United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jesse S. Flanagan, age 36, of Hastings, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 10, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Flanagan to a total of 28 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Flanagan’s release from prison, he will begin a 2-year term of supervised release.

On September 23, 2023, Flanagan was travelling on Interstate 80 with another individual.&nbsp; Shortly before 4:00 a.m., two Nebraska State Troopers initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle.&nbsp; Flanagan was identified as the driver and there was another individual in the front passenger seat.&nbsp; Flanagan and the other individual were separated while the troopers asked questions.&nbsp; The front seat passenger admitted that Flanagan had handed her a bag of fentanyl pills to hide from the troopers as they were getting pulled over.&nbsp; The bag was seized, and it was determined that the bag contained 656 pills.&nbsp; The State Patrol Crime Lab confirmed the pills contained fentanyl and that the combined weight of the pills was 69.67 grams.

This case was investigated by the Tri-City Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT). TRIDENT is a task force with law enforcement personnel from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Hastings Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Kearney Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol.

United States Attorney's OfficeUnited States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jesse S. Flanagan, age 36, of Hastings, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 10, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Flanagan to a total of 28 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Flanagan’s release from prison, he will begin a 2-year term of supervised release.On September 23, 2023, Flanagan was travelling on Interstate 80 with another individual.&nbsp; Shortly before 4:00 a.m., two Nebraska State Troopers initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle.&nbsp; Flanagan was identified as the driver and there was another individual in the front passenger seat.&nbsp; Flanagan and the other individual were separated while the troopers asked questions.&nbsp; The front seat passenger admitted that Flanagan had handed her a bag of fentanyl pills to hide from the troopers as they were getting pulled over.&nbsp; The bag was seized, and it was determined that the bag contained 656 pills.&nbsp; The State Patrol Crime Lab confirmed the pills contained fentanyl and that the combined weight of the pills was 69.67 grams.This case was investigated by the Tri-City Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT). TRIDENT is a task force with law enforcement personnel from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Hastings Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Kearney Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol.

Central Nebraska Man Sentenced to Over 2 Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen joined state senators and female athletes announcing the&nbsp;Stand With Women Act&nbsp;(LB89). Senator Kathleen Kauth of Omaha introduced the bill at the request of the Governor. The legislation expands portions of the&nbsp;Women’s Bill of Rights, which Gov. Pillen established via Executive Order 23-16 in August 2023, to schools, sports teams and state facilities.&nbsp;

“The&nbsp;Stand With Women Act&nbsp;provides commonsense protections for women and girls in Nebraska. This is an issue of fairness and safety,” said Gov. Pillen. “Biological males should not be allowed to compete against women and girls on female sports teams, and privacy in bathrooms and locker rooms must be protected. It is simple, only girls belong in girls’ sports, and men do not belong in women’s spaces.”

The&nbsp;Stand With Women Act&nbsp;would prohibit biological males from joining female sports teams. It would require group restrooms and locker rooms in schools as well as state agencies to be designated for use by either males or females, and it prohibits individuals of one biological sex from using the restroom or locker room designated for use by the opposite biological sex.

Sen. Kauth said provisions contained in the bill were common sense and would be applicable across a variety of agencies like the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS), Department of Economic Development (DED), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and across education, including secondary institutions.

“I am proud to continue introducing bills that stand with women and protect the privacy, safety and opportunity for all,” said Sen. Kauth. “I am grateful as well to my fellow senators, who also stand with women.”

Husker softball player Jordy Bahl also commended the courage of public officials willing to support LB89.

“Taking a stance on this issue is a no brainer for me. Many more people feel the same way on this issue, but after experiencing the hate one receives for taking this stand, I understand why they don’t all come forward,” said Bahl. “That will never stop me from using my voice to defend the safety of women. Not just in sports, but in all women-designated spaces.”

Nebraska volleyball player Rebekah Allick added her support for the&nbsp;Stand with Women Act.&nbsp;“Protecting spaces for women and girls, like locker rooms and bathrooms, isn’t just about safety and security – it’s about upholding truth. We were created as either man or woman. The moment we allow basic truths to be distorted or manipulated is the moment we lose our grasp on fundamental reality. Common sense is at stake here.”

Jennifer Sey, former U.S. gymnast and founder of XX XY Athletics (an athletic apparel company), said it was important that women and girls have their biological-based rights restored. “The fact remains that men and women are different. We are fighting for a future where every girl feels empowered to step onto the field, chase her dreams and claim her opportunities. We’ve fought too hard for too long for safety and fairness. We’re not going back.”

Hannah Holtmeier, a former sorority member at the University of Wyoming talked about transferring to the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, after a biological male was permitted to join her sorority.

“Standing with women should be the easiest thing for every elected official to do, and I am glad that Nebraska is taking action to define a ‘woman’ and preserve our private spaces,” said Holtmeier. “As someone who was forced to share a sorority with a man, I can’t express how important this issue is and I’m glad it will be fixed this year.”

While she was not at the news conference today, NCAA All-American Riley Gaines submitted a statement upon learning about the introduction of LB89. She said: “Nebraska has led the way in defending female athletes’ rights to compete fairly and safely. Now they’re leading the way in protecting the opportunities, privacy, and safety of ALL women. This is common sense legislation that should receive bipartisan support. This bill doesn’t marginalize anyone, but instead protects everyone. I’m grateful for the leadership and steadfast efforts of Senator Kauth and Governor Pillen to ensure this legislation is a priority.”

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen joined state senators and female athletes announcing the&nbsp;Stand With Women Act&nbsp;(LB89). Senator Kathleen Kauth of Omaha introduced the bill at the request of the Governor. The legislation expands portions of the&nbsp;Women’s Bill of Rights, which Gov. Pillen established via Executive Order 23-16 in August 2023, to schools, sports teams and state facilities.&nbsp;“The&nbsp;Stand With Women Act&nbsp;provides commonsense protections for women and girls in Nebraska. This is an issue of fairness and safety,” said Gov. Pillen. “Biological males should not be allowed to compete against women and girls on female sports teams, and privacy in bathrooms and locker rooms must be protected. It is simple, only girls belong in girls’ sports, and men do not belong in women’s spaces.”The&nbsp;Stand With Women Act&nbsp;would prohibit biological males from joining female sports teams. It would require group restrooms and locker rooms in schools as well as state agencies to be designated for use by either males or females, and it prohibits individuals of one biological sex from using the restroom or locker room designated for use by the opposite biological sex.Sen. Kauth said provisions contained in the bill were common sense and would be applicable across a variety of agencies like the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS), Department of Economic Development (DED), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and across education, including secondary institutions.“I am proud to continue introducing bills that stand with women and protect the privacy, safety and opportunity for all,” said Sen. Kauth. “I am grateful as well to my fellow senators, who also stand with women.”Husker softball player Jordy Bahl also commended the courage of public officials willing to support LB89.“Taking a stance on this issue is a no brainer for me. Many more people feel the same way on this issue, but after experiencing the hate one receives for taking this stand, I understand why they don’t all come forward,” said Bahl. “That will never stop me from using my voice to defend the safety of women. Not just in sports, but in all women-designated spaces.”Nebraska volleyball player Rebekah Allick added her support for the&nbsp;Stand with Women Act.&nbsp;“Protecting spaces for women and girls, like locker rooms and bathrooms, isn’t just about safety and security – it’s about upholding truth. We were created as either man or woman. The moment we allow basic truths to be distorted or manipulated is the moment we lose our grasp on fundamental reality. Common sense is at stake here.”Jennifer Sey, former U.S. gymnast and founder of XX XY Athletics (an athletic apparel company), said it was important that women and girls have their biological-based rights restored. “The fact remains that men and women are different. We are fighting for a future where every girl feels empowered to step onto the field, chase her dreams and claim her opportunities. We’ve fought too hard for too long for safety and fairness. We’re not going back.”Hannah Holtmeier, a former sorority member at the University of Wyoming talked about transferring to the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, after a biological male was permitted to join her sorority.“Standing with women should be the easiest thing for every elected official to do, and I am glad that Nebraska is taking action to define a ‘woman’ and preserve our private spaces,” said Holtmeier. “As someone who was forced to share a sorority with a man, I can’t express how important this issue is and I’m glad it will be fixed this year.”While she was not at the news conference today, NCAA All-American Riley Gaines submitted a statement upon learning about the introduction of LB89. She said: “Nebraska has led the way in defending female athletes’ rights to compete fairly and safely. Now they’re leading the way in protecting the opportunities, privacy, and safety of ALL women. This is common sense legislation that should receive bipartisan support. This bill doesn’t marginalize anyone, but instead protects everyone. I’m grateful for the leadership and steadfast efforts of Senator Kauth and Governor Pillen to ensure this legislation is a priority.”

Gov. Pillen, Sen. Kauth and Athletes Introduce Stand With Women Act

On Saturday, President Biden spoke with His Holiness Pope Francis and named him as a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors. This is the first time that President Biden has awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction.

As a young man, Jorge Bergoglio sought a career in science before faith led him to a life with the Jesuits. For decades, he served the voiceless and vulnerable across Argentina. As Pope Francis, his mission of serving the poor has never ceased. A loving pastor, he joyfully answers children’s questions about God. A challenging teacher, he commands us to fight for peace and protect the planet. A welcoming leader, he reaches out to different faiths. The first pope from the Southern Hemisphere, Pope Francis is unlike any who came before. Above all, he is the People’s Pope – a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world.

