<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/24/pillen-promotes-property-tax-plan-to-nebraska-school-leaders/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

KEARNEY — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen spent the morning before his special session on property tax relief pitching his proposal for the state takeover of K-12 funding to an audience that might not embrace it: school administrators.&nbsp;

District superintendents and school leaders gathered in Kearney this week for an administrators conference. Wednesday focused on the Nebraska Department of Education’s goals for the coming school year, including improving reading instruction.

State Education Commissioner Brian Maher said he shortened his speech to make room for Pillen’s pitch, a last-minute change the governor requested. Pillen spent the half-hour touting the proposal’s benefits for the group, emphasizing budget stability.

He said superintendents and school board members have told him about their difficulties planning school budgets based on how much property valuations change year-to-year and how those changes shift what the state aid funding formula provides.

“Let’s take the funding equation and the nonsense that is going on with how we’re doing it, and let’s fix it now,” Pillen said, drawing polite applause. “So that education, so that we never have to worry about where we’re at and what we’re doing.”

Pillen said his proposal and its spending caps, which have yet to be released in bill form, would fund districts at the level local school boards lock in this year. He said the state would fund annual spending increases of 3%, plus more if the district shows population growth.

His pitch reached back to his discussions with superintendents during the 2023 formation of the state’s $1 billion Education Future Fund. He said many superintendents told him they could meet the needs of Nebraska students better if they could plan on 3% increases.

“Our commitment for education is 3 percent growth every year,” Pillen said.&nbsp;

In an interview after the speech, Pillen said his goal was to communicate the importance of property tax relief and show that it can be provided without risking school resources. He wants school supporters to know “nothing goes backwards.”

Maher, in his speech, said he and the governor talked Tuesday and the governor asked him what he was hearing from people in education. He said he offered Pillen the chance to speak, not to sway them but because he had “1,200 very interested educators.”

Several of those attending declined to comment after the speech, citing fears of angering the governor and their school boards.

Some said they didn’t know whether to trust the state.&nbsp;Two pointed to the Education Future Fund as an example. Pillen has said he proposed the fund to offset property taxes by providing a baseline of state aid for school districts that received little or no state aid and by helping fund more of special education costs.

The state teachers union and others have argued that the state would raid the fund as soon as it needed money. In his talk Wednesday, Pillen did not mention that his proposal to offset property taxes relies on draining the Future Fund.&nbsp;

Asked this week about that choice, he said the state would commit instead to spending $200 million to $250 million a year to cover the baseline aid and special ed costs in a direct appropriation. He also said the state would be a more reliable partner to schools and local governments.

He repeated a line he has said often during the town halls he hosted on property taxes, that he won’t let the state “quit on kids.” He said it was unacceptable that the state portion of school funding in Nebraska ranked 49th out of 50 states.

His speech took direct aim at school boards and school spending decisions being made at the local level, saying the votes of three and six people “don’t work in Nebraska.” He said “votes of the people” are the “greatest form of local control.”&nbsp;

It was his only reference to the most controversial part of his proposal among school leaders, the idea that passage of any bond issue for building repairs and new school buildings might require the approval of 60% of the district’s voters instead of 50%.

School administrators have argued that requiring such a high bar means more of their buildings will fall into disrepair, risks increasing the long-term local costs of maintenance and makes it much more difficult for growing districts to meet space demands.

Under Pillen’s proposal, the state would take over most school funding, leaving building and bond costs to be paid for using property taxes. He called his approach a 25-year plan. He hasn’t said how the state aid formula would change, but said it would be addressed in a later legislative session.

Much of his plan would be paid for by redirecting funds earmarked for existing property tax relief programs and by expanding the number of purchased goods and services subject to the state sales tax.&nbsp;

The Nebraska Association of School Boards has declined to comment on Pillen’s proposal until it can read it. It has argued the need for budget stability and local control, saying that its members will be held accountable for local schools.

Many of the proposal’s detractors have argued that all but the state’s largest business owners and land barons risk paying more in new sales taxes than they would save on their homes. Renters could be hit especially hard, advocates say.

Proponents of Pillen’s proposal have scoffed at calling his plan a tax shift, pointing to staff-built charts that show the state would eventually collect less in combined taxes once the measures are fully implemented, three years later.&nbsp;

The Nebraska State Education Association, which represents the state’s public school teachers, has argued that a state takeover of K-12 funding poses risks to local control, including how much communities choose to spend on their schools and teachers.

