WASHINGTON — Following a successful filing season pilot and feedback from a variety of partners, the Internal Revenue Service announced today that it will make Direct File a permanent option for filing federal tax returns starting in the 2025 tax season.

The agency is exploring ways to expand Direct File to make more taxpayers eligible in the 2025 filing season and beyond by examining options to broaden Direct File’s availability across the nation, including covering more tax situations and inviting all states to partner with Direct File next year.

The IRS plans to announce additional details on the 2025 expansion in the coming months.

The decision follows a highly successful, limited pilot during the 2024 filing season, where 140,803 taxpayers in 12 states filed their taxes using Direct File. The IRS closely analyzed data collected during the pilot, held numerous meetings with diverse groups of stakeholders and gathered feedback from individual Direct File users, state officials and representatives across the tax landscape. The IRS heard directly from hundreds of organizations across the country, more than a hundred members of Congress and from those interested in using Direct File in the future. The IRS has also heard from a limited number of stakeholders who believe the current free electronic filing options provided by third party vendors are adequate.

The IRS will continue data analysis and stakeholder engagement to identify improvements to Direct File; however, initial post-pilot analysis yielded enough information for the decision to make Direct File a permanent filing option. The IRS noted that an early decision on 2025 was critical for planning and programming both for the IRS and for additional states to join the program. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel recommended to Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen to make Direct File permanent. He cited overwhelming satisfaction from users and improved ease of tax filing among the reasons for his recommendation, which Secretary Yellen has accepted.

“The clear message is that many taxpayers across the nation want the IRS to provide more than one no-cost option for filing electronically,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “So, starting with the 2025 filing season, the IRS will make Direct File a permanent option for filing federal tax returns. Giving taxpayers additional options strengthens the tax filing system. And adding Direct File to the menu of filing options fits squarely into our effort to make taxes as easy as possible for Americans, including saving time and money.”

Building on the success of the limited pilot – where taxpayers with relatively simple tax situations in 12 states were eligible to use Direct File – the IRS is examining ways to expand eligibility to more taxpayers across the country. For the 2025 filing season, the IRS will work with all states that want to partner with Direct File, and there will be no limit to the number of states that can participate in the coming year. The agency expects several new states will choose to participate.

The IRS is also exploring ways to gradually expand the scope of tax situations supported by Direct File. Over the coming years, the agency’s goal is to expand Direct File to support most common tax situations, with a particular focus on those situations that impact working families. Announcements about new state partners and expanded eligibility are expected in the coming months.

“User experience – both within the product and integration with state tax systems – will continue to be the foundation for Direct File moving forward,” Werfel said. “We will focus, first and foremost, on continuing to get it right. Accuracy and comprehensive tax credit uptake will be paramount concerns to ensure taxpayers file a correct return and get the refund they’re entitled to. And our North Star will be improving the experience of tax filing itself and helping taxpayers meet their obligations as easily and quickly as possible.”

During the agency’s review, many taxpayers told the IRS they want no-cost filing options. Millions of taxpayers who did not live in one of the 12 pilot states visited the Direct File website to learn more about this option or asked live chat assistors to make Direct File available in their state.

As a permanent filing option, Direct File will continue to be one option among many from which taxpayers can choose. It is not meant to replace other important options by tax professionals or commercial software providers, who are critical partners with the IRS in delivering a successful tax system for the nation. The IRS also remains committed to the ongoing relationship with Free File Inc., which has served taxpayers for two decades in the joint effort to provide free commercial software. Earlier this month, the IRS signed a five-year extension with industry to continue Free File.

As the IRS works to expand Direct File, it will also work to strengthen all free filing options for taxpayers, including Free File, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA) and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly program (TCE).

In the six weeks following the close of the Direct File pilot, the IRS closely analyzed pilot data and gathered feedback from diverse groups of stakeholders, including Direct File users, state officials and representatives across the country’s tax community.

While data analysis and partner engagement are ongoing, the IRS’ post-pilot analysis has yielded three conclusions that support making Direct File a permanent tax filing solution:

1. Taxpayers overwhelmingly liked using Direct File

As detailed in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5969.pdf" target="_blank">IRS Direct File Pilot: Filing Season 2024 After Action Report</a>PDF, more than 15,000 Direct File users participated in the General Services Administration’s Touchpoints survey, which collects comprehensive user feedback about government systems:

For the primary quantitative measure of taxpayer opinions of Direct File, the IRS selected the Net Promoter Score (NPS) customer sentiment metric, which asks users, “On a scale from 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend Direct File to a friend or family member?” NPS scores range from -100-+100. Direct File has a NPS of +74. If compared to benchmark scores from financial services companies, Direct File would lead in eight of nine categories.

2. Direct File made the tax filing experience easier

Direct File’s users reported saving time: Filing taxes with Direct File generally took less than an hour, and many reported filing in as little as 30 minutes. Nearly half of Direct File users reported paying for tax preparation the previous year, and the Treasury Department estimates that Direct File users saved $5.6 million in tax preparation fees this filing season.

3. Direct File helps catalyze the IRS’s digital transformation

To build Direct File, the IRS assembled a team of experienced tax experts, digital product specialists, engineers and data scientists from across the federal government. The agency partnered with the U.S. Digital Service and GSA’s 18F, as well as private sector partners, who all brought critical agile technology expertise. Working side by side at IRS headquarters and collaborating with remote team members across the country, the Direct File team developed and delivered a strong technology product.

The Direct File pilot also gave the IRS the chance to test customer service innovations on a large scale.

Live Chat served as Direct File’s primary customer support channel because it could be integrated directly into the product. This allowed customer support to gradually expand in concert with the overall number of users in each phase of the pilot. The IRS is exploring how this approach could impact taxpayer service overall as the agency works to provide taxpayers with more choices in how they can interact with the IRS.

“We’re mindful that the most important decision we made during the pilot was to focus on executional certainty,” Werfel said. “We took the time to get it right. We found the right first step to test the demand and the user experience and build a strong product. We will apply that same critical lesson for next year as we take a strategic approach to expanding Direct File’s availability and capabilities.”

WASHINGTON — Following a successful filing season pilot and feedback from a variety of partners, the Internal Revenue Service announced today that it will make Direct File a permanent option for filing federal tax returns starting in the 2025 tax season.The agency is exploring ways to expand Direct File to make more taxpayers eligible in the 2025 filing season and beyond by examining options to broaden Direct File’s availability across the nation, including covering more tax situations and inviting all states to partner with Direct File next year.The IRS plans to announce additional details on the 2025 expansion in the coming months.The decision follows a highly successful, limited pilot during the 2024 filing season, where 140,803 taxpayers in 12 states filed their taxes using Direct File. The IRS closely analyzed data collected during the pilot, held numerous meetings with diverse groups of stakeholders and gathered feedback from individual Direct File users, state officials and representatives across the tax landscape. The IRS heard directly from hundreds of organizations across the country, more than a hundred members of Congress and from those interested in using Direct File in the future. The IRS has also heard from a limited number of stakeholders who believe the current free electronic filing options provided by third party vendors are adequate.The IRS will continue data analysis and stakeholder engagement to identify improvements to Direct File; however, initial post-pilot analysis yielded enough information for the decision to make Direct File a permanent filing option. The IRS noted that an early decision on 2025 was critical for planning and programming both for the IRS and for additional states to join the program. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel recommended to Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen to make Direct File permanent. He cited overwhelming satisfaction from users and improved ease of tax filing among the reasons for his recommendation, which Secretary Yellen has accepted.“The clear message is that many taxpayers across the nation want the IRS to provide more than one no-cost option for filing electronically,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “So, starting with the 2025 filing season, the IRS will make Direct File a permanent option for filing federal tax returns. Giving taxpayers additional options strengthens the tax filing system. And adding Direct File to the menu of filing options fits squarely into our effort to make taxes as easy as possible for Americans, including saving time and money.”<h2>State and eligibility expansion</h2>Building on the success of the limited pilot – where taxpayers with relatively simple tax situations in 12 states were eligible to use Direct File – the IRS is examining ways to expand eligibility to more taxpayers across the country. For the 2025 filing season, the IRS will work with all states that want to partner with Direct File, and there will be no limit to the number of states that can participate in the coming year. The agency expects several new states will choose to participate.The IRS is also exploring ways to gradually expand the scope of tax situations supported by Direct File. Over the coming years, the agency’s goal is to expand Direct File to support most common tax situations, with a particular focus on those situations that impact working families. Announcements about new state partners and expanded eligibility are expected in the coming months.“User experience – both within the product and integration with state tax systems – will continue to be the foundation for Direct File moving forward,” Werfel said. “We will focus, first and foremost, on continuing to get it right. Accuracy and comprehensive tax credit uptake will be paramount concerns to ensure taxpayers file a correct return and get the refund they’re entitled to. And our North Star will be improving the experience of tax filing itself and helping taxpayers meet their obligations as easily and quickly as possible.”<h2>Direct File’s role in the tax system</h2>During the agency’s review, many taxpayers told the IRS they want no-cost filing options. Millions of taxpayers who did not live in one of the 12 pilot states visited the Direct File website to learn more about this option or asked live chat assistors to make Direct File available in their state.As a permanent filing option, Direct File will continue to be one option among many from which taxpayers can choose. It is not meant to replace other important options by tax professionals or commercial software providers, who are critical partners with the IRS in delivering a successful tax system for the nation. The IRS also remains committed to the ongoing relationship with Free File Inc., which has served taxpayers for two decades in the joint effort to provide free commercial software. Earlier this month, the IRS signed a five-year extension with industry to continue Free File.As the IRS works to expand Direct File, it will also work to strengthen all free filing options for taxpayers, including Free File, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA) and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly program (TCE).<h2>Pilot analysis and feedback</h2>In the six weeks following the close of the Direct File pilot, the IRS closely analyzed pilot data and gathered feedback from diverse groups of stakeholders, including Direct File users, state officials and representatives across the country’s tax community.While data analysis and partner engagement are ongoing, the IRS’ post-pilot analysis has yielded three conclusions that support making Direct File a permanent tax filing solution:<h2>1. Taxpayers overwhelmingly liked using Direct File</h2>As detailed in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5969.pdf" target="_blank">IRS Direct File Pilot: Filing Season 2024 After Action Report</a>PDF, more than 15,000 Direct File users participated in the General Services Administration’s Touchpoints survey, which collects comprehensive user feedback about government systems:<ul>
 <li>90% of respondents&nbsp;ranked their experience as Excellent or Above Average.</li><li>When asked what they particularly liked, respondents most commonly cited Direct File’s ease of use, trustworthiness and that it was free.</li><li>Additionally,&nbsp;86% of respondents&nbsp;said that their experience with Direct File increased their trust in the IRS.</li><li>90% of survey respondents&nbsp;who used customer support rated that experience as Excellent or Above Average.</li>
 </ul>For the primary quantitative measure of taxpayer opinions of Direct File, the IRS selected the Net Promoter Score (NPS) customer sentiment metric, which asks users, “On a scale from 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend Direct File to a friend or family member?” NPS scores range from -100-+100. Direct File has a NPS of +74. If compared to benchmark scores from financial services companies, Direct File would lead in eight of nine categories.<h2>2. Direct File made the tax filing experience easier</h2>Direct File’s users reported saving time: Filing taxes with Direct File generally took less than an hour, and many reported filing in as little as 30 minutes. Nearly half of Direct File users reported paying for tax preparation the previous year, and the Treasury Department estimates that Direct File users saved $5.6 million in tax preparation fees this filing season.<h2>3. Direct File helps catalyze the IRS’s digital transformation</h2>To build Direct File, the IRS assembled a team of experienced tax experts, digital product specialists, engineers and data scientists from across the federal government. The agency partnered with the U.S. Digital Service and GSA’s 18F, as well as private sector partners, who all brought critical agile technology expertise. Working side by side at IRS headquarters and collaborating with remote team members across the country, the Direct File team developed and delivered a strong technology product.The Direct File pilot also gave the IRS the chance to test customer service innovations on a large scale.Live Chat served as Direct File’s primary customer support channel because it could be integrated directly into the product. This allowed customer support to gradually expand in concert with the overall number of users in each phase of the pilot. The IRS is exploring how this approach could impact taxpayer service overall as the agency works to provide taxpayers with more choices in how they can interact with the IRS.“We’re mindful that the most important decision we made during the pilot was to focus on executional certainty,” Werfel said. “We took the time to get it right. We found the right first step to test the demand and the user experience and build a strong product. We will apply that same critical lesson for next year as we take a strategic approach to expanding Direct File’s availability and capabilities.”

