BOSTON (AP) — When U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss decided to deliver a speech on a bill that would create a U.S.-Israel artificial intelligence center, he opted to let the AI do the talking.

The brief two-paragragh speech read by the Massachusetts Democrat on the floor of the U.S. House on Wednesday was generated by the online&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-chat-gpt-ac4967a4fb41fda31c4d27f015e32660">AI chatbot ChatGPT</a>. His staff said they believe it’s the first time an AI-written speech was read in Congress.

Auchincloss said he prompted the system in part to “write 100 words to deliver on the floor of the House of Representatives” about the legislation. Auchincloss said he had to refine the prompt several times to produce the text he ultimately read.

The bill, which Auchincloss is refiling, would establish a joint U.S.-Israel AI Center in the United States to serve as a hub for AI research and development in the public, private and education sectors.

Auchincloss said part of the decision to read a ChatGPT-generated text was to help spur debate on AI and the challenges and opportunities created by it. He said he doesn’t want to see a repeat of the advent of social media, which started small and ballooned faster than Congress could react.

“I’m the youngest parent in the Democratic caucus, AI is going to be part of my life and it could be a general purpose technology for my children,” said Auchincloss, 34.

The release of ChatGPT and other AI programs available on the internet is already posing a challenge for teachers who must now grapple with the possibility of students handing in AI-generated essays.

Researchers also worry AI chatbots could help turbocharge efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-business-artificial-intelligence-afb4618ff593db9e3e51ecbd91dc3eef">spread misinformation and propaganda.</a>

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-microsoft-corp-business-artificial-intelligence-03f157ddc482ef76f4999b929eaac7bf">OpenAI</a>, the nonprofit that created ChatGPT, has acknowledged on its website that ChatGPT “can occasionally produce incorrect answers” and that its responses will sometimes be misleading as a result of how it learns. It recommends users check whether responses are accurate or not,

The text generated from Auchincloss’s prompt includes sentences like: “We must collaborate with international partners like the Israeli government to ensure that the United States maintains a leadership role in AI research and development and responsibly explores the many possibilities evolving technologies provide.”

“There were probably about a dozen of my colleagues on the floor. I bet none of them knew it was written by a computer,” he said.

Lawmakers and others shouldn’t be reflexively hostile to the new technology, but also shouldn’t wait too long before drafting policies or new laws to help regulate it, Auchincloss said.

In particular, he argued that the country needs a “public counterweight” to the big tech firms that would help guarantee that smaller developers and universities have access to the same cloud computing, cutting edge algorithms and raw data as larger companies.

BOSTON (AP) — When U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss decided to deliver a speech on a bill that would create a U.S.-Israel artificial intelligence center, he opted to let the AI do the talking.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepAuchincloss?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepAuchincloss</a> delivers AI-generated speech on the House floor: &quot;We must collaborate with international partners like the Israeli government to ensure that the United States maintains a leadership role in AI research and development...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/xMbPIXyBJO">pic.twitter.com/xMbPIXyBJO</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1618675199678812170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The brief two-paragragh speech read by the Massachusetts Democrat on the floor of the U.S. House on Wednesday was generated by the online&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-chat-gpt-ac4967a4fb41fda31c4d27f015e32660">AI chatbot ChatGPT</a>. His staff said they believe it’s the first time an AI-written speech was read in Congress.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">AI has the potential to radically reshape how we use technology. But for now… my speechwriter has nothing to worry about. <a href="https://t.co/AADA3mwPrC">pic.twitter.com/AADA3mwPrC</a>&mdash; Rep. Jake Auchincloss (@RepAuchincloss) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepAuchincloss/status/1618299859785908227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Auchincloss said he prompted the system in part to “write 100 words to deliver on the floor of the House of Representatives” about the legislation. Auchincloss said he had to refine the prompt several times to produce the text he ultimately read.The bill, which Auchincloss is refiling, would establish a joint U.S.-Israel AI Center in the United States to serve as a hub for AI research and development in the public, private and education sectors.Auchincloss said part of the decision to read a ChatGPT-generated text was to help spur debate on AI and the challenges and opportunities created by it. He said he doesn’t want to see a repeat of the advent of social media, which started small and ballooned faster than Congress could react.“I’m the youngest parent in the Democratic caucus, AI is going to be part of my life and it could be a general purpose technology for my children,” said Auchincloss, 34.The release of ChatGPT and other AI programs available on the internet is already posing a challenge for teachers who must now grapple with the possibility of students handing in AI-generated essays.Researchers also worry AI chatbots could help turbocharge efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-business-artificial-intelligence-afb4618ff593db9e3e51ecbd91dc3eef">spread misinformation and propaganda.</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-microsoft-corp-business-artificial-intelligence-03f157ddc482ef76f4999b929eaac7bf">OpenAI</a>, the nonprofit that created ChatGPT, has acknowledged on its website that ChatGPT “can occasionally produce incorrect answers” and that its responses will sometimes be misleading as a result of how it learns. It recommends users check whether responses are accurate or not,The text generated from Auchincloss’s prompt includes sentences like: “We must collaborate with international partners like the Israeli government to ensure that the United States maintains a leadership role in AI research and development and responsibly explores the many possibilities evolving technologies provide.”“There were probably about a dozen of my colleagues on the floor. I bet none of them knew it was written by a computer,” he said.Lawmakers and others shouldn’t be reflexively hostile to the new technology, but also shouldn’t wait too long before drafting policies or new laws to help regulate it, Auchincloss said.In particular, he argued that the country needs a “public counterweight” to the big tech firms that would help guarantee that smaller developers and universities have access to the same cloud computing, cutting edge algorithms and raw data as larger companies.

🎥First: Speech on House floor totally written by artificial intelligence

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — An asteroid the size of a delivery truck will whip past Earth on Thursday night, one of the closest such encounters ever recorded.

NASA insists it will be a near miss with no chance of the asteroid hitting Earth.

NASA said Wednesday that this newly discovered asteroid will zoom 2,200 miles above the southern tip of South America. That's 10 times closer than the bevy of communication satellites circling overhead.

The closest approach will occur at 6:27 p.m. CST&nbsp;

Even if the space rock came a lot closer, scientists said most of it would burn up in the atmosphere, with some of the bigger pieces possibly falling as meteorites.

NASA's impact hazard assessment system, called Scout, quickly ruled out a strike, said its developer, Davide Farnocchia, an engineer at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

"But despite the very few observations, it was nonetheless able to predict that the asteroid would make an extraordinarily close approach with Earth,” Farnocchia said in a statement. “In fact, this is one of the closest approaches by a known near-Earth object ever recorded.”

Discovered Saturday, the asteroid known as 2023 BU is believed to be between 11 feet (3.5 meters) and 28 feet (8.5 meters) feet across. It was first spotted by the same amateur astronomer in Crimea, Gennady Borisov, who discovered an interstellar comet in 2019. Within a few days, dozens of observations were made by astronomers around the world, allowing them to refine the asteroid's orbit.

The asteroid's path drastically will be altered by Earth's gravity once it zips by. Instead of circling the sun every 359 days, it will move into an oval orbit lasting 425 days, according to NASA.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674749374434.png" alt="This orbital diagram from CNEOS’s close approach viewer shows 2023 BU’s trajectory – in red – during its close approach with Earth on Jan. 26, 2023. The asteroid will pass about 10 times closer to Earth than the orbit of geosynchronous satellites, shown in green line. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech" />
 <figcaption>This orbital diagram from CNEOS’s close approach viewer shows 2023 BU’s trajectory – in red – during its close approach with Earth on Jan. 26, 2023. The asteroid will pass about 10 times closer to Earth than the orbit of geosynchronous satellites, shown in green line. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech</figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — An asteroid the size of a delivery truck will whip past Earth on Thursday night, one of the closest such encounters ever recorded.NASA insists it will be a near miss with no chance of the asteroid hitting Earth.NASA said Wednesday that this newly discovered asteroid will zoom 2,200 miles above the southern tip of South America. That's 10 times closer than the bevy of communication satellites circling overhead.The closest approach will occur at 6:27 p.m. CST&nbsp;Even if the space rock came a lot closer, scientists said most of it would burn up in the atmosphere, with some of the bigger pieces possibly falling as meteorites.NASA's impact hazard assessment system, called Scout, quickly ruled out a strike, said its developer, Davide Farnocchia, an engineer at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California."But despite the very few observations, it was nonetheless able to predict that the asteroid would make an extraordinarily close approach with Earth,” Farnocchia said in a statement. “In fact, this is one of the closest approaches by a known near-Earth object ever recorded.”Discovered Saturday, the asteroid known as 2023 BU is believed to be between 11 feet (3.5 meters) and 28 feet (8.5 meters) feet across. It was first spotted by the same amateur astronomer in Crimea, Gennady Borisov, who discovered an interstellar comet in 2019. Within a few days, dozens of observations were made by astronomers around the world, allowing them to refine the asteroid's orbit.The asteroid's path drastically will be altered by Earth's gravity once it zips by. Instead of circling the sun every 359 days, it will move into an oval orbit lasting 425 days, according to NASA.___

Asteroid set to whip past Earth; closest encounter ever

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supporters of abortion rights filed separate lawsuits Wednesday challenging two states' abortion pill restrictions, the opening salvo in what’s expected to a be a protracted legal battle over access to the medications.