On Saturday, President Biden spoke with His Holiness Pope Francis and named him as a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Pope Francis, your humility and your grace are beyond words, and your love for all is unparalleled. As the People&#39;s Pope, you are a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world. Today, it was my honor to award His Holiness Pope Francis the Presidential… <a href="https://t.co/q4a0DKoSyi">pic.twitter.com/q4a0DKoSyi</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1878181517068836894?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors. This is the first time that President Biden has awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736637074926.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Citation:&nbsp;As a young man, Jorge Bergoglio sought a career in science before faith led him to a life with the Jesuits. For decades, he served the voiceless and vulnerable across Argentina. As Pope Francis, his mission of serving the poor has never ceased. A loving pastor, he joyfully answers children’s questions about God. A challenging teacher, he commands us to fight for peace and protect the planet. A welcoming leader, he reaches out to different faiths. The first pope from the Southern Hemisphere, Pope Francis is unlike any who came before. Above all, he is the People’s Pope – a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world.

Biden honors Pope Francis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Some researchers question long-term cost savings for state programs.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/schatlani/">SHALINA CHATLANI</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

Over her three-decade career, weight management physician Dr. Sarah Ro has seen hundreds of patients. Many of them are on Medicaid and have become yo-yo dieters who, despite their best efforts at changing their eating habits and lifestyles, cannot seem to shed the pounds hurting their health.

“They have a tremendous amount of disease burden,” said Ro, medical director of the University of North Carolina Physicians Network weight management program, which serves patients from marginalized communities at clinics across the state. “All the complications that you could think of.”

But the increasingly popular drug therapy known as GLP-1s could help, she said.

GLP-1 drugs mimic a hormone in the intestinal tract to balance the body’s blood sugar levels. And while GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound have been around for years to help patients with diabetes, they are growing in popularity to treat patients in need of significant weight loss. That’s because the drugs also send the brain a signal that reduces hunger.

Due to their high list price in the United States — ranging from about $940 to $1,350 a month before insurance, rebates or discounts — many patients can’t afford them.

But now that these drugs are in greater demand from both patients and doctors, state Medicaid programs are grappling with whether to cover them for weight loss, both for reasons of equity and to save on future health expenditures. Some researchers, however, question whether the drugs can help lower costs in the long run.

Last August, North Carolina became the latest state to begin covering some federal Food and Drug Administration-approved GLP-1s for obesity treatment among some populations, joining a dozen other states.

“For me, it wasn’t ever an option not to cover it,” said Kody Kinsley, who just ended his term as secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services under former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.

“The first big reason was just a sense of doing what is right for folks,” Kinsley told Stateline. He also thinks coverage is the right investment economically, estimating that the North Carolina Medicaid program spends about a billion dollars a year on obesity-related expenses.

He told Stateline that funding drugs that can cut those costs down by even a small percentage is worth it over the long run. He also noted that Medicaid covers other expensive drugs. The department expects the cost of covering GLP-1s to be about $16 million a year under the new policy. By comparison, coverage for Dupixent, a drug commonly used to treat eczema, runs the state about $28 million a year.

“It is my experience that the only time we seem to really get up in arms as a society about the cost of a drug — to the point where we are willing to not cover it — is when it is for some sort of stigmatized disease,” Kinsley told Stateline.

Obesity, he noted, is a recognized medical condition.

Medicaid programs cover some GLP-1 drugs to treat obesity in a dozen other states: California, Delaware, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and Wisconsin.

An annual survey from the health policy research organization KFF recently found that half of the remaining state Medicaid programs are considering covering the drugs, but that the high costs are still prohibitive for most despite federal matches and rebate programs with drug manufacturers.

State officials say health equity — the idea that all groups regardless of background deserve equal access to health care — is one of the main reasons they are considering the coverage, but that they worry higher costs will put pressure on their Medicaid budgets, said KFF senior policy analyst Liz Williams, who co-authored the survey of state Medicaid program directors.

Medicaid spending on GLP-1s for all conditions increased from $597.3 million for about 755,000 prescriptions in 2019, to $3.9 billion for 3.8 million prescriptions in 2023, according to KFF. It’s hard to tell, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/medicaid-coverage-of-and-spending-on-glp-1s/#:~:text=From%20Medicaid%20data%20publicly%20available%2C%20there%20is%20no%20way%20yet%20to%20disentangle%20how%20much%20of%20the%20growing%20use%20of%20GLP%2D1s%20is%20related%20to%20treatment%20for%20diabetes%20versus%20obesity%2C%20or%20a%20combination%20of%20both." target="_blank">how much</a>&nbsp;of the increase is solely for obesity vs. diabetes, or a combination of both, the study noted.

Some states in KFF’s survey said they are considering whether coverage expansion in the future may reduce long-term Medicaid spending on chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.

But one researcher, John Cawley, a professor of economics and public policy at Cornell University, and his colleagues found that while obesity “basically doubles a person’s annual health care costs,” the savings associated with public insurance plans covering GLP-1s for just obesity treatment are dependent on the patient’s starting body mass index, or BMI.

A healthy weight is a BMI of up to 25. People who are obese, based on their height and weight, have an amount of fat on their bodies representing a BMI of 30 or higher.

“You shouldn’t expect to see almost any cost savings for somebody whose BMI is around 30 or 31,” Cawley told Stateline. He noted that most significant savings would happen at a starting BMI of around 40, but added that “those savings still may not be great enough to pay for the current list price of these drugs.”

Cawley said there are numerous other reasons to cover the drug, though, such as improving someone’s quality of life.

Ro, the weight management doctor, told Stateline that across North Carolina, people in vulnerable communities can be predisposed to developing obesity because they often live within what’s known as an “obesogenic environment” — a combination of physical, economic and social factors that promotes obesity.

Residents struggle with losing weight not only due to a diet of unhealthy foods, but also because of generational genetics, a dearth of grocery stores with healthy foods, and busy schedules with multiple jobs and a lack of child care. Many cities in the state aren’t that “walkable,” leaving many residents with few options for basic exercise.

And some of the state’s most popular foods are high-fat, high-sugar dishes such as pork shoulder slathered in sugary and smoky barbecue sauce, peach cobbler, fried shrimp and fried green tomatoes. North Carolina is the “buckle of the barbecue belt,” Kinsley said.

There, 70% of residents are either overweight or obese. Obesity is linked to several comorbidities, such as diabetes and heart failure. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 34% of North Carolina adults — compared with 40% nationally — are obese.

That rate rises across demographic groups. While white North Carolinians experience an obesity rate of 32%, Hispanic populations sit at 34%, Indigenous North Carolinians are at 38%, and Black North Carolinians have a rate of 48%.

Most Medicaid enrollees in the state are people of color.

In late November, the Biden administration proposed a new rule to require Medicaid and Medicare programs to cover GLP-1s for weight loss. The incoming Trump administration will have to decide whether to approve those changes.

The Biden administration estimates that the change would cost the federal government about $11 billion over the course of 10 years for Medicaid. States would have to pay an estimated $3.8 billion.

While states assess their capacities and the federal government considers its plans, Ro said her patients are getting a better shot at getting healthier by having access to the coverage.