IRS makes Direct File a permanent option to file federal tax returns; expanded access for more taxpayers planned for the 2025 filing season

Nance County - At approximately 10:45 pm Nance County Dispatch received a report of a large party taking place at an AirBnB rental property in rural, southwestern Nance County. The reporting party stated there was loud music and several minors consuming alcohol at the property. When Nance County Deputies arrived on scene they found over 100 individuals and over 20 vehicles on the property. 

As soon as the party goers saw the Deputies several of them fled on foot and into vehicles. Deputies attempted to make contact with and contain the party goers, who began driving vehicles erratically attempting to flee. 8 vehicles were driven in a reckless manner and crashed into the ditch along Valley Road near the property, or became stuck on the property itself. 

Two Nance County Deputies suffered minor injuries when they were struck by fleeing vehicles. Deputies were able to contact several of the party goers who were all identified as being under 21 years of age. It was discovered that the property was rented out by an 18 year old on the AirBnB app. Deputies estimated the damage to the inside of the property including graffiti on the interior walls, damage to furniture and damage to the floors to be in excess of $3,000.

Vehicles also damaged several headstones in a neighboring cemetery as they attempted to flee. Deputies issued over 30 citations for Minors in Possession of Alcohol and recovered hundreds of alcoholic beverages from the property. Other charges are currently pending and under investigation. Please be aware that recovery of the disabled and abandon vehicles was stopped due to poor visibility and concern for the safety of the recovery crew and officers on scene.&nbsp;

Thank you to the Merrick County Sheriff's Office, Howard County Sheriff's Office and Smith &amp; Sons Repair LLC for their assistance on this call.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717428420589.jpeg" alt="(Courtesy of Nance County Sheriff's Office)" />
 <figcaption>(Courtesy of Nance County Sheriff's Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Nance County Sheriff's OfficeNance County - At approximately 10:45 pm Nance County Dispatch received a report of a large party taking place at an AirBnB rental property in rural, southwestern Nance County. The reporting party stated there was loud music and several minors consuming alcohol at the property. When Nance County Deputies arrived on scene they found over 100 individuals and over 20 vehicles on the property. As soon as the party goers saw the Deputies several of them fled on foot and into vehicles. Deputies attempted to make contact with and contain the party goers, who began driving vehicles erratically attempting to flee. 8 vehicles were driven in a reckless manner and crashed into the ditch along Valley Road near the property, or became stuck on the property itself. Two Nance County Deputies suffered minor injuries when they were struck by fleeing vehicles. Deputies were able to contact several of the party goers who were all identified as being under 21 years of age. It was discovered that the property was rented out by an 18 year old on the AirBnB app. Deputies estimated the damage to the inside of the property including graffiti on the interior walls, damage to furniture and damage to the floors to be in excess of $3,000.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717428452861.jpeg" alt="(Courtesy of Nance County Sheriff's Office)" />
 <figcaption>(Courtesy of Nance County Sheriff's Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Vehicles also damaged several headstones in a neighboring cemetery as they attempted to flee. Deputies issued over 30 citations for Minors in Possession of Alcohol and recovered hundreds of alcoholic beverages from the property. Other charges are currently pending and under investigation. Please be aware that recovery of the disabled and abandon vehicles was stopped due to poor visibility and concern for the safety of the recovery crew and officers on scene.&nbsp;Thank you to the Merrick County Sheriff's Office, Howard County Sheriff's Office and Smith &amp; Sons Repair LLC for their assistance on this call.&nbsp;

Two deputies sustained minor injuries while breaking up a party in Eastern Nebraska

By Scottsbluff Police Sgt. Philip Eckerberg

On Sunday 06/02/2024 at 11:35 AM the Scottsbluff Police Dept responded to a traffic crash with injuries at the intersection of Ave I and West 20th Street.

Investigation showed that a red 2018 Range Rover driven by Gerald Kilthau, age 73 of Gering, was south bound on Ave I. There was a silver Chevrolet pickup east bound on West 20th Street driven by Robin Hubbard, age 70 of Morrill. The two vehicles crashed in the intersection of Ave I and West 20th Street.

A passenger in the Land Rover, Jean Kilthau age 72 of Gering, was transported by ambulance to Regional West Medical Center.

Gerald Kilthau was giving a citation for a traffic light violation.

Both vehicles were towed from the scene due to damages.

Assisting at the scene was the Scottsbluff Fire Department and Regional West Ambulance.

By Scottsbluff Police Sgt. Philip EckerbergOn Sunday 06/02/2024 at 11:35 AM the Scottsbluff Police Dept responded to a traffic crash with injuries at the intersection of Ave I and West 20th Street.Investigation showed that a red 2018 Range Rover driven by Gerald Kilthau, age 73 of Gering, was south bound on Ave I. There was a silver Chevrolet pickup east bound on West 20th Street driven by Robin Hubbard, age 70 of Morrill. The two vehicles crashed in the intersection of Ave I and West 20th Street.A passenger in the Land Rover, Jean Kilthau age 72 of Gering, was transported by ambulance to Regional West Medical Center.Gerald Kilthau was giving a citation for a traffic light violation.Both vehicles were towed from the scene due to damages.Assisting at the scene was the Scottsbluff Fire Department and Regional West Ambulance.

Scottsbluff police respond to multi-car accident

by Scotts Bluff County Sheriff Mark Overman

On May 21, 2024, at approximately 10:55 p.m. Deputies responded to a reported home invasion/armed robbery and assault at a rural Gering residence that is commonly used as a short-term rental.

Three males were inside the residence.&nbsp; They stated that two unknown males, both armed with handguns and wearing hooded sweatshirts and masks had entered the house and forced their way into two downstairs bedrooms. &nbsp;One suspect assaulted one of the victims by striking him in the head repeatedly with a handgun.&nbsp; The suspects stole credit cards, cell phones, identification, keys to a pickup, cash and a handgun from the victims.&nbsp; The victims were all forced to kneel on the floor. &nbsp;At one point, one of the victims retrieved a cell phone and called 911. &nbsp;The victims said that they didn’t know the suspects and could not identify the vehicle the suspects had, other than it was “loud.” &nbsp;The injured victim was transported to the hospital for treatment.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The owner of the rental property resides in a nearby house, and the suspects did not enter that house.&nbsp;

We believe that this was a specific, targeted event.

Within a very short time after this incident, we were in contact with Colorado authorities from more than one agency.&nbsp; One person of interest is in custody on Colorado charges, one vehicle has been impounded, and some property stolen from the victims has been recovered.&nbsp; Our investigators have been to Colorado and assisted with a search warrant, and we continue to work closely with Colorado agencies.&nbsp; We believe that the suspects are not from Nebraska and do not pose a threat to our area.&nbsp; &nbsp;

by Scotts Bluff County Sheriff Mark OvermanOn May 21, 2024, at approximately 10:55 p.m. Deputies responded to a reported home invasion/armed robbery and assault at a rural Gering residence that is commonly used as a short-term rental.Three males were inside the residence.&nbsp; They stated that two unknown males, both armed with handguns and wearing hooded sweatshirts and masks had entered the house and forced their way into two downstairs bedrooms. &nbsp;One suspect assaulted one of the victims by striking him in the head repeatedly with a handgun.&nbsp; The suspects stole credit cards, cell phones, identification, keys to a pickup, cash and a handgun from the victims.&nbsp; The victims were all forced to kneel on the floor. &nbsp;At one point, one of the victims retrieved a cell phone and called 911. &nbsp;The victims said that they didn’t know the suspects and could not identify the vehicle the suspects had, other than it was “loud.” &nbsp;The injured victim was transported to the hospital for treatment.&nbsp;&nbsp;The owner of the rental property resides in a nearby house, and the suspects did not enter that house.&nbsp;We believe that this was a specific, targeted event.Within a very short time after this incident, we were in contact with Colorado authorities from more than one agency.&nbsp; One person of interest is in custody on Colorado charges, one vehicle has been impounded, and some property stolen from the victims has been recovered.&nbsp; Our investigators have been to Colorado and assisted with a search warrant, and we continue to work closely with Colorado agencies.&nbsp; We believe that the suspects are not from Nebraska and do not pose a threat to our area.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Scotts Bluff Co. Sheriff release details on home invasion, armed robbery, assault

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/02/nebraska-food-bank-announces-37m-building-and-relocation-plan-to-help-meet-unforeseen-demand/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Rising demand for food assistance across the 93 counties it serves has pushed the Food Bank for the Heartland to extraordinary measures, including leasing refrigerated trailers to store food in the parking lot.

