ST. LOUIS (AP) — Arguments before a federal appeals court that is considering whether to reinstate Arkansas' first-in-the-nation ban on gender-affirming care for minors focused Thursday on whether it and similar restrictions adopted by two dozen states discriminate on the basis of sex.

Ten judges with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis heard arguments over a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/us-news/arkansas-gender-general-news-2a0d032f4e4f3195c180d879239e6521">judge's ruling</a>&nbsp;last year that struck down the ban as unconstitutional. The 2021 law would prohibit doctors from providing gender-affirming hormone treatment, puberty blockers or surgery to anyone under 18.

An attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, which challenged the law on behalf of four transgender youths and their parents, said the restriction infringes on the longstanding rights of parents to make decisions about their children's medical care.

“Arkansas believed that that government knew better than the loving parents in this case what was best for their minor children,” Chase Strangio, deputy director for transgender justice for the ACLU’s LGBTQ and HIV Project, told the court. “That burdens that longstanding right of parents to direct the medical care of their children.”

At least 24 states have adopted laws&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-republican-legislatures-5d98832c0234de079263672c738e0631">restricting or banning</a>&nbsp;gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, and most of those face lawsuits. The restrictions on health care are part of a larger backlash against transgender rights, touching on everything from bathroom access to participation in sports.

The 43-minute hearing on the Arkansas law drew a packed audience that included the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elliot-page">actor Elliot Page,</a>&nbsp;who has filed a brief asking the court to uphold last year's ruling.

Dylan Jacobs, the deputy solicitor general for Arkansas, argued that the law doesn't discriminate based on sex because it bans the treatments for a specific purpose.

“Minors may be prescribed testosterone for any purpose other than gender transition under this statute,” Jacobs said, adding that states have “wide-ranging authority” to regulate health, safety and medical ethics.

The case went before the full court rather than a three-judge panel after it granted a request by Republican Attorney General Tim Griffin. The move could speed up the case's march toward the U.S. Supreme Court, which has been asked to block similar laws in Kentucky and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-transgender-gender-affirming-care-ban-f58714b70298e2eb65ce833c2d4ae3b9">Tennessee</a>. All but one of the judges hearing arguments Thursday were appointed by Republican presidents.

Jacobs was repeatedly questioned by Judge Jane Kelly, who was appointed to the court by former President Barack Obama, about the state's arguments that the law doesn't discriminate based on sex.

Judge David Stras, who was appointed to the court by former President Donald Trump, asked attorneys on both sides whether gender identity is "fully fixed" before the end of puberty and whether that would be justification for a ban like Arkansas'.

Jacobs said the Legislature setting 18 as the cutoff age implies that was part of its reasoning. Strangio noted that none of the treatments banned by Arkansas are prescribed before the onset of puberty.

It’s unclear when the 8th Circuit will make a ruling. Chief Judge Steven Colloton said it will issue a decision “in due course.”

“This ongoing battle, in Arkansas and across the United States, is a stark reminder of the challenges we face in ensuring that everyone has the freedom to access the care they need and deserve,” the families challenging the law said in a statement after the hearing.

U.S. District Judge Jay Moody last year ruled that Arkansas' health care restrictions violated the due process and equal protection rights of transgender youths and families. He also ruled that it violated the First Amendment by prohibiting doctors from referring patients elsewhere for such care. Moody had temporarily&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-government-and-politics-arkansas-eb81755d293622d71ff832d8cbbea97d">blocked</a>&nbsp;the law before it could take effect in 2021.

The ACLU is also representing two medical providers of the care. Multiple medical groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, have opposed Arkansas' ban and urged the 8th Circuit to uphold the decision against it. An attorney for Justice Department, which opposes Arkansas' ban, also appeared before the court.

The state has pointed to appeals court rulings allowing Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee's bans to be enforced. Arkansas’ attorneys have called the care “experimental,” a description that Moody’s ruling said was refuted by decades of clinical experience and scientific research. The state has argued that Moody's order creates a “novel new” right that parents can direct their children to receive medical care that the state does not find safe.

Judges’ orders are temporarily blocking enforcement of similar bans in Idaho and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/montana-youth-gender-affirming-care-ban-blocked-b042bea74b3f8e6be27e81572a771a8f">Montana</a>.

Arkansas' ban was enacted after the majority-GOP Legislature&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-lawmakers-enact-transgender-youth-treatment-ban-dce1d5ca9450b255caabc18f547f7b9b">overrode</a>&nbsp;a veto by Asa Hutchinson, the Republican governor at the time. Current Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Hutchinson's successor and also a Republican, has said she would have approved the ban and last year signed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/huckabee-sanders-transgender-malpractice-lgbtq-arkansas-41b7cd39b167b3bf2f3796d8be37ecf6">legislation</a>&nbsp;making it easier to sue providers of such care for malpractice.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710450578789.png" alt="File photo (AP Photo/John Hanna)" />
 <figcaption>File photo (AP Photo/John Hanna)</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. LOUIS (AP) — Arguments before a federal appeals court that is considering whether to reinstate Arkansas' first-in-the-nation ban on gender-affirming care for minors focused Thursday on whether it and similar restrictions adopted by two dozen states discriminate on the basis of sex.Ten judges with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis heard arguments over a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/us-news/arkansas-gender-general-news-2a0d032f4e4f3195c180d879239e6521">judge's ruling</a>&nbsp;last year that struck down the ban as unconstitutional. The 2021 law would prohibit doctors from providing gender-affirming hormone treatment, puberty blockers or surgery to anyone under 18.An attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, which challenged the law on behalf of four transgender youths and their parents, said the restriction infringes on the longstanding rights of parents to make decisions about their children's medical care.“Arkansas believed that that government knew better than the loving parents in this case what was best for their minor children,” Chase Strangio, deputy director for transgender justice for the ACLU’s LGBTQ and HIV Project, told the court. “That burdens that longstanding right of parents to direct the medical care of their children.”At least 24 states have adopted laws&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-republican-legislatures-5d98832c0234de079263672c738e0631">restricting or banning</a>&nbsp;gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, and most of those face lawsuits. The restrictions on health care are part of a larger backlash against transgender rights, touching on everything from bathroom access to participation in sports.The 43-minute hearing on the Arkansas law drew a packed audience that included the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elliot-page">actor Elliot Page,</a>&nbsp;who has filed a brief asking the court to uphold last year's ruling.Dylan Jacobs, the deputy solicitor general for Arkansas, argued that the law doesn't discriminate based on sex because it bans the treatments for a specific purpose.“Minors may be prescribed testosterone for any purpose other than gender transition under this statute,” Jacobs said, adding that states have “wide-ranging authority” to regulate health, safety and medical ethics.The case went before the full court rather than a three-judge panel after it granted a request by Republican Attorney General Tim Griffin. The move could speed up the case's march toward the U.S. Supreme Court, which has been asked to block similar laws in Kentucky and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-transgender-gender-affirming-care-ban-f58714b70298e2eb65ce833c2d4ae3b9">Tennessee</a>. All but one of the judges hearing arguments Thursday were appointed by Republican presidents.Jacobs was repeatedly questioned by Judge Jane Kelly, who was appointed to the court by former President Barack Obama, about the state's arguments that the law doesn't discriminate based on sex.Judge David Stras, who was appointed to the court by former President Donald Trump, asked attorneys on both sides whether gender identity is "fully fixed" before the end of puberty and whether that would be justification for a ban like Arkansas'.Jacobs said the Legislature setting 18 as the cutoff age implies that was part of its reasoning. Strangio noted that none of the treatments banned by Arkansas are prescribed before the onset of puberty.It’s unclear when the 8th Circuit will make a ruling. Chief Judge Steven Colloton said it will issue a decision “in due course.”“This ongoing battle, in Arkansas and across the United States, is a stark reminder of the challenges we face in ensuring that everyone has the freedom to access the care they need and deserve,” the families challenging the law said in a statement after the hearing.U.S. District Judge Jay Moody last year ruled that Arkansas' health care restrictions violated the due process and equal protection rights of transgender youths and families. He also ruled that it violated the First Amendment by prohibiting doctors from referring patients elsewhere for such care. Moody had temporarily&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-government-and-politics-arkansas-eb81755d293622d71ff832d8cbbea97d">blocked</a>&nbsp;the law before it could take effect in 2021.The ACLU is also representing two medical providers of the care. Multiple medical groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, have opposed Arkansas' ban and urged the 8th Circuit to uphold the decision against it. An attorney for Justice Department, which opposes Arkansas' ban, also appeared before the court.The state has pointed to appeals court rulings allowing Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee's bans to be enforced. Arkansas’ attorneys have called the care “experimental,” a description that Moody’s ruling said was refuted by decades of clinical experience and scientific research. The state has argued that Moody's order creates a “novel new” right that parents can direct their children to receive medical care that the state does not find safe.Judges’ orders are temporarily blocking enforcement of similar bans in Idaho and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/montana-youth-gender-affirming-care-ban-blocked-b042bea74b3f8e6be27e81572a771a8f">Montana</a>.Arkansas' ban was enacted after the majority-GOP Legislature&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-lawmakers-enact-transgender-youth-treatment-ban-dce1d5ca9450b255caabc18f547f7b9b">overrode</a>&nbsp;a veto by Asa Hutchinson, the Republican governor at the time. Current Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Hutchinson's successor and also a Republican, has said she would have approved the ban and last year signed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/huckabee-sanders-transgender-malpractice-lgbtq-arkansas-41b7cd39b167b3bf2f3796d8be37ecf6">legislation</a>&nbsp;making it easier to sue providers of such care for malpractice.___

Appeals court hears arguments on nation's first ban on gender-affirming care for minors

At approximately 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9th, 2024, a Kearney Police Department K-9 Officer was on routine patrol, when he observed a suspicious vehicle parked near a storage facility in the 1600 block of 30th Avenue and saw two adult male subjects standing outside the car. The officer recognized one of the male subjects as being Gino Main (age 32) and knew that Main had active warrants for his arrest from York County, Nebraska (Fail to Appear), and another warrant from Dawson County, Nebraska (Theft by Shoplifting).&nbsp;&nbsp;

During the arrest and subsequent search of Gino Main, officers located several items of drug&nbsp; paraphernalia, scales, marijuana, and a large quantity of methamphetamine (approximately&nbsp; one pound). He was also found to be in possession of a large amount of cash.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Main was arrested and transported to the Buffalo County Jail on the following charges: 1) Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, 2) possession with intent to distribute marijuana, 3) possession of drug funds, and the two arrest warrants (Dawson County &amp; York County). Additionally, he was issued a citation for possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712747698257.jpeg" alt="Gino Main (Photo courtesy from Buffalo County Jail)" />
 <figcaption>Gino Main (Photo courtesy from Buffalo County Jail)</figcaption>
 </figure>Kearney Police DepartmentAt approximately 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9th, 2024, a Kearney Police Department K-9 Officer was on routine patrol, when he observed a suspicious vehicle parked near a storage facility in the 1600 block of 30th Avenue and saw two adult male subjects standing outside the car. The officer recognized one of the male subjects as being Gino Main (age 32) and knew that Main had active warrants for his arrest from York County, Nebraska (Fail to Appear), and another warrant from Dawson County, Nebraska (Theft by Shoplifting).&nbsp;&nbsp;During the arrest and subsequent search of Gino Main, officers located several items of drug&nbsp; paraphernalia, scales, marijuana, and a large quantity of methamphetamine (approximately&nbsp; one pound). He was also found to be in possession of a large amount of cash.&nbsp;&nbsp;Main was arrested and transported to the Buffalo County Jail on the following charges: 1) Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, 2) possession with intent to distribute marijuana, 3) possession of drug funds, and the two arrest warrants (Dawson County &amp; York County). Additionally, he was issued a citation for possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;&nbsp;

  Suspicious Vehicle Leads to Drug Arrest in Kearney

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/10/nebraska-property-tax-relief-plan-is-pared-back-more-advances-to-final-reading/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers further slimmed down a property tax relief plan sought by&nbsp;Gov. Jim Pillen before advancing it&nbsp;to final reading Wednesday evening.