Tim Royers, incoming president of the NSEA, said there is no way the state can assume more control of school finance without also assuming more influence over contract negotiations with local teachers and ultimately their pay. He said teacher retention could suffer.&nbsp;

“We certainly have talked in the past about rebalancing the percentage of school funding between the state and local level, but this is throwing the baby out with the bathwater,” Royers said. “This isn’t rebalancing. This is just … the leap.”

Nebraska Examiner reporter Zach Wendling contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721920569123.jpeg" alt="Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen addresses a conference of school administrators in Kearney on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, the day before a special session on property tax relief. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen addresses a conference of school administrators in Kearney on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, the day before a special session on property tax relief. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/24/pillen-promotes-property-tax-plan-to-nebraska-school-leaders/">Nebraska Examiner</a>KEARNEY — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen spent the morning before his special session on property tax relief pitching his proposal for the state takeover of K-12 funding to an audience that might not embrace it: school administrators.&nbsp;District superintendents and school leaders gathered in Kearney this week for an administrators conference. Wednesday focused on the Nebraska Department of Education’s goals for the coming school year, including improving reading instruction.State Education Commissioner Brian Maher said he shortened his speech to make room for Pillen’s pitch, a last-minute change the governor requested. Pillen spent the half-hour touting the proposal’s benefits for the group, emphasizing budget stability.He said superintendents and school board members have told him about their difficulties planning school budgets based on how much property valuations change year-to-year and how those changes shift what the state aid funding formula provides.“Let’s take the funding equation and the nonsense that is going on with how we’re doing it, and let’s fix it now,” Pillen said, drawing polite applause. “So that education, so that we never have to worry about where we’re at and what we’re doing.”<h2>Pillen talks spending lids</h2>Pillen said his proposal and its spending caps, which have yet to be released in bill form, would fund districts at the level local school boards lock in this year. He said the state would fund annual spending increases of 3%, plus more if the district shows population growth.His pitch reached back to his discussions with superintendents during the 2023 formation of the state’s $1 billion Education Future Fund. He said many superintendents told him they could meet the needs of Nebraska students better if they could plan on 3% increases.“Our commitment for education is 3 percent growth every year,” Pillen said.&nbsp;In an interview after the speech, Pillen said his goal was to communicate the importance of property tax relief and show that it can be provided without risking school resources. He wants school supporters to know “nothing goes backwards.”Maher, in his speech, said he and the governor talked Tuesday and the governor asked him what he was hearing from people in education. He said he offered Pillen the chance to speak, not to sway them but because he had “1,200 very interested educators.”<h2>Should state be trusted?</h2>Several of those attending declined to comment after the speech, citing fears of angering the governor and their school boards.Some said they didn’t know whether to trust the state.&nbsp;Two pointed to the Education Future Fund as an example. Pillen has said he proposed the fund to offset property taxes by providing a baseline of state aid for school districts that received little or no state aid and by helping fund more of special education costs.The state teachers union and others have argued that the state would raid the fund as soon as it needed money. In his talk Wednesday, Pillen did not mention that his proposal to offset property taxes relies on draining the Future Fund.&nbsp;Asked this week about that choice, he said the state would commit instead to spending $200 million to $250 million a year to cover the baseline aid and special ed costs in a direct appropriation. He also said the state would be a more reliable partner to schools and local governments.He repeated a line he has said often during the town halls he hosted on property taxes, that he won’t let the state “quit on kids.” He said it was unacceptable that the state portion of school funding in Nebraska ranked 49th out of 50 states.<h2>Higher bar for bond issues</h2>His speech took direct aim at school boards and school spending decisions being made at the local level, saying the votes of three and six people “don’t work in Nebraska.” He said “votes of the people” are the “greatest form of local control.”&nbsp;It was his only reference to the most controversial part of his proposal among school leaders, the idea that passage of any bond issue for building repairs and new school buildings might require the approval of 60% of the district’s voters instead of 50%.School administrators have argued that requiring such a high bar means more of their buildings will fall into disrepair, risks increasing the long-term local costs of maintenance and makes it much more difficult for growing districts to meet space demands.Under Pillen’s proposal, the state would take over most school funding, leaving building and bond costs to be paid for using property taxes. He called his approach a 25-year plan. He hasn’t said how the state aid formula would change, but said it would be addressed in a later legislative session.<h2>Fight over who should pay more</h2>Much of his plan would be paid for by redirecting funds earmarked for existing property tax relief programs and by expanding the number of purchased goods and services subject to the state sales tax.&nbsp;The Nebraska Association of School Boards has declined to comment on Pillen’s proposal until it can read it. It has argued the need for budget stability and local control, saying that its members will be held accountable for local schools.Many of the proposal’s detractors have argued that all but the state’s largest business owners and land barons risk paying more in new sales taxes than they would save on their homes. Renters could be hit especially hard, advocates say.Proponents of Pillen’s proposal have scoffed at calling his plan a tax shift, pointing to staff-built charts that show the state would eventually collect less in combined taxes once the measures are fully implemented, three years later.&nbsp;<h2>Questions about local control&nbsp;</h2>The Nebraska State Education Association, which represents the state’s public school teachers, has argued that a state takeover of K-12 funding poses risks to local control, including how much communities choose to spend on their schools and teachers.Tim Royers, incoming president of the NSEA, said there is no way the state can assume more control of school finance without also assuming more influence over contract negotiations with local teachers and ultimately their pay. He said teacher retention could suffer.&nbsp;“We certainly have talked in the past about rebalancing the percentage of school funding between the state and local level, but this is throwing the baby out with the bathwater,” Royers said. “This isn’t rebalancing. This is just … the leap.”Nebraska Examiner reporter Zach Wendling contributed to this report.