Volunteers and semitrailer truck drivers that visit the Omaha-based nonprofit often jam the road leading into its current headquarters.

Meanwhile, increased food costs and an end to many pandemic-era government assistance programs have created “disruption” that officials said they’ve not seen in the food bank’s 42-year history.

To help meet growing needs,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://foodbankheartland.org/">the food bank</a>&nbsp;on Sunday publicly announced a $37 million plan to build a new office and warehouse complex at a larger, 12-acre campus at the northeast corner of 84th and L Streets in Omaha.&nbsp;

Representatives were joined by Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert in publicly unveiling renderings and other details of the 105,000-square-foot facility, which is about 40% larger than the current home.

Parking stalls will nearly double in number, for a new total of about 170 spots at the new base that for more than a half-century had been home to a car dealership.

“Our project is going to transform 84th and L,” said CEO and president&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://foodbankheartland.org/brian-barks/">Brian Barks.</a>&nbsp;“It’s going to transform the way we do business and the way we are able to serve the community — with an emphasis on healthy foods.”

While planning began in 2020, the nonprofit’s governing board chose to delay the building and relocation announcement until it secured 60% of the $27 million it hopes to raise in philanthropic donations, Barks said.&nbsp; About $10 million is to come internally and from the sale of the existing building at 10525 J St.

The nonprofit continues to seek community contributions for the capital campaign.&nbsp;

Demolition and construction work is to kick off this summer, according to a project timeline, and the projected move-in is in 2026.

Food bank officials say the milestone comes as Nebraskans’ demand for food assistance grows.

Paul Maass, CEO of Scoular, said his involvement with the food bank has shown him that a lack of healthy food is widespread.

“For many, hunger is a hidden issue,” he told the dozens of supporters gathered Sunday under a large tent on the future food bank grounds. “But it is happening all around us, every moment of every day. I learned this is not an urban, rural or suburban problem. Hunger is a problem everywhere.”

With a reach of 78,000 square miles across 77 Nebraska counties and 16 western Iowa counties, the food bank works with 555 network partners to distribute food items to those in need.

Last year, the network distributed more than 26.7 million pounds of food.

According to the organization’s projections, it will serve 600,548 households this fiscal year. That’s up from nearly 572,000 households a year earlier and about 313,000 five years ago.

Looking at demand from an individual standpoint, the food bank foresees serving 1.62 million persons this fiscal year, up from 1.52 million during the year prior and 843,000 in 2019.

Shedding light on demand, Barks said that Nebraskans have faced increased hardship since the government shutdown in December 2018.&nbsp;

“It’s going to transform the way we do business and the way we are able to serve the community — with an emphasis on healthy foods.”

– Brian Barks, CEO and president of Food Bank for the Heartland

Historic floods followed in March 2019, displacing thousands of people, including some who continue to rebuild.&nbsp;

COVID-19 led to an 89% increase in the number of meals distributed by the food bank. People who lost jobs during the pandemic tapped savings and amassed debt.

“Inflation and the lingering effects of pandemic continue to make hunger a daily reality throughout our communities,” the food bank said in its capital campaign statement. “With skyrocketing food prices, too many of our neighbors are forced to make impossible choices among items needed to survive and thrive — such as paying for food, medicine, utilities, or childcare.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

The agency noted a highlight of its response to the pandemic. During that time, the food bank developed a small USDA-certified “Clean Room,” which accepts and processes bulk donations of nutrient-rich proteins.

Representatives said that the program has been successful, but building it took space away from the Volunteer Center.

The new facility is to include a larger Clean Room to process proteins.

Records show the sprawling corner property sold to the Food Bank for $7.1 million.&nbsp;

H&amp;H Chevrolet, which reportedly&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/after-half-century-an-omaha-commercial-corner-is-poised-for-change-food-bank-is-new-owner/">had been at the site since 1968</a>, moved last year to a larger area at the Steel Ridge development in Sarpy County.

Barks said the food bank visited multiple sites and considered other options, including renovation. He said clearing the 84th and L Streets site and building anew was more economical.

He said if people knew how the staff has managed to increase output in the current facility, they’d be even more impressed. He called the level of demand “unforeseen.”

“It has been an arduous journey,” Barks said. “To get to this point is everything from a relief to joy to thrill all wrapped into one.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717426257078.jpeg" alt="This rendering unveiled Sunday shows the future Food Bank for the Heartland headquarters at 84th and L Streets in Omaha. Work on clearing the site and construction is to begin this summer, with a move expected in 2026. (Courtesy of HDR and Project Advocates)" />
 <figcaption>This rendering unveiled Sunday shows the future Food Bank for the Heartland headquarters at 84th and L Streets in Omaha. Work on clearing the site and construction is to begin this summer, with a move expected in 2026. (Courtesy of HDR and Project Advocates)</figcaption>
 </figure>Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/02/nebraska-food-bank-announces-37m-building-and-relocation-plan-to-help-meet-unforeseen-demand/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Rising demand for food assistance across the 93 counties it serves has pushed the Food Bank for the Heartland to extraordinary measures, including leasing refrigerated trailers to store food in the parking lot.Volunteers and semitrailer truck drivers that visit the Omaha-based nonprofit often jam the road leading into its current headquarters.Meanwhile, increased food costs and an end to many pandemic-era government assistance programs have created “disruption” that officials said they’ve not seen in the food bank’s 42-year history.To help meet growing needs,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://foodbankheartland.org/">the food bank</a>&nbsp;on Sunday publicly announced a $37 million plan to build a new office and warehouse complex at a larger, 12-acre campus at the northeast corner of 84th and L Streets in Omaha.&nbsp;<h2>40% larger&nbsp;</h2>Representatives were joined by Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert in publicly unveiling renderings and other details of the 105,000-square-foot facility, which is about 40% larger than the current home.Parking stalls will nearly double in number, for a new total of about 170 spots at the new base that for more than a half-century had been home to a car dealership.“Our project is going to transform 84th and L,” said CEO and president&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://foodbankheartland.org/brian-barks/">Brian Barks.</a>&nbsp;“It’s going to transform the way we do business and the way we are able to serve the community — with an emphasis on healthy foods.”While planning began in 2020, the nonprofit’s governing board chose to delay the building and relocation announcement until it secured 60% of the $27 million it hopes to raise in philanthropic donations, Barks said.&nbsp; About $10 million is to come internally and from the sale of the existing building at 10525 J St.The nonprofit continues to seek community contributions for the capital campaign.&nbsp;Demolition and construction work is to kick off this summer, according to a project timeline, and the projected move-in is in 2026.Food bank officials say the milestone comes as Nebraskans’ demand for food assistance grows.Paul Maass, CEO of Scoular, said his involvement with the food bank has shown him that a lack of healthy food is widespread.“For many, hunger is a hidden issue,” he told the dozens of supporters gathered Sunday under a large tent on the future food bank grounds. “But it is happening all around us, every moment of every day. I learned this is not an urban, rural or suburban problem. Hunger is a problem everywhere.”<h2>26.7 million pounds of food last year</h2>With a reach of 78,000 square miles across 77 Nebraska counties and 16 western Iowa counties, the food bank works with 555 network partners to distribute food items to those in need.Last year, the network distributed more than 26.7 million pounds of food.According to the organization’s projections, it will serve 600,548 households this fiscal year. That’s up from nearly 572,000 households a year earlier and about 313,000 five years ago.Looking at demand from an individual standpoint, the food bank foresees serving 1.62 million persons this fiscal year, up from 1.52 million during the year prior and 843,000 in 2019.Shedding light on demand, Barks said that Nebraskans have faced increased hardship since the government shutdown in December 2018.&nbsp;“It’s going to transform the way we do business and the way we are able to serve the community — with an emphasis on healthy foods.”– Brian Barks, CEO and president of Food Bank for the HeartlandHistoric floods followed in March 2019, displacing thousands of people, including some who continue to rebuild.&nbsp;COVID-19 led to an 89% increase in the number of meals distributed by the food bank. People who lost jobs during the pandemic tapped savings and amassed debt.“Inflation and the lingering effects of pandemic continue to make hunger a daily reality throughout our communities,” the food bank said in its capital campaign statement. “With skyrocketing food prices, too many of our neighbors are forced to make impossible choices among items needed to survive and thrive — such as paying for food, medicine, utilities, or childcare.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Pandemic highlight</h2>The agency noted a highlight of its response to the pandemic. During that time, the food bank developed a small USDA-certified “Clean Room,” which accepts and processes bulk donations of nutrient-rich proteins.Representatives said that the program has been successful, but building it took space away from the Volunteer Center.The new facility is to include a larger Clean Room to process proteins.Among other features:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Increased storage capacity for cold and frozen food items; separate areas for loading and unloading operations.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Increased space for volunteer groups and for staff collaboration.</li><li>Easy access to main roads and the Interstate system.</li>
 </ul>Records show the sprawling corner property sold to the Food Bank for $7.1 million.&nbsp;H&amp;H Chevrolet, which reportedly&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/after-half-century-an-omaha-commercial-corner-is-poised-for-change-food-bank-is-new-owner/">had been at the site since 1968</a>, moved last year to a larger area at the Steel Ridge development in Sarpy County.Barks said the food bank visited multiple sites and considered other options, including renovation. He said clearing the 84th and L Streets site and building anew was more economical.He said if people knew how the staff has managed to increase output in the current facility, they’d be even more impressed. He called the level of demand “unforeseen.”“It has been an arduous journey,” Barks said. “To get to this point is everything from a relief to joy to thrill all wrapped into one.”

Nebraska food bank announces $37M building and relocation plan to help meet ‘unforeseen’ demand

DECATUR COUNTY —Law enforcement agencies along the border between northwest Kansas and southwest Nebraska continue actively assisting Decatur County, Oberlin, Kansas, authorities with an ongoing investigation of an abduction and holding a hostage from Oberlin, according to Decatur County Sheriff David Wachendorfer.&nbsp; Early Monday, the sheriff's office reported no new developments in the search.