The 28-14 passage of Legislative Bill 388 came after a long debate over the idea of raising some taxes to reduce others, namely property taxes, and whether a portion of the bill was unconstitutional.

New amendments announced Wednesday reduced some of the tax increases called for in LB 388, which offers about a 22% reduction in local property taxes, according to Pillen’s budget director, Lee Will.

But with the governor calling for an overall reduction of 40%, several senators said that almost assuredly, the Legislature will be back in special session this summer to seek new revenue sources to provide a greater shift away from local property taxes.

State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, who opposed LB 388, suggested that lawmakers should wait until then, so they can craft “a more thoughtful approach than rushing forward at this late stage.”

Conrad pointed out that major amendments to the bill weren’t released until late Tuesday night — the 57th day of the 60-day session — giving senators little time to digest them.

OpenSky Policy Institute:&nbsp;LB 388 is more transparent in that it “front loads” an existing state tax credit, instead of requiring taxpayers to claim it while filing income taxes.&nbsp;While 160,000 Nebraskans would be helped by the increase in the state’s earned income credit, cites and counties would be less able to respond to local needs because of the 3% revenue cap.

Platte Institute:&nbsp;A “sunset” provision should be applied to end, in five years, an aspect of the bill that devotes any state revenue above 3.5% to the new School Property Tax Credit Fund.&nbsp;That would “bind the hands” of future legislatures, preventing them from reducing sales and income taxes.

Americans for Prosperity:&nbsp;It was a “rushed and last minute” attempt to raise some taxes, while “punting on the worst tax hikes.”&nbsp;The proposal still raises costs for struggling families and businesses.

“How does this shake out for the average working person? Has anyone run the numbers?” Conrad asked. “If we don’t know, we shouldn’t move forward (tonight).”

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, the main sponsor of the Pillen plan as chair of the Revenue Committee, pushed back on the idea that amendments to LB 388 were drawn up in the Capitol hallways.

She said that her committee had worked hard on property tax ideas this session.

Linehan portrayed the newest version of LB 388 as removing the most controversial aspect — a 1-cent increase in sales taxes — and reaching compromises on other provisions.

Proposed excise taxes on skill games and hemp edibles were pared back to 5% and 25%, respectively, from initial increases of 20% and 100%.

During debate, an extra tax on vaping products was raised to 20% on all products. Seward Sen. Jana Hughes argued that vaping taxes needed to be more in line with those on another harmful product, tobacco, although a 20% tax was still far smaller than the proposed $1 a pack tax on cigarettes.

LB 388 continues to include new sales taxes on soda pop and candy, lottery tickets, self-storage fees and veterinary services on pets.

The bill removed a proposed tax exemption on residential utility bills, but, in a compromise, provided an increase in the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit, from 10% to 15%.

Dunbar Sen. Julie Slama mounted a challenge to one proposed new tax, on digital adversing, which is aimed at major websites such as Facebook and Amazon.

Slama, an attorney, said the proposed 7.5% tax would hurt small businesses that rely on social media ads to sell their goods and services. Slama contended it was also likely unconstitutional, &nbsp;because it targeted digital ads but not local broadcast and print ads.

Twenty lawsuits, the senator said, had been filed against a similar tax in Maryland, the only other state to adopt such a tax on digital ads.

“I don’t think we’ll collect any dollars from this tax before a (court) injunction is filed,” Slama said.

Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt, who runs a boutique that relies on online sales, said several small businesses would have to close given the higher taxes.

She cited the example<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/09/proposed-digital-ads-tax-would-devastate-small-businesses-like-mine/">&nbsp;of eCreamery in Omaha’s Dundee area</a>, which was one of the first in the country to sell custom-churned ice cream via the internet. (The business recently&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/09/proposed-digital-ads-tax-would-devastate-small-businesses-like-mine/">wrote a commentary published</a>&nbsp;in the Examiner.)

The Nebraska Chamber of Commerce also opposed the tax on digital ads.

But an amendment to toss out the tax failed on an 18-18 vote, seven votes short of the 25 needed.

There were also failed efforts to relax the 3% cap on revenue for fast-growing cities and counties so they could purchase law enforcement equipment, and to pare back LB 388 to remove all tax increases and instead include only the cap and “front loading” of the state’s existing income tax credit on property taxes paid.

Fewer than half of Nebraskans, in some areas, don’t claim the income tax credit. Front loading the credit on property tax statements that go out in the fall, Pillen has argued, is fairer and ensures that people get their tax credit.

Given the lack of time at the end of the session,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/03/legislators-advance-school-aid-changes-but-lb-1331-will-not-happen-unless-funds-can-be-found/">a companion bill to LB 388</a>&nbsp;that would use the revenue from the tax measure to lower tax levies in local school districts will not advance during the regular session. It might come up in a special session, however,

Bayard Sen. Steve Erdman said he did the math and concluded that LB 388 provided only&nbsp;a 2% decrease in property taxes on a home in his Panhandle district, which he called a “band-aid on an amputation.”

He also argued for putting off a major debate over tax policy until a special session could be called.

“Then we can have a real conversation,” Erdman said.

Final-round consideration of the bill is scheduled on April 18, the final day of the 2024 session.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712863517054.jpeg" alt=" State lawmakers worked into the night on Wednesday, debating major tax proposals. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> State lawmakers worked into the night on Wednesday, debating major tax proposals. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/10/nebraska-property-tax-relief-plan-is-pared-back-more-advances-to-final-reading/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers further slimmed down a property tax relief plan sought by&nbsp;Gov. Jim Pillen before advancing it&nbsp;to final reading Wednesday evening.The 28-14 passage of Legislative Bill 388 came after a long debate over the idea of raising some taxes to reduce others, namely property taxes, and whether a portion of the bill was unconstitutional.New amendments announced Wednesday reduced some of the tax increases called for in LB 388, which offers about a 22% reduction in local property taxes, according to Pillen’s budget director, Lee Will.<h2>Senators expect special session</h2>But with the governor calling for an overall reduction of 40%, several senators said that almost assuredly, the Legislature will be back in special session this summer to seek new revenue sources to provide a greater shift away from local property taxes.State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, who opposed LB 388, suggested that lawmakers should wait until then, so they can craft “a more thoughtful approach than rushing forward at this late stage.”Conrad pointed out that major amendments to the bill weren’t released until late Tuesday night — the 57th day of the 60-day session — giving senators little time to digest them.<h2>Varied reactions</h2>Comments on advancement of the plan:OpenSky Policy Institute:&nbsp;LB 388 is more transparent in that it “front loads” an existing state tax credit, instead of requiring taxpayers to claim it while filing income taxes.&nbsp;While 160,000 Nebraskans would be helped by the increase in the state’s earned income credit, cites and counties would be less able to respond to local needs because of the 3% revenue cap.Platte Institute:&nbsp;A “sunset” provision should be applied to end, in five years, an aspect of the bill that devotes any state revenue above 3.5% to the new School Property Tax Credit Fund.&nbsp;That would “bind the hands” of future legislatures, preventing them from reducing sales and income taxes.Americans for Prosperity:&nbsp;It was a “rushed and last minute” attempt to raise some taxes, while “punting on the worst tax hikes.”&nbsp;The proposal still raises costs for struggling families and businesses.“How does this shake out for the average working person? Has anyone run the numbers?” Conrad asked. “If we don’t know, we shouldn’t move forward (tonight).”State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, the main sponsor of the Pillen plan as chair of the Revenue Committee, pushed back on the idea that amendments to LB 388 were drawn up in the Capitol hallways.She said that her committee had worked hard on property tax ideas this session.<h2>Sales tax increase abandoned</h2>Linehan portrayed the newest version of LB 388 as removing the most controversial aspect — a 1-cent increase in sales taxes — and reaching compromises on other provisions.Proposed excise taxes on skill games and hemp edibles were pared back to 5% and 25%, respectively, from initial increases of 20% and 100%.During debate, an extra tax on vaping products was raised to 20% on all products. Seward Sen. Jana Hughes argued that vaping taxes needed to be more in line with those on another harmful product, tobacco, although a 20% tax was still far smaller than the proposed $1 a pack tax on cigarettes.LB 388 continues to include new sales taxes on soda pop and candy, lottery tickets, self-storage fees and veterinary services on pets.The bill removed a proposed tax exemption on residential utility bills, but, in a compromise, provided an increase in the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit, from 10% to 15%.Dunbar Sen. Julie Slama mounted a challenge to one proposed new tax, on digital adversing, which is aimed at major websites such as Facebook and Amazon.Slama, an attorney, said the proposed 7.5% tax would hurt small businesses that rely on social media ads to sell their goods and services. Slama contended it was also likely unconstitutional, &nbsp;because it targeted digital ads but not local broadcast and print ads.Twenty lawsuits, the senator said, had been filed against a similar tax in Maryland, the only other state to adopt such a tax on digital ads.“I don’t think we’ll collect any dollars from this tax before a (court) injunction is filed,” Slama said.Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt, who runs a boutique that relies on online sales, said several small businesses would have to close given the higher taxes.She cited the example<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/09/proposed-digital-ads-tax-would-devastate-small-businesses-like-mine/">&nbsp;of eCreamery in Omaha’s Dundee area</a>, which was one of the first in the country to sell custom-churned ice cream via the internet. (The business recently&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/09/proposed-digital-ads-tax-would-devastate-small-businesses-like-mine/">wrote a commentary published</a>&nbsp;in the Examiner.)The Nebraska Chamber of Commerce also opposed the tax on digital ads.But an amendment to toss out the tax failed on an 18-18 vote, seven votes short of the 25 needed.<h2>Revenue caps retained</h2>There were also failed efforts to relax the 3% cap on revenue for fast-growing cities and counties so they could purchase law enforcement equipment, and to pare back LB 388 to remove all tax increases and instead include only the cap and “front loading” of the state’s existing income tax credit on property taxes paid.Fewer than half of Nebraskans, in some areas, don’t claim the income tax credit. Front loading the credit on property tax statements that go out in the fall, Pillen has argued, is fairer and ensures that people get their tax credit.Given the lack of time at the end of the session,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/03/legislators-advance-school-aid-changes-but-lb-1331-will-not-happen-unless-funds-can-be-found/">a companion bill to LB 388</a>&nbsp;that would use the revenue from the tax measure to lower tax levies in local school districts will not advance during the regular session. It might come up in a special session, however,Bayard Sen. Steve Erdman said he did the math and concluded that LB 388 provided only&nbsp;a 2% decrease in property taxes on a home in his Panhandle district, which he called a “band-aid on an amputation.”He also argued for putting off a major debate over tax policy until a special session could be called.“Then we can have a real conversation,” Erdman said.Final-round consideration of the bill is scheduled on April 18, the final day of the 2024 session.