The lawsuits argue that limits on the drugs in North Carolina and West Virginia run afoul of the federal authority of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which has approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-science-health-2d52ebf9efc6ef06f03e788fecd13013">the abortion pill</a>&nbsp;as a safe and effective method for ending pregnancy.

The cases were brought by a North Carolina physician who prescribes the pill, mifepristone, and GenBioPro, which makes a generic version of the drug and sued in West Virginia.

While the lawsuits target specific state laws, they represent key legal tests that could determine access to abortion for millions of women.

The litigation turns on a longstanding legal principle that federal law, including FDA decisions, pre-empt state laws. Indeed, few states have ever tried to fully ban an FDA-approved drug because of past rulings in the agency’s favor.

But with the fall of Roe v. Wade there’s little precedent for the current legal patchwork of laws governing abortion.

After the Supreme Court overturned the decision in June, previously adopted restrictions on abortion kicked in and two states adopted new ones. Currently, bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy are being followed in 13 states and enforcement is being held up in several other states because of legal challenges.

On top of that, 19 states — including North Carolina and West Virginia — impose limits on how physicians can prescribe and dispense abortion medications.

“West Virginia cannot override the FDA’s safety and efficacy determinations, nor can it disrupt the national market for this medication,” David Frederick, an attorney representing GenBioPro, said in a statement.

Legal experts foresee years of court battles over access to the pills.

North Carolina bans nearly all abortions after 20 weeks, with narrow exceptions for urgent medical emergencies. Any physician prescribing medication abortion is required to be in the same room as the patient when administering the drug. The state also requires counseling before receiving the drug.

The lawsuit, filed by Dr. Amy Bryant, argues that such requirements contradict FDA-approved labeling for the drug and interfere with her ability to treat patients.

“We know from years of research and use that medication abortion is safe and effective — there’s no medical reason for politicians to interfere or restrict access to it,” Bryant said in a statement provided by the Expanding Medication Abortion Access project, an abortion rights group working on legal challenges to state laws.

The office of Attorney General Josh Stein, who is a defendant in the complaint because he’s the state chief law enforcement officer, was reviewing the complaint on Wednesday, Stein spokesperson Nazneen Ahmed wrote in an email. Stein, a Democrat who announced last week a bid for governor in 2024, is a strong abortion-rights supporter.

The FDA approved mifepristone in 2000 to end pregnancy, when used in combination with a second drug, misoprostol. The combination is approved for use up to the 10th week of pregnancy.

For more than 20 years, FDA limited dispensing of the drug to a subset of specialty offices and clinics, due to safety concerns. In rare cases the drug combination can cause excess bleeding, requiring emergency care. But since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency has repeatedly eased restrictions and expanded access, increasing demand even as state laws make the pills harder to get more many women.

In late 2021, the agency eliminated the in-person requirement for the pill, saying a new scientific review showed no increase in safety complications if the drug is taken at home. That change also permitted the pill to be prescribed via telehealth consultations and shipped by mail-order pharmacies.

Earlier this year the FDA further loosened restrictions by allowing brick-and-mortar pharmacies to dispense the drug, provided they undergo certification.

That change was made at the request of the two drug manufactures: GenBioPro and Danco Laboratories, which makes brand-name Mifeprex.

In its West Virginia lawsuit, GenBioPro argues that state laws interfere with drug regulations crafted by the FDA, which has sole authority over the approval and labeling of all U.S. drugs.

West Virginia’s law outlaws most abortions, with some exceptions for rape and incest victims and in cases of life-threatening medical emergencies and nonviable pregnancies.

“The ban and restrictions make it impossible for GenBioPro to market and distribute mifepristone in West Virginia in accordance with FDA’s requirements,” the company states in its suit filed in the state’s southern federal district.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said he would defend the state's new abortion law. “While it may not sit well with manufacturers of abortion drugs, the U.S. Supreme Court has made it clear that regulating abortion is a state issue,” he said in a statement.

Abortion opponents have filed their own lawsuits seeking to block use of the pill, including a Texas suit arguing that the FDA overstepped its authority in approving the pill and easing limitations on its use. A decision in that case is expected next month.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-medication-56972af9e9b0fc2fc97e06041f6e96ce">More than half</a>&nbsp;of U.S. abortions are now done with pills rather than surgery, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights.

Mifepristone dilates the cervix and blocks the effects of the hormone progesterone, which is needed to sustain a pregnancy. Misoprostol, a drug also used to treat stomach ulcers, is taken 24 to 48 hours later. It causes the uterus to cramp and contract, causing bleeding and expelling pregnancy tissue.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581004285984.jpeg" alt="Photo Credit Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Photo Credit Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Supporters of abortion rights filed separate lawsuits Wednesday challenging two states' abortion pill restrictions, the opening salvo in what’s expected to a be a protracted legal battle over access to the medications.The lawsuits argue that limits on the drugs in North Carolina and West Virginia run afoul of the federal authority of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which has approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-science-health-2d52ebf9efc6ef06f03e788fecd13013">the abortion pill</a>&nbsp;as a safe and effective method for ending pregnancy.The cases were brought by a North Carolina physician who prescribes the pill, mifepristone, and GenBioPro, which makes a generic version of the drug and sued in West Virginia.While the lawsuits target specific state laws, they represent key legal tests that could determine access to abortion for millions of women.The litigation turns on a longstanding legal principle that federal law, including FDA decisions, pre-empt state laws. Indeed, few states have ever tried to fully ban an FDA-approved drug because of past rulings in the agency’s favor.But with the fall of Roe v. Wade there’s little precedent for the current legal patchwork of laws governing abortion.After the Supreme Court overturned the decision in June, previously adopted restrictions on abortion kicked in and two states adopted new ones. Currently, bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy are being followed in 13 states and enforcement is being held up in several other states because of legal challenges.On top of that, 19 states — including North Carolina and West Virginia — impose limits on how physicians can prescribe and dispense abortion medications.“West Virginia cannot override the FDA’s safety and efficacy determinations, nor can it disrupt the national market for this medication,” David Frederick, an attorney representing GenBioPro, said in a statement.Legal experts foresee years of court battles over access to the pills.North Carolina bans nearly all abortions after 20 weeks, with narrow exceptions for urgent medical emergencies. Any physician prescribing medication abortion is required to be in the same room as the patient when administering the drug. The state also requires counseling before receiving the drug.The lawsuit, filed by Dr. Amy Bryant, argues that such requirements contradict FDA-approved labeling for the drug and interfere with her ability to treat patients.“We know from years of research and use that medication abortion is safe and effective — there’s no medical reason for politicians to interfere or restrict access to it,” Bryant said in a statement provided by the Expanding Medication Abortion Access project, an abortion rights group working on legal challenges to state laws.The office of Attorney General Josh Stein, who is a defendant in the complaint because he’s the state chief law enforcement officer, was reviewing the complaint on Wednesday, Stein spokesperson Nazneen Ahmed wrote in an email. Stein, a Democrat who announced last week a bid for governor in 2024, is a strong abortion-rights supporter.The FDA approved mifepristone in 2000 to end pregnancy, when used in combination with a second drug, misoprostol. The combination is approved for use up to the 10th week of pregnancy.For more than 20 years, FDA limited dispensing of the drug to a subset of specialty offices and clinics, due to safety concerns. In rare cases the drug combination can cause excess bleeding, requiring emergency care. But since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency has repeatedly eased restrictions and expanded access, increasing demand even as state laws make the pills harder to get more many women.In late 2021, the agency eliminated the in-person requirement for the pill, saying a new scientific review showed no increase in safety complications if the drug is taken at home. That change also permitted the pill to be prescribed via telehealth consultations and shipped by mail-order pharmacies.Earlier this year the FDA further loosened restrictions by allowing brick-and-mortar pharmacies to dispense the drug, provided they undergo certification.That change was made at the request of the two drug manufactures: GenBioPro and Danco Laboratories, which makes brand-name Mifeprex.In its West Virginia lawsuit, GenBioPro argues that state laws interfere with drug regulations crafted by the FDA, which has sole authority over the approval and labeling of all U.S. drugs.West Virginia’s law outlaws most abortions, with some exceptions for rape and incest victims and in cases of life-threatening medical emergencies and nonviable pregnancies.“The ban and restrictions make it impossible for GenBioPro to market and distribute mifepristone in West Virginia in accordance with FDA’s requirements,” the company states in its suit filed in the state’s southern federal district.West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said he would defend the state's new abortion law. “While it may not sit well with manufacturers of abortion drugs, the U.S. Supreme Court has made it clear that regulating abortion is a state issue,” he said in a statement.Abortion opponents have filed their own lawsuits seeking to block use of the pill, including a Texas suit arguing that the FDA overstepped its authority in approving the pill and easing limitations on its use. A decision in that case is expected next month.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-medication-56972af9e9b0fc2fc97e06041f6e96ce">More than half</a>&nbsp;of U.S. abortions are now done with pills rather than surgery, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights.Mifepristone dilates the cervix and blocks the effects of the hormone progesterone, which is needed to sustain a pregnancy. Misoprostol, a drug also used to treat stomach ulcers, is taken 24 to 48 hours later. It causes the uterus to cramp and contract, causing bleeding and expelling pregnancy tissue.

New lawsuits target state restrictions on abortion pills

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today urged employers to be
 aware of the January deadline to file Forms W-2 and other wage 
statements. Filing these documents timely prevents late-filing penalties
 for employers, helps employees file their income tax returns and 
prevents tax fraud.

