with the audit findings and has started processes to recoup funds questioned in the audit.&nbsp;<h2>‘Tireless efforts’ appreciated, CEO says</h2>It also said that an investigation already is underway for one of the providers noted in the audit.&nbsp;DHHS said that its practices include “internal targeted high-risk reviews” of provider invoices. When a review identifies billed units that exceed authorization, the agency can refer the matter to its fraud unit and can recover full or partial payments. Child care providers also are trained, and refreshed, on billing procedures.CEO Steve Corsi said that he appreciated Foley’s “tireless efforts to safeguard taxpayer dollars.”Corsi said that since being appointed as DHHS’ top administrator less than a year ago, the agency’s primary focus has been to put in place effective guards to ensure taxpayer dollars are allocated properly.“These efforts will be continued aggressively,” Corsi said. “We look forward to the ongoing collaboration with the State Auditor’s Office.”Foley said that discussions with Corsi left him confident that problems would be fixed.That is where they’re dropping the ball. They go in after the fact and spot check — but not very thoroughly.– Mike Foley, Nebraska state auditorAs noted in the audit, Nebraska’s child care subsidy program uses state and federal funds to assist qualified families with the cost of child care. Applicants must meet requirements, including income eligibility, outlined in federal Child Care and Development Block Grant regulations.Financial help is available on a sliding fee scale to eligible families according to a child’s age and special needs. If a family requests a child care subsidy to facilitate a parent’s employment, the family is required to document that the subsidy helps them retain a job that leads to economic self-sufficiency.<h2>Wrong rates, overlapping times, no attendance logs</h2>The audit released Tuesday delved into payments made to providers who submitted billings through the NFOCUS system.Providers are supposed to keep detailed attendance logs for children, and the government subsidy is generally granted on a partial- or full-day basis up to a maximum of 60 hours a week.Among other examples of improper billings that Foley and the audit team said violated administrative requirements that are to be enforced by DHHS:<ul>
 <li>Numerous provider billings exceeded the allowable rate for the child. Generally, child care rates for infants and toddlers are higher than those for older, preschool-aged kids. The audit team found 690 instances of DHHS paying rates that exceeded what was allowed based on age.</li><li>Some providers failed to reduce billings by the amounts of the co-payments made by families served, resulting in overpayments by DHHS.</li><li>Provider billings were found to overlap with times when the child already was being cared for by another provider.</li><li>Billings were made for times with little or no attendance log information to document the presence of the child.&nbsp;</li><li>Providers billed for families whose low work pay, according to the audit team, could not have given the family the self-sufficiency required to receive subsidies for employment purposes.</li><li>Billings were paid to providers that had exceeded their licensed capacity.&nbsp;</li><li>One owner operating two separate centers under two different licenses billed DHHS for a partial day of service for six children at each location, even though less than five hours of service in total was provided. Of the six kids, one received only a single hour of service at each location, but the owner billed and was paid for two partial days of service.</li>
 </ul>Foley said in an interview the crux of the problem is that DHHS “spot checks” cases after providers plug the billing information into the online system used for the child care subsidy program.&nbsp;He said the NFOCUS system is not set up to audit and relies on human oversight.“That is where they’re dropping the ball,” Foley said of DHHS workers. “They go in after the fact and spot check — but not very thoroughly.”