Nebraska property tax relief plan is pared back more, advances to final reading

APRIL 11, 2024 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol removed 30 impaired drivers from the road during the first week of April. The effort corresponded with a national campaign to begin Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

“Spring means better travel conditions and more traffic starting to hit the road in Nebraska, but safe driving is a year-round effort,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “With every trip, no matter the distance, put your phone down and keep your focus on the road.”

During the&nbsp;U Drive. U Text. U Pay.&nbsp;campaign, troopers arrested 30 people for driving under the influence of alcohol. Troopers also issued citations for speeding (633), speeding at 100 MPH or more (28), driving under suspension (56), no seat belt (9), improper child restraint (6), and distracted driving (1). Troopers performed 315 motorist assists during the campaign as well.

The&nbsp;U Drive. U Text. U Pay.&nbsp;campaign ran from April 1 to April 8. Whether in Distracted Driving Awareness Month or any time of the year, NSP urges all motorists to eliminate distractions when you’re behind the wheel.&nbsp;

This campaign was made possible thanks in part to a grant from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office (NDOT-HSO). NDOT has a number of resources available to educate young drivers on the dangers of distracted driving. To learn more, visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://dot.nebraska.gov/buckle-up-phone-down/" target="_blank">Buckle Up Phone Down</a>&nbsp;page on the NDOT website.

Cody ThomasNebraska State PatrolAPRIL 11, 2024 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol removed 30 impaired drivers from the road during the first week of April. The effort corresponded with a national campaign to begin Distracted Driving Awareness Month.“Spring means better travel conditions and more traffic starting to hit the road in Nebraska, but safe driving is a year-round effort,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “With every trip, no matter the distance, put your phone down and keep your focus on the road.”During the&nbsp;U Drive. U Text. U Pay.&nbsp;campaign, troopers arrested 30 people for driving under the influence of alcohol. Troopers also issued citations for speeding (633), speeding at 100 MPH or more (28), driving under suspension (56), no seat belt (9), improper child restraint (6), and distracted driving (1). Troopers performed 315 motorist assists during the campaign as well.The&nbsp;U Drive. U Text. U Pay.&nbsp;campaign ran from April 1 to April 8. Whether in Distracted Driving Awareness Month or any time of the year, NSP urges all motorists to eliminate distractions when you’re behind the wheel.&nbsp;This campaign was made possible thanks in part to a grant from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office (NDOT-HSO). NDOT has a number of resources available to educate young drivers on the dangers of distracted driving. To learn more, visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://dot.nebraska.gov/buckle-up-phone-down/" target="_blank">Buckle Up Phone Down</a>&nbsp;page on the NDOT website.

Troopers Complete U Drive. U Text. U Pay. Campaign

By office of Congressman Mike Flood

WASHINGTON, D.C. –&nbsp;Recently, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood joined Congressman Brad Finstad (R-MN) and several&nbsp;other&nbsp;House Republicans in cosponsoring the&nbsp;EPA Accountability to Farm Country Act.&nbsp;

“Time and again, the Biden administration has used the regulatory power of federal agencies to impose new red tape on America’s ag producers.&nbsp;American farmers know better than any&nbsp;government&nbsp;agency what&nbsp;it&nbsp;takes to grow the food they need to&nbsp;successfully&nbsp;feed the world. It’s time&nbsp;for our hardworking farmers and ranchers&nbsp;to&nbsp;get&nbsp;more of&nbsp;a&nbsp;voice in the rulemaking process,” Rep. Flood said. “Thanks to Rep. Finstad&nbsp;and my Republicans colleagues for stepping up to deliver the&nbsp;EPA Accountability to Farm Country Act, and I urge the House to take it up quickly.”`

The act&nbsp;will require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and farmer stakeholders to review rules and regulations proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that may impact the agricultural sector and provide recommendations on how to limit the impact. If the EPA does not mitigate the effect of their proposed rule, it would be unable to be finalized.

Full text of the bill is available&nbsp;<a href="https://flood.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/flood.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/EPA-Accountability-to-Farm-Country-Act.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>. Congressman Flood is a member of the Western Caucus which advocates for rural policy issues in Washington, D.C.&nbsp;

By office of Congressman Mike FloodWASHINGTON, D.C. –&nbsp;Recently, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood joined Congressman Brad Finstad (R-MN) and several&nbsp;other&nbsp;House Republicans in cosponsoring the&nbsp;EPA Accountability to Farm Country Act.&nbsp;“Time and again, the Biden administration has used the regulatory power of federal agencies to impose new red tape on America’s ag producers.&nbsp;American farmers know better than any&nbsp;government&nbsp;agency what&nbsp;it&nbsp;takes to grow the food they need to&nbsp;successfully&nbsp;feed the world. It’s time&nbsp;for our hardworking farmers and ranchers&nbsp;to&nbsp;get&nbsp;more of&nbsp;a&nbsp;voice in the rulemaking process,” Rep. Flood said. “Thanks to Rep. Finstad&nbsp;and my Republicans colleagues for stepping up to deliver the&nbsp;EPA Accountability to Farm Country Act, and I urge the House to take it up quickly.”`The act&nbsp;will require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and farmer stakeholders to review rules and regulations proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that may impact the agricultural sector and provide recommendations on how to limit the impact. If the EPA does not mitigate the effect of their proposed rule, it would be unable to be finalized.Full text of the bill is available&nbsp;<a href="https://flood.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/flood.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/EPA-Accountability-to-Farm-Country-Act.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>. Congressman Flood is a member of the Western Caucus which advocates for rural policy issues in Washington, D.C.&nbsp;

Flood Cosponsors the EPA Accountability to Farm Country Act

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Four railroads have asked federal appeals courts to throw out a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/two-man-train-crew-railroad-rule-72393a8ad58584ba2c5cdda8f2361130">new rule</a>&nbsp;that would require two-person train crews in most circumstances, saying the mandate is arbitrary, capricious and an illegal abuse of discretion.

The identical challenges of the Federal Railroad Administration's rule were all filed this week in different appellate courts on behalf of Union Pacific, BNSF and two short line railroads — the Indiana Railroad and Florida East Coast Railway.

The new federal requirement, announced last week, was a milestone in organized labor’s long fight to preserve the practice and came amid increasing scrutiny into railroad safety, especially in the wake of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-pete-buttigieg-evacuations-ohio-explosions-64908a6416662b5866809387f210aee5">fiery February 2023 derailment</a>&nbsp;in eastern Ohio.

Most of those railroads didn't immediately offer additional explanation for why they don't like the rule, but the industry has long opposed such a regulation and the Association of American Railroads trade group said last week that the rule was unfounded and not supported by safety data. The Indiana Railroad — like many short lines across the country — already operates with one-person crews, but the major freight railroads all have two-person crews that their union contracts require.

Union Pacific said in a statement that “this rule, which lacks any data showing two people in a cab are safer than one, hinders our ability to compete in a world where technology is changing the transportation industry and prevents us from preparing our workforce for jobs of the future.”

BNSF deferred comment to AAR, and the two smaller railroads didn't immediately respond to messages Thursday morning.

The regulators who announced the rule last Tuesday and the unions that have lobbied for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/588d6f7829c4836b9d2feff5c21a5097">the policy</a>&nbsp;for years all argue there are clear safety benefits to having two people in the cab of locomotives to help operate the train because they can keep each other alert and the conductor can respond immediately to any problems they encounter, including serving as the initial first-responder to a derailment.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has said the need to improve&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroad-safety-derailment-east-palestine-norfolk-southern-bef9b47b5200f033d2f045c850745e94">railroad safety</a>&nbsp;was made glaringly clear last year when a Norfolk Southern&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-pete-buttigieg-evacuations-ohio-explosions-64908a6416662b5866809387f210aee5">train derailed</a>&nbsp;on the outskirts of a town on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border and spilled an assortment of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-updates-bf5a60de2243cd6f7f730096aa33294c">hazardous chemicals</a>&nbsp;that caught fire. That East Palestine derailment inspired calls for reform that have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/east-palestine-train-derailment-safety-regulations-railroad-4db52c68daf68da05425b5b70363fb0a">stalled in Congress</a>.

But Buttigieg and the Federal Railroad Administration declined to comment Thursday on the legal challenges to the new rule that is set to take effect in early June.

Railroads have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d6ca21953111e4d7b457bac02e5b6813">long argued</a>&nbsp;that the size of train crews should be determined by contract talks, not regulators or lawmakers, because they maintain there isn’t enough data to show that two-person crews are safer. Current safety stats can't show how safe one-person crews are because all the major railroads have two-person crews now.

The new rule does include an exception that would allow short line railroads to continue operating with one-person crews if they have been doing it for more than two years and have a plan to ensure safety. But the rule would make it difficult for any railroads to cut their crews down to one person.

The railroads have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-safety-ohio-crew-size-derailment-lawsuit-429df55468cc112d7057d4dd1dcf5322">often challenged</a>&nbsp;states when they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroads-freight-safety-derailment-state-laws-42fa5ddae7486e44c7383def082d31a3">tried to require</a>&nbsp;two-person crews, so it's not a surprise that they went to court over this new federal rule.