Employers must file copies of their 2022 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-2">Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statements</a>, and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-3">Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements</a>,
 with the Social Security Administration by January 31, 2023. This 
deadline applies for all Forms W-2 and W-3, whether filing by paper 
forms or electronically.

Employers must also provide copies B, C and 2 of Form W-2 to their 
employees by January 31, 2023. For more information on filing Form W-2, 
see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/instructions/iw2w3">General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3</a>.

Use same employer identification number on all forms

Employers need to make sure the employer identification number (EIN) 
on their wage and tax statements (Forms W-2, W-3, etc.) and their 
payroll tax returns (Forms 941, 943, 944, etc.) match the EIN the IRS 
assigned to their business.

Do not use a Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer 
Identification number (ITIN) on forms that ask for an EIN. Do not 
truncate the employer's EIN or the employee's SSN on any of the forms.

If an employer used an EIN (including a prior owner's EIN) on their 
payroll tax returns that's different from the EIN reported on their W-3,
 they should review General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3, Specific
 Instructions for Form W-3, Box h—Other EIN used this year.

Filing wage and tax statements and payroll tax returns with 
inconsistent EINs or using another business's EIN may result in 
penalties and delays in processing an employer's returns. Even if an 
employer uses a third-party payer (such as a Certified Professional 
Employer Organization, Professional Employer Organization, or other 
third party) or a different entity within their business to file these 
documents, the name and EIN on all statements and forms filed must be 
consistent and exactly match the EIN the IRS assigned to their business.

For more information on third-party arrangements, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-15">Publication 15, (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide</a>.

Employers may request a 30-day extension to file Forms W-2 with SSA by submitting a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-8809">Form 8809, Application for Extension of Time to File Information Returns</a>,
 by January 31. However, they must meet one of the criteria on Line 7 of
 Form 8809 to be granted an extension. For detailed information, see 
Form 8809 and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/instructions/iw2w3">General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3</a>.

Filing Form 8809 does not extend the due date for furnishing wage 
statements to employees. Filing a separate extension of time to furnish 
Forms W-2 to employees must occur by January 31. Detailed information 
and instructions on how to file an extension of time to furnish Forms 
W-2 to employees is in the General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3.

The IRS and SSA encourage all employers to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/electronic-filing-options-for-business-and-self-employed-taxpayers">e-file</a>.
 It is the quickest, most accurate and convenient way to file these 
forms. E-filing is mandatory if an employer is filing 250 or more 
information returns.

For more information about e-filing Forms W-2 visit the SSA's <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/bso/bsowelcome.htm">Business Services Online</a>, and <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/employer/">Employer W-2 Filing Instructions &amp; Information</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today urged employers to be
 aware of the January deadline to file Forms W-2 and other wage 
statements. Filing these documents timely prevents late-filing penalties
 for employers, helps employees file their income tax returns and 
prevents tax fraud.Employers must file copies of their 2022 <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-2">Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statements</a>, and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-3">Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements</a>,
 with the Social Security Administration by January 31, 2023. This 
deadline applies for all Forms W-2 and W-3, whether filing by paper 
forms or electronically.Employers must also provide copies B, C and 2 of Form W-2 to their 
employees by January 31, 2023. For more information on filing Form W-2, 
see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/instructions/iw2w3">General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3</a>.<h2>Use same employer identification number on all forms</h2>Employers need to make sure the employer identification number (EIN) 
on their wage and tax statements (Forms W-2, W-3, etc.) and their 
payroll tax returns (Forms 941, 943, 944, etc.) match the EIN the IRS 
assigned to their business.Do not use a Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer 
Identification number (ITIN) on forms that ask for an EIN. Do not 
truncate the employer's EIN or the employee's SSN on any of the forms.If an employer used an EIN (including a prior owner's EIN) on their 
payroll tax returns that's different from the EIN reported on their W-3,
 they should review General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3, Specific
 Instructions for Form W-3, Box h—Other EIN used this year.Filing wage and tax statements and payroll tax returns with 
inconsistent EINs or using another business's EIN may result in 
penalties and delays in processing an employer's returns. Even if an 
employer uses a third-party payer (such as a Certified Professional 
Employer Organization, Professional Employer Organization, or other 
third party) or a different entity within their business to file these 
documents, the name and EIN on all statements and forms filed must be 
consistent and exactly match the EIN the IRS assigned to their business.For more information on third-party arrangements, see <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-15">Publication 15, (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide</a>.<h2>Extensions</h2>Employers may request a 30-day extension to file Forms W-2 with SSA by submitting a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-8809">Form 8809, Application for Extension of Time to File Information Returns</a>,
 by January 31. However, they must meet one of the criteria on Line 7 of
 Form 8809 to be granted an extension. For detailed information, see 
Form 8809 and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/instructions/iw2w3">General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3</a>.Filing Form 8809 does not extend the due date for furnishing wage 
statements to employees. Filing a separate extension of time to furnish 
Forms W-2 to employees must occur by January 31. Detailed information 
and instructions on how to file an extension of time to furnish Forms 
W-2 to employees is in the General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3.<h2>Electronic filing</h2>The IRS and SSA encourage all employers to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/electronic-filing-options-for-business-and-self-employed-taxpayers">e-file</a>.
 It is the quickest, most accurate and convenient way to file these 
forms. E-filing is mandatory if an employer is filing 250 or more 
information returns.For more information about e-filing Forms W-2 visit the SSA's <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/bso/bsowelcome.htm">Business Services Online</a>, and <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/employer/">Employer W-2 Filing Instructions &amp; Information</a>.

Tax season 2023: Employer wage statement deadline nears

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/25/mutual-of-omaha-kicks-off-construction-of-skyline-changer/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — With Wednesday’s ceremonial 
groundbreaking, Mutual of Omaha kicked off construction of its $600 
million new headquarters poised to outstretch all buildings in Nebraska 
and five other surrounding states.

At 677 feet tall, the glassy tower 
slated to open in 2026 is to include 800,000 square feet of office, 
meeting and amenity space.

Public use limited to city-funded garage 

It is to feature a “sky lobby,” a 
food court, a fitness center, landscaped terraces and a million square 
feet for a 2,200-stall city-funded parking garage.&nbsp;

However, aside from garage parking on
 evenings and weekends, the project approved for more than $60 million 
in public tax-increment financing won’t offer retail, gathering or other
 spaces for public use.

There will be times that people from 
outside the insurance and financial services company will be invited to 
events or meetings, said Mutual CEO James Blackledge. But the 
skyline-changing structure, at the entrance to the recently revamped 
Gene Leahy Mall, is to be devoted to its 4,000 or so local employees.

“Our investment is actually in our workforce,” Blackledge said. “That’s the central focus of our investment.”

During the event that drew top city 
and business leaders to a downtown tent, Blackledge and Mayor Jean 
Stothert also touted growth they expect the Mutual project to spur 
around the city block it will occupy.

That block, bounded by 14th, 15th, 
Douglas and Farnam Streets, is the former site of the city’s main W. 
Dale Clark Library, which was recently demolished.

“The momentum that we have to forever
 change our urban core is undeniable,” said Stothert. She compared the 
Mutual plan, which is tied to the planned $300 million-plus modern 
streetcar system, to a revitalization effort launched a half-century ago
 with creation of the original downtown mall and lagoon.

According to Stothert, more than $4 
billion in development over the past five years has been completed, is 
in progress or is planned stretching from downtown to midtown in the 
state’s largest city. That includes new facilities at the job-magnet 
University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Blackledge said Mutual, founded in 
1909, remains committed to the midtown campus it has called home since 
about 1940. The area at 33rd and Farnam Streets is along the streetcar 
route, which Mutual has said was integral to its decision to relocate to
 downtown.

Jason Lanoha, whose development 
company is involved in reshaping both the downtown and midtown Mutual 
sites, earlier told the City Council that roughly $400 million was to be
 invested in the revamp of Mutual’s midtown campus.

Said Blackledge: “So from the Med 
Center to the riverfront, linked by the modern streetcar, really the 
potential for development is virtually unlimited.”

The related plans have not come without controversy — and hefty public incentives.

In addition to the Mutual 
headquarters’ tax-increment financing package — which is among the 
highest amounts ever approved by the city — the streetcar project is to 
be financed with bonds that are to be paid off with TIF revenue.

Generally in a TIF-approved city 
project, increased property taxes generated on new development go to pay
 off eligible redevelopment costs for a period of 15 or 20 years, 
instead of being distributed to traditional recipients such as school 
districts.

After the loan is paid off, the higher property tax revenue starts flowing to regular sources.&nbsp;

Increased use of TIF in Nebraska, a 
longstanding economic growth tool authorized by state law, has raised 
eyebrows of some, including at least a few in the current Legislature.

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of 
Elkhorn, for instance, has introduced three bills this session related 
to the streetcar, saying she believes a state-level airing of the plan 
is needed.&nbsp;

Blackledge on Wednesday reflected on the last two years since Mutual’s downtown plan hatched.

While Mutual had long been 
contemplating a new corporate base, Blackledge noted a January 2021 
meeting he had with Investors Realty broker Ryan Zabrowski and Jason 
Lanoha of Lanoha Real Estate Company.

“The pitch involved a streetcar, a 
move downtown and the redevelopment of our midtown campus —&nbsp;simple stuff
 like that,” Blackledge said, with a chuckle.

The idea bloomed into a project announced a year later, in January 2022, which linked the streetcar and the Mutual headquarters.