Pillen promotes property tax plan to Nebraska school leaders

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. –&nbsp;NORAD detected, tracked, and intercepted two Russian TU-95 and two People's Republic of China H-6 military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Wednesday, according to a statement from the&nbsp;North American Aerospace Defense Command.&nbsp;

 NORAD fighter jets from the United States and Canada conducted the intercept.

The Russian and Chinese aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace.

&nbsp;In February, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked four Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone three times over four days.

The presence of Chinese aircraft is a new development.

An ADIZ begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security.

&nbsp;"NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America."

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. –&nbsp;NORAD detected, tracked, and intercepted two Russian TU-95 and two People's Republic of China H-6 military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Wednesday, according to a statement from the&nbsp;North American Aerospace Defense Command.&nbsp; NORAD fighter jets from the United States and Canada conducted the intercept.The Russian and Chinese aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace.&nbsp;In February, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked four Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone three times over four days.The presence of Chinese aircraft is a new development.An ADIZ begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security.&nbsp;"NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America."

U.S. Fighter jets intercept Chinese, Russian bombers near Alaska

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/23/we-are-not-his-slaves-lawmakers-demand-respect-before-a-property-tax-special-session/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers blasted Gov. Jim Pillen on Tuesday night for his “blatant disrespect” to the Legislature in not yet formally calling a special session to address what many have called the state’s property tax “crisis.”

Pillen has said for a month that he intends to call senators back to Lincoln this Thursday to iron out property tax relief ideas. Most recently, he has said the “<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/22/gov-pillen-clarifies-property-tax-relief-plan-as-special-session-nears/">Nebraska Plan</a>” he’s worked on throughout the summer would result in major savings to taxpayers, with up to 50% savings in property taxes for the average Nebraskan. Many senators have questioned whether that would be the case or if property tax savings would be undercut by a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/18/gov-pillen-releases-nebraskas-plan-for-property-tax-relief-with-few-new-concrete-details/">broadened sales tax base</a>.

Lawmakers were unsuccessful in passing a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/18/stunning-last-minute-defeat-for-pillen-tax-shift-bill-likely-ensures-special-session/">previous Pillen-backed property tax plan</a>&nbsp;during the regular legislative session, which ended April 18, so Pillen immediately pivoted to a special session for the summer. However, he hasn’t yet issued a proclamation to do so, as he is required to do under the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/articles.php?article=IV-8" target="_blank">Nebraska Constitution</a>.&nbsp;

That document must specify when lawmakers are to return to Lincoln and for which topics legislation can be introduced.

State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha wrote in an email to all 48 of his colleagues shortly after 7 p.m. Tuesday that state government is composed of three independent branches, which should respect each other’s roles.&nbsp;

But with fewer than 48 hours until a special session, Wayne said, lawmakers didn’t have the necessary information to do their jobs.

“I am compelled to express my profound disappointment and frustration with the Governor’s blatant disrespect in failing to call a special session in a timely and responsible manner,” Wayne wrote.

“We are not his slaves to be summoned at his whim,” Wayne continued. “We have families and lives, and this lack of consideration is unacceptable.”

Wayne said that to solve the problem of rising property taxes, lawmakers must ensure they can collaborate effectively. He and other lawmakers, such as State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar, have voiced concern that Pillen’s proclamation could exclude ideas they’re working on to overhaul the state’s tax system.

Among those are ideas to legalize and tax online sports betting or marijuana sales, which Wayne said he is considering bringing.

Slama has said she’s working on legislation but declined to share details.