“GLP-1s are not the answer for everybody,” Ro told Stateline. “But If I have a high-risk patient with heart disease, with sleep apnea and advanced liver disease, this could be a lifesaving medication.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736176419950.png" alt="Ozempic was originally approved to treat people with Type 2 diabetes, but demand has surged because of the drug’s weight-loss benefits.&nbsp;Thirteen states cover GLP-1 drugs through their Medicaid programs, and others are considering following suit.- courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Ozempic was originally approved to treat people with Type 2 diabetes, but demand has surged because of the drug’s weight-loss benefits.&nbsp;Thirteen states cover GLP-1 drugs through their Medicaid programs, and others are considering following suit.- courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Some researchers question long-term cost savings for state programs.</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/schatlani/">SHALINA CHATLANI</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a> Over her three-decade career, weight management physician Dr. Sarah Ro has seen hundreds of patients. Many of them are on Medicaid and have become yo-yo dieters who, despite their best efforts at changing their eating habits and lifestyles, cannot seem to shed the pounds hurting their health.“They have a tremendous amount of disease burden,” said Ro, medical director of the University of North Carolina Physicians Network weight management program, which serves patients from marginalized communities at clinics across the state. “All the complications that you could think of.”But the increasingly popular drug therapy known as GLP-1s could help, she said.GLP-1 drugs mimic a hormone in the intestinal tract to balance the body’s blood sugar levels. And while GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound have been around for years to help patients with diabetes, they are growing in popularity to treat patients in need of significant weight loss. That’s because the drugs also send the brain a signal that reduces hunger.Due to their high list price in the United States — ranging from about $940 to $1,350 a month before insurance, rebates or discounts — many patients can’t afford them.But now that these drugs are in greater demand from both patients and doctors, state Medicaid programs are grappling with whether to cover them for weight loss, both for reasons of equity and to save on future health expenditures. Some researchers, however, question whether the drugs can help lower costs in the long run.Last August, North Carolina became the latest state to begin covering some federal Food and Drug Administration-approved GLP-1s for obesity treatment among some populations, joining a dozen other states.“For me, it wasn’t ever an option not to cover it,” said Kody Kinsley, who just ended his term as secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services under former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.“The first big reason was just a sense of doing what is right for folks,” Kinsley told Stateline. He also thinks coverage is the right investment economically, estimating that the North Carolina Medicaid program spends about a billion dollars a year on obesity-related expenses.He told Stateline that funding drugs that can cut those costs down by even a small percentage is worth it over the long run. He also noted that Medicaid covers other expensive drugs. The department expects the cost of covering GLP-1s to be about $16 million a year under the new policy. By comparison, coverage for Dupixent, a drug commonly used to treat eczema, runs the state about $28 million a year.“It is my experience that the only time we seem to really get up in arms as a society about the cost of a drug — to the point where we are willing to not cover it — is when it is for some sort of stigmatized disease,” Kinsley told Stateline.Obesity, he noted, is a recognized medical condition.<h2>Medicaid spending</h2>Medicaid programs cover some GLP-1 drugs to treat obesity in a dozen other states: California, Delaware, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and Wisconsin.An annual survey from the health policy research organization KFF recently found that half of the remaining state Medicaid programs are considering covering the drugs, but that the high costs are still prohibitive for most despite federal matches and rebate programs with drug manufacturers.State officials say health equity — the idea that all groups regardless of background deserve equal access to health care — is one of the main reasons they are considering the coverage, but that they worry higher costs will put pressure on their Medicaid budgets, said KFF senior policy analyst Liz Williams, who co-authored the survey of state Medicaid program directors.Medicaid spending on GLP-1s for all conditions increased from $597.3 million for about 755,000 prescriptions in 2019, to $3.9 billion for 3.8 million prescriptions in 2023, according to KFF. It’s hard to tell, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/medicaid-coverage-of-and-spending-on-glp-1s/#:~:text=From%20Medicaid%20data%20publicly%20available%2C%20there%20is%20no%20way%20yet%20to%20disentangle%20how%20much%20of%20the%20growing%20use%20of%20GLP%2D1s%20is%20related%20to%20treatment%20for%20diabetes%20versus%20obesity%2C%20or%20a%20combination%20of%20both." target="_blank">how much</a>&nbsp;of the increase is solely for obesity vs. diabetes, or a combination of both, the study noted.Some states in KFF’s survey said they are considering whether coverage expansion in the future may reduce long-term Medicaid spending on chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.But one researcher, John Cawley, a professor of economics and public policy at Cornell University, and his colleagues found that while obesity “basically doubles a person’s annual health care costs,” the savings associated with public insurance plans covering GLP-1s for just obesity treatment are dependent on the patient’s starting body mass index, or BMI.A healthy weight is a BMI of up to 25. People who are obese, based on their height and weight, have an amount of fat on their bodies representing a BMI of 30 or higher.“You shouldn’t expect to see almost any cost savings for somebody whose BMI is around 30 or 31,” Cawley told Stateline. He noted that most significant savings would happen at a starting BMI of around 40, but added that “those savings still may not be great enough to pay for the current list price of these drugs.”Cawley said there are numerous other reasons to cover the drug, though, such as improving someone’s quality of life.<h2>An ‘obesogenic environment’</h2>Ro, the weight management doctor, told Stateline that across North Carolina, people in vulnerable communities can be predisposed to developing obesity because they often live within what’s known as an “obesogenic environment” — a combination of physical, economic and social factors that promotes obesity.Residents struggle with losing weight not only due to a diet of unhealthy foods, but also because of generational genetics, a dearth of grocery stores with healthy foods, and busy schedules with multiple jobs and a lack of child care. Many cities in the state aren’t that “walkable,” leaving many residents with few options for basic exercise.And some of the state’s most popular foods are high-fat, high-sugar dishes such as pork shoulder slathered in sugary and smoky barbecue sauce, peach cobbler, fried shrimp and fried green tomatoes. North Carolina is the “buckle of the barbecue belt,” Kinsley said.There, 70% of residents are either overweight or obese. Obesity is linked to several comorbidities, such as diabetes and heart failure. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 34% of North Carolina adults — compared with 40% nationally — are obese.That rate rises across demographic groups. While white North Carolinians experience an obesity rate of 32%, Hispanic populations sit at 34%, Indigenous North Carolinians are at 38%, and Black North Carolinians have a rate of 48%.Most Medicaid enrollees in the state are people of color.In late November, the Biden administration proposed a new rule to require Medicaid and Medicare programs to cover GLP-1s for weight loss. The incoming Trump administration will have to decide whether to approve those changes.The Biden administration estimates that the change would cost the federal government about $11 billion over the course of 10 years for Medicaid. States would have to pay an estimated $3.8 billion.While states assess their capacities and the federal government considers its plans, Ro said her patients are getting a better shot at getting healthier by having access to the coverage.“GLP-1s are not the answer for everybody,” Ro told Stateline. “But If I have a high-risk patient with heart disease, with sleep apnea and advanced liver disease, this could be a lifesaving medication.”

As demand for weight-loss drugs rises, states grapple with Medicaid coverage

LINCOLN —&nbsp;Lawmakers have formally introduced a “fix” to Nebraska’s summer special session changes to a key property tax relief program, which closed off some tax relief for Nebraskans.

State Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering introduced&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58807" target="_blank">Legislative Bill 81</a>&nbsp;on Thursday, a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/17/lawmakers-propose-2025-legislation-to-fix-missing-year-of-property-tax-relief/">promise</a>&nbsp;he and five other lawmakers made in October. The legislation would allow all Nebraskans to claim a credit on any property taxes paid in 2024 when they file their tax returns this spring, in the middle of the 90-day legislative session. The aim is to make whole the people who missed out on claiming an income tax credit for property taxes assessed in December 2023.

LB 81 would offer a one-time extension for the income tax credit program established in 2020 and designed to offset K-12 school taxes, which make up the majority of local property taxes.&nbsp;

The credits will now be immediately applied against school taxes on property tax statements, beginning in December 2024.

For some Nebraskans who didn’t know about the program previously or weren’t able to request the relief, it will be the first time they benefit from the program. About 50% of such eligible credits were left unclaimed.

“[The] challenge is that, in so doing, we did not realize that, inadvertently, we caused a problem as we set about the solution,” Hardin said at an afternoon news conference in the Nebraska State Capitol Rotunda.

“It’s lovely to get that shot in the arm right now because most of us got lowered rates for this year,” Hardin added. “We’re looking at that saying, ‘Hey, that’s good.’ The problem is when you look across those years, 2023 is missing.”

Hardin and State Sens. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln and Tom Brandt of Plymouth, who cosponsored LB 81, were among 40 lawmakers to vote to pass legislation during the special session to “front-load” the existing relief program so more people received it. But the change closed the door for relief on 2024 tax returns for anyone who decided to pay property taxes assessed in December 2023 in arrears, or throughout 2024.

“We didn’t realize it at the time but what ended up effectively happening is we ended up making life more miserable,” Hardin said, saying about 85% of Nebraskans didn’t pay their 2023 assessed taxes by December 31, 2023.&nbsp;<a href="https://flatwaterfreepress.org/lost-in-switcheroo-loophole-in-new-law-allowed-a-few-nebraskans-to-get-money-back-many-lost-the-chance/" target="_blank">One person who did pay early</a>: Gov. Jim Pillen.

The legislation, as written, would not be limited to taxes assessed in December 2023 taxes. It would include anyone who paid their 2024 property taxes assessed just last month, if they paid by Dec. 31, 2024.

Implementing LB 81 would cost up to $750 million, plus the allowable growth rate of all real Nebraska property, as determined by the Nebraska Department of Revenue. The actual cost of the fix would likely be less because not all Nebraskans would request the additional year’s credit.

Meanwhile, the state is facing a more than $432 million projected budget shortfall by summer 2027 that lawmakers must tackle.

Hardin said lawmakers might draft an amendment to limit the additional relief to the desired fix: to target only the taxpayers who lost out on the credit for property taxes paid in 2023 if they didn’t pay those taxes by Dec. 31, 2023.

“There was no sleight of hand going on by the Revenue Committee or anyone involved in that process,” Hardin said. “We truly didn’t realize that what we made was an expensive error, but we’re saying: Here’s an opportunity for us to talk about it and fix it.”

Former State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha, as chair of the Revenue Committee, led LB 34 through the special session for the tax credit changes she championed four years prior. Linehan, a former six-year chair of the Revenue Committee, and her successor as committee chair, State Sen. Brad von Gillern of Omaha, have said the cash flow to taxpayers is improved by the special session’s changes.&nbsp;

“Nobody had a crystal ball that that was going to happen, that LB 34 was going to happen the way that it happened,” von Gillern told reporters. “To say that anybody prepaid their taxes knowing that they were going to get a ‘double dip’ on this is not reasonable.”

Linehan and von Gillern have noted that if the relief program is funded twice in the same year, the double $750 million credit has a total $1.5 billion price tag.

Hardin envisions paying for the one-time extension of tax credits using billions of dollars sitting in Nebraska agency cash funds, “sweeping the accounts” and recouping money that he said departments were “hoarding.”

The effort to plug the “missing year” of relief that led to LB 81 was in part drafted by another former lawmaker before he was term-limited this week: Steve Erdman of Bayard.

Erdman was among the first to identify what he saw as a “retroactive property tax increase,” to the tune of 20-22% for some Nebraskans he said, shortly after the special session ended in August, as first reported by the Nebraska Examiner.

He and two other term-limited senators were the sole opponents of LB 34, largely for wanting more relief, not, as Erdman described the changes, “a decrease in the increase” of property taxes.

“You can go on forever and never make up that loss,” Erdman said in October of the “skipped” relief. “The question I have is, ‘Whose money is it?’ It’s the people’s money.”

Erdman drafted the legislation for his western Nebraska partner, Hardin, who also is taking the mantle from Erdman on seeking to more broadly rewrite Nebraska’s tax code by eliminating property, income and corporate taxes (the “EPIC Option”) and creating a wholesale consumption tax, but not on groceries.

“EPIC is alive and well,” Erdman told the Examiner last week. “The next effort that we put forward will be a far more involved and specific plan on how to get this on the ballot.”

Erdman says it takes time to make “big, bold changes,” but supporters aren’t deterred because of decades of inadequate policies and have learned how to improve their efforts. They are “more focused today than they were before.”

“Going forward, we will have a whole new look,” he continued. “I think it’ll be an opportunity for the Nebraska people that are being taxed out of their homes and farms and businesses to understand that there’s only one option, and that’s to change the whole system.”&nbsp;

Brandt said property tax relief is top of mind for his constituents.