Among other elements of the city-Mutual agreement, the city is to pay
 about $100 million for the garage attached to the downtown tower. 
Mutual is to rent spaces from the city for its employees during the day,
 while the city is to lease spots to the public during other times.

The city also is to buy three parking garages on Mutual’s midtown campus, with those stalls to be leased to the public.

Blackledge said the downtown tower is designed and sized to support a
 flexible work model that acknowledges many employees want to work at 
least some of the time from home.

The new high-rise’s 800,000 square 
feet of office space compares to about 1.7 million square feet at 
Mutual’s current headquarters, which is more spread out.

Mutual officials said the new tower will be the tallest in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, South Dakota and Wyoming.

A First National spokeswoman said 
Wednesday that the bank’s downtown office tower, which is currently the 
city’s tallest, is 633 feet high, putting the new Mutual at 44 feet 
higher.

Known as Project Beacon, Blackledge 
said the office structure will be a “beacon inviting employees to a new 
and modern workplace.”

“It will also be a beacon for vitality, development and investment in our downtown,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674742287066.png" alt="Courtesy of Mutual of Omaha" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of Mutual of Omaha</figcaption>
 </figure>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/25/mutual-of-omaha-kicks-off-construction-of-skyline-changer/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — With Wednesday’s ceremonial 
groundbreaking, Mutual of Omaha kicked off construction of its $600 
million new headquarters poised to outstretch all buildings in Nebraska 
and five other surrounding states.At 677 feet tall, the glassy tower 
slated to open in 2026 is to include 800,000 square feet of office, 
meeting and amenity space.<h2>Public use limited to city-funded garage </h2>It is to feature a “sky lobby,” a 
food court, a fitness center, landscaped terraces and a million square 
feet for a 2,200-stall city-funded parking garage.&nbsp;However, aside from garage parking on
 evenings and weekends, the project approved for more than $60 million 
in public tax-increment financing won’t offer retail, gathering or other
 spaces for public use.There will be times that people from 
outside the insurance and financial services company will be invited to 
events or meetings, said Mutual CEO James Blackledge. But the 
skyline-changing structure, at the entrance to the recently revamped 
Gene Leahy Mall, is to be devoted to its 4,000 or so local employees.“Our investment is actually in our workforce,” Blackledge said. “That’s the central focus of our investment.”During the event that drew top city 
and business leaders to a downtown tent, Blackledge and Mayor Jean 
Stothert also touted growth they expect the Mutual project to spur 
around the city block it will occupy.That block, bounded by 14th, 15th, 
Douglas and Farnam Streets, is the former site of the city’s main W. 
Dale Clark Library, which was recently demolished.<h2>Momentum ‘undeniable’ </h2>“The momentum that we have to forever
 change our urban core is undeniable,” said Stothert. She compared the 
Mutual plan, which is tied to the planned $300 million-plus modern 
streetcar system, to a revitalization effort launched a half-century ago
 with creation of the original downtown mall and lagoon.According to Stothert, more than $4 
billion in development over the past five years has been completed, is 
in progress or is planned stretching from downtown to midtown in the 
state’s largest city. That includes new facilities at the job-magnet 
University of Nebraska Medical Center.Blackledge said Mutual, founded in 
1909, remains committed to the midtown campus it has called home since 
about 1940. The area at 33rd and Farnam Streets is along the streetcar 
route, which Mutual has said was integral to its decision to relocate to
 downtown.Jason Lanoha, whose development 
company is involved in reshaping both the downtown and midtown Mutual 
sites, earlier told the City Council that roughly $400 million was to be
 invested in the revamp of Mutual’s midtown campus.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674742368481.jpeg" alt="Rendering with view of new Mutual of Omaha headquarters looking west from the Gene Leahy Mall (Courtesy of Mutual of Omaha)" />
 <figcaption>Rendering with view of new Mutual of Omaha headquarters looking west from the Gene Leahy Mall (Courtesy of Mutual of Omaha)</figcaption>
 </figure>Said Blackledge: “So from the Med 
Center to the riverfront, linked by the modern streetcar, really the 
potential for development is virtually unlimited.”<h2>Public incentives </h2>The related plans have not come without controversy — and hefty public incentives.In addition to the Mutual 
headquarters’ tax-increment financing package — which is among the 
highest amounts ever approved by the city — the streetcar project is to 
be financed with bonds that are to be paid off with TIF revenue.Generally in a TIF-approved city 
project, increased property taxes generated on new development go to pay
 off eligible redevelopment costs for a period of 15 or 20 years, 
instead of being distributed to traditional recipients such as school 
districts.After the loan is paid off, the higher property tax revenue starts flowing to regular sources.&nbsp;Increased use of TIF in Nebraska, a 
longstanding economic growth tool authorized by state law, has raised 
eyebrows of some, including at least a few in the current Legislature.State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of 
Elkhorn, for instance, has introduced three bills this session related 
to the streetcar, saying she believes a state-level airing of the plan 
is needed.&nbsp;<h2>Seed planted two years ago</h2>Blackledge on Wednesday reflected on the last two years since Mutual’s downtown plan hatched.While Mutual had long been 
contemplating a new corporate base, Blackledge noted a January 2021 
meeting he had with Investors Realty broker Ryan Zabrowski and Jason 
Lanoha of Lanoha Real Estate Company.“The pitch involved a streetcar, a 
move downtown and the redevelopment of our midtown campus —&nbsp;simple stuff
 like that,” Blackledge said, with a chuckle.The idea bloomed into a project announced a year later, in January 2022, which linked the streetcar and the Mutual headquarters.Among other elements of the city-Mutual agreement, the city is to pay
 about $100 million for the garage attached to the downtown tower. 
Mutual is to rent spaces from the city for its employees during the day,
 while the city is to lease spots to the public during other times.The city also is to buy three parking garages on Mutual’s midtown campus, with those stalls to be leased to the public.<h2>Flexible work model embraced </h2>Blackledge said the downtown tower is designed and sized to support a
 flexible work model that acknowledges many employees want to work at 
least some of the time from home.The new high-rise’s 800,000 square 
feet of office space compares to about 1.7 million square feet at 
Mutual’s current headquarters, which is more spread out.Mutual officials said the new tower will be the tallest in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, South Dakota and Wyoming.A First National spokeswoman said 
Wednesday that the bank’s downtown office tower, which is currently the 
city’s tallest, is 633 feet high, putting the new Mutual at 44 feet 
higher.Known as Project Beacon, Blackledge 
said the office structure will be a “beacon inviting employees to a new 
and modern workplace.”“It will also be a beacon for vitality, development and investment in our downtown,” he said.

Mutual of Omaha kicks off construction of skyline-changer

WASHINGTON (AP) —Facebook parent Meta is reinstating former President Donald Trump's personal account after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-social-media-donald-trump-government-and-politics-67e9831bc2a70f5e5ae6f8aa46e25ae1">two-year suspension</a>&nbsp;following the Jan. 6 insurrection.

The company said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2023/01/trump-facebook-instagram-account-suspension/">blog post</a>&nbsp;Wednesday it is adding “new guardrails” to ensure there are no “repeat offenders” who violate its rules.

“In the event that Mr. Trump posts further violating content, the content will be removed and he will be suspended for between one month and two years, depending on the severity of the violation,” wrote Nick Clegg, Meta's vice president of global affairs.

Trump, in a post on his own social media network, blasted Facebook’s decision to suspend his account as he praised his own site, Truth Social.

“FACEBOOK, which has lost Billions of Dollars in value since “deplatforming” your favorite President, me, has just announced that they are reinstating my account. Such a thing should never again happen to a sitting President, or anybody else who is not deserving of retribution!” he wrote.

He was suspended on Jan. 7, a day after the deadly 2021 insurrection. Other social media companies also kicked him off their platforms, though he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-biden-twitter-inc-technology-congress-d88e3de4b3cc095926dc133f53dc3320">recently reinstated on Twitter</a>&nbsp;after Elon Musk took over the company. He has not tweeted.

Civil rights groups and others were quick to denounce Meta's move. Letting Trump back on Facebook sends a signal to other figures with large online audiences that they may break the rules without lasting consequences, said Heidi Beirich, founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism and a member of a group called the Real Facebook Oversight Board that has criticized the platform’s efforts.

“I am not surprised but it is a disaster,” Beirich said of Meta’s decision. “Facebook created loopholes for Trump that he went right through. He incited an insurrection on Facebook. And now he’s back.”

Clegg said that in light of his previous violations, Trump now faces heightened penalties for repeat offenses. Such penalties “will apply to other public figures whose accounts are reinstated from suspensions related to civil unrest under our updated protocol.”

If Trump — or anyone else — posts material that doesn't violate Facebook's rules but is otherwise harmful and could lead to events such as the Jan. 6 insurrection, Meta says it will not remove it but will limit its reach. This includes praising the QAnon conspiracy theory or trying to delegitimize an upcoming election.