On Saturday, Decatur County Dispatch in Oberlin received a report from a man that he had been kidnapped and had just escaped from his captors.

Law Enforcement Officers from the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office and Oberlin Police Department, as well as members of Decatur County EMS and Emergency Management responded to the location.

The victim was located and the incident appears to be valid, according to Wachendorfer. The kidnapping occurred in another jurisdiction and the victim was able to escape while passing through. The sheriff is asking for the public’s assistance in watching for a blue or green older model minivan with Oklahoma plates.

The vehicle is occupied by a white male about 5-foot-6, bald, with a long brown beard and tattoos on his chest.

The second subject is a black male 5-foot-10, chubby, with a mustache, goatee and face tattoos. The suspects are to be considered armed and dangerous.  Do not approach them.

DECATUR COUNTY —Law enforcement agencies along the border between northwest Kansas and southwest Nebraska continue actively assisting Decatur County, Oberlin, Kansas, authorities with an ongoing investigation of an abduction and holding a hostage from Oberlin, according to Decatur County Sheriff David Wachendorfer.&nbsp; Early Monday, the sheriff's office reported no new developments in the search.On Saturday, Decatur County Dispatch in Oberlin received a report from a man that he had been kidnapped and had just escaped from his captors.Law Enforcement Officers from the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office and Oberlin Police Department, as well as members of Decatur County EMS and Emergency Management responded to the location.The victim was located and the incident appears to be valid, according to Wachendorfer. The kidnapping occurred in another jurisdiction and the victim was able to escape while passing through. The sheriff is asking for the public’s assistance in watching for a blue or green older model minivan with Oklahoma plates.The vehicle is occupied by a white male about 5-foot-6, bald, with a long brown beard and tattoos on his chest.The second subject is a black male 5-foot-10, chubby, with a mustache, goatee and face tattoos. The suspects are to be considered armed and dangerous. Do not approach them.

Suspects in Kansas abduction still at large

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

WASHINGTON — Taxpayers across the United States could be guaranteed a free public option to file federal tax returns online as the Internal Revenue Service announced plans Thursday to make its Direct File program permanent.

The pilot program&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/irs-testing-free-method-directly-file-taxes-not-everyone-thrilled">offered</a>&nbsp;in 12 states from March to April drew roughly 140,000 accepted returns this filing season and saved participants $5.6 million in tax preparation costs and helped filers receive $90 million in refunds, according to the IRS.

The states involved in this year’s pilot included Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.

The agency is now inviting all 50 states to participate and will accommodate however many sign on, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel told reporters on a call Thursday morning.

“We heard directly from hundreds of organizations across the country, more than 100 members of Congress, individual direct file users and those that are interested in using direct file. The clear message is that many taxpayers across the nation want the IRS to provide options for filing electronically at no cost,” Werfel said.

Yellen touted results of a user&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5969.pdf">survey</a>&nbsp;that showed 90% of participants rate their experience as excellent or above average.

“They appreciated that it allowed them to quickly fix mistakes and there were no fees or upsells. The success of the Direct File pilot means there’s now strong demand for direct file from taxpayers across the country,” Yellen said.

The average American spends $270 and 13 hours filing their taxes, according to the agency’s Taxpayer Burden Survey.

The left-leaning Economic Security Project, which advocates for tax credits for low-income and middle class households, praised the IRS decision to make permanent the program that “delivered on the promise of free and simplified tax filing for taxpayers.”

“It was evident that taxpayers saw the value of Direct File, both in making their lives easier and demonstrating what great government customer service looks like,” Adam Ruben, the organization’s vice president of campaigns and political strategy, said in a statement Thursday.

“We are already working with our partners in states across the nation to support the expansion of Direct File next year so more taxpayers can take advantage of free and simplified tax filing in the next tax season,” he said.

Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top tax writer of the upper chamber, praised the IRS announcement in a statement Thursday as “tremendous news for taxpayers all over the country who are tired of getting ripped off by the big tax prep companies that routinely upcharge for unnecessary services, oversell the quality of their products and offer crummy customer service.”

Werfel said the IRS cannot provide an estimated cost of expanding the program because the agency has yet to learn how many states will jump on board.

The cost to run the program this year totaled $31.8 million, breaking down to $24.6 million in IRS costs, and $7.2 million in U.S. Digital Service costs to create the online platform, Werfel said.

Among the tens of billions of dollars Congress authorized for the IRS in its 2022 budget reconciliation law, otherwise known as the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5376/text">Inflation Reduction Act</a>, $15 million was earmarked for exploring a way for the public to electronically file federal returns for free directly to the government, rather than through a third party.

This year’s pilot program was only available to taxpayers with basic tax situations, including W-2 income or simple credits and deductions, like the child tax credit or student loan interest.

“Our goal is to gradually expand the scope of Direct File to support most common tax situations, focusing in particular on tax situations that impact working families,” Werfel said.

When asked on the call whether the success of the program depends on who is in the Oval Office next year, Werfel responded, “I truly believe that the vision that the IRS has for the future tax administration is a nonpartisan one.”

The free public program was met with fierce opposition from congressional Republicans and GOP state officials who&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://waysandmeans.house.gov/event/hearing-with-commissioner-of-the-internal-revenue-service-daniel-werfel/">criticized</a>&nbsp;it as redundant, “<a target="_blank" href="https://dojmt.gov/wp-content/uploads/IRS-Direct-File-Letter-Final.pdf">unconstitutional</a>” and a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://myfloridacfo.com/docs-sf/cfo-news-libraries/news-documents/2024/irs-direct-file-letter.pdf">threat</a>&nbsp;to state tax revenue.

Many cited the already established IRS Free File program, a regularly evolving partnership between the federal agency and private tax prep software companies that provide a free federal return filing option.

That 22-year-old program has been riddled with issues, including low participation and “confusion and complexity” that led millions of eligible taxpayers to actually pay the commercial partners who were supposed to offer the free service, according to a 2019 Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/6768599/TIGTA-Free-File-audit.pdf">report</a>.

A 2019 ProPublica investigation&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propublica.org/article/inside-turbotax-20-year-fight-to-stop-americans-from-filing-their-taxes-for-free">revealed</a>&nbsp;deliberate tactics by Free File participant Intuit, maker of TurboTax, to cloud access to the free option.

Nearly two dozen state auditors, comptrollers and treasurers from 18 states urged the IRS to “shut down” the new Direct File pilot program because users could be confused about having to file a state return separately, therefore resulting in a loss in state revenue.

This argument is based on the fact that many commercial tax prep software companies and private tax preparers automatically prompt taxpayers to complete their state returns after filing the federal one.

The state officials who signed on to the March 25&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://myfloridacfo.com/docs-sf/cfo-news-libraries/news-documents/2024/irs-direct-file-letter.pdf">letter</a>&nbsp;to the IRS hailed from Alaska, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Two of the Direct File pilot program states — Arizona and New York — worked with the nonprofit Code for America to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/yellen-touts-success-irs-direct-free-file-pilot-program-which-includes-sd">integrate</a>&nbsp;a free state tax return filing option in concert with Direct File. The nonprofit reported that of the state returns filed through its tool, 98% were accepted.