Multiple senators have confirmed to the Nebraska Examiner that dozens of bills — more than 80 — are being prepped by legislative staff ahead of the special session.

Pillen first issued a “<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/17/nebraska-gov-pillen-issues-save-the-date-for-special-session-on-property-taxes/">save-the-date</a>” on June 17 for the special session, to be held between July 26 and Aug. 15. A week later, he landed on July 25 as the starting date, and Speaker John Arch of La Vista offered a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/25/property-tax-special-session-likely-to-begin-july-25-speaker-arch-offers-schedule/">suggested schedule</a>&nbsp;for the special session.

Under that schedule, lawmakers would introduce bills within the scope of Pillen’s call for three straight days this week, Thursday through Saturday. No bills could be introduced after that, per&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/Current/PDF/Rules/RuleBook.pdf" target="_blank">legislative rules</a>.

Full-day hearings would start next Monday on the bills introduced.

“This issue of property tax has been something we’ve been working on for a long time, and not this session of the Legislature, but for a long time,” Arch said.

Wayne, chair of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee, said that during regular legislative sessions, committee chairs provide a “basic level of respect” by working with other lawmakers to schedule hearings. Wayne said Arch also helps in providing advanced notice of daily agendas.

Regardless of if or when Pillen formally calls a special session, Wayne said, lawmakers should demand a week’s notice before a special session begins and otherwise should adjourn “sine die.” Such a vote requires a simple majority of those present to pass. If successful, it would send lawmakers home unless the governor chose to issue another call for a special session at a later date.

It’s unclear how many lawmakers will attend the first day of the session. Arch has been contacting lawmakers to ensure that at least 25 of the 49 senators show up to meet quorum.

Since 1940, considering&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/pdf/bluebook/bluebook_2022.pdf" target="_blank">36 special sessions</a>&nbsp;for the Unicameral, Nebraska governors have, on average, given at least seven days’ notice between when a proclamation is issued and the time senators are called to meet in Lincoln, according to the Legislature’s records.&nbsp;

Previous governors called lawmakers back just one day after issuing the proclamation three times: Gov. Bob Kerrey, in 1988, and Gov. Val Peterson, for two special sessions in 1952. Gov. Kay Orr gave the longest notice in 1988, at 37 days.

Former Gov. Pete Ricketts gave 17 days’ notice before the 2021 special session on redistricting; Gov. Dave Heinemann gave one week’s notice before a 2011 special session on oil pipelines.

“If that is too daunting for some,” Wayne continued, he suggested lawmakers should meet Thursday but at least recess until Aug. 1, giving senators one week to draft bills within the scope of the session.

“It is time we assert our independence and demand the respect we deserve,” Wayne said.

Arch agreed that any special session is a “serious sacrifice” for many senators who must earn a living outside of their elected duties as “citizen legislators” with annual salaries of $12,000.

Wayne, an attorney, noted that his trials and court hearings can’t proceed until an official “call” has been sent.

“He has points in what he brings out,” Arch said of Wayne.

Arch said lawmakers will “wait and see” for the proclamation, though they shouldn’t anticipate that the topics they’re working on related to property taxes will be excluded. Senators will police themselves in determining what is within the scope of the session, Arch previously told the Examiner.

Asked about Wayne’s suggested schedule, Arch left the door open. He wants to see what Pillen’s proclamation contains and what bills are introduced. He also wants to consider how any schedule change could further disrupt lawmakers’ lives.

“The further you push this out, the more weeks are impacted. We’ll have to make that call,” he said.

Arch described Pillen’s outlined property tax proposal as a “framework” that doesn’t have all the details and said that will certainly be part of the discussion in solving “the property tax crisis.”

The speaker said many Legislatures have come up to the plate to address that crisis but backed away because reforms always involve “very politically difficult decisions.”

“Decisions that affect a large number of people that, unless you see the big picture, and if you’re only focusing on one piece of the plan and not the whole picture, it’s just very different,” Arch said. “It’s just very easy to just say, ‘No. No, that’s a bad idea.’”

But put together, Arch said, the ideas could provide a way forward.

“Maybe we can come together and have some significant impact,” he continued.

State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard was among a handful of lawmakers to voice support for Wayne’s suggestions, adding that “perhaps after Labor Day” would work to reconvene.