Meta said Trump's accounts will be restored in the coming weeks on Facebook and on Instagram. Banned from mainstream social media, Trump has been relying on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-donald-trump-conspiracy-theories-government-and-politics-db50c6f709b1706886a876ae6ac298e2">Truth Social</a>, which he launched after being blocked from Twitter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674688288496.png" alt="Trump, in a post on his own social media network, blasted Facebook’s decision to suspend his account as he praised his own site, Truth Social." />
 <figcaption>Trump, in a post on his own social media network, blasted Facebook’s decision to suspend his account as he praised his own site, Truth Social.</figcaption>
 </figure>By BARBARA ORTUTAY and JILL COLVIN WASHINGTON (AP) —Facebook parent Meta is reinstating former President Donald Trump's personal account after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-social-media-donald-trump-government-and-politics-67e9831bc2a70f5e5ae6f8aa46e25ae1">two-year suspension</a>&nbsp;following the Jan. 6 insurrection.The company said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2023/01/trump-facebook-instagram-account-suspension/">blog post</a>&nbsp;Wednesday it is adding “new guardrails” to ensure there are no “repeat offenders” who violate its rules.“In the event that Mr. Trump posts further violating content, the content will be removed and he will be suspended for between one month and two years, depending on the severity of the violation,” wrote Nick Clegg, Meta's vice president of global affairs.Trump, in a post on his own social media network, blasted Facebook’s decision to suspend his account as he praised his own site, Truth Social.“FACEBOOK, which has lost Billions of Dollars in value since “deplatforming” your favorite President, me, has just announced that they are reinstating my account. Such a thing should never again happen to a sitting President, or anybody else who is not deserving of retribution!” he wrote.He was suspended on Jan. 7, a day after the deadly 2021 insurrection. Other social media companies also kicked him off their platforms, though he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-biden-twitter-inc-technology-congress-d88e3de4b3cc095926dc133f53dc3320">recently reinstated on Twitter</a>&nbsp;after Elon Musk took over the company. He has not tweeted.Civil rights groups and others were quick to denounce Meta's move. Letting Trump back on Facebook sends a signal to other figures with large online audiences that they may break the rules without lasting consequences, said Heidi Beirich, founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism and a member of a group called the Real Facebook Oversight Board that has criticized the platform’s efforts.“I am not surprised but it is a disaster,” Beirich said of Meta’s decision. “Facebook created loopholes for Trump that he went right through. He incited an insurrection on Facebook. And now he’s back.”Clegg said that in light of his previous violations, Trump now faces heightened penalties for repeat offenses. Such penalties “will apply to other public figures whose accounts are reinstated from suspensions related to civil unrest under our updated protocol.”If Trump — or anyone else — posts material that doesn't violate Facebook's rules but is otherwise harmful and could lead to events such as the Jan. 6 insurrection, Meta says it will not remove it but will limit its reach. This includes praising the QAnon conspiracy theory or trying to delegitimize an upcoming election.Meta said Trump's accounts will be restored in the coming weeks on Facebook and on Instagram. Banned from mainstream social media, Trump has been relying on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-donald-trump-conspiracy-theories-government-and-politics-db50c6f709b1706886a876ae6ac298e2">Truth Social</a>, which he launched after being blocked from Twitter.___

Donald Trump is reinstated to Facebook after 2-year ban

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis criticized laws that criminalize homosexuality as “unjust,” saying God loves all his children just as they are and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church.

“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-ap-interview-highlights-8b9ec42afec4e0c0691a54f756b257bc">Francis said</a>&nbsp;during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-retirement-papacy-dcca464e7c1fd910568d07d6bf4d9994">an interview Tuesday</a>&nbsp;with The Associated Press.

Francis acknowledged that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws that criminalize homosexuality or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, and he himself referred to the issue in terms of “sin.” But he attributed such attitudes to cultural backgrounds, and said bishops in particular need to undergo a process of change to recognize the dignity of everyone.

“These bishops have to have a process of conversion,” he said, adding that they should apply “tenderness, please, as God has for each one of us."

Some 67 countries or jurisdictions worldwide criminalize consensual same-sex sexual activity, 11 of which can or do impose the death penalty, according to The Human Dignity Trust, which works to end such laws. Experts say even where the laws are not enforced, they contribute to harassment, stigmatization and violence against LGBTQ people.

In the U.S., more than a dozen states still have anti-sodomy laws on the books, despite a 2003 Supreme Court ruling declaring them unconstitutional. Gay rights advocates say the antiquated laws are used to harass homosexuals, and point to new legislation, such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-dont-say-gay-law-signed-56aee61f075a12663f25990c7b31624d">“Don’t say gay” law in Florida</a>, which forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, as evidence of continued efforts to marginalize LGBTQ people.

The United Nations has repeatedly called for an end to laws criminalizing homosexuality outright, saying they violate rights to privacy and freedom from discrimination and are a breach of countries’ obligations under international law to protect the human rights of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Declaring such laws “unjust,” Francis said the Catholic Church can and should work to put an end to them. “It must do this. It must do this,” he said.

Francis quoted the Catechism of the Catholic Church in saying gay people must be welcomed and respected, and should not be marginalized or discriminated against.

“We are all children of God, and God loves us as we are and for the strength that each of us fights for our dignity,” Francis said, speaking to the AP in the Vatican hotel where he lives.

Such laws are common in Africa and the Middle East and date from British colonial times or are inspired by Islamic law. Some Catholic bishops have strongly upheld them as consistent with Vatican teaching that considers homosexual activity “intrinsically disordered,” while others have called for them to be overturned as a violation of basic human dignity.

In 2019, Francis had been expected to issue a statement opposing criminalization of homosexuality during a meeting with human rights groups that conducted research into the effects of such laws and so-called “conversion therapies.”

In the end, the pope did not meet with the groups, which instead met with the Vatican No. 2, who reaffirmed “the dignity of every human person and against every form of violence.”

On Tuesday, Francis said there needed to be a distinction between a crime and a sin with regard to homosexuality.

“Being homosexual is not a crime," he said. "It's not a crime. Yes, but it's a sin. Fine, but first let's distinguish between a sin and a crime."

"It's also a sin to lack charity with one another," he added.

Catholic teaching holds that while gay people must be treated with respect, homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.” Francis has not changed that teaching, but he has made reaching out to the LGBTQ community a hallmark of his papacy.

Starting with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/archive-pope-benedict-xvi-pope-francis-7b465b60945f40deb3a68b3de742f84a">his famous 2013 declaration</a>, “Who am I to judge?” when he was asked about a purportedly gay priest, Francis has gone on to minister repeatedly and publicly to the gay and trans community. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, he favored granting legal protections to same-sex couples as an alternative to endorsing gay marriage, which Catholic doctrine forbids.

Despite such outreach, Francis was criticized by the Catholic LGBTQ community for a 2021 decree from the Vatican’s doctrine office that the church cannot bless same-sex unions “because God cannot bless sin.”

The Vatican in 2008 declined to sign onto a U.N. declaration that called for the decriminalization of homosexuality, complaining the text went beyond the original scope and also included language about “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” it found problematic. In a statement at the time, the Vatican urged countries to avoid “unjust discrimination” against gay people and end penalties against them.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615845367722.png" alt="“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,”&nbsp;Francis said&nbsp;during&nbsp;an interview Tuesday&nbsp;with The Associated Press.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,”&nbsp;Francis said&nbsp;during&nbsp;an interview Tuesday&nbsp;with The Associated Press.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis criticized laws that criminalize homosexuality as “unjust,” saying God loves all his children just as they are and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church.“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-ap-interview-highlights-8b9ec42afec4e0c0691a54f756b257bc">Francis said</a>&nbsp;during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-retirement-papacy-dcca464e7c1fd910568d07d6bf4d9994">an interview Tuesday</a>&nbsp;with The Associated Press.Francis acknowledged that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws that criminalize homosexuality or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, and he himself referred to the issue in terms of “sin.” But he attributed such attitudes to cultural backgrounds, and said bishops in particular need to undergo a process of change to recognize the dignity of everyone.“These bishops have to have a process of conversion,” he said, adding that they should apply “tenderness, please, as God has for each one of us."Some 67 countries or jurisdictions worldwide criminalize consensual same-sex sexual activity, 11 of which can or do impose the death penalty, according to The Human Dignity Trust, which works to end such laws. Experts say even where the laws are not enforced, they contribute to harassment, stigmatization and violence against LGBTQ people.In the U.S., more than a dozen states still have anti-sodomy laws on the books, despite a 2003 Supreme Court ruling declaring them unconstitutional. Gay rights advocates say the antiquated laws are used to harass homosexuals, and point to new legislation, such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-dont-say-gay-law-signed-56aee61f075a12663f25990c7b31624d">“Don’t say gay” law in Florida</a>, which forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, as evidence of continued efforts to marginalize LGBTQ people.The United Nations has repeatedly called for an end to laws criminalizing homosexuality outright, saying they violate rights to privacy and freedom from discrimination and are a breach of countries’ obligations under international law to protect the human rights of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.Declaring such laws “unjust,” Francis said the Catholic Church can and should work to put an end to them. “It must do this. It must do this,” he said.Francis quoted the Catechism of the Catholic Church in saying gay people must be welcomed and respected, and should not be marginalized or discriminated against.“We are all children of God, and God loves us as we are and for the strength that each of us fights for our dignity,” Francis said, speaking to the AP in the Vatican hotel where he lives.Such laws are common in Africa and the Middle East and date from British colonial times or are inspired by Islamic law. Some Catholic bishops have strongly upheld them as consistent with Vatican teaching that considers homosexual activity “intrinsically disordered,” while others have called for them to be overturned as a violation of basic human dignity.In 2019, Francis had been expected to issue a statement opposing criminalization of homosexuality during a meeting with human rights groups that conducted research into the effects of such laws and so-called “conversion therapies.”In the end, the pope did not meet with the groups, which instead met with the Vatican No. 2, who reaffirmed “the dignity of every human person and against every form of violence.”On Tuesday, Francis said there needed to be a distinction between a crime and a sin with regard to homosexuality.“Being homosexual is not a crime," he said. "It's not a crime. Yes, but it's a sin. Fine, but first let's distinguish between a sin and a crime.""It's also a sin to lack charity with one another," he added.Catholic teaching holds that while gay people must be treated with respect, homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.” Francis has not changed that teaching, but he has made reaching out to the LGBTQ community a hallmark of his papacy.Starting with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/archive-pope-benedict-xvi-pope-francis-7b465b60945f40deb3a68b3de742f84a">his famous 2013 declaration</a>, “Who am I to judge?” when he was asked about a purportedly gay priest, Francis has gone on to minister repeatedly and publicly to the gay and trans community. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, he favored granting legal protections to same-sex couples as an alternative to endorsing gay marriage, which Catholic doctrine forbids.Despite such outreach, Francis was criticized by the Catholic LGBTQ community for a 2021 decree from the Vatican’s doctrine office that the church cannot bless same-sex unions “because God cannot bless sin.”The Vatican in 2008 declined to sign onto a U.N. declaration that called for the decriminalization of homosexuality, complaining the text went beyond the original scope and also included language about “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” it found problematic. In a statement at the time, the Vatican urged countries to avoid “unjust discrimination” against gay people and end penalties against them.