“They want to know what happened,” Brandt said, adding that the 85% of Nebraskans who didn’t pay their 2023 taxes by the end of that calendar year are in rural districts.

“I would like to tell the people of the state: We’re here,” he continued. “We’re trying to make a difference.”

State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward said farmers in her district also preplan how they’ll pay their taxes and are good about claiming the income tax credit when available. The Nebraska Farm Bureau has been pushing for an LB 81-style fix.

“They didn’t know the rules were changing,” Hughes said, adding the quick fix left taxpayers in the hole without time to choose their next steps, who might have paid early if they had known.

The special session was the longest and most expensive in state history, costing $173,134 over 17 days, based on a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/leg-council-2025-deficit.pdf">deficit budget request</a>&nbsp;made&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58115" target="_blank">after the special session</a>. That’s a daily cost of $10,184.35, the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/30/property-tax-special-session-could-be-among-costliest-in-nebraska-history/">highest of any special session</a>&nbsp;in Nebraska.

LB 81 would require an early hearing and would need to be passed, and signed into law, by the time Nebraskans start turning in their tax returns this spring.

Hardin would also need at least 33 lawmakers, regardless if the bill is filibustered, for his bill to take effect for this tax season. And he would need Pillen’s blessing.

Conrad said that in a state budget of&nbsp;<a href="https://statespending.nebraska.gov/CurrentFiscalYearBudget" target="_blank">more than $12 billion</a>, lawmakers can find the money while also closing the projected budget shortfall.

“It is easily ascertainable to find resources to make it right for Nebraska taxpayers,” Conrad said. “If indeed there is a political will, if indeed there is consensus, we have to come together to make things right for Nebraskans who were negatively impacted by the special session.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736537855853.jpeg" alt=" State Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering, center, hosts a news conference on his legislation for a one-time extension to an income-tax based property tax relief program. Behind him are, from left: State Sens. Margo Juarez of Omaha, Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, Tom Brandt of Plymouth, Jana Hughes of Seward and Glen Meyer of Pender. Jan. 9, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> State Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering, center, hosts a news conference on his legislation for a one-time extension to an income-tax based property tax relief program. Behind him are, from left: State Sens. Margo Juarez of Omaha, Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, Tom Brandt of Plymouth, Jana Hughes of Seward and Glen Meyer of Pender. Jan. 9, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="http://V">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;Lawmakers have formally introduced a “fix” to Nebraska’s summer special session changes to a key property tax relief program, which closed off some tax relief for Nebraskans.State Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering introduced&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58807" target="_blank">Legislative Bill 81</a>&nbsp;on Thursday, a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/17/lawmakers-propose-2025-legislation-to-fix-missing-year-of-property-tax-relief/">promise</a>&nbsp;he and five other lawmakers made in October. The legislation would allow all Nebraskans to claim a credit on any property taxes paid in 2024 when they file their tax returns this spring, in the middle of the 90-day legislative session. The aim is to make whole the people who missed out on claiming an income tax credit for property taxes assessed in December 2023.LB 81 would offer a one-time extension for the income tax credit program established in 2020 and designed to offset K-12 school taxes, which make up the majority of local property taxes.&nbsp;The credits will now be immediately applied against school taxes on property tax statements, beginning in December 2024.For some Nebraskans who didn’t know about the program previously or weren’t able to request the relief, it will be the first time they benefit from the program. About 50% of such eligible credits were left unclaimed.“[The] challenge is that, in so doing, we did not realize that, inadvertently, we caused a problem as we set about the solution,” Hardin said at an afternoon news conference in the Nebraska State Capitol Rotunda.“It’s lovely to get that shot in the arm right now because most of us got lowered rates for this year,” Hardin added. “We’re looking at that saying, ‘Hey, that’s good.’ The problem is when you look across those years, 2023 is missing.”<h2>Tax credit timing changes</h2>Before, in LB 1107 (2020)<ul>
 <li>December 2019 assessed taxes. Most paid in 2020. Income tax credits in 2021.</li><li>December 2020 assessed taxes. Most paid in 2021. Income tax credits in 2022.</li><li>December 2021 assessed taxes. Most paid in 2022. Income tax credits in 2023.</li><li>December 2022 assessed taxes. Most paid in 2023. Income tax credits in 2024.</li><li>December 2023 assessed taxes. Most paid in 2024. Income tax credits in 2025.</li>
 </ul>After, in LB 34 (2024)<ul>
 <li>December 2023 assessed taxes. No tax credits available (unless paid by Dec. 31, 2023).</li><li>December 2024 assessed taxes. Discount automatically applied upon payment, typically in 2025.</li><li>December 2025 assessed taxes. Discount automatically applied upon payment, typically in 2026.</li>
 </ul>Proposed, in LB 81 (2025)<ul>
 <li>December 2023 assessed taxes. Most paid in 2024. Income tax credits in 2025.</li><li>December 2024 assessed taxes. Discount automatically applied upon payment, typically in 2025.</li>
 </ul><h2>‘Making life more miserable’</h2>Hardin and State Sens. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln and Tom Brandt of Plymouth, who cosponsored LB 81, were among 40 lawmakers to vote to pass legislation during the special session to “front-load” the existing relief program so more people received it. But the change closed the door for relief on 2024 tax returns for anyone who decided to pay property taxes assessed in December 2023 in arrears, or throughout 2024.“We didn’t realize it at the time but what ended up effectively happening is we ended up making life more miserable,” Hardin said, saying about 85% of Nebraskans didn’t pay their 2023 assessed taxes by December 31, 2023.&nbsp;<a href="https://flatwaterfreepress.org/lost-in-switcheroo-loophole-in-new-law-allowed-a-few-nebraskans-to-get-money-back-many-lost-the-chance/" target="_blank">One person who did pay early</a>: Gov. Jim Pillen.The legislation, as written, would not be limited to taxes assessed in December 2023 taxes. It would include anyone who paid their 2024 property taxes assessed just last month, if they paid by Dec. 31, 2024.Implementing LB 81 would cost up to $750 million, plus the allowable growth rate of all real Nebraska property, as determined by the Nebraska Department of Revenue. The actual cost of the fix would likely be less because not all Nebraskans would request the additional year’s credit.Meanwhile, the state is facing a more than $432 million projected budget shortfall by summer 2027 that lawmakers must tackle.Hardin said lawmakers might draft an amendment to limit the additional relief to the desired fix: to target only the taxpayers who lost out on the credit for property taxes paid in 2023 if they didn’t pay those taxes by Dec. 31, 2023.“There was no sleight of hand going on by the Revenue Committee or anyone involved in that process,” Hardin said. “We truly didn’t realize that what we made was an expensive error, but we’re saying: Here’s an opportunity for us to talk about it and fix it.”<h2>‘Nobody had a crystal ball’</h2>Former State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha, as chair of the Revenue Committee, led LB 34 through the special session for the tax credit changes she championed four years prior. Linehan, a former six-year chair of the Revenue Committee, and her successor as committee chair, State Sen. Brad von Gillern of Omaha, have said the cash flow to taxpayers is improved by the special session’s changes.&nbsp;“Nobody had a crystal ball that that was going to happen, that LB 34 was going to happen the way that it happened,” von Gillern told reporters. “To say that anybody prepaid their taxes knowing that they were going to get a ‘double dip’ on this is not reasonable.”Linehan and von Gillern have noted that if the relief program is funded twice in the same year, the double $750 million credit has a total $1.5 billion price tag.Hardin envisions paying for the one-time extension of tax credits using billions of dollars sitting in Nebraska agency cash funds, “sweeping the accounts” and recouping money that he said departments were “hoarding.”<h2>‘The people’s money’</h2>The effort to plug the “missing year” of relief that led to LB 81 was in part drafted by another former lawmaker before he was term-limited this week: Steve Erdman of Bayard.Erdman was among the first to identify what he saw as a “retroactive property tax increase,” to the tune of 20-22% for some Nebraskans he said, shortly after the special session ended in August, as first reported by the Nebraska Examiner.He and two other term-limited senators were the sole opponents of LB 34, largely for wanting more relief, not, as Erdman described the changes, “a decrease in the increase” of property taxes.“You can go on forever and never make up that loss,” Erdman said in October of the “skipped” relief. “The question I have is, ‘Whose money is it?’ It’s the people’s money.”<h2>The EPIC Option</h2>Erdman drafted the legislation for his western Nebraska partner, Hardin, who also is taking the mantle from Erdman on seeking to more broadly rewrite Nebraska’s tax code by eliminating property, income and corporate taxes (the “EPIC Option”) and creating a wholesale consumption tax, but not on groceries.“EPIC is alive and well,” Erdman told the Examiner last week. “The next effort that we put forward will be a far more involved and specific plan on how to get this on the ballot.”Erdman says it takes time to make “big, bold changes,” but supporters aren’t deterred because of decades of inadequate policies and have learned how to improve their efforts. They are “more focused today than they were before.”“Going forward, we will have a whole new look,” he continued. “I think it’ll be an opportunity for the Nebraska people that are being taxed out of their homes and farms and businesses to understand that there’s only one option, and that’s to change the whole system.”&nbsp;<h2>Tax relief priority in rural Nebraska</h2>Brandt said property tax relief is top of mind for his constituents.“They want to know what happened,” Brandt said, adding that the 85% of Nebraskans who didn’t pay their 2023 taxes by the end of that calendar year are in rural districts.“I would like to tell the people of the state: We’re here,” he continued. “We’re trying to make a difference.”State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward said farmers in her district also preplan how they’ll pay their taxes and are good about claiming the income tax credit when available. The Nebraska Farm Bureau has been pushing for an LB 81-style fix.“They didn’t know the rules were changing,” Hughes said, adding the quick fix left taxpayers in the hole without time to choose their next steps, who might have paid early if they had known.<h2>Finding the money</h2>The special session was the longest and most expensive in state history, costing $173,134 over 17 days, based on a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/leg-council-2025-deficit.pdf">deficit budget request</a>&nbsp;made&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58115" target="_blank">after the special session</a>. That’s a daily cost of $10,184.35, the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/30/property-tax-special-session-could-be-among-costliest-in-nebraska-history/">highest of any special session</a>&nbsp;in Nebraska.LB 81 would require an early hearing and would need to be passed, and signed into law, by the time Nebraskans start turning in their tax returns this spring.Hardin would also need at least 33 lawmakers, regardless if the bill is filibustered, for his bill to take effect for this tax season. And he would need Pillen’s blessing.Conrad said that in a state budget of&nbsp;<a href="https://statespending.nebraska.gov/CurrentFiscalYearBudget" target="_blank">more than $12 billion</a>, lawmakers can find the money while also closing the projected budget shortfall.“It is easily ascertainable to find resources to make it right for Nebraska taxpayers,” Conrad said. “If indeed there is a political will, if indeed there is consensus, we have to come together to make things right for Nebraskans who were negatively impacted by the special session.”