The major freight railroads have argued that automatic braking systems that are designed to prevent collisions have made the second person in the locomotive cab unnecessary, and they believe a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/union-pacific-railroad-crews-kansas-2f87d473a41a8c999945043ecab597c1">conductor based in a truck</a>&nbsp;could adequately respond to any train problems. Plus, they say taking that conductor off of the train would improve their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-business-strikes-df14983a4b7b7623bf68390587beef94">quality of life</a>&nbsp;because he or she would no longer have to work unpredictable hours on the road.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697068882813.jpeg" alt="In October Kansas became the 10th state to require at least two railroad crew members in the lead locomotive." />
 <figcaption>In October Kansas became the 10th state to require at least two railroad crew members in the lead locomotive.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —Four railroads have asked federal appeals courts to throw out a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/two-man-train-crew-railroad-rule-72393a8ad58584ba2c5cdda8f2361130">new rule</a>&nbsp;that would require two-person train crews in most circumstances, saying the mandate is arbitrary, capricious and an illegal abuse of discretion.The identical challenges of the Federal Railroad Administration's rule were all filed this week in different appellate courts on behalf of Union Pacific, BNSF and two short line railroads — the Indiana Railroad and Florida East Coast Railway.The new federal requirement, announced last week, was a milestone in organized labor’s long fight to preserve the practice and came amid increasing scrutiny into railroad safety, especially in the wake of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-pete-buttigieg-evacuations-ohio-explosions-64908a6416662b5866809387f210aee5">fiery February 2023 derailment</a>&nbsp;in eastern Ohio.Most of those railroads didn't immediately offer additional explanation for why they don't like the rule, but the industry has long opposed such a regulation and the Association of American Railroads trade group said last week that the rule was unfounded and not supported by safety data. The Indiana Railroad — like many short lines across the country — already operates with one-person crews, but the major freight railroads all have two-person crews that their union contracts require.Union Pacific said in a statement that “this rule, which lacks any data showing two people in a cab are safer than one, hinders our ability to compete in a world where technology is changing the transportation industry and prevents us from preparing our workforce for jobs of the future.”BNSF deferred comment to AAR, and the two smaller railroads didn't immediately respond to messages Thursday morning.The regulators who announced the rule last Tuesday and the unions that have lobbied for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/588d6f7829c4836b9d2feff5c21a5097">the policy</a>&nbsp;for years all argue there are clear safety benefits to having two people in the cab of locomotives to help operate the train because they can keep each other alert and the conductor can respond immediately to any problems they encounter, including serving as the initial first-responder to a derailment.Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has said the need to improve&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroad-safety-derailment-east-palestine-norfolk-southern-bef9b47b5200f033d2f045c850745e94">railroad safety</a>&nbsp;was made glaringly clear last year when a Norfolk Southern&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-pete-buttigieg-evacuations-ohio-explosions-64908a6416662b5866809387f210aee5">train derailed</a>&nbsp;on the outskirts of a town on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border and spilled an assortment of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-updates-bf5a60de2243cd6f7f730096aa33294c">hazardous chemicals</a>&nbsp;that caught fire. That East Palestine derailment inspired calls for reform that have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/east-palestine-train-derailment-safety-regulations-railroad-4db52c68daf68da05425b5b70363fb0a">stalled in Congress</a>.But Buttigieg and the Federal Railroad Administration declined to comment Thursday on the legal challenges to the new rule that is set to take effect in early June.Railroads have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d6ca21953111e4d7b457bac02e5b6813">long argued</a>&nbsp;that the size of train crews should be determined by contract talks, not regulators or lawmakers, because they maintain there isn’t enough data to show that two-person crews are safer. Current safety stats can't show how safe one-person crews are because all the major railroads have two-person crews now.The new rule does include an exception that would allow short line railroads to continue operating with one-person crews if they have been doing it for more than two years and have a plan to ensure safety. But the rule would make it difficult for any railroads to cut their crews down to one person.The railroads have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-safety-ohio-crew-size-derailment-lawsuit-429df55468cc112d7057d4dd1dcf5322">often challenged</a>&nbsp;states when they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroads-freight-safety-derailment-state-laws-42fa5ddae7486e44c7383def082d31a3">tried to require</a>&nbsp;two-person crews, so it's not a surprise that they went to court over this new federal rule.The major freight railroads have argued that automatic braking systems that are designed to prevent collisions have made the second person in the locomotive cab unnecessary, and they believe a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/union-pacific-railroad-crews-kansas-2f87d473a41a8c999945043ecab597c1">conductor based in a truck</a>&nbsp;could adequately respond to any train problems. Plus, they say taking that conductor off of the train would improve their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-business-strikes-df14983a4b7b7623bf68390587beef94">quality of life</a>&nbsp;because he or she would no longer have to work unpredictable hours on the road.

Freight railroads ask courts to throw out new rule requiring 2-person crews on trains

OMAHA, NE — The Platte Institute is raising concerns regarding an amendment to LB 388 that earmarks future state revenue growth over 3.5%
 for the School Property Tax Credit Fund. While supportive of meaningful tax relief, the Institute warns this perpetual allocation could severely constrain Nebraska's fiscal strategy, particularly impacting the state's capacity to reduce income and sales taxes
 in the future.&nbsp;

Jim Vokal, CEO of the Platte Institute, emphasized the critical limitations this could impose: "Allocating surplus revenues in this manner
 restricts our future ability to pursue other essential tax reforms. Specifically, it would severely limit our ability to cut income or sales taxes when opportunities arise, binding the hands of future legislators and undermining our state's economic competitiveness.
 In an era of out-of-control inflation, should inflation rise to or above 3.5% as was
<a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf" target="_blank">announced
 today</a>, the excess would go to property tax relief in perpetuity.” &nbsp;


Vokal continued, “Implementing a sunset provision by 2029 for this amendment will provide a necessary safeguard, allowing Nebraska to retain
 the flexibility to adjust its tax and spending policies in response to evolving economic and fiscal realities."&nbsp;


By advocating for this sunset provision, the Platte Institute aims to ensure that Nebraska can still reduce property taxes over the next
 five years, without being indefinitely committed to a single, rigid fiscal policy.&nbsp;


In addition to concerns over the proposed revenue allocation, the Platte Institute strongly opposes the inclusion of a digital advertising
 tax. This part of the bill seeks to extend the sales tax to digital advertisements, a move that not only risks violating federal law under the Internet Tax Freedom Act but also faces significant legal challenges, similar to those encountered by Maryland's
 digital advertisement tax. Taxing digital advertisements could impose an unstable revenue source upon Nebraska's tax structure, replacing stable revenue sources with ones that are not only unpredictable but potentially illegal.&nbsp;


"Building any form of tax reform on such legally dubious revenue sources is akin to building upon sand," said Vokal. "Nebraska should steer
 clear of making tax relief contingent upon a new tax on digital advertisements that could vanish with the next court ruling. It's crucial that our tax code remains both legally sound and economically sensible, avoiding the pitfalls of taxing business inputs
 like advertising, which can lead to increased costs for businesses and consumers alike."&nbsp;


As discussions on LB 388 and its amendments progress, the Platte Institute is dedicated to working with policymakers, stakeholders, and
 the public to promote a balanced, forward-looking fiscal policy framework that supports economic growth and fiscal responsibility.&nbsp;

For further information, to request an interview, or to discuss the implications of the proposed tax measures, please contact Ryan Kopsa
 at (402) 366-4432 or via email at <a href="mailto:rkopsa@platteinstitute.org" target="_blank">rkopsa@platteinstitute.org</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;


The Platte Institute continues to advance policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. For more insights, visit
 PlatteInstitute.org.&nbsp;

Platte InstituteOMAHA, NE — The Platte Institute is raising concerns regarding an amendment to LB 388 that earmarks future state revenue growth over 3.5%
 for the School Property Tax Credit Fund. While supportive of meaningful tax relief, the Institute warns this perpetual allocation could severely constrain Nebraska's fiscal strategy, particularly impacting the state's capacity to reduce income and sales taxes
 in the future.&nbsp;
Jim Vokal, CEO of the Platte Institute, emphasized the critical limitations this could impose: "Allocating surplus revenues in this manner
 restricts our future ability to pursue other essential tax reforms. Specifically, it would severely limit our ability to cut income or sales taxes when opportunities arise, binding the hands of future legislators and undermining our state's economic competitiveness.
 In an era of out-of-control inflation, should inflation rise to or above 3.5% as was
<a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf" target="_blank">announced
 today</a>, the excess would go to property tax relief in perpetuity.” &nbsp;
Vokal continued, “Implementing a sunset provision by 2029 for this amendment will provide a necessary safeguard, allowing Nebraska to retain
 the flexibility to adjust its tax and spending policies in response to evolving economic and fiscal realities."&nbsp;
By advocating for this sunset provision, the Platte Institute aims to ensure that Nebraska can still reduce property taxes over the next
 five years, without being indefinitely committed to a single, rigid fiscal policy.&nbsp;
In addition to concerns over the proposed revenue allocation, the Platte Institute strongly opposes the inclusion of a digital advertising
 tax. This part of the bill seeks to extend the sales tax to digital advertisements, a move that not only risks violating federal law under the Internet Tax Freedom Act but also faces significant legal challenges, similar to those encountered by Maryland's
 digital advertisement tax. Taxing digital advertisements could impose an unstable revenue source upon Nebraska's tax structure, replacing stable revenue sources with ones that are not only unpredictable but potentially illegal.&nbsp;
"Building any form of tax reform on such legally dubious revenue sources is akin to building upon sand," said Vokal. "Nebraska should steer
 clear of making tax relief contingent upon a new tax on digital advertisements that could vanish with the next court ruling. It's crucial that our tax code remains both legally sound and economically sensible, avoiding the pitfalls of taxing business inputs
 like advertising, which can lead to increased costs for businesses and consumers alike."&nbsp;
As discussions on LB 388 and its amendments progress, the Platte Institute is dedicated to working with policymakers, stakeholders, and
 the public to promote a balanced, forward-looking fiscal policy framework that supports economic growth and fiscal responsibility.&nbsp;
For further information, to request an interview, or to discuss the implications of the proposed tax measures, please contact Ryan Kopsa
 at (402) 366-4432 or via email at <a href="mailto:rkopsa@platteinstitute.org" target="_blank">rkopsa@platteinstitute.org</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Platte Institute continues to advance policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. For more insights, visit
 PlatteInstitute.org.&nbsp;

Platte Institute Calls for Sunset Provision on LB 388 Amendment to Maintain Tax Reform Flexibility 

LAS VEGAS (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oj-simpson">O.J. Simpson</a>, the decorated football superstar and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend but later found liable in a separate civil trial, has died. He was 76.

The family announced on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealOJ32/status/1778430029350707380?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">Simpson's official X account</a>&nbsp;that he died Wednesday of prostate cancer. He died in Las Vegas, officials there said Thursday.

On the last video posted to his social media account February 11, Simpson said he was rooting for one of his former teams, the 49ers to win the Super Bowl.