The AP Interview: Pope Francis: Homosexuality not a crime

WASHINGTON —The Biden administration announced new actions Wednesday to increase fairness in the rental market and further principles of fair housing.

According to a statement from the White House, these actions align with a new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/White-House-Blueprint-for-a-Renters-Bill-of-Rights.pdf">Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights</a>&nbsp;that the Administration is also releasing.

The Blueprint lays out a set of principles to drive action by the federal government, state and local partners, and the private sector to strengthen tenant protections and encourage rental affordability. Key actions announced today include:

These new announcements are part of a broader set of federal actions that exemplify the principles laid out in the&nbsp;Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights, which underscores key protections every renter deserves:

In addition, the Administration is rallying state and local stakeholders and private housing actors to drive further action to protect renters in line with the Blueprint.&nbsp;As part of this effort, the Administration is launching the Resident-Centered Housing Challenge (Challenge),&nbsp;a call to action to housing providers and other stakeholders to strengthen practices and make their own independent commitments that improve the quality of life for renters. The Challenge, which will occur during the Spring of 2023, also encourages states, local, Tribal, and territorial governments to enhance existing policies and develop new ones that promote fairness and transparency in the rental market. Early commitments in support of the Challenge,&nbsp;which would&nbsp;affect&nbsp;over 15&nbsp;million rental units,&nbsp;include:

The Administration welcomes additional commitments from interested stakeholders to: pursue high-road practices aligned with the Blueprint principles; create new benefits for residents that enhance their economic mobility, build credit, and prepare them for homeownership; reduce or eliminating rental “junk fees,” which are the hidden fees, charges, and add-ons that take cash out of people’s pockets; expand pathways to eviction mitigation and prevention; and enhance and increase communication about tenant rights. To join the Challenge, interested partners&nbsp;can complete&nbsp;<a href="https://46eop.force.com/Surveys/survey/runtimeApp.app?invitationId=0Ki3d0000003QUe&amp;surveyName=rc_housing_challenge&amp;UUID=a8136910-abfe-46b9-b689-dd39a6068542">this survey</a>&nbsp;by April 28, 2023.Questions regarding the White House Resident-Centered Housing Challenge team, can be directed to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:RCHousingChallenge@who.eop.gov">RCHousingChallenge@who.eop.gov</a>.

Over a third of the American population – 44 million households – rent their homes. Before the pandemic, well over 2 million eviction fillings and roughly 900,000 evictions occurred annually – disproportionately affecting Black women and their children. Since then, rental housing has become less affordable with some landlords taking advantage of market conditions to pursue egregious rent increases.&nbsp; Today’s announcements recognize there are responsible housing providers – large and small, national and local – willing to treat renters fairly, but it also holds accountable those who exploit market realities at the cost of renters’ housing access and stability.&nbsp;

Since taking office, the President has taken substantial steps to promote fairness in the rental market and ease the burden of rental costs for millions of American renters. The Administration kept the national eviction moratorium in place until August 2021, which helped to prevent over 1.5 million eviction filings nationwide. The Administration has delivered over 8 million rental or utility assistance payments to reduce renters’ risk of eviction or housing instability through Emergency Rental Assistance programs and provided over $769 million for housing stability services.&nbsp;Last May, the Administration released a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/16/president-biden-announces-new-actions-to-ease-the-burden-of-housing-costs/">Housing Supply Action Plan,</a>&nbsp;which set the goal of closing America’s housing supply shortfall in five years. The Administration has been making progress advancing a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/budget_fy22.pdf">long-term goal</a>&nbsp;of providing housing vouchers to all eligible households: the 2022 and 2023 President’s Budgets proposed to expand rental assistance to an additional 200,000 households – and the Administration has secured rental assistance to more than 100,000 households through the 2022 and 2033 appropriations bills and the American Rescue Plan. And, last week, HUD published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on its efforts to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing. &nbsp;&nbsp;