Bill introduced to plug ‘missing year’ of Nebraska property tax relief

LINCOLN, NEB. – “Nebraska Farm Bureau strongly supports the goal of a legislative bill introduced today aimed at correcting the unintentional elimination of more than $550 million of refundable income tax credits for 2023 property taxes, which were paid in 2024. This oversight has resulted in many Nebraska property owners missing out on expected tax relief because the rules were changed in the middle of the game last August during the special legislative session called to lower property taxes.”

“We applaud the swift actions taken by senators to amend this issue and strongly encourage the Legislature to prioritize the passage of this corrective legislation. It is vital that all property owners who paid their 2023 taxes in good faith receive the relief they were promised, as this is not only fair but also crucial for sustaining confidence in our state’s tax system.”

The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service, and advocacy efforts. More than 55,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nefb.org/" target="_blank">www.nefb.org</a>.

Nebraska Farm BureauLINCOLN, NEB. – “Nebraska Farm Bureau strongly supports the goal of a legislative bill introduced today aimed at correcting the unintentional elimination of more than $550 million of refundable income tax credits for 2023 property taxes, which were paid in 2024. This oversight has resulted in many Nebraska property owners missing out on expected tax relief because the rules were changed in the middle of the game last August during the special legislative session called to lower property taxes.”“We applaud the swift actions taken by senators to amend this issue and strongly encourage the Legislature to prioritize the passage of this corrective legislation. It is vital that all property owners who paid their 2023 taxes in good faith receive the relief they were promised, as this is not only fair but also crucial for sustaining confidence in our state’s tax system.”The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service, and advocacy efforts. More than 55,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nefb.org/" target="_blank">www.nefb.org</a>.

Statement by Mark McHargue, President, Regarding Proposal to Address Missing Year of Property Tax Credits

LINCOLN, NE –&nbsp;At the request of Governor Jim Pillen, Senator Loren Lippincott today introduced LB3 to restore Nebraska to a winner-take-all system of awarding electoral votes in presidential elections. 

Nebraska is only of two states that divides its impact in the Electoral College by allocating votes by congressional district. Forty-eight (48) states follow the winner-take-all method, which apportions all electoral college votes to the winner of the state’s popular vote.&nbsp;Governor Pillen issued the following statement on the introduction of LB3:

“I am grateful to Senator Lippincott for his leadership in restoring winner-take-all. Our experiment with the current system of electoral vote allocation has divided Nebraska and diminished our voice in the most important national exercise in democracy that we undertake -- electing a Commander-in-Chief. The time is now to fix this, well in advance of the next presidential election cycle. Restoring winner-take-all has my full support and I look forward to signing it into law.”

The text of the bill can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnebraskalegislature.gov%2Fbills%2Fview_bill.php%3FDocumentID%3D58830&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cjim.buehler%40nebraska.gov%7C390adab5afa84162e74508dd30d1aa76%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C638720399237845723%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=cZdBvDmS21SD4wDtfb43HHdw68LIFWTzUkUtrFvpKvQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Office of Governor PillenLINCOLN, NE –&nbsp;At the request of Governor Jim Pillen, Senator Loren Lippincott today introduced LB3 to restore Nebraska to a winner-take-all system of awarding electoral votes in presidential elections. Nebraska is only of two states that divides its impact in the Electoral College by allocating votes by congressional district. Forty-eight (48) states follow the winner-take-all method, which apportions all electoral college votes to the winner of the state’s popular vote.&nbsp;Governor Pillen issued the following statement on the introduction of LB3:“I am grateful to Senator Lippincott for his leadership in restoring winner-take-all. Our experiment with the current system of electoral vote allocation has divided Nebraska and diminished our voice in the most important national exercise in democracy that we undertake -- electing a Commander-in-Chief. The time is now to fix this, well in advance of the next presidential election cycle. Restoring winner-take-all has my full support and I look forward to signing it into law.”The text of the bill can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnebraskalegislature.gov%2Fbills%2Fview_bill.php%3FDocumentID%3D58830&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cjim.buehler%40nebraska.gov%7C390adab5afa84162e74508dd30d1aa76%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C638720399237845723%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=cZdBvDmS21SD4wDtfb43HHdw68LIFWTzUkUtrFvpKvQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Senator Lippincott Introduces Winner-Take-All at the Request of Governor Pillen

An update provided by the Nebraska State Patrol has state William Anderson has been located safe.

An Endangered Missing Advisory has been issued for Eastern Nebraska. The Omaha Police Department is attempting to locate, William Anderson who is a 86 year old, white male approximately 6’ 03" tall, approximately 160 pounds, with grey hair, hazel eyes and wearing a blue ski jacket, brown/turquoise sweatshirt, tan pants, and red had with gold "T" on it.

 Andersen is missing from the vicinity of the 17000 block of Douglas Street, Omaha, Nebraska, and the his vehicle (Red Jaguar SUV bearing Nebraska plate YGR204) last seen at 3 am on Interstate 80 traveling westbound. Andersen has dementia. If you have any information, please call 911 immediately.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736521836527.jpeg" alt="William Anderson (Courtesy of Nebraska State Patrol)" />
 <figcaption>William Anderson (Courtesy of Nebraska State Patrol)</figcaption>
 </figure>Nebraska State PatrolAn update provided by the Nebraska State Patrol has state William Anderson has been located safe.------An Endangered Missing Advisory has been issued for Eastern Nebraska. The Omaha Police Department is attempting to locate, William Anderson who is a 86 year old, white male approximately 6’ 03" tall, approximately 160 pounds, with grey hair, hazel eyes and wearing a blue ski jacket, brown/turquoise sweatshirt, tan pants, and red had with gold "T" on it. Andersen is missing from the vicinity of the 17000 block of Douglas Street, Omaha, Nebraska, and the his vehicle (Red Jaguar SUV bearing Nebraska plate YGR204) last seen at 3 am on Interstate 80 traveling westbound. Andersen has dementia. If you have any information, please call 911 immediately.

CANCELLED: ENDANGERED MISSING ADVISORY: 86-year-old Eastern Nebraska man

Office of U.S. Senator Deb Fischer

WASHINGTON ­– U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) voted to advance the Laken Riley Act, a bill to secure the southern border and protect Americans. Senator Fischer is a cosponsor of the bill, and its companion version passed the House of Representatives earlier this week. The Laken Riley Act will now proceed to a final vote in the U.S. Senate.

The legislation, led by U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), will require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest illegal immigrants who have been charged with or convicted of theft, burglary, larceny, or shoplifting. It will also give states standing to bring civil actions against federal officials who refuse to enforce immigration law.

The bill is named in honor of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student who was murdered by an illegal immigrant and repeat criminal offender who had previously been detained and released.

“Laken Riley deserved to live. But because of the Democrats’ pitiful neglect of our border security, she was murdered by a man who should never have been in this country,”&nbsp;said Senator Fischer.&nbsp;“Our bill will honor Laken’s all-too-short life by securing our nation against criminal illegal immigrants like her killer.”

In addition to Senators Fischer and Britt, the Laken Riley Act is cosponsored by a bipartisan group of 52 of their U.S. Senate colleagues. It was advanced today by a bipartisan vote of 84-9

Office of U.S. Senator Deb FischerWASHINGTON ­– U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) voted to advance the Laken Riley Act, a bill to secure the southern border and protect Americans. Senator Fischer is a cosponsor of the bill, and its companion version passed the House of Representatives earlier this week. The Laken Riley Act will now proceed to a final vote in the U.S. Senate.The legislation, led by U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), will require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest illegal immigrants who have been charged with or convicted of theft, burglary, larceny, or shoplifting. It will also give states standing to bring civil actions against federal officials who refuse to enforce immigration law.The bill is named in honor of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student who was murdered by an illegal immigrant and repeat criminal offender who had previously been detained and released.“Laken Riley deserved to live. But because of the Democrats’ pitiful neglect of our border security, she was murdered by a man who should never have been in this country,”&nbsp;said Senator Fischer.&nbsp;“Our bill will honor Laken’s all-too-short life by securing our nation against criminal illegal immigrants like her killer.”In addition to Senators Fischer and Britt, the Laken Riley Act is cosponsored by a bipartisan group of 52 of their U.S. Senate colleagues. It was advanced today by a bipartisan vote of 84-9

Fischer Cosponsors, Votes to Advance Laken Riley Act to Detain Criminal Illegal Immigrants

NEW YORK —During an online Teams meeting, President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced Friday in his&nbsp;hush money case. The judge did not impose any prison time, probation, a fine or other conditions.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/event/public-affairs-event/recorded-audio-president-elect-trump-sentenced-in-hush-money-case/430047">Click here </a>to listen to the sentencing hearing

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736520956783.png" alt="File photo President-elect Trump during a meeting with Republic Governors on Thursday night -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo President-elect Trump during a meeting with Republic Governors on Thursday night -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK —During an online Teams meeting, President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced Friday in his&nbsp;hush money case. The judge did not impose any prison time, probation, a fine or other conditions.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/event/public-affairs-event/recorded-audio-president-elect-trump-sentenced-in-hush-money-case/430047">Click here </a>to listen to the sentencing hearing

🎧Listen to Trump sentencing: No prison, probation or conditions

Kearney, Neb. - On Thursday, January 9, 2025, shortly after 2:00pm, a Kearney Police Department (KPD)&nbsp; School Resource Officer (SRO), who was present at Kearney High School (KHS), was contacted by KHS staff. KHS staff indicated Juvenile Probation Officers were requesting&nbsp; assistance with several teens in a vehicle in the east parking lot of KHS. 