State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha thanked Wayne “for expressing so clearly what many are feeling.” She led a group of lawmakers in hosting public listening sessions in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/21/overflow-crowd-turns-out-for-lawmaker-led-omaha-event-on-pillen-plan-property-tax-relief/">Omaha and Lincoln</a>&nbsp;last Sunday and Monday after Pillen hosted town halls in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/13/gov-pillens-property-tax-tour-across-nebraska-didnt-lead-to-feedback-for-many-lawmakers/">26 smaller cities</a>&nbsp;across the state.

“I would welcome the opportunity to adjourn after the first day until such time that our deliberative body had appropriate notice for undertaking a special session,” Cavanaugh wrote.

Slama said she “entirely” agreed with Wayne and said the “lack of transparency and timeliness” had “compromised the integrity of the Legislature as a co-equal branch of government.”

“It is incumbent upon Speaker Arch, as the leader of this branch of government, to demand the minimal level of respect of having enough time to draft bills to properly conduct the special session,” Slama wrote back. “The integrity of the institution depends on it.”

State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, who has served in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/30/property-tax-special-session-could-be-among-costliest-in-nebraska-history/">three special sessions</a>&nbsp;during her tenure, said the governor is “well within his legal right” to delay calling the session until the last possible moment, though it might not be a “recipe for success.”

She cautioned that now is not the time for “creative procedural distractions” that, while important, could reflect poorly on the institution.&nbsp;

Conrad said procedural options should remain on the table for the future but told her colleagues they shouldn’t back away from a plan that she believes “will collapse naturally under its own weight when subjected to public analysis and engagement.”

“I look forward to the opportunity to demonstrate that indeed our Founders were right to be skeptical of an all powerful Executive and democracy should remain inconvenient to bad ideas.”