WASHINGTON —The Biden administration announced new actions Wednesday to increase fairness in the rental market and further principles of fair housing.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, the Biden-Harris Administration released a historic Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights that lays out a set of principles to drive action to strengthen tenant protections and encourage rental affordability. Read more: <a href="https://t.co/3rDcJdOLZH">https://t.co/3rDcJdOLZH</a> <a href="https://t.co/GJR2FNejym">pic.twitter.com/GJR2FNejym</a>&mdash; Department of Housing and Urban Development (@HUDgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/HUDgov/status/1618287645263794176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>According to a statement from the White House, these actions align with a new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/White-House-Blueprint-for-a-Renters-Bill-of-Rights.pdf">Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights</a>&nbsp;that the Administration is also releasing. The Blueprint lays out a set of principles to drive action by the federal government, state and local partners, and the private sector to strengthen tenant protections and encourage rental affordability. Key actions announced today include:<ul>
 <li>The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), both independent agencies, announced they will collect information to identify practices that unfairly prevent applicants and tenants from accessing or staying in housing in order to inform enforcement and policy actions under each agency’s jurisdiction.&nbsp;This is the first time the FTC has issued a request for information exploring unfair practices in the rental market. The two agencies will seek information on a broad range of practices that affect the rental market, including the creation and use of tenant background checks, the use of algorithms in tenant screenings, the provision of adverse action notices by landlords and property management companies, and how an applicant’s source of income factors into housing decisions.</li><li>The CFPB announced it will issue guidance and coordinate enforcement efforts with the FTC to ensure accurate information in the credit reporting system and to hold background check companies accountable for having unreasonable procedures.</li><li>The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), an independent agency, announced it will launch a new public process to examine proposed actions promoting renter protections and limits on egregious rent increases for future investments. FHFA will maintain transparency throughout the process and provide periodic updates, including one within 6 months, to interested stakeholders. As announced in November, the FHFA will also increase affordability in the multifamily rental market by establishing requirements that encourage the financing of multifamily loans that guarantee affordable housing.&nbsp;In 2022, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae purchased a combined $142 billion in multifamily loans supporting over one million units. If the same activity holds in 2023, this would mean an investment in approximately 700,000 affordable units.</li><li>A U.S. Department of Justice workshop will inform potential guidance updates around anti-competitive information sharing, including in rental markets.</li><li>The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will publish a notice of proposed rulemaking that would require public housing authorities and owners of project-based rental assistance properties to provide at least 30 days’ advanced notice before terminating a lease due to nonpayment of rent.</li><li>The Administration will hold quarterly meetings with a&nbsp;broad, diverse, and varying&nbsp;group of&nbsp;tenants and tenant advocates to ensure they continue to have a seat at the table and can share ambitious ideas to strengthen tenant protections.</li>
 </ul>These new announcements are part of a broader set of federal actions that exemplify the principles laid out in the&nbsp;Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights, which underscores key protections every renter deserves:<ul>
 <li>Safe, Quality, Accessible, and Affordable Housing:&nbsp;Renters should have access to housing that is safe, decent, and affordable.</li><li>Clear and Fair Leases:&nbsp;Renters should have a clear and fair lease that has defined rental terms, rights, and responsibilities.</li><li>Education, Enforcement, and Enhancement of Renter Rights:&nbsp;Federal, state, and local governments should do all they can to ensure renters know their rights and to protect renters from unlawful discrimination and exclusion.</li><li>The Right to Organize:&nbsp;Renters should have the freedom to organize without obstruction or harassment from their housing provider or property manager.</li><li>Eviction Prevention, Diversion, and Relief:&nbsp;Renters should be able to access resources that help them avoid eviction, ensure the legal process during an eviction proceeding is fair, and avoid future housing instability.</li>
 </ul>In addition, the Administration is rallying state and local stakeholders and private housing actors to drive further action to protect renters in line with the Blueprint.&nbsp;As part of this effort, the Administration is launching the Resident-Centered Housing Challenge (Challenge),&nbsp;a call to action to housing providers and other stakeholders to strengthen practices and make their own independent commitments that improve the quality of life for renters. The Challenge, which will occur during the Spring of 2023, also encourages states, local, Tribal, and territorial governments to enhance existing policies and develop new ones that promote fairness and transparency in the rental market. Early commitments in support of the Challenge,&nbsp;which would&nbsp;affect&nbsp;over 15&nbsp;million rental units,&nbsp;include:<ul>
 <li>Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA)&nbsp;and&nbsp;Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency&nbsp;(PHFA)&nbsp;have capped annual rental increases to 5 percent per year for federally or state subsidized affordable housing. Beginning in 2023, WHEDA policy applies to existing residents in properties utilizing state or federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits.&nbsp;PHFA applied this policy to their portfolio of 450 properties with PHFA funding in 2022. &nbsp;</li><li>Members of the&nbsp;Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future&nbsp;(SAHF), which collectively own or manage 145,000 housing units across the U.S., commit to offer flexible payment plans for residents with unpaid rent who have engaged with property management and to provide the following notices and protections where permitted by local law and financing documents: at least 30 days’ notice to vacate for nonpayment of rent; at least 5 days to cure a missed rent payment; and 60 days’ notice to tenants of any proposed sale or closure of a property. SAHF also commits to launching a task force of its members to identify best practices for resident-centered practices and share resources with the field including model policies and procedures, sample notices, and case studies.</li><li>Realtor.com Rentals&nbsp;will pilot a new listing process through their DIY landlord product,&nbsp;Avail, highlighting units and landlords that indicate that they welcome Housing Choice Vouchers. Realtor.com will be able to share this information with its nearly 5 million monthly rentals search visitors. They will also ensure that more than 1.3 million Avail renters have access to their application information so they can submit their application to multiple property owners on the platform without additional cost.</li><li>The&nbsp;National Apartment Association&nbsp;commits to promoting resident programming and practices, such as helping tenants build and improve credit through reporting of positive rent payments to credit bureaus, through their website, industry events and other content channels that reach a network of more over 95,000 members owning and operating more than 11.6 million apartment homes globally.</li><li>The&nbsp;National Association of Realtors&nbsp;and its affiliate, the&nbsp;Institute of Real Estate Management, commit to creating new resources for property managers in their network of 1.5 million members that highlight ways they can incorporate resident-centered property management practices in their businesses. Practices would include a range of examples that have proven effective, such as advertising to prospective residents that Housing Choice Vouchers are accepted at their property, providing information about rental assistance, and using alternative credit scores for applicants without a detailed credit history.&nbsp;</li><li>The&nbsp;National Multifamily Housing Council&nbsp;commits to working with its 2,000 members to identify business standards that align with principles of resident-centered management practices, such as helping residents build credit, providing resource information to residents in financial distress, and communicating these practices through a new resource hub on its website.</li>
 </ul>The Administration welcomes additional commitments from interested stakeholders to: pursue high-road practices aligned with the Blueprint principles; create new benefits for residents that enhance their economic mobility, build credit, and prepare them for homeownership; reduce or eliminating rental “junk fees,” which are the hidden fees, charges, and add-ons that take cash out of people’s pockets; expand pathways to eviction mitigation and prevention; and enhance and increase communication about tenant rights. To join the Challenge, interested partners&nbsp;can complete&nbsp;<a href="https://46eop.force.com/Surveys/survey/runtimeApp.app?invitationId=0Ki3d0000003QUe&amp;surveyName=rc_housing_challenge&amp;UUID=a8136910-abfe-46b9-b689-dd39a6068542">this survey</a>&nbsp;by April 28, 2023.Questions regarding the White House Resident-Centered Housing Challenge team, can be directed to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:RCHousingChallenge@who.eop.gov">RCHousingChallenge@who.eop.gov</a>.Over a third of the American population – 44 million households – rent their homes. Before the pandemic, well over 2 million eviction fillings and roughly 900,000 evictions occurred annually – disproportionately affecting Black women and their children. Since then, rental housing has become less affordable with some landlords taking advantage of market conditions to pursue egregious rent increases.&nbsp; Today’s announcements recognize there are responsible housing providers – large and small, national and local – willing to treat renters fairly, but it also holds accountable those who exploit market realities at the cost of renters’ housing access and stability.&nbsp;Since taking office, the President has taken substantial steps to promote fairness in the rental market and ease the burden of rental costs for millions of American renters. The Administration kept the national eviction moratorium in place until August 2021, which helped to prevent over 1.5 million eviction filings nationwide. The Administration has delivered over 8 million rental or utility assistance payments to reduce renters’ risk of eviction or housing instability through Emergency Rental Assistance programs and provided over $769 million for housing stability services.&nbsp;Last May, the Administration released a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/16/president-biden-announces-new-actions-to-ease-the-burden-of-housing-costs/">Housing Supply Action Plan,</a>&nbsp;which set the goal of closing America’s housing supply shortfall in five years. The Administration has been making progress advancing a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/budget_fy22.pdf">long-term goal</a>&nbsp;of providing housing vouchers to all eligible households: the 2022 and 2023 President’s Budgets proposed to expand rental assistance to an additional 200,000 households – and the Administration has secured rental assistance to more than 100,000 households through the 2022 and 2033 appropriations bills and the American Rescue Plan. And, last week, HUD published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on its efforts to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Biden rolls out 'Renters Bill of Rights' in push for federal rent control law

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/omaha-man-who-sexually-assaulted-a-minor-to-break-her-in-for-sex-trafficking-found-guilty-after-four-day-trial/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — After a four-day trial,
 25-year-old Dalonte Foard of Omaha was found guilty Monday by federal 
jury of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and sex trafficking of a 
minor.

Foard faces up to life in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 10 years.

In September 2020, two girls, ages 16 and 17, had gone missing from 
their foster home. Foard had picked them up. He took them&nbsp;to a hotel 
where an associate of his posted online messages advertising the girls 
for sex acts.

The following morning, Foard sexually assaulted one of the minors to 
“break her in,” according to the U.S. Attorneys Office in Omaha, before 
turning her over to a man who responded to the ad.

The man paid $60 to engage in a sex act with the victim, of which Foard took $50.

The case was the result of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov.">Project Safe Childhood</a>,
 a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to combat the growing epidemic 
of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in 2006.

Homeland Security Investigations, the Omaha Police Department and the
 Nebraska Attorney General’s Office participated in the investigation.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen recently declared January “Human Trafficking
 Awareness Month” in the state. The event included the unveiling of a 
new state hotline to report suspected cases of human trafficking, 
1-833-PLS-LOOK.

U.S. District Judge Brian Buescher scheduled Foard’s sentencing for April 19.

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/omaha-man-who-sexually-assaulted-a-minor-to-break-her-in-for-sex-trafficking-found-guilty-after-four-day-trial/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — After a four-day trial,
 25-year-old Dalonte Foard of Omaha was found guilty Monday by federal 
jury of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and sex trafficking of a 
minor.Foard faces up to life in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 10 years.In September 2020, two girls, ages 16 and 17, had gone missing from 
their foster home. Foard had picked them up. He took them&nbsp;to a hotel 
where an associate of his posted online messages advertising the girls 
for sex acts.The following morning, Foard sexually assaulted one of the minors to 
“break her in,” according to the U.S. Attorneys Office in Omaha, before 
turning her over to a man who responded to the ad.The man paid $60 to engage in a sex act with the victim, of which Foard took $50.The case was the result of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov.">Project Safe Childhood</a>,
 a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to combat the growing epidemic 
of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in 2006.Homeland Security Investigations, the Omaha Police Department and the
 Nebraska Attorney General’s Office participated in the investigation.Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen recently declared January “Human Trafficking
 Awareness Month” in the state. The event included the unveiling of a 
new state hotline to report suspected cases of human trafficking, 
1-833-PLS-LOOK.U.S. District Judge Brian Buescher scheduled Foard’s sentencing for April 19.

Neb. man who assaulted minor to ‘break her in’ for sex trafficking found guilty

By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/25/questions-revived-about-whether-nebraska-lawmaker-lives-in-his-district/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska State Sen. Tom Brewer faced questions in 2014 and 2016 over whether he lived in the Sandhills district he aimed to serve.

He won election and re-election despite those concerns. Now one of 
his constituents in Cherry County has filed a complaint with the 
Nebraska Attorney General’s Office and the Clerk of the Legislature.

Years of public records obtained in light of the complaint raise new questions about his residency.

Chief among them: Did Brewer really make his main home in the 
three-bedroom, two-bathroom Sheridan County cabin built inside a machine
 shed in Gordon, Nebraska?

Or did he, as the records suggest, live primarily in his Cass County 
house, 300 miles southeast of District 43, which he was elected to 
represent?

If the Legislature determines that Brewer violated residency 
requirements in the Nebraska Constitution, he could forfeit his seat.

At issue is Article III, Section 8. It says “no person elected (to 
the Legislature) … shall hold his office after he shall have removed 
(sic) from such district.”

Valentine resident Sherri Bacon (no relation to U.S. Rep. Don Bacon),
 said she wants the Legislature to investigate whether Brewer is 
violating the requirements.

Bacon, who said she has gotten more active recently in local GOP 
politics, said she has struggled to get people in authority to take her 
complaint seriously.

Brewer is widely known in the state and well-liked among his conservative peers. He is known for stressing his military service.

But Bacon said Brewer made a legal mistake last summer when he 
registered to vote in Murdock, Nebraska, which is in Cass County in 
southeast Nebraska.

“If those who make the laws and rules are exempt from following them,
 the citizens are nothing more than subjects, serfs,” Bacon said. “If 
law-abiding citizens remain silent, aren’t we making a mockery of the 
law?”