Simpson earned fame, fortune and adulation through football and show business, but his legacy was forever changed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/celebrity-arts-and-entertainment-general-news-2eae78a5e56f4f74a6759287525d1487">the June 1994 knife slayings</a>&nbsp;of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman in Los Angeles. He was later found liable for the deaths in a separate civil case, and then served nine years in prison on unrelated charges.

Live TV coverage of his arrest after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-6717fd3901034165bdf6aee0618b4885">famous slow-speed chase</a>&nbsp;marked a stunning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-045d03621cb94cd69944d9955c9bf82e">fall from grace</a>.

He had seemed to transcend racial barriers as the star Trojans tailback for college football's powerful University of Southern California in the late 1960s, as a rental car ad pitchman rushing through airports in the late 1970s, and as the husband of a blond and blue-eyed high school homecoming queen in the 1980s.

“I’m not Black, I’m O.J.,” he liked to tell friends.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/38915cfde46d4d76a993db9680924bae/1000">His “trial of the century”</a>&nbsp;captured America's attention on live TV. The case sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5435457473e847ae845dafca986f35e2">debates on race,</a>&nbsp;gender,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-c85957bb9c764313a88659b5837f5245">domestic abuse,</a>&nbsp;celebrity justice and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-crime-los-angeles-forensics-oj-simpson-bd104049096d41d2ad4b0c6de6a8e742">police misconduct</a>.

Evidence found at the scene seemed overwhelmingly against Simpson. Blood drops, bloody footprints and a glove were there. Another glove, smeared with blood, was found at his home.

Simpson didn't testify, but the prosecution asked him to try on the gloves in court. He struggled to squeeze them onto his hands and spoke his only three words of the trial: “They're too small.”

His attorney Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. told the jurors, “If it doesn't fit, you must acquit.”

The jury&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/21978eae36174fb69adafded48f58865/ap-was-there-20-years-ago-oj-simpson-receives-acquittal">found him not guilty</a>&nbsp;of murder in 1995, but a separate civil trial jury found him liable in 1997 for the deaths and ordered him to pay $33.5 million to family members of Brown&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-arts-and-entertainment-celebrity-d7967e246ac84b6c9f76acb4384dc165">and Goldman.</a>

A decade later, still shadowed by the California wrongful death judgment, Simpson led five men he barely knew into a confrontation with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-television-1382c2fbfd364cba82c9dfa5e0bcb2c5">two sports memorabilia dealers</a>&nbsp;in a cramped Las Vegas hotel room. Two men with Simpson had guns. A jury convicted Simpson of armed robbery and other felonies.

Imprisoned at age 61,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-0e3b4ef662904c4395abd045dff93ffe">he served nine years</a>&nbsp;in a remote northern Nevada prison, including a stint as a gym janitor. He was not contrite when he was released on parole in October 2017. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oj-simpson-parole-hearing">parole board heard him</a>&nbsp;insist yet again that he was only trying to retrieve sports memorabilia and heirlooms stolen from him after his criminal trial in Los Angeles.

“I’ve basically spent a conflict-free life, you know,” said Simpson, whose parole&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-football-sports-entertainment-business-arts-and-entertainment-110d82684a8599f35deb0dd8529d6acb">ended in late 2021</a>.

Public fascination with Simpson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/celebrity-general-news-arts-and-entertainment-28d281d57bf04f32b48f6f6860845e44">never faded.</a>&nbsp;Many debated whether he had been punished in Las Vegas for his acquittal in Los Angeles. In 2016, he was the subject of both an FX miniseries and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-television-a0c8e6fc0f334d4ca5345171f80d5fc3">five-part ESPN documentary.</a>

“I don’t think most of America believes I did it,” Simpson told The New York Times in 1995, a week after a jury determined he did not kill Brown and Goldman. “I’ve gotten thousands of letters and telegrams from people supporting me.”

Twelve years later, following an outpouring of public outrage, Rupert Murdoch canceled a planned book by the News Corp.-owned HarperCollins in which Simpson offered his hypothetical account of the killings. It was to be titled “If I Did It.”

Goldman’s family, still&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-30635dd27ca3e8538aeaed407d6e9843">doggedly pursuing</a>&nbsp;the multimillion-dollar wrongful death judgment, won control of the manuscript. They retitled the book “If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer.”

“It’s all blood money, and unfortunately I had to join the jackals,” Simpson told The Associated Press at the time. He collected $880,000 in advance money for the book, paid through a third party.

“It helped me get out of debt and secure my homestead,” he said.

Less than two months after losing the rights to the book,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-las-vegas-nv-state-wire-91190b409d6c46b2b6a2b0a8827889d5">Simpson was arrested</a>&nbsp;in Las Vegas.

David Cook, an attorney who has been seeking since 2008 to collect the civil judgment in the Goldman case, said he'd spoken with Ron's father, Fred, on Thursday about Simpson’s death. Cook declined to say what Fred Goldman said or where he was.

“He died without penance,” Cook said of Simpson. “We don’t know what he has, where it is or who is in control. We will pick up where we are and keep going with it.”

Simpson played 11 NFL seasons, nine of them with the Buffalo Bills, where he became known as “The Juice” and ran behind an offensive line known as “The Electric Company.” He won four NFL rushing titles, rushed for 11,236 yards in his career, scored 76 touchdowns and played in five Pro Bowls. His best season was 1973, when he ran for 2,003 yards — the first running back to break the 2,000-yard rushing mark.

“I was part of the history of the game,” he said years later. “If I did nothing else in my life, I’d made my mark.”

Simpson’s rise in football happened simultaneously with a career in television. He signed a contract with ABC Sports the night he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/84f2d5b4cc2347e481962ce074f2b7e9">won the Heisman Trophy</a>&nbsp;in 1968. That same year, he appeared on the NBC series “Dragnet” and “Ironside.” During his pro career, Simpson was a color commentator for a decade on ABC followed by a stint on NBC. In 1983, he joined ABC’s “Monday Night Football.”

Simpson quickly became a charismatic pitchman. In 1975, Hertz made him the first Black man hired for a corporate national ad campaign. The commercials, featuring Simpson running through airports toward the Hertz desk and young girls chanting “Go, O.J., go!” were ubiquitous for years.

Simpson made his big-screen debut in 1974 in “The Klansman,” an exploitation film in which he starred alongside Lee Marvin and Richard Burton. The film was a flop but Simpson would go on to appear in several dozen films and TV series, including 1974’s “The Towering Inferno,” 1976’s “The Cassandra Crossing,” 1977’s “Roots” and 1977’s “Capricorn One.”

Most notable, perhaps, was his performance in 1988’s “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad” and its two sequels. Simpson played Detective Nordberg in the slapstick films opposite Leslie Nielsen.

Of course, Simpson went on to other fame.

One of the artifacts of his murder trial, the carefully tailored tan suit he wore when acquitted, was later donated and placed on display at the Newseum in Washington. Simpson had been told the suit would be in the hotel room in Las Vegas, but it turned out it wasn’t there.

Orenthal James Simpson was born July 9, 1947, in San Francisco, where he grew up in government-subsidized housing projects.

After graduating from high school, he enrolled at City College of San Francisco for a year and a half before transferring to the University of Southern California for the spring 1967 semester.

He married his first wife, Marguerite Whitley, on June 24, 1967, moving her to Los Angeles the next day so he could begin preparing for his first season with USC — which, in large part because of Simpson, won that year’s national championship.

On the day he accepted the Heisman Trophy, his first child, Arnelle, was born.

He had two sons, Jason and Aaren, with his first wife; one of those boys, Aaren, drowned as a toddler in a swimming pool accident in 1979, the same year he and Whitley divorced.

Simpson and Brown were married in 1985. They had two children,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-7755fa52fc054f2e91cea13cb624d139">Justin and Sydney,</a>&nbsp;and divorced in 1992. Two years later, Nicole Brown Simpson was found murdered.