Pillen’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the emails.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721844484088.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha. Feb. 22, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha. Feb. 22, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/23/we-are-not-his-slaves-lawmakers-demand-respect-before-a-property-tax-special-session/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers blasted Gov. Jim Pillen on Tuesday night for his “blatant disrespect” to the Legislature in not yet formally calling a special session to address what many have called the state’s property tax “crisis.”Pillen has said for a month that he intends to call senators back to Lincoln this Thursday to iron out property tax relief ideas. Most recently, he has said the “<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/22/gov-pillen-clarifies-property-tax-relief-plan-as-special-session-nears/">Nebraska Plan</a>” he’s worked on throughout the summer would result in major savings to taxpayers, with up to 50% savings in property taxes for the average Nebraskan. Many senators have questioned whether that would be the case or if property tax savings would be undercut by a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/18/gov-pillen-releases-nebraskas-plan-for-property-tax-relief-with-few-new-concrete-details/">broadened sales tax base</a>.Lawmakers were unsuccessful in passing a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/18/stunning-last-minute-defeat-for-pillen-tax-shift-bill-likely-ensures-special-session/">previous Pillen-backed property tax plan</a>&nbsp;during the regular legislative session, which ended April 18, so Pillen immediately pivoted to a special session for the summer. However, he hasn’t yet issued a proclamation to do so, as he is required to do under the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/articles.php?article=IV-8" target="_blank">Nebraska Constitution</a>.&nbsp;That document must specify when lawmakers are to return to Lincoln and for which topics legislation can be introduced.<h2>‘We are not his slaves’</h2>State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha wrote in an email to all 48 of his colleagues shortly after 7 p.m. Tuesday that state government is composed of three independent branches, which should respect each other’s roles.&nbsp;But with fewer than 48 hours until a special session, Wayne said, lawmakers didn’t have the necessary information to do their jobs.“I am compelled to express my profound disappointment and frustration with the Governor’s blatant disrespect in failing to call a special session in a timely and responsible manner,” Wayne wrote.“We are not his slaves to be summoned at his whim,” Wayne continued. “We have families and lives, and this lack of consideration is unacceptable.”Wayne said that to solve the problem of rising property taxes, lawmakers must ensure they can collaborate effectively. He and other lawmakers, such as State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar, have voiced concern that Pillen’s proclamation could exclude ideas they’re working on to overhaul the state’s tax system.Among those are ideas to legalize and tax online sports betting or marijuana sales, which Wayne said he is considering bringing.Slama has said she’s working on legislation but declined to share details.Multiple senators have confirmed to the Nebraska Examiner that dozens of bills — more than 80 — are being prepped by legislative staff ahead of the special session.<h2>Special session schedule</h2>Pillen first issued a “<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/17/nebraska-gov-pillen-issues-save-the-date-for-special-session-on-property-taxes/">save-the-date</a>” on June 17 for the special session, to be held between July 26 and Aug. 15. A week later, he landed on July 25 as the starting date, and Speaker John Arch of La Vista offered a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/25/property-tax-special-session-likely-to-begin-july-25-speaker-arch-offers-schedule/">suggested schedule</a>&nbsp;for the special session.Under that schedule, lawmakers would introduce bills within the scope of Pillen’s call for three straight days this week, Thursday through Saturday. No bills could be introduced after that, per&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/Current/PDF/Rules/RuleBook.pdf" target="_blank">legislative rules</a>.Full-day hearings would start next Monday on the bills introduced.“This issue of property tax has been something we’ve been working on for a long time, and not this session of the Legislature, but for a long time,” Arch said.Wayne, chair of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee, said that during regular legislative sessions, committee chairs provide a “basic level of respect” by working with other lawmakers to schedule hearings. Wayne said Arch also helps in providing advanced notice of daily agendas.Regardless of if or when Pillen formally calls a special session, Wayne said, lawmakers should demand a week’s notice before a special session begins and otherwise should adjourn “sine die.” Such a vote requires a simple majority of those present to pass. If successful, it would send lawmakers home unless the governor chose to issue another call for a special session at a later date.It’s unclear how many lawmakers will attend the first day of the session. Arch has been contacting lawmakers to ensure that at least 25 of the 49 senators show up to meet quorum.<h2>Previous special sessions</h2>Since 1940, considering&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/pdf/bluebook/bluebook_2022.pdf" target="_blank">36 special sessions</a>&nbsp;for the Unicameral, Nebraska governors have, on average, given at least seven days’ notice between when a proclamation is issued and the time senators are called to meet in Lincoln, according to the Legislature’s records.&nbsp;Previous governors called lawmakers back just one day after issuing the proclamation three times: Gov. Bob Kerrey, in 1988, and Gov. Val Peterson, for two special sessions in 1952. Gov. Kay Orr gave the longest notice in 1988, at 37 days.Former Gov. Pete Ricketts gave 17 days’ notice before the 2021 special session on redistricting; Gov. Dave Heinemann gave one week’s notice before a 2011 special session on oil pipelines.“If that is too daunting for some,” Wayne continued, he suggested lawmakers should meet Thursday but at least recess until Aug. 1, giving senators one week to draft bills within the scope of the session.“It is time we assert our independence and demand the respect we deserve,” Wayne said.<h2>Speaker leaves scheduling door open</h2>Arch agreed that any special session is a “serious sacrifice” for many senators who must earn a living outside of their elected duties as “citizen legislators” with annual salaries of $12,000.Wayne, an attorney, noted that his trials and court hearings can’t proceed until an official “call” has been sent.“He has points in what he brings out,” Arch said of Wayne.Arch said lawmakers will “wait and see” for the proclamation, though they shouldn’t anticipate that the topics they’re working on related to property taxes will be excluded. Senators will police themselves in determining what is within the scope of the session, Arch previously told the Examiner.Asked about Wayne’s suggested schedule, Arch left the door open. He wants to see what Pillen’s proclamation contains and what bills are introduced. He also wants to consider how any schedule change could further disrupt lawmakers’ lives.“The further you push this out, the more weeks are impacted. We’ll have to make that call,” he said.Arch described Pillen’s outlined property tax proposal as a “framework” that doesn’t have all the details and said that will certainly be part of the discussion in solving “the property tax crisis.”The speaker said many Legislatures have come up to the plate to address that crisis but backed away because reforms always involve “very politically difficult decisions.”“Decisions that affect a large number of people that, unless you see the big picture, and if you’re only focusing on one piece of the plan and not the whole picture, it’s just very different,” Arch said. “It’s just very easy to just say, ‘No. No, that’s a bad idea.’”But put together, Arch said, the ideas could provide a way forward.“Maybe we can come together and have some significant impact,” he continued.<h2>Lawmakers echo criticisms</h2>State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard was among a handful of lawmakers to voice support for Wayne’s suggestions, adding that “perhaps after Labor Day” would work to reconvene.State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha thanked Wayne “for expressing so clearly what many are feeling.” She led a group of lawmakers in hosting public listening sessions in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/21/overflow-crowd-turns-out-for-lawmaker-led-omaha-event-on-pillen-plan-property-tax-relief/">Omaha and Lincoln</a>&nbsp;last Sunday and Monday after Pillen hosted town halls in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/13/gov-pillens-property-tax-tour-across-nebraska-didnt-lead-to-feedback-for-many-lawmakers/">26 smaller cities</a>&nbsp;across the state.“I would welcome the opportunity to adjourn after the first day until such time that our deliberative body had appropriate notice for undertaking a special session,” Cavanaugh wrote.Slama said she “entirely” agreed with Wayne and said the “lack of transparency and timeliness” had “compromised the integrity of the Legislature as a co-equal branch of government.”“It is incumbent upon Speaker Arch, as the leader of this branch of government, to demand the minimal level of respect of having enough time to draft bills to properly conduct the special session,” Slama wrote back. “The integrity of the institution depends on it.”State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, who has served in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/30/property-tax-special-session-could-be-among-costliest-in-nebraska-history/">three special sessions</a>&nbsp;during her tenure, said the governor is “well within his legal right” to delay calling the session until the last possible moment, though it might not be a “recipe for success.”She cautioned that now is not the time for “creative procedural distractions” that, while important, could reflect poorly on the institution.&nbsp;Conrad said procedural options should remain on the table for the future but told her colleagues they shouldn’t back away from a plan that she believes “will collapse naturally under its own weight when subjected to public analysis and engagement.”“I look forward to the opportunity to demonstrate that indeed our Founders were right to be skeptical of an all powerful Executive and democracy should remain inconvenient to bad ideas.”Pillen’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the emails.