Brewer, asked to explain, said he was accidentally and automatically 
re-registered last year when he signed the Voter ID petition using his 
Cass County address.

However, records indicate that is not the case. Brewer signed a Voter
 ID petition for Sheridan County in April and listed his Sheridan County
 address. The state found no second signature.

Brewer’s voter registration shifted to Cass County on July 26, 2022, 
the Examiner confirmed, the same day he renewed his driver’s license 
using his Cass County address.

He and his wife, Kelli, re-registered to vote in Sheridan County on 
Dec. 8, eight days after the Examiner contacted the Secretary of State’s
 Office to verify his registration in Cass County.

Brewer, who was told of the reporter’s inquiry, said he learned about
 the Cass County registration when he tried to vote in Sheridan County 
last fall and wasn’t allowed.

Election records show he did not vote in the general election or 
request a provisional ballot, which is typically offered when someone 
tries to vote but can’t.

Brewer had been registered to vote in Cass County from at least 1996 
to 2013. He re-registered in Sheridan County before running for the U.S.
 House in 2013.

He is not the first state senator to be questioned about living 
outside of his or her district. Others include former Sens. Ernie 
Chambers and Tyson Larson.

But unlike them, Brewer registered to vote in a legislative district he does not represent.

Case law regarding the residency of political candidates have often 
hinged on a candidate’s &nbsp;“domicile,” the place where a person intends to
 return home.

The factors in such cases include voter registration records, driver’s license records and real estate records.

Brewer received a homestead exemption for 100% of the property taxes 
on his Cass County house in 2022, the county assessor’s office 
confirmed.

Brewer had not applied for a similar homestead exemption on the 
Sheridan County property as of early January, a Sheridan County official
 verified.

The instructions for the homestead exemption application form say the
 applicant must verify that the exemption is for the person’s “primary 
home,” meaning where the person lived from Jan. 1 to Aug. 15 that year.

Most of the other types of public records that courts have used to 
verify residency in related cases point to Brewer living in Cass County.

For instance, his driver’s license listed a Cass County address from at least 2012 to January 2023, the Examiner confirmed.

The majority of motor vehicles registered each year in Brewer’s name 
have listed Cass County addresses from 2011 through 2022. Midway through
 the decade, he registered some of those vehicles in Sheridan.

Brewer’s donations to federal political candidates in the Federal 
Election Commission database, including to former President Donald 
Trump, list the Cass County address.

Brewer, in an interview, acknowledged that he has spent less time in 
Sheridan County over the past year than normal, maybe two months.

He said he and his wife have spent more time in the Cass County home 
than in Sheridan over the past year, because he spent five months in 
Ukraine.

Asked where he makes his primary residence, Brewer said, “It 
depends.” He said he lives primarily in Sheridan County in years with 
short legislative sessions.

He said he lives primarily in Cass County in years with long legislative sessions, like this year.

He said he couldn’t remember if he applied for a homestead exemption,
 but he said if he had, he would have sought it for the Cass County 
property because property taxes are higher there.

He said he grew up in the Sandhills and most of his family still lives in the area.

“I wish I was there all the time,” Brewer said of Gordon, in Sheridan
 County. “Every weekend we have a three- or four-day weekend, I’m out 
there, including this last one.”

Bacon has asked the Attorney General’s Office to investigate Brewer. 
The AG’s office told her in September that only the Legislature can 
expel a member, based on the Constitution.

She wrote this month to the Clerk of the Legislature, who replied 
that she lacked standing to challenge Brewer’s residency and that only a
 losing candidate for the legislative district could file a formal 
complaint.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674659222238.png" alt="State Sen. Tom Brewer checks his phone during announcements in the Nebraska Legislature. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Tom Brewer checks his phone during announcements in the Nebraska Legislature. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/25/questions-revived-about-whether-nebraska-lawmaker-lives-in-his-district/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska State Sen. Tom Brewer faced questions in 2014 and 2016 over whether he lived in the Sandhills district he aimed to serve.He won election and re-election despite those concerns. Now one of 
his constituents in Cherry County has filed a complaint with the 
Nebraska Attorney General’s Office and the Clerk of the Legislature.Years of public records obtained in light of the complaint raise new questions about his residency.<h2>Constitutional concerns</h2>Chief among them: Did Brewer really make his main home in the 
three-bedroom, two-bathroom Sheridan County cabin built inside a machine
 shed in Gordon, Nebraska?Or did he, as the records suggest, live primarily in his Cass County 
house, 300 miles southeast of District 43, which he was elected to 
represent?If the Legislature determines that Brewer violated residency 
requirements in the Nebraska Constitution, he could forfeit his seat.At issue is Article III, Section 8. It says “no person elected (to 
the Legislature) … shall hold his office after he shall have removed 
(sic) from such district.”<h2>Citizen complaint</h2>Valentine resident Sherri Bacon (no relation to U.S. Rep. Don Bacon),
 said she wants the Legislature to investigate whether Brewer is 
violating the requirements.Bacon, who said she has gotten more active recently in local GOP 
politics, said she has struggled to get people in authority to take her 
complaint seriously.Brewer is widely known in the state and well-liked among his conservative peers. He is known for stressing his military service.But Bacon said Brewer made a legal mistake last summer when he 
registered to vote in Murdock, Nebraska, which is in Cass County in 
southeast Nebraska.“If those who make the laws and rules are exempt from following them,
 the citizens are nothing more than subjects, serfs,” Bacon said. “If 
law-abiding citizens remain silent, aren’t we making a mockery of the 
law?”<h2>Records raise issues</h2>Brewer, asked to explain, said he was accidentally and automatically 
re-registered last year when he signed the Voter ID petition using his 
Cass County address.However, records indicate that is not the case. Brewer signed a Voter
 ID petition for Sheridan County in April and listed his Sheridan County
 address. The state found no second signature.Brewer’s voter registration shifted to Cass County on July 26, 2022, 
the Examiner confirmed, the same day he renewed his driver’s license 
using his Cass County address.He and his wife, Kelli, re-registered to vote in Sheridan County on 
Dec. 8, eight days after the Examiner contacted the Secretary of State’s
 Office to verify his registration in Cass County.Brewer, who was told of the reporter’s inquiry, said he learned about
 the Cass County registration when he tried to vote in Sheridan County 
last fall and wasn’t allowed.Election records show he did not vote in the general election or 
request a provisional ballot, which is typically offered when someone 
tries to vote but can’t.Brewer had been registered to vote in Cass County from at least 1996 
to 2013. He re-registered in Sheridan County before running for the U.S.
 House in 2013.He is not the first state senator to be questioned about living 
outside of his or her district. Others include former Sens. Ernie 
Chambers and Tyson Larson.But unlike them, Brewer registered to vote in a legislative district he does not represent.<h2>Homestead exemption</h2>Case law regarding the residency of political candidates have often 
hinged on a candidate’s &nbsp;“domicile,” the place where a person intends to
 return home.The factors in such cases include voter registration records, driver’s license records and real estate records.Brewer received a homestead exemption for 100% of the property taxes 
on his Cass County house in 2022, the county assessor’s office 
confirmed.Brewer had not applied for a similar homestead exemption on the 
Sheridan County property as of early January, a Sheridan County official
 verified.The instructions for the homestead exemption application form say the
 applicant must verify that the exemption is for the person’s “primary 
home,” meaning where the person lived from Jan. 1 to Aug. 15 that year.<h2>Other records point to Cass</h2>Most of the other types of public records that courts have used to 
verify residency in related cases point to Brewer living in Cass County.For instance, his driver’s license listed a Cass County address from at least 2012 to January 2023, the Examiner confirmed.The majority of motor vehicles registered each year in Brewer’s name 
have listed Cass County addresses from 2011 through 2022. Midway through
 the decade, he registered some of those vehicles in Sheridan.Brewer’s donations to federal political candidates in the Federal 
Election Commission database, including to former President Donald 
Trump, list the Cass County address.<h2>Brewer says he splits time</h2>Brewer, in an interview, acknowledged that he has spent less time in 
Sheridan County over the past year than normal, maybe two months.He said he and his wife have spent more time in the Cass County home 
than in Sheridan over the past year, because he spent five months in 
Ukraine.Asked where he makes his primary residence, Brewer said, “It 
depends.” He said he lives primarily in Sheridan County in years with 
short legislative sessions.He said he lives primarily in Cass County in years with long legislative sessions, like this year.He said he couldn’t remember if he applied for a homestead exemption,
 but he said if he had, he would have sought it for the Cass County 
property because property taxes are higher there.He said he grew up in the Sandhills and most of his family still lives in the area.“I wish I was there all the time,” Brewer said of Gordon, in Sheridan
 County. “Every weekend we have a three- or four-day weekend, I’m out 
there, including this last one.”<h2>Legislature could act</h2>Bacon has asked the Attorney General’s Office to investigate Brewer. 
The AG’s office told her in September that only the Legislature can 
expel a member, based on the Constitution.She wrote this month to the Clerk of the Legislature, who replied 
that she lacked standing to challenge Brewer’s residency and that only a
 losing candidate for the legislative district could file a formal 
complaint.Brewer is term-limited from running again in 2024. He said last week 
he might run for a seat on the Nebraska Public Power District board.That utility serves Gordon. The Omaha Public Power District serves 
Murdock. Under state law, he would need to live in a subdistrict he 
seeks to represent.