The KPD SRO and&nbsp; KHS staff responded to the location and located three teenage students in a vehicle acting&nbsp; suspiciously. The KPD SRO escorted the students back to the building while the vehicle was&nbsp; searched by KHS staff .&nbsp;&nbsp;

During the search by KHS staff, an air pistol, which looked like a realistic Glock 17 handgun,&nbsp; was located in a backpack and several vaping devices were also located inside the vehicle.&nbsp; Additional KPD Officers responded to assist with the teens and assist with scene security.&nbsp;&nbsp;

One 16-year-old male was charged with possession of a firearm on school property, a class IV felony and possession of marijuana less than 1 oz. A 15-year-old male was charged with&nbsp; resisting arrest, a class I misdemeanor and possession of marijuana less than 1 oz. Another&nbsp; 16-year-old male was charged with possession of marijuana less than 1 oz.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Juvenile Probation Officers were present and have been coordinating the services for the&nbsp; teens. KHS staff was also present during this situation and worked with KPD and Juvenile&nbsp; Probation Officers. There was no indication of any safety threat ever made to KHS students or&nbsp; staff related to this incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;

KPD works diligently with our community partners and takes seriously the safety of our&nbsp; community and schools at all times. We appreciate the partnership with KPS and the Office of&nbsp; Juvenile Probation as we work together to ensure a safe learning environment within our&nbsp; schools.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716320706146.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Kearney Police DepartmentKearney, Neb. - On Thursday, January 9, 2025, shortly after 2:00pm, a Kearney Police Department (KPD)&nbsp; School Resource Officer (SRO), who was present at Kearney High School (KHS), was contacted by KHS staff. KHS staff indicated Juvenile Probation Officers were requesting&nbsp; assistance with several teens in a vehicle in the east parking lot of KHS. The KPD SRO and&nbsp; KHS staff responded to the location and located three teenage students in a vehicle acting&nbsp; suspiciously. The KPD SRO escorted the students back to the building while the vehicle was&nbsp; searched by KHS staff .&nbsp;&nbsp;During the search by KHS staff, an air pistol, which looked like a realistic Glock 17 handgun,&nbsp; was located in a backpack and several vaping devices were also located inside the vehicle.&nbsp; Additional KPD Officers responded to assist with the teens and assist with scene security.&nbsp;&nbsp;One 16-year-old male was charged with possession of a firearm on school property, a class IV felony and possession of marijuana less than 1 oz. A 15-year-old male was charged with&nbsp; resisting arrest, a class I misdemeanor and possession of marijuana less than 1 oz. Another&nbsp; 16-year-old male was charged with possession of marijuana less than 1 oz.&nbsp;&nbsp;Juvenile Probation Officers were present and have been coordinating the services for the&nbsp; teens. KHS staff was also present during this situation and worked with KPD and Juvenile&nbsp; Probation Officers. There was no indication of any safety threat ever made to KHS students or&nbsp; staff related to this incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;KPD works diligently with our community partners and takes seriously the safety of our&nbsp; community and schools at all times. We appreciate the partnership with KPS and the Office of&nbsp; Juvenile Probation as we work together to ensure a safe learning environment within our&nbsp; schools.

Teens Charged After Suspicious Activity Report in Kearney High School Parking Lot

On Thursday, the Department of Defense announced additional security assistance support to meet Ukraine's critical security and defense needs as part of the surge of security assistance the President directed to put Ukraine in the best possible position, according to a media release from the department.

This includes the approval of a Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) package, which has an estimated value of $500 million, to provide Ukraine additional capabilities to meet its most urgent needs, including: missiles for air defense; air-to-ground munitions; and equipment to support Ukraine's use of F-16s.

The capabilities in this announcement include:

This is the Biden Administration's seventy-fourth tranche of equipment to be provided from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. The United States continues to work together with some 50 Allies and partners that Secretary Austin will convene tomorrow as part of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and its associated Capability Coalitions to provide the support Ukraine needs to prevail in its fight against Russian aggression.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718381433841.png" alt="File photo White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>On Thursday, the Department of Defense announced additional security assistance support to meet Ukraine's critical security and defense needs as part of the surge of security assistance the President directed to put Ukraine in the best possible position, according to a media release from the department.This includes the approval of a Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) package, which has an estimated value of $500 million, to provide Ukraine additional capabilities to meet its most urgent needs, including: missiles for air defense; air-to-ground munitions; and equipment to support Ukraine's use of F-16s.The capabilities in this announcement include:<ul>
 <li>AIM-7, RIM-7, and AIM-9M missiles for air defense;</li><li>Air-to-ground munitions;</li><li>Support equipment for F-16s;</li><li>Armored bridging systems;</li><li>Secure communications equipment;</li><li>Small arms and ammunition; and</li><li>Spare parts, ancillary equipment, services, training, and transportation.</li>
 </ul>This is the Biden Administration's seventy-fourth tranche of equipment to be provided from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. The United States continues to work together with some 50 Allies and partners that Secretary Austin will convene tomorrow as part of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and its associated Capability Coalitions to provide the support Ukraine needs to prevail in its fight against Russian aggression.

U.S. gives another $500 million in military assistance to Ukraine

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/09/partisan-fight-continues-over-committee-assignments-in-nebraska-legislature/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The fate of some conservative priorities, such as changing how Nebraska allocates its votes for president or adding a “women’s bill of rights” to state law, could depend on whether Republicans succeed this week in making Democrats a minority on every legislative committee but one.

The leading point of contention Wednesday revolved around the makeup of the eight-member Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. By the end of the first day of the session, Government was set to have five Democrats and three Republicans, including its chair.

The group deciding is the Legislature’s 13-member Committee on Committees, which includes a chair and four representatives each from three legislative “caucuses,” which roughly mirror the state’s three congressional districts to reflect statewide representation.

“Me personally, and I’m one vote, I’m not representing any caucus in this,” State Sen. Christy Armendariz of Omaha, the Committee on Committees chair, said. “I think that the committee assignments should be representative of the makeup of the entire state.”

While the Legislature is officially nonpartisan, Armendariz, a first-time member of the committee, said all 13 members know what is going on: a fight over partisan balance, which impacts all Nebraskans.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Committee on Committees consists of eight Republicans, four Democrats and one nonpartisan independent. There are 33 Republicans in the Legislature, 15 Democrats and one nonpartisan progressive.

“They’ve chosen their party,” Armendariz said of Nebraska voters. “I don’t think it’s fair to exclude anybody in the state from representation on the committee.”

The Committee on Committees met after Republicans in the Legislature swept leadership positions for all but one committee. They left the Urban Affairs Committee in the hands of State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha, a Democrat who chaired the committee the past two years.

Under a set of unofficial, tentative placements discussed Wednesday evening, Republicans would maintain membership leads on all but the Government Committee and Urban Affairs Committee, which would still become more conservative.

Conservatives would grow their numbers on the previously deadlocked Judiciary Committee as well as on the Business and Labor, Health and Human Services and Natural Resources Committees.

All other daily committees will be led by Republicans, as will the Rules Committee and Executive Board.

Wednesday’s Committee on Committees meeting began with representatives from the 1st and 3rd Congressional Districts having already penciled in where the members of their caucuses should be placed on each of the daily committees. Those caucus representatives filled in names of where senators from the 2nd Congressional District might fall, which they defended as merely “placeholders.”&nbsp;

The 2nd District Caucus, which is led by three Democrats and one independent, immediately rejected that suggestion and said the other caucuses had overstepped.

State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha, the progressive independent who has served on the Committee on Committees before, described the behavior as unprecedented.

“This was a fantasy for y’all, but that’s not the reality that we were ever going to be working in,” she said.

State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte responded: “We understand that. I think we just, truly, we’re just trying to figure out what we can live with, in terms of how we want to end up.”

Hunt told Republicans on the committee to ask themselves, “Have you won enough?” The question came after the 2nd District Caucus agreed to swap freshman Omaha State Sens. Dunixi Guereca, a Democrat, and Bob Andersen, a Republican, on the Government Committee.

If accepted, the committee then would be evenly split between progressives and conservatives, 4-4, which State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue, the newly elected chair, said would be better. She did not return a call after the meeting requesting further comment.

Other conservatives drew lines in the sand seeking to shift the Government Committee to leaning Republican 5-3, as they had in the framework put forward by senators from the 1st and 3rd District Caucuses.

Bills stuck in a deadlocked committee can still be moved to the full Legislature with 25 votes. If the Government Committee stayed 5-3 for Democrats, and the majority killed a bill they didn’t like, the introducer could still advance the bill to the floor with 30 votes from the full Legislature.

Such bills would likely be filibustered, meaning they would need 33 votes to pass, anyway.