‘We are not his slaves’: Lawmakers demand respect before a property tax special session

WASHINGTON —&nbsp;&nbsp;President Joe Biden&nbsp;on Wednesday tried to explain in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and to throw his support behind&nbsp;Vice President Kamala Harris.

WASHINGTON —&nbsp;&nbsp;President Joe Biden&nbsp;on Wednesday tried to explain in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and to throw his support behind&nbsp;Vice President Kamala Harris.(click below to watch the address)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/93T8biDlaBc?si=HkDNw-9oDSzeYZ0E" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

🎥History: President Biden explains why he did not seek reelection

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/new-nebraska-law-connects-911-operators-with-988-suicide-prevention-line/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;Two years after the nation adopted a three-digit suicide prevention line, a new Nebraska law will offer clear interface between mental health and other emergency providers.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://988lifeline.org/" target="_blank">988 number</a>&nbsp;was established in July 2022 as a nationwide, 24/7 suicide prevention line, which is available to anyone experiencing a mental health-related crisis. The prevention line “serves Nebraskans from all walks of life” and connects them to free, trained, confidential care and support, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

Call volume increased in the second year, between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, by 22.5% from the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-dhhs-commemorates-first-year-of-988-suicide-crisis-lifeline/">previous fiscal year</a>, to 22,409 calls.

Before implementation in 2022, the Boys Town National Hotline in Omaha was the call center for the Suicide Prevention Hotline. It now handles 988 calls as well as the Nebraska Family Helpline.

“988 is an impactful mental health resource to Nebraska and across our nation,” said Tony Green, interim director of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services’s Division of Behavioral Health “No situation is too tough, complex or far gone for you to reach out for help. Remember you are not alone, help is available and effective.”

Approximately 94% of calls received through the prevention line are being deescalated and managed by Boys Town crisis counselors without activating a Mobile Crisis Response Team according to DHHS. About 1.04% of calls resulted in activation of those teams, the department added, which are available statewide and can assist in person, via telehealth or over the phone.

A new state law that took effect Friday authorized DHHS and the Public Service Commission to ensure 988 can route calls to or receive calls from 911 service operators.

In most instances before, 988 could direct calls to 911, but the reverse wasn’t the same. The&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=54752" target="_blank">legislation</a>, brought by State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha, was included in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55163" target="_blank">Legislative Bill 1200</a>&nbsp;this spring.

“This helps ensure Nebraskans in crisis are getting the right services for their circumstances,” Fredrickson said in a text.

The DHHS news release said the department already helped pilot 911-988 connections earlier this year. In March, DHHS collaborated with the Lincoln Emergency Communications Center. And on July 11, Sarpy County launched as a 911-988 partnership pilot site.

“These pilot programs are a vital component to link Nebraskans with community-based services to effectively reduce the reliance on law enforcement and hospital services during mental health crises,” the news release states.

A spokesperson for DHHS said the department will establish pilot sites in each of the state’s&nbsp;<a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/BHSchoolResources/AboutDBH.pdf" target="_blank">six behavioral health regions</a>&nbsp;to test protocols in urban, rural and frontier areas of Nebraska. The outcomes will be used to better expand 911-988 interoperability statewide and with the Public Service Commission.

Additional 911-related legislation from Fredrickson and State Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, passed in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55181" target="_blank">LB 1031</a>, will speed up the transition to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55328" target="_blank">next-generation 911 services</a>&nbsp;and require the Public Service Commission to host public hearings within 90 days of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55544" target="_blank">911 service outages</a>.