“We don’t need to go back and relive the worst day of our lives,” he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0fea103ed1014714a966bd75c475880d">told the AP 25 years after the double slayings.</a>&nbsp;“The subject of the moment is the subject I will never revisit again. My family and I have moved on to what we call the ‘no negative zone.’ We focus on the positives.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639516831265.png" alt="Simpson photo from his 2016 booking by the Nevada Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Simpson photo from his 2016 booking by the Nevada Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>LAS VEGAS (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oj-simpson">O.J. Simpson</a>, the decorated football superstar and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend but later found liable in a separate civil trial, has died. He was 76.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace. -The Simpson Family&mdash; O.J. Simpson (@TheRealOJ32) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealOJ32/status/1778430029350707380?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The family announced on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealOJ32/status/1778430029350707380?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">Simpson's official X account</a>&nbsp;that he died Wednesday of prostate cancer. He died in Las Vegas, officials there said Thursday.On the last video posted to his social media account February 11, Simpson said he was rooting for one of his former teams, the 49ers to win the Super Bowl.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m from the Bay and I’m going with Bay!!! Lets go <a href="https://twitter.com/49ers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@49ers</a> <a href="https://t.co/MoO9TELc8B">pic.twitter.com/MoO9TELc8B</a>&mdash; O.J. Simpson (@TheRealOJ32) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealOJ32/status/1756741554788778074?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Simpson earned fame, fortune and adulation through football and show business, but his legacy was forever changed by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/celebrity-arts-and-entertainment-general-news-2eae78a5e56f4f74a6759287525d1487">the June 1994 knife slayings</a>&nbsp;of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman in Los Angeles. He was later found liable for the deaths in a separate civil case, and then served nine years in prison on unrelated charges.Live TV coverage of his arrest after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-6717fd3901034165bdf6aee0618b4885">famous slow-speed chase</a>&nbsp;marked a stunning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-045d03621cb94cd69944d9955c9bf82e">fall from grace</a>.He had seemed to transcend racial barriers as the star Trojans tailback for college football's powerful University of Southern California in the late 1960s, as a rental car ad pitchman rushing through airports in the late 1970s, and as the husband of a blond and blue-eyed high school homecoming queen in the 1980s.“I’m not Black, I’m O.J.,” he liked to tell friends.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/dqUVjoihLt">pic.twitter.com/dqUVjoihLt</a>&mdash; The Heisman Trophy (@HeismanTrophy) <a href="https://twitter.com/HeismanTrophy/status/1778441403594366996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://apnews.com/article/38915cfde46d4d76a993db9680924bae/1000">His “trial of the century”</a>&nbsp;captured America's attention on live TV. The case sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5435457473e847ae845dafca986f35e2">debates on race,</a>&nbsp;gender,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-c85957bb9c764313a88659b5837f5245">domestic abuse,</a>&nbsp;celebrity justice and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-crime-los-angeles-forensics-oj-simpson-bd104049096d41d2ad4b0c6de6a8e742">police misconduct</a>.Evidence found at the scene seemed overwhelmingly against Simpson. Blood drops, bloody footprints and a glove were there. Another glove, smeared with blood, was found at his home.Simpson didn't testify, but the prosecution asked him to try on the gloves in court. He struggled to squeeze them onto his hands and spoke his only three words of the trial: “They're too small.”His attorney Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. told the jurors, “If it doesn't fit, you must acquit.”The jury&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/21978eae36174fb69adafded48f58865/ap-was-there-20-years-ago-oj-simpson-receives-acquittal">found him not guilty</a>&nbsp;of murder in 1995, but a separate civil trial jury found him liable in 1997 for the deaths and ordered him to pay $33.5 million to family members of Brown&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-arts-and-entertainment-celebrity-d7967e246ac84b6c9f76acb4384dc165">and Goldman.</a>A decade later, still shadowed by the California wrongful death judgment, Simpson led five men he barely knew into a confrontation with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-television-1382c2fbfd364cba82c9dfa5e0bcb2c5">two sports memorabilia dealers</a>&nbsp;in a cramped Las Vegas hotel room. Two men with Simpson had guns. A jury convicted Simpson of armed robbery and other felonies.Imprisoned at age 61,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-0e3b4ef662904c4395abd045dff93ffe">he served nine years</a>&nbsp;in a remote northern Nevada prison, including a stint as a gym janitor. He was not contrite when he was released on parole in October 2017. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oj-simpson-parole-hearing">parole board heard him</a>&nbsp;insist yet again that he was only trying to retrieve sports memorabilia and heirlooms stolen from him after his criminal trial in Los Angeles.“I’ve basically spent a conflict-free life, you know,” said Simpson, whose parole&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-football-sports-entertainment-business-arts-and-entertainment-110d82684a8599f35deb0dd8529d6acb">ended in late 2021</a>.Public fascination with Simpson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/celebrity-general-news-arts-and-entertainment-28d281d57bf04f32b48f6f6860845e44">never faded.</a>&nbsp;Many debated whether he had been punished in Las Vegas for his acquittal in Los Angeles. In 2016, he was the subject of both an FX miniseries and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-television-a0c8e6fc0f334d4ca5345171f80d5fc3">five-part ESPN documentary.</a>“I don’t think most of America believes I did it,” Simpson told The New York Times in 1995, a week after a jury determined he did not kill Brown and Goldman. “I’ve gotten thousands of letters and telegrams from people supporting me.”Twelve years later, following an outpouring of public outrage, Rupert Murdoch canceled a planned book by the News Corp.-owned HarperCollins in which Simpson offered his hypothetical account of the killings. It was to be titled “If I Did It.”Goldman’s family, still&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-30635dd27ca3e8538aeaed407d6e9843">doggedly pursuing</a>&nbsp;the multimillion-dollar wrongful death judgment, won control of the manuscript. They retitled the book “If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer.”“It’s all blood money, and unfortunately I had to join the jackals,” Simpson told The Associated Press at the time. He collected $880,000 in advance money for the book, paid through a third party.“It helped me get out of debt and secure my homestead,” he said.Less than two months after losing the rights to the book,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-las-vegas-nv-state-wire-91190b409d6c46b2b6a2b0a8827889d5">Simpson was arrested</a>&nbsp;in Las Vegas.David Cook, an attorney who has been seeking since 2008 to collect the civil judgment in the Goldman case, said he'd spoken with Ron's father, Fred, on Thursday about Simpson’s death. Cook declined to say what Fred Goldman said or where he was.“He died without penance,” Cook said of Simpson. “We don’t know what he has, where it is or who is in control. We will pick up where we are and keep going with it.”Simpson played 11 NFL seasons, nine of them with the Buffalo Bills, where he became known as “The Juice” and ran behind an offensive line known as “The Electric Company.” He won four NFL rushing titles, rushed for 11,236 yards in his career, scored 76 touchdowns and played in five Pro Bowls. His best season was 1973, when he ran for 2,003 yards — the first running back to break the 2,000-yard rushing mark.“I was part of the history of the game,” he said years later. “If I did nothing else in my life, I’d made my mark.”Simpson’s rise in football happened simultaneously with a career in television. He signed a contract with ABC Sports the night he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/84f2d5b4cc2347e481962ce074f2b7e9">won the Heisman Trophy</a>&nbsp;in 1968. That same year, he appeared on the NBC series “Dragnet” and “Ironside.” During his pro career, Simpson was a color commentator for a decade on ABC followed by a stint on NBC. In 1983, he joined ABC’s “Monday Night Football.”Simpson quickly became a charismatic pitchman. In 1975, Hertz made him the first Black man hired for a corporate national ad campaign. The commercials, featuring Simpson running through airports toward the Hertz desk and young girls chanting “Go, O.J., go!” were ubiquitous for years.Simpson made his big-screen debut in 1974 in “The Klansman,” an exploitation film in which he starred alongside Lee Marvin and Richard Burton. The film was a flop but Simpson would go on to appear in several dozen films and TV series, including 1974’s “The Towering Inferno,” 1976’s “The Cassandra Crossing,” 1977’s “Roots” and 1977’s “Capricorn One.”Most notable, perhaps, was his performance in 1988’s “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad” and its two sequels. Simpson played Detective Nordberg in the slapstick films opposite Leslie Nielsen.Of course, Simpson went on to other fame.One of the artifacts of his murder trial, the carefully tailored tan suit he wore when acquitted, was later donated and placed on display at the Newseum in Washington. Simpson had been told the suit would be in the hotel room in Las Vegas, but it turned out it wasn’t there.Orenthal James Simpson was born July 9, 1947, in San Francisco, where he grew up in government-subsidized housing projects.After graduating from high school, he enrolled at City College of San Francisco for a year and a half before transferring to the University of Southern California for the spring 1967 semester.He married his first wife, Marguerite Whitley, on June 24, 1967, moving her to Los Angeles the next day so he could begin preparing for his first season with USC — which, in large part because of Simpson, won that year’s national championship.On the day he accepted the Heisman Trophy, his first child, Arnelle, was born.He had two sons, Jason and Aaren, with his first wife; one of those boys, Aaren, drowned as a toddler in a swimming pool accident in 1979, the same year he and Whitley divorced.Simpson and Brown were married in 1985. They had two children,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-7755fa52fc054f2e91cea13cb624d139">Justin and Sydney,</a>&nbsp;and divorced in 1992. Two years later, Nicole Brown Simpson was found murdered.“We don’t need to go back and relive the worst day of our lives,” he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0fea103ed1014714a966bd75c475880d">told the AP 25 years after the double slayings.</a>&nbsp;“The subject of the moment is the subject I will never revisit again. My family and I have moved on to what we call the ‘no negative zone.’ We focus on the positives.”

OJ Simpson, football hero acquitted of murder in 'trial of the century,' has died

United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Paul J. Gray, age 49, formerly of Kearney, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 10, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for failing to register as a sex offender pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Gray to 12 months’ imprisonment. Additionally, Gray was sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment for violating his supervised release. The two sentences were ordered to run consecutively. There is no parole in the federal system. After Gray’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.

Gray, who is required to register as a sex offender as the result of a&nbsp;1996 third degree sexual assault conviction out of Lincoln County, Nebraska, as well as a federal 2008 production of child pornography conviction out of the District of Nebraska, was released from prison in 2022. After his release, he was ordered to reside at the Dismas Charities Reentry Center in Kearney. Gray registered that address with the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry.

On July 17, 2023, Gray was dismissed from Dismas Charities.&nbsp; After dismissal from Dismas Charities, Gray failed to update his Nebraska Sex Offender Registration and did not advise his United States Probation Officer of his whereabouts.

On September 14, 2023, Gray was located at an apartment in Kearney where he had been staying since being dismissed from Dismas Charities.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.

United State Attorney Susan LehrUnited States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Paul J. Gray, age 49, formerly of Kearney, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 10, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for failing to register as a sex offender pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Gray to 12 months’ imprisonment. Additionally, Gray was sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment for violating his supervised release. The two sentences were ordered to run consecutively. There is no parole in the federal system. After Gray’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712842503864.jpeg" alt="Paul J Gray (via Sex Offender Registry website)" />
 <figcaption>Paul J Gray (via Sex Offender Registry website)</figcaption>
 </figure>Gray, who is required to register as a sex offender as the result of a&nbsp;1996 third degree sexual assault conviction out of Lincoln County, Nebraska, as well as a federal 2008 production of child pornography conviction out of the District of Nebraska, was released from prison in 2022. After his release, he was ordered to reside at the Dismas Charities Reentry Center in Kearney. Gray registered that address with the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry.On July 17, 2023, Gray was dismissed from Dismas Charities.&nbsp; After dismissal from Dismas Charities, Gray failed to update his Nebraska Sex Offender Registration and did not advise his United States Probation Officer of his whereabouts.On September 14, 2023, Gray was located at an apartment in Kearney where he had been staying since being dismissed from Dismas Charities.&nbsp;&nbsp;This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.

 Former Kearney Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill that would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-surveillance-section-702-c69db6741ca9f4c26f24ebf5941a5cb0">reauthorize a crucial national security surveillance program</a>&nbsp;was blocked Wednesday by a conservative revolt, pushing the prospects of final passage into uncertainty amid a looming deadline. The legislative impasse follows an edict earlier in the day from former President Donald Trump to “kill" the measure.

The breakdown comes months after a similar process to reform and reauthorize the surveillance program fell apart before it even reached the House floor. Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>, R-La., has called the program “critically important” but has struggled to find a path forward on the issue, which has been plagued by partisan bickering for years. The procedural vote to bring up the bill Wednesday failed 193-228, with nearly 20 Republicans voting no including&nbsp; Crane, Biggs and Gosar of Arizona; Bishop of North Carolina; Boebert of Colorado; Burchett and Ogles of Tennessee; Cloud and Roy of Texas; Gaetz of Florida; Good of Virginia; Higgins of Louisiana; Luna, Mills and Steube of Florida; Mace and Norman of South Carolina; Perry of Pennsylvania and Rosendale of Montana. All members of the Nebraska House delegation voted with the minority.

It marks the latest blow to Johnson's leadership as he faces being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-johnson-marjorie-taylor-greene-e0f0271f8244598841c56502f12f38a0">ousted from his job</a>&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">same stunning fashion</a>&nbsp;as his predecessor. Hours before the vote, the Republican leader made a final push urging for passage, saying Congress must “address these abuses” without cutting off the surveillance program entirely.

“It’s a critically important piece of our intelligence and law enforcement in this country,” he said in a press conference.

The bill in question would renew Section 702 of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-surveillance-section-702-c69db6741ca9f4c26f24ebf5941a5cb0">Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act</a>, which permits the U.S. government to collect without a warrant the communications of non-Americans located outside the country to gather foreign intelligence. The reauthorization is currently tied to a series of reforms aimed at satisfying critics who complained of civil liberties violations against Americans.