Several state governments already offer free public electronic filing for state income tax returns that users must access separately through dedicated state websites, including&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/individual-corporate/individual-income-tax-electronic-filing-options/">Alabama</a>,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ksrevenue.gov/iiwebfile.html">Kansas</a>,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revenue.ky.gov/Individual/Pages/Free-Electronic-Filing.aspx">Kentucky</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.revenue.pa.gov/OnlineServices/mypath/Individuals/Pages/PIT.aspx">Pennsylvania</a>, which offer the service regardless of income level. Some states, like&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/ways-to-file/online/calfile/calfile-qualifications.html">California</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tax.iowa.gov/individual-income-tax-electronic-filing-options">Iowa</a>, have income thresholds for free filing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704465937849.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>WASHINGTON — Taxpayers across the United States could be guaranteed a free public option to file federal tax returns online as the Internal Revenue Service announced plans Thursday to make its Direct File program permanent.The pilot program&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/irs-testing-free-method-directly-file-taxes-not-everyone-thrilled">offered</a>&nbsp;in 12 states from March to April drew roughly 140,000 accepted returns this filing season and saved participants $5.6 million in tax preparation costs and helped filers receive $90 million in refunds, according to the IRS.The states involved in this year’s pilot included Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.The agency is now inviting all 50 states to participate and will accommodate however many sign on, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel told reporters on a call Thursday morning.“We heard directly from hundreds of organizations across the country, more than 100 members of Congress, individual direct file users and those that are interested in using direct file. The clear message is that many taxpayers across the nation want the IRS to provide options for filing electronically at no cost,” Werfel said.Yellen touted results of a user&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5969.pdf">survey</a>&nbsp;that showed 90% of participants rate their experience as excellent or above average.“They appreciated that it allowed them to quickly fix mistakes and there were no fees or upsells. The success of the Direct File pilot means there’s now strong demand for direct file from taxpayers across the country,” Yellen said.The average American spends $270 and 13 hours filing their taxes, according to the agency’s Taxpayer Burden Survey.<h2>The program ‘delivered’</h2>The left-leaning Economic Security Project, which advocates for tax credits for low-income and middle class households, praised the IRS decision to make permanent the program that “delivered on the promise of free and simplified tax filing for taxpayers.”“It was evident that taxpayers saw the value of Direct File, both in making their lives easier and demonstrating what great government customer service looks like,” Adam Ruben, the organization’s vice president of campaigns and political strategy, said in a statement Thursday.“We are already working with our partners in states across the nation to support the expansion of Direct File next year so more taxpayers can take advantage of free and simplified tax filing in the next tax season,” he said.Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top tax writer of the upper chamber, praised the IRS announcement in a statement Thursday as “tremendous news for taxpayers all over the country who are tired of getting ripped off by the big tax prep companies that routinely upcharge for unnecessary services, oversell the quality of their products and offer crummy customer service.”Werfel said the IRS cannot provide an estimated cost of expanding the program because the agency has yet to learn how many states will jump on board.The cost to run the program this year totaled $31.8 million, breaking down to $24.6 million in IRS costs, and $7.2 million in U.S. Digital Service costs to create the online platform, Werfel said.Among the tens of billions of dollars Congress authorized for the IRS in its 2022 budget reconciliation law, otherwise known as the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5376/text">Inflation Reduction Act</a>, $15 million was earmarked for exploring a way for the public to electronically file federal returns for free directly to the government, rather than through a third party.This year’s pilot program was only available to taxpayers with basic tax situations, including W-2 income or simple credits and deductions, like the child tax credit or student loan interest.“Our goal is to gradually expand the scope of Direct File to support most common tax situations, focusing in particular on tax situations that impact working families,” Werfel said.When asked on the call whether the success of the program depends on who is in the Oval Office next year, Werfel responded, “I truly believe that the vision that the IRS has for the future tax administration is a nonpartisan one.”<h2>Opposition from GOP</h2>The free public program was met with fierce opposition from congressional Republicans and GOP state officials who&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://waysandmeans.house.gov/event/hearing-with-commissioner-of-the-internal-revenue-service-daniel-werfel/">criticized</a>&nbsp;it as redundant, “<a target="_blank" href="https://dojmt.gov/wp-content/uploads/IRS-Direct-File-Letter-Final.pdf">unconstitutional</a>” and a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://myfloridacfo.com/docs-sf/cfo-news-libraries/news-documents/2024/irs-direct-file-letter.pdf">threat</a>&nbsp;to state tax revenue.Many cited the already established IRS Free File program, a regularly evolving partnership between the federal agency and private tax prep software companies that provide a free federal return filing option.That 22-year-old program has been riddled with issues, including low participation and “confusion and complexity” that led millions of eligible taxpayers to actually pay the commercial partners who were supposed to offer the free service, according to a 2019 Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/6768599/TIGTA-Free-File-audit.pdf">report</a>.A 2019 ProPublica investigation&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propublica.org/article/inside-turbotax-20-year-fight-to-stop-americans-from-filing-their-taxes-for-free">revealed</a>&nbsp;deliberate tactics by Free File participant Intuit, maker of TurboTax, to cloud access to the free option.Nearly two dozen state auditors, comptrollers and treasurers from 18 states urged the IRS to “shut down” the new Direct File pilot program because users could be confused about having to file a state return separately, therefore resulting in a loss in state revenue.This argument is based on the fact that many commercial tax prep software companies and private tax preparers automatically prompt taxpayers to complete their state returns after filing the federal one.The state officials who signed on to the March 25&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://myfloridacfo.com/docs-sf/cfo-news-libraries/news-documents/2024/irs-direct-file-letter.pdf">letter</a>&nbsp;to the IRS hailed from Alaska, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.Two of the Direct File pilot program states — Arizona and New York — worked with the nonprofit Code for America to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/yellen-touts-success-irs-direct-free-file-pilot-program-which-includes-sd">integrate</a>&nbsp;a free state tax return filing option in concert with Direct File. The nonprofit reported that of the state returns filed through its tool, 98% were accepted.Several state governments already offer free public electronic filing for state income tax returns that users must access separately through dedicated state websites, including&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/individual-corporate/individual-income-tax-electronic-filing-options/">Alabama</a>,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ksrevenue.gov/iiwebfile.html">Kansas</a>,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revenue.ky.gov/Individual/Pages/Free-Electronic-Filing.aspx">Kentucky</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.revenue.pa.gov/OnlineServices/mypath/Individuals/Pages/PIT.aspx">Pennsylvania</a>, which offer the service regardless of income level. Some states, like&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/ways-to-file/online/calfile/calfile-qualifications.html">California</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tax.iowa.gov/individual-income-tax-electronic-filing-options">Iowa</a>, have income thresholds for free filing.

Free direct filing of federal taxes may be offered soon throughout the U.S.

WASHINGTON&nbsp; —A Chinese national who amassed millions of hijacked residential IP addresses and facilitated billions of dollars in unemployment and pandemic relief fraud is in custody, according to the United State's Department of Justice.

A court-authorized international law enforcement operation led by the U.S. Justice Department disrupted a botnet used to commit cyber attacks, large-scale fraud, child exploitation, harassment, bomb threats, and export violations, according to a media release.

As part of this operation, YunHe Wang, 35, a People’s Republic of China national and St. Kitts and Nevis citizen-by-investment, was arrested on May 24 on criminal charges arising from his deployment of malware and the creation and operation of a residential proxy service known as “911 S5.”

According to an indictment unsealed on May 24, from 2014 through July 2022, Wang and others are alleged to have created and disseminated malware to compromise and amass a network of millions of residential Windows computers worldwide. These devices were associated with more than 19 million unique IP addresses, including 613,841 IP addresses located in the United States. Wang then generated millions of dollars by offering cybercriminals access to these infected IP addresses for a fee.

“This Justice Department-led operation brought together law enforcement partners from around the globe to disrupt 911 S5, a botnet that facilitated cyber-attacks, large-scale fraud, child exploitation, harassment, bomb threats, and export violations,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As a result of this operation, YunHe Wang was arrested on charges that he created and operated the botnet and deployed malware. This case makes clear that the long arm of the law stretches across borders and into the deepest shadows of the dark web, and the Justice Department will never stop fighting to hold cybercriminals to account.”

“Working with our international partners, the FBI conducted a joint, sequenced cyber operation to dismantle the 911 S5 Botnet—likely the world’s largest botnet ever,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray.&nbsp; “We arrested its administrator, Yunhe Wang, seized infrastructure and assets, and levied sanctions against Wang and his co-conspirators. The 911 S5 Botnet infected computers in nearly 200 countries and facilitated a whole host of computer-enabled crimes, including financial frauds, identity theft, and child exploitation. This operation demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to working shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners to protect American businesses and the American people, and we will work tirelessly to unmask and arrest the cybercriminals who profit from this illegal activity.”

According to court documents, Wang allegedly propagated his malware through Virtual Private Network (VPN) programs, such as MaskVPN and DewVPN (torrent distribution models that he operated) and pay-per-install services that bundled his malware with other program files, including pirated versions of licensed software or copyrighted materials. Wang then managed and controlled approximately 150 dedicated servers worldwide, approximately 76 of which he leased from U.S. based online service providers. Using the dedicated servers, Wang deployed and managed applications, commanded and controlled the infected devices, operated his 911 S5 service, and provided paying customers with access to proxied IP addresses associated with the infected devices.

“As alleged in the indictment, Wang created malware that compromised millions of residential computers around the world and then sold access to the infected computers to cybercriminals,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These criminals used the hijacked computers to conceal their identities and commit a host of crimes, from fraud to cyberstalking. Cybercriminals should take note. Today’s announcement sends a clear message that the Criminal Division and its law enforcement partners are firm in their resolve to disrupt the most technologically sophisticated criminal tools and hold wrongdoers to account.”

“YunHe Wang created and administered a residential proxy service—a botnet known as 911 S5—that affected millions of computers all over the world,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas. “He will now be held accountable. Proxy services like 911 S5 are pervasive threats that shield criminals behind the compromised IP addresses of residential computers worldwide. Successfully tackling a problem of this scale is only possible with strong collaboration and exceptional investigative work between our law enforcement partners at home and abroad, and we stand ready to hold accountable anyone—no matter where they are located—who exploits our telecommunications infrastructure for their own criminal purpose.”

Cybercriminals then used proxied IP addresses purchased from 911 S5 to conceal their true originating IP addresses and locations, and anonymously commit a wide array of offenses. These offenses including financial crimes, stalking, transmitting bomb threats and threats of harm, illegal exportation of goods, and receiving and sending child exploitation materials. Since 2014, 911 S5 allegedly enabled cybercriminals to bypass financial fraud detection systems and steal billions of dollars from financial institutions, credit card issuers, and federal lending programs.

911 S5 customers allegedly targeted certain pandemic relief programs. For example, the United States estimates that 560,000 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims originated from compromised IP addresses, resulting in a confirmed fraudulent loss exceeding $5.9 billion. Additionally, in evaluating suspected fraud loss to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, the United States estimates that more than 47,000 EIDL applications originated from IP addresses compromised by 911 S5. Millions of dollars more were similarly identified by financial institutions in the United States as loss originating from IP addresses compromised by 911 S5.

The 911 S5 client interface software, which was hosted on U.S.-based servers, enabled cybercriminals located outside of the United States to purchase goods with stolen credit cards or criminally derived proceeds, and illegally export them outside of the United States contrary to U.S. export laws, such as the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The 911 S5 client interface may also contain encryption or other features which subject it to export controls detailed in the EAR. Accordingly, downloads of the 911 S5 client interface software by certain foreign nationals without a license may constitute violations of the EAR.

“The disruption, seizure, and arrest of the perpetrator(s) responsible for the 911 S5 cybercriminal enterprise demonstrates the forward leaning posture of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Cyber Field Office,” said DCIS Director Kelly P. Mayo. “This investigation showcases the critical import of identifying and pursuing emerging threats and technologies targeting our warfighters, and the industrial base that supports them. Today’s announcement illustrates the magnitude of cooperation within federal law enforcement and our foreign partners pursuing criminals in the rapidly evolving cybercrime arena.”

The indictment further alleges that from 2018 until July 2022, Wang received approximately $99 million from his sales of the hijacked proxied IP addresses through his 911 S5 operation, either in cryptocurrency or fiat currency. Wang used the illicitly gained proceeds to purchase real property in the United States, St. Kitts and Nevis, China, Singapore, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates. The indictment identifies dozens of assets and properties subject to forfeiture, including a 2022 Ferrari F8 Spider S-A, a BMW i8, a BMW X7 M50d, a Rolls Royce, more than a dozen domestic and international bank accounts, over two dozen cryptocurrency wallets, several luxury wristwatches, 21 residential or investment properties (across Thailand, Singapore, the U.A.E., St. Kitts and Nevis, and the United States), and 20 domains.

Law enforcement initially focused on 911 S5 during an investigation of a money laundering and smuggling scheme, where criminal actors in Ghana and the United States used hijacked IP addresses purchased from 911 S5 to place fraudulent orders using stolen credit cards on the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) online e-commerce platform known as ShopMyExchange. Although approximately 2,525 fraudulent orders valued at $5.5 million were submitted, credit card fraud detection systems and federal investigators were able to thwart the bulk of the attempted purchases, reducing the actual loss to approximately $254,000.