“I don’t see any losers on this sheet,” Hunt said of the initial committee assignments. “If you take the Government [Committee] deal — I know you want a majority, that’s what this is about, but we’re not going to get there. And I don’t think that’s a loss.”

Hunt and the 2nd District Caucus moved to advance the report with the 4-4 Government Committee. The motion failed 7-6.

Sanders voted with the 2nd District Caucus and Democratic State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln to accept the evenly balanced committee and advance the amended report.

‘An attack on the nonpartisan Unicameral’

Part of the contention comes two days after the 2nd District Caucus met in Omaha and progressives secured all four spots on the Committee on Committees, as well as two coveted spots on the Executive Board, which manages the day-to-day operations of the legislative branch. (The full 2nd District Caucus consists of eight Democrats, eight Republicans and one progressive independent.)

That meant kicking off Republican State Sens. Brad von Gillern of Omaha from the Committee on Committees and Merv Riepe of Ralston from the Executive Board.&nbsp;

Von Gillern called the move “the most intentionally partisan thing I’ve experienced since I was sworn in two years ago” and “an attack on the nonpartisan Unicameral Legislature by those who typically wave that flag harder than anyone else.”

He said the decision doesn’t set a “constructive tone” ahead of conversations like winner-take-all when progressives make “such a partisan act.”

“Votes on important issues often fall on party line, but this was not issue-driven and did nothing to improve their vote count on the overall Committee on Committees,” von Gillern said in a text. “There will still be a Republican majority there. There is no discernible strategy that I can see.”

State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha, who got a spot on both the Executive Board and Committee on Committees, said: “That’s where the votes landed.”

At one point, Jacobson suggested that a path forward might include the 2nd District senators accepting the pre-slated committee assignments from the 1st and 3rd District Caucuses.

Asked by lawmakers whether doing so would be allowed, Clerk of the Legislature Brandon Metzler advised that the committee could. He cautioned senators that if they crossed into the threshold of other caucuses, “you’re not coming back.”

“I think that’s dangerous for not only CD 2, but I think it’s dangerous for CD 3, from an urban-rural split,” Metzler told the committee. “The caucus system is inherently political. We have never had a choice made for a caucus that they were not, as a caucus, on board with. But that’s the determination of this committee to decide.”

State Sen. Mike Moser of Columbus said there are multiple factors to crafting committee assignments, such as:

Moser said there is another important consideration: partisan balance.

Hunt asked him: “Should all committees be 2:1, Republican to Democrat?”

“That’s what the average of —&nbsp;since there’s 66% Republicans and 33% Democrats — that’s about what it should reflect on all the committees,” Moser responded.

Lawmakers said if the Omaha-area lawmakers wouldn’t budge, they could find other solutions, which Jacobson and Moser said would require more deliberation.

“If the Second District is locked in where they’re at, then there may be some actions in response that other caucuses make,” Moser said. “Maybe they’re not going to be pleasant, but we’re going to think about that overnight, talk about it a little bit and come back tomorrow.”

Asked whether that meant some 1st or 3rd District Caucus members might lose committee positions they previously held, or not get their top preferences, Armendariz said that’s up to the districts.

“They get to make their own decisions,” Armendariz said. “I would never want to get in the middle of that, if that’s what they choose to do.”

Committee assignments will ultimately be kicked out to the full Legislature in a preliminary report. The Legislature would then vote to accept, or reject, the placements after the Committee on Committees advances a final report.

However, preliminary reports often become final committee placements.

The Committee on Committees reconvenes shortly after 10 a.m. on Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736448263368.jpeg" alt="Nebraska state senators elected or re-elected in November take their oath during the first day of the 2025 legislative session. With their hands up are State Sens. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha and Beau Ballard of Lincoln. Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha is in the forefront. Jan. 8, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska state senators elected or re-elected in November take their oath during the first day of the 2025 legislative session. With their hands up are State Sens. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha and Beau Ballard of Lincoln. Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha is in the forefront. Jan. 8, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/09/partisan-fight-continues-over-committee-assignments-in-nebraska-legislature/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The fate of some conservative priorities, such as changing how Nebraska allocates its votes for president or adding a “women’s bill of rights” to state law, could depend on whether Republicans succeed this week in making Democrats a minority on every legislative committee but one.The leading point of contention Wednesday revolved around the makeup of the eight-member Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. By the end of the first day of the session, Government was set to have five Democrats and three Republicans, including its chair.The group deciding is the Legislature’s 13-member Committee on Committees, which includes a chair and four representatives each from three legislative “caucuses,” which roughly mirror the state’s three congressional districts to reflect statewide representation.“Me personally, and I’m one vote, I’m not representing any caucus in this,” State Sen. Christy Armendariz of Omaha, the Committee on Committees chair, said. “I think that the committee assignments should be representative of the makeup of the entire state.”<h2>‘They’ve chosen their party’</h2>While the Legislature is officially nonpartisan, Armendariz, a first-time member of the committee, said all 13 members know what is going on: a fight over partisan balance, which impacts all Nebraskans.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Committee on Committees consists of eight Republicans, four Democrats and one nonpartisan independent. There are 33 Republicans in the Legislature, 15 Democrats and one nonpartisan progressive.“They’ve chosen their party,” Armendariz said of Nebraska voters. “I don’t think it’s fair to exclude anybody in the state from representation on the committee.”The Committee on Committees met after Republicans in the Legislature swept leadership positions for all but one committee. They left the Urban Affairs Committee in the hands of State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha, a Democrat who chaired the committee the past two years.Under a set of unofficial, tentative placements discussed Wednesday evening, Republicans would maintain membership leads on all but the Government Committee and Urban Affairs Committee, which would still become more conservative.Conservatives would grow their numbers on the previously deadlocked Judiciary Committee as well as on the Business and Labor, Health and Human Services and Natural Resources Committees.All other daily committees will be led by Republicans, as will the Rules Committee and Executive Board.<h2>‘This was a fantasy’</h2>Wednesday’s Committee on Committees meeting began with representatives from the 1st and 3rd Congressional Districts having already penciled in where the members of their caucuses should be placed on each of the daily committees. Those caucus representatives filled in names of where senators from the 2nd Congressional District might fall, which they defended as merely “placeholders.”&nbsp;The 2nd District Caucus, which is led by three Democrats and one independent, immediately rejected that suggestion and said the other caucuses had overstepped.State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha, the progressive independent who has served on the Committee on Committees before, described the behavior as unprecedented.“This was a fantasy for y’all, but that’s not the reality that we were ever going to be working in,” she said.State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte responded: “We understand that. I think we just, truly, we’re just trying to figure out what we can live with, in terms of how we want to end up.”Hunt told Republicans on the committee to ask themselves, “Have you won enough?” The question came after the 2nd District Caucus agreed to swap freshman Omaha State Sens. Dunixi Guereca, a Democrat, and Bob Andersen, a Republican, on the Government Committee.If accepted, the committee then would be evenly split between progressives and conservatives, 4-4, which State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue, the newly elected chair, said would be better. She did not return a call after the meeting requesting further comment.<h2>A line in the sand</h2>Other conservatives drew lines in the sand seeking to shift the Government Committee to leaning Republican 5-3, as they had in the framework put forward by senators from the 1st and 3rd District Caucuses.Bills stuck in a deadlocked committee can still be moved to the full Legislature with 25 votes. If the Government Committee stayed 5-3 for Democrats, and the majority killed a bill they didn’t like, the introducer could still advance the bill to the floor with 30 votes from the full Legislature.Such bills would likely be filibustered, meaning they would need 33 votes to pass, anyway.“I don’t see any losers on this sheet,” Hunt said of the initial committee assignments. “If you take the Government [Committee] deal — I know you want a majority, that’s what this is about, but we’re not going to get there. And I don’t think that’s a loss.”Hunt and the 2nd District Caucus moved to advance the report with the 4-4 Government Committee. The motion failed 7-6.Sanders voted with the 2nd District Caucus and Democratic State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln to accept the evenly balanced committee and advance the amended report.<h2>‘An attack on the nonpartisan Unicameral’</h2>Part of the contention comes two days after the 2nd District Caucus met in Omaha and progressives secured all four spots on the Committee on Committees, as well as two coveted spots on the Executive Board, which manages the day-to-day operations of the legislative branch. (The full 2nd District Caucus consists of eight Democrats, eight Republicans and one progressive independent.)That meant kicking off Republican State Sens. Brad von Gillern of Omaha from the Committee on Committees and Merv Riepe of Ralston from the Executive Board.&nbsp;Von Gillern called the move “the most intentionally partisan thing I’ve experienced since I was sworn in two years ago” and “an attack on the nonpartisan Unicameral Legislature by those who typically wave that flag harder than anyone else.”He said the decision doesn’t set a “constructive tone” ahead of conversations like winner-take-all when progressives make “such a partisan act.”“Votes on important issues often fall on party line, but this was not issue-driven and did nothing to improve their vote count on the overall Committee on Committees,” von Gillern said in a text. “There will still be a Republican majority there. There is no discernible strategy that I can see.”State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha, who got a spot on both the Executive Board and Committee on Committees, said: “That’s where the votes landed.”<h2>A cautionary tale</h2>At one point, Jacobson suggested that a path forward might include the 2nd District senators accepting the pre-slated committee assignments from the 1st and 3rd District Caucuses.Asked by lawmakers whether doing so would be allowed, Clerk of the Legislature Brandon Metzler advised that the committee could. He cautioned senators that if they crossed into the threshold of other caucuses, “you’re not coming back.”“I think that’s dangerous for not only CD 2, but I think it’s dangerous for CD 3, from an urban-rural split,” Metzler told the committee. “The caucus system is inherently political. We have never had a choice made for a caucus that they were not, as a caucus, on board with. But that’s the determination of this committee to decide.”<h2>Factors in committee assignments</h2>State Sen. Mike Moser of Columbus said there are multiple factors to crafting committee assignments, such as:<ul>
 <li>Incumbency —&nbsp;Not kicking senators off of committees they most recently served on.</li><li>Senator preference —&nbsp;Lawmakers typically provide first and second choice for assignments.</li><li>Caucus balance —&nbsp;The Committee on Committees usually weighs this by giving each caucus a set number of seats on a committee, based on who the chair is and proceeding through the caucuses in order after (such as 1-2-3).</li>
 </ul>Moser said there is another important consideration: partisan balance.Hunt asked him: “Should all committees be 2:1, Republican to Democrat?”“That’s what the average of —&nbsp;since there’s 66% Republicans and 33% Democrats — that’s about what it should reflect on all the committees,” Moser responded.<h2>A path forward?</h2>Lawmakers said if the Omaha-area lawmakers wouldn’t budge, they could find other solutions, which Jacobson and Moser said would require more deliberation.“If the Second District is locked in where they’re at, then there may be some actions in response that other caucuses make,” Moser said. “Maybe they’re not going to be pleasant, but we’re going to think about that overnight, talk about it a little bit and come back tomorrow.”Asked whether that meant some 1st or 3rd District Caucus members might lose committee positions they previously held, or not get their top preferences, Armendariz said that’s up to the districts.“They get to make their own decisions,” Armendariz said. “I would never want to get in the middle of that, if that’s what they choose to do.”Committee assignments will ultimately be kicked out to the full Legislature in a preliminary report. The Legislature would then vote to accept, or reject, the placements after the Committee on Committees advances a final report.However, preliminary reports often become final committee placements.The Committee on Committees reconvenes shortly after 10 a.m. on Thursday.