But Republican opponents have complained that those changes did not go far enough. Among the detractors are some of Johnson’s harshest critics, members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, who have railed against the speaker for reaching across the aisle several times since taking the gavel in October to carry out the basic functions of the government.

It remains unclear now if the proposal, backed by the Biden administration and Johnson, would eventually have enough votes to advance.

“I’m just bewildered that a small number of members decided to take down the rule,” Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told reporters on Wednesday evening.

The panel's Republican chairman, Mike Turner of Ohio, also lamented that the bill had faltered, especially since he said it had unanimous support from a special working group.

“There's a great deal of misinformation about FISA,” Turner said. “It is not spying on Americans — in fact, that is absolutely prohibited.”

Though the program would technically expire on April 19, the Biden administration has said it expects its authority to collect intelligence to remain operational for at least another year, thanks to an opinion earlier this month from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which receives surveillance applications. But administration officials also say that if the program lapses, some telecommunications companies could reduce or stop cooperation with the government or challenge its authority.

U.S. officials have said the tool, first authorized in 2008 and renewed several times since then, is crucial in disrupting terror attacks, cyber intrusions and foreign espionage and has also produced intelligence that the U.S. has relied on for specific operations.

But the administration’s efforts to secure reauthorization of the program have encountered fierce, and bipartisan, pushback, with Democrats like Sen. Ron Wyden who have long championed civil liberties aligning with Republican supporters of Trump, who in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday stated incorrectly that Section 702 had been used to spy on his presidential campaign.

“Kill FISA," Trump wrote in all capital letters. “It was illegally used against me, and many others. They spied on my campaign.” A former adviser to his 2016 presidential campaign was targeted for surveillance over potential ties to Russia under a different section of the law.

A specific area of concern for lawmakers has centered on the FBI’s use of the vast intelligence repository to search for information about Americans and others in the U.S. Though the surveillance program only targets non-Americans in other countries, it also collects communications of Americans when they are in contact with those targeted foreigners.

In the past year, U.S. officials have revealed a series of abuses and mistakes by FBI analysts in improperly querying the intelligence repository for information about Americans or others in the U.S, including about a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fisa-foreign-surveillance-fbi-3f7d4cc0ef413cdf20bc0b70548cde84">member of Congress</a>&nbsp;and participants in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-fbi-surveillance-75c466a64e838ab12eaef96f6335f3cd">racial justice protests of 2020</a>&nbsp;and the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Those violations have led to demands for the FBI to have a warrant before conducting database queries on Americans, which FBI director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/christopher-wray">Chris Wray</a>&nbsp;has warned would effectively gut the effectiveness of the program and would also be legally unnecessary given that the information in the database has already been lawfully collected.

“While it is imperative that we ensure this critical authority of 702 does not lapse, we also must not undercut the effectiveness of this essential tool with a warrant requirement or some similar restriction, paralyzing our ability to tackle fast-moving threats,” Wray said in a speech Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712802529718.png" alt="Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill Wednesday, -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill Wednesday, -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill that would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-surveillance-section-702-c69db6741ca9f4c26f24ebf5941a5cb0">reauthorize a crucial national security surveillance program</a>&nbsp;was blocked Wednesday by a conservative revolt, pushing the prospects of final passage into uncertainty amid a looming deadline. The legislative impasse follows an edict earlier in the day from former President Donald Trump to “kill" the measure.The breakdown comes months after a similar process to reform and reauthorize the surveillance program fell apart before it even reached the House floor. Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>, R-La., has called the program “critically important” but has struggled to find a path forward on the issue, which has been plagued by partisan bickering for years. The procedural vote to bring up the bill Wednesday failed 193-228, with nearly 20 Republicans voting no including&nbsp; Crane, Biggs and Gosar of Arizona; Bishop of North Carolina; Boebert of Colorado; Burchett and Ogles of Tennessee; Cloud and Roy of Texas; Gaetz of Florida; Good of Virginia; Higgins of Louisiana; Luna, Mills and Steube of Florida; Mace and Norman of South Carolina; Perry of Pennsylvania and Rosendale of Montana. All members of the Nebraska House delegation voted with the minority.It marks the latest blow to Johnson's leadership as he faces being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-johnson-marjorie-taylor-greene-e0f0271f8244598841c56502f12f38a0">ousted from his job</a>&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">same stunning fashion</a>&nbsp;as his predecessor. Hours before the vote, the Republican leader made a final push urging for passage, saying Congress must “address these abuses” without cutting off the surveillance program entirely.“It’s a critically important piece of our intelligence and law enforcement in this country,” he said in a press conference.The bill in question would renew Section 702 of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-surveillance-section-702-c69db6741ca9f4c26f24ebf5941a5cb0">Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act</a>, which permits the U.S. government to collect without a warrant the communications of non-Americans located outside the country to gather foreign intelligence. The reauthorization is currently tied to a series of reforms aimed at satisfying critics who complained of civil liberties violations against Americans.But Republican opponents have complained that those changes did not go far enough. Among the detractors are some of Johnson’s harshest critics, members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, who have railed against the speaker for reaching across the aisle several times since taking the gavel in October to carry out the basic functions of the government.It remains unclear now if the proposal, backed by the Biden administration and Johnson, would eventually have enough votes to advance.“I’m just bewildered that a small number of members decided to take down the rule,” Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told reporters on Wednesday evening.The panel's Republican chairman, Mike Turner of Ohio, also lamented that the bill had faltered, especially since he said it had unanimous support from a special working group.“There's a great deal of misinformation about FISA,” Turner said. “It is not spying on Americans — in fact, that is absolutely prohibited.”Though the program would technically expire on April 19, the Biden administration has said it expects its authority to collect intelligence to remain operational for at least another year, thanks to an opinion earlier this month from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which receives surveillance applications. But administration officials also say that if the program lapses, some telecommunications companies could reduce or stop cooperation with the government or challenge its authority.U.S. officials have said the tool, first authorized in 2008 and renewed several times since then, is crucial in disrupting terror attacks, cyber intrusions and foreign espionage and has also produced intelligence that the U.S. has relied on for specific operations.But the administration’s efforts to secure reauthorization of the program have encountered fierce, and bipartisan, pushback, with Democrats like Sen. Ron Wyden who have long championed civil liberties aligning with Republican supporters of Trump, who in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday stated incorrectly that Section 702 had been used to spy on his presidential campaign.“Kill FISA," Trump wrote in all capital letters. “It was illegally used against me, and many others. They spied on my campaign.” A former adviser to his 2016 presidential campaign was targeted for surveillance over potential ties to Russia under a different section of the law.A specific area of concern for lawmakers has centered on the FBI’s use of the vast intelligence repository to search for information about Americans and others in the U.S. Though the surveillance program only targets non-Americans in other countries, it also collects communications of Americans when they are in contact with those targeted foreigners.In the past year, U.S. officials have revealed a series of abuses and mistakes by FBI analysts in improperly querying the intelligence repository for information about Americans or others in the U.S, including about a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fisa-foreign-surveillance-fbi-3f7d4cc0ef413cdf20bc0b70548cde84">member of Congress</a>&nbsp;and participants in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-fbi-surveillance-75c466a64e838ab12eaef96f6335f3cd">racial justice protests of 2020</a>&nbsp;and the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.Those violations have led to demands for the FBI to have a warrant before conducting database queries on Americans, which FBI director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/christopher-wray">Chris Wray</a>&nbsp;has warned would effectively gut the effectiveness of the program and would also be legally unnecessary given that the information in the database has already been lawfully collected.“While it is imperative that we ensure this critical authority of 702 does not lapse, we also must not undercut the effectiveness of this essential tool with a warrant requirement or some similar restriction, paralyzing our ability to tackle fast-moving threats,” Wray said in a speech Tuesday.

Neb. reps votes yes but House conservatives block spy powers bill

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Legislature devolved into shouts of “Shame! Shame!” on Wednesday as Republican lawmakers quickly shut down discussion on a proposed repeal of the state's newly revived 1864 law that criminalizes abortion throughout pregnancy unless a woman’s life is at risk.

The state Supreme Court cleared the way on Tuesday for enforcement of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-abortion-ban-what-to-know-797a4bbbc738497fe2284d6870c5be24">pre-statehood law</a>. Arizona abortion providers vowed Wednesday to continue service until they're forced to stop, possibly within weeks.

State legislators convened as pressure mounted from Democrats and some Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, for them to intervene.

House Democrats and at least one Republican tried to open discussion on a repeal of the 1864 abortion ban, which holds no exceptions for rape or incest. GOP leaders, who command the majority, cut it off twice and quickly adjourned for the week. Outraged Democrats erupted in finger-waving chants of “Shame! Shame!”

Republican state Rep. Teresa Martinez, of Casa Grande, said there was no reason to rush the debate. She accused Democrats of “screaming at us and engaging in extremist and insurrectionist behavior on the House floor.” The GOP-led Senate briefly convened without debate on abortion.

“We are navigating an extremely complex, emotional and important area of law and policy," said Martinez, the GOP House whip. "In my opinion, removing healthy babies from healthy mothers is not health care nor reproductive care. Pregnancy is not an illness. It should be celebrated. It is an abortion that terminates life.”

Democratic legislators seized on national interest in the state's abortion ban.

“We’ve got the eyes of the world watching Arizona right now,” said Democratic state Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, of Tucson. “We know that the Supreme Court decision yesterday is extreme. And we know that should the 1864 ban on abortion remain a law in Arizona, people will die.”

Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs called inaction on the proposed repeal unconscionable.

“Radical legislators protected a Civil War-era total abortion ban that jails doctors, strips women of our bodily autonomy and puts our lives at risk,” she said.

Three Republican legislators openly oppose the ban, including state Rep. Matt Gress, of Phoenix, who made a motion Wednesday to repeal the law. In a statement, he said the near-total ban “is not reflective of the values of the vast majority of our electorate, regardless of political affiliation. ... This issue transcends all.”

According to AP VoteCast, 6 out of 10 Arizona voters in the 2022 midterm elections said they would favor guaranteeing legal abortion nationwide. The state recorded 11,530 abortions in 2022, the last data available, according to the Department of Health Services.

At Camelback Family Planning in Phoenix, where about one-fourth of Arizona abortions are performed, registered nurse Ashleigh Feiring said abortion services were still available and that staff hope emergency legislation will avoid interruptions or closure.

“Our plan is to stay open as long as possible,” Feiring said. “Our clinic has been shut down twice in the last four years, but we’ve always resumed service.”

At the same time, anti-abortion groups including SBA Pro-Life America urged Arizona residents to oppose a proposed ballot initiative aimed at placing abortion rights in Arizona’s state constitution.

“They would wipe away all pro-life laws put in place by the Legislature, reflective of the will of the people," SBA President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a statement.

Hobbs, however, predicted that outrage will motivate voters to enshrine abortion rights directly in state law.