“The conduct alleged here reads like it’s ripped from a screenplay: A scheme to sell access to millions of malware-infected computers worldwide, enabling criminals over the world to steal billions of dollars, transmit bomb threats, and exchange child exploitation materials—then using the scheme’s nearly $100 million in profits to buy luxury cars, watches, and real estate,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). “What they don’t show in the movies though is the painstaking work it takes by domestic and international law enforcement, working closely with industry partners, to take down such a brazen scheme and make an arrest like this happen.”&nbsp;

Wang is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud, substantive computer fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted on all counts, Wang faces a maximum penalty of 65 years in prison.

This operation was a coordinated multiagency effort led by law enforcement in the United States, Singapore, Thailand, and Germany. Agents and officers searched residences, seized assets valued at approximately $30 million, and identified additional forfeitable property valued at approximately $30 million. The operation also seized 23 domains and over 70 servers constituting the backbone of Wang’s prior residential proxy service and the recent incarnation of the service. By seizing multiple domains tied to the historical 911 S5, as well as several new domains and services directly linked to an effort to reconstitute the service, the government has successfully terminated Wang’s efforts to further victimize individuals through his newly formed service Clourouter.io and closed the existing malicious backdoors.

On May 28, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)&nbsp;<a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2375" target="_blank">issued financial sanctions</a>&nbsp;against Wang, Jingping Liu, and Yanni Zheng, for their activities associated with 911 S5, and three entities for being owned or controlled by Wang.

The FBI Dallas and Denver Field Offices, DCIS Cyber Field Office, and BIS Office of Export Enforcement’s Dallas field office are investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Candy Heath and Lydia Lichlyter of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camelia Lopez and William Tatum for the Eastern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

WASHINGTON&nbsp; —A Chinese national who amassed millions of hijacked residential IP addresses and facilitated billions of dollars in unemployment and pandemic relief fraud is in custody, according to the United State's Department of Justice.A court-authorized international law enforcement operation led by the U.S. Justice Department disrupted a botnet used to commit cyber attacks, large-scale fraud, child exploitation, harassment, bomb threats, and export violations, according to a media release.As part of this operation, YunHe Wang, 35, a People’s Republic of China national and St. Kitts and Nevis citizen-by-investment, was arrested on May 24 on criminal charges arising from his deployment of malware and the creation and operation of a residential proxy service known as “911 S5.”According to an indictment unsealed on May 24, from 2014 through July 2022, Wang and others are alleged to have created and disseminated malware to compromise and amass a network of millions of residential Windows computers worldwide. These devices were associated with more than 19 million unique IP addresses, including 613,841 IP addresses located in the United States. Wang then generated millions of dollars by offering cybercriminals access to these infected IP addresses for a fee.“This Justice Department-led operation brought together law enforcement partners from around the globe to disrupt 911 S5, a botnet that facilitated cyber-attacks, large-scale fraud, child exploitation, harassment, bomb threats, and export violations,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As a result of this operation, YunHe Wang was arrested on charges that he created and operated the botnet and deployed malware. This case makes clear that the long arm of the law stretches across borders and into the deepest shadows of the dark web, and the Justice Department will never stop fighting to hold cybercriminals to account.”“Working with our international partners, the FBI conducted a joint, sequenced cyber operation to dismantle the 911 S5 Botnet—likely the world’s largest botnet ever,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray.&nbsp; “We arrested its administrator, Yunhe Wang, seized infrastructure and assets, and levied sanctions against Wang and his co-conspirators. The 911 S5 Botnet infected computers in nearly 200 countries and facilitated a whole host of computer-enabled crimes, including financial frauds, identity theft, and child exploitation. This operation demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to working shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners to protect American businesses and the American people, and we will work tirelessly to unmask and arrest the cybercriminals who profit from this illegal activity.”According to court documents, Wang allegedly propagated his malware through Virtual Private Network (VPN) programs, such as MaskVPN and DewVPN (torrent distribution models that he operated) and pay-per-install services that bundled his malware with other program files, including pirated versions of licensed software or copyrighted materials. Wang then managed and controlled approximately 150 dedicated servers worldwide, approximately 76 of which he leased from U.S. based online service providers. Using the dedicated servers, Wang deployed and managed applications, commanded and controlled the infected devices, operated his 911 S5 service, and provided paying customers with access to proxied IP addresses associated with the infected devices.“As alleged in the indictment, Wang created malware that compromised millions of residential computers around the world and then sold access to the infected computers to cybercriminals,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These criminals used the hijacked computers to conceal their identities and commit a host of crimes, from fraud to cyberstalking. Cybercriminals should take note. Today’s announcement sends a clear message that the Criminal Division and its law enforcement partners are firm in their resolve to disrupt the most technologically sophisticated criminal tools and hold wrongdoers to account.”“YunHe Wang created and administered a residential proxy service—a botnet known as 911 S5—that affected millions of computers all over the world,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas. “He will now be held accountable. Proxy services like 911 S5 are pervasive threats that shield criminals behind the compromised IP addresses of residential computers worldwide. Successfully tackling a problem of this scale is only possible with strong collaboration and exceptional investigative work between our law enforcement partners at home and abroad, and we stand ready to hold accountable anyone—no matter where they are located—who exploits our telecommunications infrastructure for their own criminal purpose.”Cybercriminals then used proxied IP addresses purchased from 911 S5 to conceal their true originating IP addresses and locations, and anonymously commit a wide array of offenses. These offenses including financial crimes, stalking, transmitting bomb threats and threats of harm, illegal exportation of goods, and receiving and sending child exploitation materials. Since 2014, 911 S5 allegedly enabled cybercriminals to bypass financial fraud detection systems and steal billions of dollars from financial institutions, credit card issuers, and federal lending programs.911 S5 customers allegedly targeted certain pandemic relief programs. For example, the United States estimates that 560,000 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims originated from compromised IP addresses, resulting in a confirmed fraudulent loss exceeding $5.9 billion. Additionally, in evaluating suspected fraud loss to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, the United States estimates that more than 47,000 EIDL applications originated from IP addresses compromised by 911 S5. Millions of dollars more were similarly identified by financial institutions in the United States as loss originating from IP addresses compromised by 911 S5.The 911 S5 client interface software, which was hosted on U.S.-based servers, enabled cybercriminals located outside of the United States to purchase goods with stolen credit cards or criminally derived proceeds, and illegally export them outside of the United States contrary to U.S. export laws, such as the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The 911 S5 client interface may also contain encryption or other features which subject it to export controls detailed in the EAR. Accordingly, downloads of the 911 S5 client interface software by certain foreign nationals without a license may constitute violations of the EAR.“The disruption, seizure, and arrest of the perpetrator(s) responsible for the 911 S5 cybercriminal enterprise demonstrates the forward leaning posture of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Cyber Field Office,” said DCIS Director Kelly P. Mayo. “This investigation showcases the critical import of identifying and pursuing emerging threats and technologies targeting our warfighters, and the industrial base that supports them. Today’s announcement illustrates the magnitude of cooperation within federal law enforcement and our foreign partners pursuing criminals in the rapidly evolving cybercrime arena.”The indictment further alleges that from 2018 until July 2022, Wang received approximately $99 million from his sales of the hijacked proxied IP addresses through his 911 S5 operation, either in cryptocurrency or fiat currency. Wang used the illicitly gained proceeds to purchase real property in the United States, St. Kitts and Nevis, China, Singapore, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates. The indictment identifies dozens of assets and properties subject to forfeiture, including a 2022 Ferrari F8 Spider S-A, a BMW i8, a BMW X7 M50d, a Rolls Royce, more than a dozen domestic and international bank accounts, over two dozen cryptocurrency wallets, several luxury wristwatches, 21 residential or investment properties (across Thailand, Singapore, the U.A.E., St. Kitts and Nevis, and the United States), and 20 domains.Law enforcement initially focused on 911 S5 during an investigation of a money laundering and smuggling scheme, where criminal actors in Ghana and the United States used hijacked IP addresses purchased from 911 S5 to place fraudulent orders using stolen credit cards on the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) online e-commerce platform known as ShopMyExchange. Although approximately 2,525 fraudulent orders valued at $5.5 million were submitted, credit card fraud detection systems and federal investigators were able to thwart the bulk of the attempted purchases, reducing the actual loss to approximately $254,000.“The conduct alleged here reads like it’s ripped from a screenplay: A scheme to sell access to millions of malware-infected computers worldwide, enabling criminals over the world to steal billions of dollars, transmit bomb threats, and exchange child exploitation materials—then using the scheme’s nearly $100 million in profits to buy luxury cars, watches, and real estate,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). “What they don’t show in the movies though is the painstaking work it takes by domestic and international law enforcement, working closely with industry partners, to take down such a brazen scheme and make an arrest like this happen.”&nbsp;Wang is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud, substantive computer fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted on all counts, Wang faces a maximum penalty of 65 years in prison.This operation was a coordinated multiagency effort led by law enforcement in the United States, Singapore, Thailand, and Germany. Agents and officers searched residences, seized assets valued at approximately $30 million, and identified additional forfeitable property valued at approximately $30 million. The operation also seized 23 domains and over 70 servers constituting the backbone of Wang’s prior residential proxy service and the recent incarnation of the service. By seizing multiple domains tied to the historical 911 S5, as well as several new domains and services directly linked to an effort to reconstitute the service, the government has successfully terminated Wang’s efforts to further victimize individuals through his newly formed service Clourouter.io and closed the existing malicious backdoors.On May 28, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)&nbsp;<a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2375" target="_blank">issued financial sanctions</a>&nbsp;against Wang, Jingping Liu, and Yanni Zheng, for their activities associated with 911 S5, and three entities for being owned or controlled by Wang.The FBI Dallas and Denver Field Offices, DCIS Cyber Field Office, and BIS Office of Export Enforcement’s Dallas field office are investigating the case.Trial Attorneys Candy Heath and Lydia Lichlyter of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camelia Lopez and William Tatum for the Eastern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

DOJ charged man with theft of $5.9 billion in Covid relief funds

Drug Enforcement Administration - Omaha Division

<a>OMAHA, Neb.&nbsp;</a>–&nbsp;Community members across the five state Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division safely disposed of 18,614 pounds of unwanted and unused medications at the 26th&nbsp;National Prescription Drug Take Back Day event held April 27. Nationally, DEA and its law enforcement partners collected 670,136 pounds of medications at close to 5,000 sites.