Partisan Fight Continues Over Committee Assignments in Nebraska Legislature

WASHINGTON—Jimmy Carter, the 39th U.S. president, was honored Thursday with a funeral at Washington National Cathedral.&nbsp; (Click the video below)

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/public-affairs-event/president-jimmy-carter-memorial-service-at-national-cathedral/653929">Click here to watch&nbsp;</a>a replay of the funeral service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736431340941.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON—Jimmy Carter, the 39th U.S. president, was honored Thursday with a funeral at Washington National Cathedral.&nbsp; (Click the video below)<a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/public-affairs-event/president-jimmy-carter-memorial-service-at-national-cathedral/653929">Click here to watch&nbsp;</a>a replay of the funeral service.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden on endorsing Jimmy Carter&#39;s presidential candidacy in 1976: &quot;It was an endorsement based on a belief is Jimmy Carter&#39;s enduring attribute: character, character, character.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/S8HQdlowyN">pic.twitter.com/S8HQdlowyN</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1877401432120283468?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736444823928.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Jason Carter: &quot;Yes, they spent four years in the governor&#39;s mansion and four years at the White House but the other 92 years they spent at home in Plains, GA.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/y6kYBzo6Nq">pic.twitter.com/y6kYBzo6Nq</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1877401112220729845?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President-elect Trump arrives at the funeral of President Jimmy Carter, followed by former Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton. <a href="https://t.co/GTort2M4NT">pic.twitter.com/GTort2M4NT</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1877370637527724233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/garthbrooks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GarthBrooks</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/trishayearwood?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TrishaYearwood</a> perform &quot;Imagine&quot; at President Jimmy Carter&#39;s State Funeral. <a href="https://t.co/XPhnzjqCJS">pic.twitter.com/XPhnzjqCJS</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1877407657658552583?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Day of Mourning: A look inside State Funeral for President Jimmy Carter

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/08/first-day-of-2025-nebraska-legislature-underscores-conservative-stronghold/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The conservative stronghold on the officially nonpartisan Nebraska Legislature became clearer Wednesday, as state lawmakers chose Republicans for the top leadership spots on all but one of 17 key legislative committees.

The lone Democrat elected to a chair position was State Sen. Terrell McKinney — and he ran unopposed in his bid to preside over the Urban Affairs Committee for two more years.

In the couple of races when a Republican competed against another Republican for a committee chair, the lawmaker with the more conservative voting record won. (Republicans this year again hold 33 of 49 seats in the Legislature, the exact size of supermajority needed to break filibusters and advance often contentious legislation. Democrats number at 15, and one state lawmaker is a progressive nonpartisan.)

In yet another contested race, the longest current tenured senator, Democrat Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, lost to the youngest member of the Legislature, Republican Beau Ballard, to preside over the Nebraska Retirement Systems. Also of Lincoln, Ballard served two years as a gubernatorial appointee before being elected in November to his first full term.&nbsp;

This will be Ballard’s first year on the Retirement Systems Committee, which Conrad has served on for four years. He won on a 25-24 vote.

Chairs help steer legislation through their respective committees, scheduling hearings and later votes to advance proposals to the full Legislature. This can sometimes be critical to the survivability of different measures. Any senator can throw their name into the ring for the chairs, or they can be nominated from the floor.

State Sen. Merv Riepe, a moderate Republican from Ralston, said he hoped the Legislature’s ideological divide “does not grind us down” to partisanship when dealing with broader legislative matters.

“This has all the makings of being a contentious session,” said Riepe, who was defeated in his quest to preside over the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee. State Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering, also a Republican, won 28-21.

Perhaps the day’s most sparks came as State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward faced off with State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil for the chair of the Education Committee. Both are Republican.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736441273304.jpeg" alt="Nebraska lawmakers mingle with newly elected State Sen. Ashlei Spivey of North Omaha. She and others elected in November were sworn into office Wednesday — the first day of the 2025 legislative session. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska lawmakers mingle with newly elected State Sen. Ashlei Spivey of North Omaha. She and others elected in November were sworn into office Wednesday — the first day of the 2025 legislative session. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/01/08/first-day-of-2025-nebraska-legislature-underscores-conservative-stronghold/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The conservative stronghold on the officially nonpartisan Nebraska Legislature became clearer Wednesday, as state lawmakers chose Republicans for the top leadership spots on all but one of 17 key legislative committees.The lone Democrat elected to a chair position was State Sen. Terrell McKinney — and he ran unopposed in his bid to preside over the Urban Affairs Committee for two more years.In the couple of races when a Republican competed against another Republican for a committee chair, the lawmaker with the more conservative voting record won. (Republicans this year again hold 33 of 49 seats in the Legislature, the exact size of supermajority needed to break filibusters and advance often contentious legislation. Democrats number at 15, and one state lawmaker is a progressive nonpartisan.)In yet another contested race, the longest current tenured senator, Democrat Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, lost to the youngest member of the Legislature, Republican Beau Ballard, to preside over the Nebraska Retirement Systems. Also of Lincoln, Ballard served two years as a gubernatorial appointee before being elected in November to his first full term.&nbsp;This will be Ballard’s first year on the Retirement Systems Committee, which Conrad has served on for four years. He won on a 25-24 vote.<h2>Why do committee chairs matter?</h2>Chairs help steer legislation through their respective committees, scheduling hearings and later votes to advance proposals to the full Legislature. This can sometimes be critical to the survivability of different measures. Any senator can throw their name into the ring for the chairs, or they can be nominated from the floor.State Sen. Merv Riepe, a moderate Republican from Ralston, said he hoped the Legislature’s ideological divide “does not grind us down” to partisanship when dealing with broader legislative matters.“This has all the makings of being a contentious session,” said Riepe, who was defeated in his quest to preside over the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee. State Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering, also a Republican, won 28-21.Perhaps the day’s most sparks came as State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward faced off with State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil for the chair of the Education Committee. Both are Republican.Hughes, who had served four years in Seward on its school board, said she had no ill will against Murman and that her decision to compete was out of passion for education and school finance reform.She said others told her it was against “political norms” to challenge an incumbent Republican for chair. To her colleagues, Hughes also asked if the Legislature has become a “union environment,” where time served in a position is the key determinant that matters.“I thought, ‘This is garbage. I’m going to put my name in,’” she said.Murman won on a 29-20 vote. He served as chair the previous two years and underscored his work to reduce state talent “brain drain” with more scholarships and internship programs.Much of the first day of the 2025 legislative session was pomp and circumstance, as one-third of the 49-member Legislature was newly sworn in, along with many of their returning colleagues, following the November election. A crowd including family members and friends of the legislators filled the Unicameral, snapping photos and congratulating new and returning state senators.Former State Sen. Brenda Council of Omaha was among them and remarked about the diversity in the freshman class.State Sen. Margo Juarez of South Omaha is believed to be the first Latina elected to the body. State Sen. Dunixi Guereca, also of Omaha, is the son of Mexican immigrants.State Sen. Victor Rountree of Bellevue and State Sen. Ashlei Spivey of Omaha joined McKinney to be the most Black lawmakers the Legislature has had, said Council. Council in 2009, along with Tanya Cook, became the first two elected African-American women to serve in the Legislature.“It’s historically diverse,” Council said of the current Legislature.Guereca on Wednesday was named chair of the Enrollment and Review Committee. It’s a committee, however, that has no competitive race, as the chair traditionally goes to the youngest member of the incoming freshman legislative class, which this year is him.Despite the partisan showing in committee chair elections, Guereca said he has felt ”nothing but acceptance and welcomed” by his legislative colleagues.“I’m optimistic we’ll have a good and productive session,” he said.&nbsp;Also re-elected to a second term as Speaker of the Legislature was John Arch of La Vista, who was unopposed.&nbsp;He said he has tried to avoid stifling voices and has strived for transparency.“I’ll be the first to admit there were challenges along the way,” he said of his first term.Arch said his goal again will be to “cultivate a culture that allows for productive debate and decision-making.”&nbsp;