“The fight is not over, for sure” she said.

Grace Harders drove around metro Phoenix on Wednesday looking for an opportunity to sign an abortion rights petition. She said she wouldn’t know what to do if she had an unplanned pregnancy but knew she’d be scared.

“I’m a pro-choice person, and I want to ensure the right for all women,” Harders said.

Abortion rights advocates said they’ve gathered more than 500,000 signatures for the petition from the Arizona for Abortion Access campaign — far above what they need to add a ballot question asking voters to approve a constitutional amendment protecting the right to abortion until viability, when a fetus could survive outside the womb.

Arriving for a campaign fundraiser in Atlanta, Trump said the Arizona court decision went too far and called on state lawmakers to change it even as he defended the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 ruling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturning of Roe v. Wade</a>.

“It’s all about states’ rights,” the former president told supporters and journalists. “It’ll be straightened out.”

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, most Republican-controlled states have started enforcing new bans or restrictions, and most Democratic-dominated ones have sought to protect abortion access. Additionally, voters have sided with abortion rights supporters on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ban-ballot-arkansas-rights-43594a834f01473b1bd13562ecaec555">statewide ballot measures</a>&nbsp;in California, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Ohio and Vermont.

The Arizona ruling suggests doctors can be prosecuted for performing the procedure. The 1864 law carries a sentence of two to five years in prison for doctors or anyone else who assists in an abortion.

“Physicians are now on notice that all abortions, except those necessary to save a woman’s life, are illegal,” the Arizona Supreme Court said in its decision, adding that additional criminal and regulatory sanctions may apply to abortions performed after 15 weeks, the state's previous time limit for the procedure.

Beyond that, the court ruling also ignited concern that enforcement might interfere with handling miscarriages.

Enforcing the 1864 law won’t begin for at least two weeks. However, plaintiffs in the case — including Planned Parenthood — said the delay could last up to two months, based on an agreement reached in a related case.

Planned Parenthood has said it will offer abortion services up to 15 weeks of pregnancy for at least two more months, in line with an agreement in the related case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712795455527.png" alt="Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (left center) said no woman or doctor would be prosecuted under the new "draconian" law.&nbsp;Photo office of Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes " />
 <figcaption>Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (left center) said no woman or doctor would be prosecuted under the new "draconian" law.&nbsp;Photo office of Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes </figcaption>
 </figure>PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Legislature devolved into shouts of “Shame! Shame!” on Wednesday as Republican lawmakers quickly shut down discussion on a proposed repeal of the state's newly revived 1864 law that criminalizes abortion throughout pregnancy unless a woman’s life is at risk.The state Supreme Court cleared the way on Tuesday for enforcement of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-abortion-ban-what-to-know-797a4bbbc738497fe2284d6870c5be24">pre-statehood law</a>. Arizona abortion providers vowed Wednesday to continue service until they're forced to stop, possibly within weeks.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Did Arizona go too far?&quot; Former President Trump: &quot;Yeah, they did. That&#39;ll be straightened out. As you know it&#39;s all about state&#39;s rights. It&#39;ll be straightened out. I&#39;m sure that the governor and everybody else are going bring it back to within reason...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Dc9qluxemc">pic.twitter.com/Dc9qluxemc</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1778092841484333298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>State legislators convened as pressure mounted from Democrats and some Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, for them to intervene.House Democrats and at least one Republican tried to open discussion on a repeal of the 1864 abortion ban, which holds no exceptions for rape or incest. GOP leaders, who command the majority, cut it off twice and quickly adjourned for the week. Outraged Democrats erupted in finger-waving chants of “Shame! Shame!”Republican state Rep. Teresa Martinez, of Casa Grande, said there was no reason to rush the debate. She accused Democrats of “screaming at us and engaging in extremist and insurrectionist behavior on the House floor.” The GOP-led Senate briefly convened without debate on abortion.“We are navigating an extremely complex, emotional and important area of law and policy," said Martinez, the GOP House whip. "In my opinion, removing healthy babies from healthy mothers is not health care nor reproductive care. Pregnancy is not an illness. It should be celebrated. It is an abortion that terminates life.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712795710185.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Democratic legislators seized on national interest in the state's abortion ban.“We’ve got the eyes of the world watching Arizona right now,” said Democratic state Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, of Tucson. “We know that the Supreme Court decision yesterday is extreme. And we know that should the 1864 ban on abortion remain a law in Arizona, people will die.”Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs called inaction on the proposed repeal unconscionable.“Radical legislators protected a Civil War-era total abortion ban that jails doctors, strips women of our bodily autonomy and puts our lives at risk,” she said.Three Republican legislators openly oppose the ban, including state Rep. Matt Gress, of Phoenix, who made a motion Wednesday to repeal the law. In a statement, he said the near-total ban “is not reflective of the values of the vast majority of our electorate, regardless of political affiliation. ... This issue transcends all.”According to AP VoteCast, 6 out of 10 Arizona voters in the 2022 midterm elections said they would favor guaranteeing legal abortion nationwide. The state recorded 11,530 abortions in 2022, the last data available, according to the Department of Health Services.At Camelback Family Planning in Phoenix, where about one-fourth of Arizona abortions are performed, registered nurse Ashleigh Feiring said abortion services were still available and that staff hope emergency legislation will avoid interruptions or closure.“Our plan is to stay open as long as possible,” Feiring said. “Our clinic has been shut down twice in the last four years, but we’ve always resumed service.”At the same time, anti-abortion groups including SBA Pro-Life America urged Arizona residents to oppose a proposed ballot initiative aimed at placing abortion rights in Arizona’s state constitution.“They would wipe away all pro-life laws put in place by the Legislature, reflective of the will of the people," SBA President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a statement.Hobbs, however, predicted that outrage will motivate voters to enshrine abortion rights directly in state law.“The fight is not over, for sure” she said.Grace Harders drove around metro Phoenix on Wednesday looking for an opportunity to sign an abortion rights petition. She said she wouldn’t know what to do if she had an unplanned pregnancy but knew she’d be scared.“I’m a pro-choice person, and I want to ensure the right for all women,” Harders said.Abortion rights advocates said they’ve gathered more than 500,000 signatures for the petition from the Arizona for Abortion Access campaign — far above what they need to add a ballot question asking voters to approve a constitutional amendment protecting the right to abortion until viability, when a fetus could survive outside the womb.Arriving for a campaign fundraiser in Atlanta, Trump said the Arizona court decision went too far and called on state lawmakers to change it even as he defended the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 ruling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturning of Roe v. Wade</a>.“It’s all about states’ rights,” the former president told supporters and journalists. “It’ll be straightened out.”Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, most Republican-controlled states have started enforcing new bans or restrictions, and most Democratic-dominated ones have sought to protect abortion access. Additionally, voters have sided with abortion rights supporters on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ban-ballot-arkansas-rights-43594a834f01473b1bd13562ecaec555">statewide ballot measures</a>&nbsp;in California, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Ohio and Vermont.The Arizona ruling suggests doctors can be prosecuted for performing the procedure. The 1864 law carries a sentence of two to five years in prison for doctors or anyone else who assists in an abortion.“Physicians are now on notice that all abortions, except those necessary to save a woman’s life, are illegal,” the Arizona Supreme Court said in its decision, adding that additional criminal and regulatory sanctions may apply to abortions performed after 15 weeks, the state's previous time limit for the procedure.Beyond that, the court ruling also ignited concern that enforcement might interfere with handling miscarriages.Enforcing the 1864 law won’t begin for at least two weeks. However, plaintiffs in the case — including Planned Parenthood — said the delay could last up to two months, based on an agreement reached in a related case.Planned Parenthood has said it will offer abortion services up to 15 weeks of pregnancy for at least two more months, in line with an agreement in the related case.

🎥Fight continues over Arizona's revived 1864 abortion law

Nebraska lawmakers are on track to pass a bill that would circumvent an upcoming ballot initiative in which voters could repeal a new state law that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/private-school-scholarships-nebraska-taxpayers-c7be118aa5a43b3ebc2da82aacaa4e29">funds private school tuition with taxpayer money</a>.

Margery BeckAssociated PressNebraska lawmakers are on track to pass a bill that would circumvent an upcoming ballot initiative in which voters could repeal a new state law that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/private-school-scholarships-nebraska-taxpayers-c7be118aa5a43b3ebc2da82aacaa4e29">funds private school tuition with taxpayer money</a>.The bill from Omaha Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, the author of last year's Opportunity Scholarships Act, advanced Tuesday from the first of three rounds of debate. It would change the way the private school scholarships, enacted last year, are funded.The law passed last year by Nebraska's officially nonpartisan Legislature did not appropriate taxpayer dollars directly to private school tuition. Instead, it allowed businesses and individuals to donate as much as $100,000 per year of their owed state income tax to nonprofit organizations that award private school tuition scholarships. Estates and trusts could donate as much as $1 million a year. That dollar-for-dollar tax credit is money that would otherwise go into the state’s general revenue fund.The law triggered an immediate pushback from public school advocates who blasted the measure as a “school voucher scheme” that would hurt enrollment, and therefore funding, for public schools and would allow taxpayer dollars to go to private schools that are allowed under religious tenets to discriminate against LGBTQ+ students.Those critics organized a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-diversion-private-schools-nebraska-ballot-a4c033b5e004d1ef8f3f06214c519c21">petition drive</a>&nbsp;to ask voters to repeal the law, and the drive collected far more signatures than needed to get the question on the November ballot.Acknowledging that voters might reject the new law, Linehan, a Republican, is now pushing a bill that would directly fund the private school scholarships from state coffers, thereby rendering moot any vote on a repeal of last year's law. The move drew renewed protests from opponents.Jenni Benson, president of the state's largest teachers union and a leader of the petition initiative, called Linehan's new bill “a slap in the face to the 117,415 Nebraskans who signed the successful referendum petition to have voters decide the issue on the November ballot.”Some lawmakers said Linehan's new bill violates the Nebraska Constitution, which explicitly forbids the appropriation of public funds to nonpublic schools. Linehan countered that direct funding is allowed under a 1984 Nebraska Supreme Court ruling that allowed state funds to be used for scholarships at either public or private colleges.“The voters deserve an opportunity to be heard on this,” Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh, a Democrat, said Tuesday during debate. “I disagree with the idea that we’re going to interject ourselves between the petition process and the voters before they have their opportunity to be heard.”Linehan's effort to rejigger the bill has not been without struggle. She drastically lowered the amount allocated in last year's measure using tax credits, which had allotted $25 million this year and in 2025, and up to $100 million annually thereafter to cover such donations. She dropped that amount to $10 million a year, with no escalation in the future, in an effort to secure more votes.She got just enough votes to end a filibuster and advance the bill Tuesday night. It's set to go through a second round of debate Wednesday. There are only three days left in this session for the bill to pass.