<a></a><a>“We know how busy weekends can be and we’re grateful for everyone who took time to clean out medicine cabinets and drop off unneeded medications at one of our Take Back Day locations,” DEA Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Steven T. Bell said. “It’s important to realize that this one small act can make a big impact on the well-being of our communities.”</a>

Earlier this year, DEA launched a new campaign encouraging the public to “Make Every Day Take Back Day,” by utilizing year-round collection sites to dispose of unneeded medications.&nbsp;The DEA has registered nearly 17,000 pharmacies, hospitals and businesses nationwide to help provide a safe place for community members to regularly and safely dispose of unwanted medications. A list of these locations&nbsp;can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/spring/main;jsessionid=iY8g229hjOJbFO5bFU4HBniGx1dryBzmPtKzBxEh.web2?execution=e1s1" target="_blank">here</a>. Additionally, many police departments provide year-round drop boxes.

According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a majority of people who use prescription medication for a nonmedical purpose obtained that medication from a family member or friend.

<a>Since the program’s inception in 2010, National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has removed more than 18.6 million pounds of unneeded medications from communities across the country. Complete results for DEA’s spring National Prescription Drug Take Back Day are available at&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.dea.gov/takebackday#results" target="_blank">Take Back Day (dea.gov)</a>.

Drug Enforcement Administration - Omaha Division<a>OMAHA, Neb.&nbsp;</a>–&nbsp;Community members across the five state Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division safely disposed of 18,614 pounds of unwanted and unused medications at the 26th&nbsp;National Prescription Drug Take Back Day event held April 27. Nationally, DEA and its law enforcement partners collected 670,136 pounds of medications at close to 5,000 sites.<a></a><a>“We know how busy weekends can be and we’re grateful for everyone who took time to clean out medicine cabinets and drop off unneeded medications at one of our Take Back Day locations,” DEA Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Steven T. Bell said. “It’s important to realize that this one small act can make a big impact on the well-being of our communities.”</a>Earlier this year, DEA launched a new campaign encouraging the public to “Make Every Day Take Back Day,” by utilizing year-round collection sites to dispose of unneeded medications.&nbsp;The DEA has registered nearly 17,000 pharmacies, hospitals and businesses nationwide to help provide a safe place for community members to regularly and safely dispose of unwanted medications. A list of these locations&nbsp;can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/spring/main;jsessionid=iY8g229hjOJbFO5bFU4HBniGx1dryBzmPtKzBxEh.web2?execution=e1s1" target="_blank">here</a>. Additionally, many police departments provide year-round drop boxes.According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a majority of people who use prescription medication for a nonmedical purpose obtained that medication from a family member or friend.<a>Since the program’s inception in 2010, National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has removed more than 18.6 million pounds of unneeded medications from communities across the country. Complete results for DEA’s spring National Prescription Drug Take Back Day are available at&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.dea.gov/takebackday#results" target="_blank">Take Back Day (dea.gov)</a>.

More Than 18,000 Pounds of Unused Medication Removed from Communities in Five State DEA Omaha Division

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/30/property-tax-special-session-could-be-among-costliest-in-nebraska-history/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;If Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen calls lawmakers back for a property tax relief special session later this year, it could be among the costliest in state history.

Pillen, in his second year as governor, has remained firm in vowing to “call as many special sessions as it takes” in his pursuit of reducing local property taxes by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/01/08/gov-pillen-presses-broadened-sales-tax-base-but-offers-no-details/">40% before year’s end</a>, or about $2 billion of what is collected annually. Initial cost estimates could push per-day costs to about twice what the last special session cost in 2021, for redistricting.

In his April 18 end-of-session speech, Pillen said it was unacceptable that lawmakers&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/18/stunning-last-minute-defeat-for-pillen-tax-shift-bill-likely-ensures-special-session/">failed to enact one cent</a>&nbsp;of extra property tax relief.

“Enjoy halftime. We’ll see you again here soon,” Pillen said.

The governor’s ideas for a “broad-base tax decrease” include:

<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/24/gov-pillen-outlines-some-funding-levers-in-his-quest-to-lower-nebraska-property-taxes/">Funding his ideas</a>&nbsp;could come in the form of eliminating some of the more than 100 sales tax exemptions and accepting more federal funding to augment state services, he outlined last week.

Estimates from the Legislature’s accounting office include breakdowns for special sessions of varying lengths this year:

Three years ago, senators returned for a 13-day session on redistricting, which cost a total of $105,436, or $8,110.46 per session day. If the estimates hold, it would be the largest per-day cost increases between sessions in Unicameral history.

Shelley Reed, legislative business manager for the Legislature, said it’s difficult to determine the exact cost until the length of a special session is known.&nbsp;

“There’s a lot of factors that play into the numbers, therefore all we can provide is estimates,” Reed said in an email.

Those factors include staff salary increase; whether legislative employees work overtime; per diem and mileage reimbursements for lawmakers; and printing costs. Security costs might be a factor for the Nebraska State Patrol and sergeants at arms.

Legislative staff received a 15% salary increase effective July 1, 2023, and will get another 15% increase again this year on July 1, a boost funded through existing legislative carryover funds.

Lawmakers have historically&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/107/PDF/Final/LB14_S1.pdf">appropriated</a>&nbsp;more than what is reported for a special session through the biannual “<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/about/blue-book.php">Nebraska Blue Book</a>,” which records state history, facts about the Legislature’s history and more.

Across seven special sessions between 2001 and 2021, for example, approved appropriations were on average $22,000 more than what was reported.

Reed confirmed it’s possible the estimates could be in excess of actual costs.

Pillen is leading&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/03/pillens-property-tax-road-show-targets-possible-yes-votes/">several town halls</a>&nbsp;across the state to drum up support for his plans. Asked after his event last week about the potential cost of a special session, Pillen said, “My response to that we ought to cut down introducing 1,400 bills. That’d be the really good savings in the Unicameral.”

Lawmakers passed a rule change hoping to reduce the number of bill introductions beginning next year, limiting senators to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-state-senators-cap-the-number-of-bills-they-can-propose-each-session/">20 bills each</a>, though many opponents questioned whether the rule change would actually lead to fewer bills.

State Sens. Ray Aguilar of Grand Island and Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, the Legislature’s longest current serving members, each have served through multiple special sessions under different governors. For Aguilar, five sessions across his 1999-2009 service and once in 2021; for Conrad, three sessions during her 2007-2015 service.

About half of the current state senators served during the most recent special session, in 2021.

Aguilar and Conrad said special session cost is one factor to consider, with Aguilar noting it’s up to the governor to ensure a session is called only if an idea has enough votes to be successful.&nbsp;

Conrad said the nice thing about a special session is it’s focused on a discrete issue or set of issues instead of hundreds of bills or budgetary concerns, which also cuts down on some “horse trading” that can play across various issues in a regular session.

“It’s a different tenor and tone. It’s a different focus,” Conrad said.

Aguilar and Conrad crossed paths in their previous service, including the November 2008 special session called to fix the state’s new&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/27/more-places-install-drop-off-boxes-for-surrendered-babies-critics-say-theyre-a-gimmick/#:~:text=Nebraska%20passed%20a%20safe%20haven,Thne%2DGov.">safe haven law</a>, which was intended to allow parents to relinquish unwanted newborns without legal repercussions. Instead the new law prompted families to give up 36 children to the state, mostly adolescents.

The law was revised to apply only to infants up to 30 days old.

Conrad said a successful special session comes with clear consensus around the identified goals or issues which have been consistently and clearly communicated to lawmakers. That, she added, should come before the governor’s proclamation calling a session.

Beginning in 1971, lawmakers began meeting every year for regular sessions. Since then, special sessions have ranged from seven days to 16 days. They are not limited to a certain length, and Conrad warned of a “runaway session” if the governor and senators are not careful.

At the same time, a governor’s call does not necessarily mean the session will be successful, and senators could gavel in and gavel out on the same day.

“But when you have governors working hand-in-glove with the Legislature, I think that dramatically increases and enhances the chance to have a really effective special session,” Conrad said.

Aguilar, who serves as chair of the Executive Board, the Legislature’s second-highest ranking member, said “you have to have all your ducks in a row before you get into it.”

“Nobody wants to go in and spend, you know, six weeks down there filibustering,” Aguilar said. “If we’ve work to do, we want to get something accomplished and get down there and do it.”

Conrad said Pillen’s property tax plans set an “arbitrary” goal that is not “moored in reality,” which could hinder success.

“I don’t think that doubling down on one of the largest tax increases in history is going to be a successful recipe for a special session,” Conrad said.

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, who chairs the Legislature’s Revenue Committee, led the latest tax proposal, Legislative Bill 388, before withdrawing it on the last legislative day of the regular session.&nbsp;

She said it was “ridiculous” and “insane” to label LB 388 as among the largest increases in state history, pointing to two other points in time: 1967, with the enactment of state sales taxes, and 1990, with a new school funding method, also enacted to reduce property taxes.

Linehan declined Wednesday to comment on ongoing work to consider Pillen’s ideas and plans.

Special sessions may be called in two ways: by the governor or by at least two-thirds of the Legislature, or 33 lawmakers. In either case, the call is limited to whatever the governor or senators request, and legislation cannot extend beyond those limits.

Introduced legislation does not have to revolve around one subject, though many sessions, such as redistricting, have.

Multiple state senators have floated the need to expand the state’s tax base, such as through legalizing and taxing online gambling or marijuana sales, though another major call could be introduced to allow taxpayers to sue political subdivisions in certain cases of child abuse or sexual assault.

State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, who shepherded that latest measure, has said a special session is needed to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/24/pillen-vetoes-nebraska-child-sexual-assault-and-abuse-proposal/#:~:text=Wayne%20described%20the%20veto%20as,bureaucracy%20over%20justice%20for%20children.%E2%80%9D">narrow the immunity</a>&nbsp;that state agencies or public schools have. He has threatened not to return for a special session if a fix isn’t on the table.

After the Nebraska Supreme Court further&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/06/nebraska-supreme-court-dismisses-foster-care-abuse-case-against-dhhs-expands-immunity/">expanded immunity for political subdivisions</a>&nbsp;in a recent decision, Conrad said senators might try to make history and call their own session to resolve that issue.

Thirty-six special sessions have been called since 1937, when the Unicameral was established. All have been initiated by the governor.

For senators to call a special session, at least 10 must submit written notice of their proposed call to the Nebraska secretary of state, who must then poll every lawmaker to see if at least 33 senators are part of the effort. If that threshold is passed, the governor is then obligated to convene the session.

Conrad said earlier this month that conversations about a special session were ongoing, and because Pillen’s veto letter for LB 25 referenced taxes, lawmakers could try to find a roundabout way to revive the legislation.

“The governor’s exercise with his veto pen will not be the last word on this topic,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/25/we-were-so-close-nebraska-mother-responds-to-veto-of-child-sexual-assault-and-abuse-bill/">Conrad said last month</a>.

Aguilar said he could “maybe” support a senator-led call for related legislation, though he wants to hear the pitch and any potential repercussions before signing on.

Pillen told the Nebraska Examiner he tried to work with Wayne and others on a solution to the immunity issue but stood firm in saying law enforcement, not taxpayers, should address the issue.

“I think we can work together, but we weren’t able to get it done in the session,” Pillen said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717174038145.jpeg" alt=" Gov. Jim Pillen talks about his property tax proposal during an interview with the Nebraska Examiner on Dec. 27, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Jim Pillen talks about his property tax proposal during an interview with the Nebraska Examiner on Dec. 27, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/30/property-tax-special-session-could-be-among-costliest-in-nebraska-history/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;If Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen calls lawmakers back for a property tax relief special session later this year, it could be among the costliest in state history.Pillen, in his second year as governor, has remained firm in vowing to “call as many special sessions as it takes” in his pursuit of reducing local property taxes by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/01/08/gov-pillen-presses-broadened-sales-tax-base-but-offers-no-details/">40% before year’s end</a>, or about $2 billion of what is collected annually. Initial cost estimates could push per-day costs to about twice what the last special session cost in 2021, for redistricting.In his April 18 end-of-session speech, Pillen said it was unacceptable that lawmakers&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/18/stunning-last-minute-defeat-for-pillen-tax-shift-bill-likely-ensures-special-session/">failed to enact one cent</a>&nbsp;of extra property tax relief.“Enjoy halftime. We’ll see you again here soon,” Pillen said.The governor’s ideas for a “broad-base tax decrease” include:<ul>
 <li>Asking lawmakers to front-load already approved property tax credits for income taxes paid so more Nebraskans receive them.</li><li>Placing hard caps on local government spending, at about 2% or 3% annual increases.</li><li>Trimming $500 million in government spending, while not eliminating services.</li>
 </ul><a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/24/gov-pillen-outlines-some-funding-levers-in-his-quest-to-lower-nebraska-property-taxes/">Funding his ideas</a>&nbsp;could come in the form of eliminating some of the more than 100 sales tax exemptions and accepting more federal funding to augment state services, he outlined last week.<h2>Special session cost estimates</h2>Estimates from the Legislature’s accounting office include breakdowns for special sessions of varying lengths this year:<ul>
 <li>Five days: $79,686 ($15,937.20 per session day).</li><li>Seven days: $130,165 ($18,595 per session day).</li><li>Ten days: $174,876 ($17,487.60 per session day).</li>
 </ul>Three years ago, senators returned for a 13-day session on redistricting, which cost a total of $105,436, or $8,110.46 per session day. If the estimates hold, it would be the largest per-day cost increases between sessions in Unicameral history.Shelley Reed, legislative business manager for the Legislature, said it’s difficult to determine the exact cost until the length of a special session is known.&nbsp;“There’s a lot of factors that play into the numbers, therefore all we can provide is estimates,” Reed said in an email.Those factors include staff salary increase; whether legislative employees work overtime; per diem and mileage reimbursements for lawmakers; and printing costs. Security costs might be a factor for the Nebraska State Patrol and sergeants at arms.Legislative staff received a 15% salary increase effective July 1, 2023, and will get another 15% increase again this year on July 1, a boost funded through existing legislative carryover funds.Lawmakers have historically&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/107/PDF/Final/LB14_S1.pdf">appropriated</a>&nbsp;more than what is reported for a special session through the biannual “<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/about/blue-book.php">Nebraska Blue Book</a>,” which records state history, facts about the Legislature’s history and more.Across seven special sessions between 2001 and 2021, for example, approved appropriations were on average $22,000 more than what was reported.Reed confirmed it’s possible the estimates could be in excess of actual costs.<h2>‘A different tenor and tone’</h2>Pillen is leading&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/03/pillens-property-tax-road-show-targets-possible-yes-votes/">several town halls</a>&nbsp;across the state to drum up support for his plans. Asked after his event last week about the potential cost of a special session, Pillen said, “My response to that we ought to cut down introducing 1,400 bills. That’d be the really good savings in the Unicameral.”Lawmakers passed a rule change hoping to reduce the number of bill introductions beginning next year, limiting senators to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-state-senators-cap-the-number-of-bills-they-can-propose-each-session/">20 bills each</a>, though many opponents questioned whether the rule change would actually lead to fewer bills.State Sens. Ray Aguilar of Grand Island and Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, the Legislature’s longest current serving members, each have served through multiple special sessions under different governors. For Aguilar, five sessions across his 1999-2009 service and once in 2021; for Conrad, three sessions during her 2007-2015 service.About half of the current state senators served during the most recent special session, in 2021.Aguilar and Conrad said special session cost is one factor to consider, with Aguilar noting it’s up to the governor to ensure a session is called only if an idea has enough votes to be successful.&nbsp;Conrad said the nice thing about a special session is it’s focused on a discrete issue or set of issues instead of hundreds of bills or budgetary concerns, which also cuts down on some “horse trading” that can play across various issues in a regular session.“It’s a different tenor and tone. It’s a different focus,” Conrad said.Aguilar and Conrad crossed paths in their previous service, including the November 2008 special session called to fix the state’s new&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/27/more-places-install-drop-off-boxes-for-surrendered-babies-critics-say-theyre-a-gimmick/#:~:text=Nebraska%20passed%20a%20safe%20haven,Thne%2DGov.">safe haven law</a>, which was intended to allow parents to relinquish unwanted newborns without legal repercussions. Instead the new law prompted families to give up 36 children to the state, mostly adolescents.The law was revised to apply only to infants up to 30 days old.<h2>What makes a successful session?</h2>Conrad said a successful special session comes with clear consensus around the identified goals or issues which have been consistently and clearly communicated to lawmakers. That, she added, should come before the governor’s proclamation calling a session.Beginning in 1971, lawmakers began meeting every year for regular sessions. Since then, special sessions have ranged from seven days to 16 days. They are not limited to a certain length, and Conrad warned of a “runaway session” if the governor and senators are not careful.At the same time, a governor’s call does not necessarily mean the session will be successful, and senators could gavel in and gavel out on the same day.“But when you have governors working hand-in-glove with the Legislature, I think that dramatically increases and enhances the chance to have a really effective special session,” Conrad said.Aguilar, who serves as chair of the Executive Board, the Legislature’s second-highest ranking member, said “you have to have all your ducks in a row before you get into it.”“Nobody wants to go in and spend, you know, six weeks down there filibustering,” Aguilar said. “If we’ve work to do, we want to get something accomplished and get down there and do it.”<h2>Opposition to original plan</h2>Conrad said Pillen’s property tax plans set an “arbitrary” goal that is not “moored in reality,” which could hinder success.“I don’t think that doubling down on one of the largest tax increases in history is going to be a successful recipe for a special session,” Conrad said.State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, who chairs the Legislature’s Revenue Committee, led the latest tax proposal, Legislative Bill 388, before withdrawing it on the last legislative day of the regular session.&nbsp;She said it was “ridiculous” and “insane” to label LB 388 as among the largest increases in state history, pointing to two other points in time: 1967, with the enactment of state sales taxes, and 1990, with a new school funding method, also enacted to reduce property taxes.Linehan declined Wednesday to comment on ongoing work to consider Pillen’s ideas and plans.<h2>Special session logistics</h2>Special sessions may be called in two ways: by the governor or by at least two-thirds of the Legislature, or 33 lawmakers. In either case, the call is limited to whatever the governor or senators request, and legislation cannot extend beyond those limits.Introduced legislation does not have to revolve around one subject, though many sessions, such as redistricting, have.Multiple state senators have floated the need to expand the state’s tax base, such as through legalizing and taxing online gambling or marijuana sales, though another major call could be introduced to allow taxpayers to sue political subdivisions in certain cases of child abuse or sexual assault.State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, who shepherded that latest measure, has said a special session is needed to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/24/pillen-vetoes-nebraska-child-sexual-assault-and-abuse-proposal/#:~:text=Wayne%20described%20the%20veto%20as,bureaucracy%20over%20justice%20for%20children.%E2%80%9D">narrow the immunity</a>&nbsp;that state agencies or public schools have. He has threatened not to return for a special session if a fix isn’t on the table.After the Nebraska Supreme Court further&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/06/nebraska-supreme-court-dismisses-foster-care-abuse-case-against-dhhs-expands-immunity/">expanded immunity for political subdivisions</a>&nbsp;in a recent decision, Conrad said senators might try to make history and call their own session to resolve that issue.Thirty-six special sessions have been called since 1937, when the Unicameral was established. All have been initiated by the governor.For senators to call a special session, at least 10 must submit written notice of their proposed call to the Nebraska secretary of state, who must then poll every lawmaker to see if at least 33 senators are part of the effort. If that threshold is passed, the governor is then obligated to convene the session.<h2>Session timing</h2>Conrad said earlier this month that conversations about a special session were ongoing, and because Pillen’s veto letter for LB 25 referenced taxes, lawmakers could try to find a roundabout way to revive the legislation.“The governor’s exercise with his veto pen will not be the last word on this topic,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/25/we-were-so-close-nebraska-mother-responds-to-veto-of-child-sexual-assault-and-abuse-bill/">Conrad said last month</a>.Aguilar said he could “maybe” support a senator-led call for related legislation, though he wants to hear the pitch and any potential repercussions before signing on.Pillen told the Nebraska Examiner he tried to work with Wayne and others on a solution to the immunity issue but stood firm in saying law enforcement, not taxpayers, should address the issue.“I think we can work together, but we weren’t able to get it done in the session,” Pillen said.He’s told reporters he remains “100% focused” on a property tax session and that a session is expected this summer before school starts in mid-August, shying away from his office’s more definitive late July timeline. He said his office anticipates making at least one trade mission, as well, to Indonesia.“I’ve got the other responsibilities — I’ve got to defend Nebraska and grow Nebraska and sell it all over the world,” Pillen said. “… We got to work around a lot of commitments.”Nebraska Examiner political reporter Aaron Sanderford contributed to this report.