The department recommends these numbers for individuals or their loved ones in times of crisis:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721846372478.jpeg" alt=" State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha testifies before the Health and Human Services Committee on Sept. 20, 2023, in Lincoln. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha testifies before the Health and Human Services Committee on Sept. 20, 2023, in Lincoln. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/new-nebraska-law-connects-911-operators-with-988-suicide-prevention-line/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;Two years after the nation adopted a three-digit suicide prevention line, a new Nebraska law will offer clear interface between mental health and other emergency providers.The&nbsp;<a href="https://988lifeline.org/" target="_blank">988 number</a>&nbsp;was established in July 2022 as a nationwide, 24/7 suicide prevention line, which is available to anyone experiencing a mental health-related crisis. The prevention line “serves Nebraskans from all walks of life” and connects them to free, trained, confidential care and support, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.Call volume increased in the second year, between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, by 22.5% from the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-dhhs-commemorates-first-year-of-988-suicide-crisis-lifeline/">previous fiscal year</a>, to 22,409 calls.Before implementation in 2022, the Boys Town National Hotline in Omaha was the call center for the Suicide Prevention Hotline. It now handles 988 calls as well as the Nebraska Family Helpline.“988 is an impactful mental health resource to Nebraska and across our nation,” said Tony Green, interim director of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services’s Division of Behavioral Health “No situation is too tough, complex or far gone for you to reach out for help. Remember you are not alone, help is available and effective.”Approximately 94% of calls received through the prevention line are being deescalated and managed by Boys Town crisis counselors without activating a Mobile Crisis Response Team according to DHHS. About 1.04% of calls resulted in activation of those teams, the department added, which are available statewide and can assist in person, via telehealth or over the phone.<h2>988-911 connectivity</h2>A new state law that took effect Friday authorized DHHS and the Public Service Commission to ensure 988 can route calls to or receive calls from 911 service operators.In most instances before, 988 could direct calls to 911, but the reverse wasn’t the same. The&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=54752" target="_blank">legislation</a>, brought by State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha, was included in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55163" target="_blank">Legislative Bill 1200</a>&nbsp;this spring.“This helps ensure Nebraskans in crisis are getting the right services for their circumstances,” Fredrickson said in a text.The DHHS news release said the department already helped pilot 911-988 connections earlier this year. In March, DHHS collaborated with the Lincoln Emergency Communications Center. And on July 11, Sarpy County launched as a 911-988 partnership pilot site.“These pilot programs are a vital component to link Nebraskans with community-based services to effectively reduce the reliance on law enforcement and hospital services during mental health crises,” the news release states.A spokesperson for DHHS said the department will establish pilot sites in each of the state’s&nbsp;<a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/BHSchoolResources/AboutDBH.pdf" target="_blank">six behavioral health regions</a>&nbsp;to test protocols in urban, rural and frontier areas of Nebraska. The outcomes will be used to better expand 911-988 interoperability statewide and with the Public Service Commission.Additional 911-related legislation from Fredrickson and State Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, passed in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55181" target="_blank">LB 1031</a>, will speed up the transition to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55328" target="_blank">next-generation 911 services</a>&nbsp;and require the Public Service Commission to host public hearings within 90 days of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55544" target="_blank">911 service outages</a>.<h2>Additional support is available</h2>The department recommends these numbers for individuals or their loved ones in times of crisis:<ul>
 <li>988 Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline — call, text or chat 988.</li><li>Local faith-based leaders, health care professionals or campus health centers.</li><li>Nebraska Family Helpline — 888-866-8660</li><li>Rural Response Hotline — 1-800-464-0258</li><li>Disaster Distress Helpline — 1-800-985-5990 (oprime dos para Español) or text TalkWithUs to 66746</li><li>National Domestic Violence Hotline — 1-800-799-7233 or text LOVEIS to 22522</li><li>National Child Abuse Hotline — call or text 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4AChild)</li><li>National Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-656-4673 (1-800-656-HOPE)</li>
 </ul>

New Nebraska law connects 911 operators with 988 suicide prevention line

Nebraska Department of Transportation

July 24, 2024 (Gering, Neb.) — Weather permitting, work will begin July 29 on the main entrance to the Bridgeport Recreation Area, according to the Nebraska Department of Transportation. 

Simon Contractors, Inc. of Scottsbluff is the prime contractor for this project. Work includes patching cracks in the roadway and a 1-inch mill and asphalt overlay. Traffic will be maintained with daytime lane closures and flaggers. Anticipated completion is two weeks. 

Motorists are reminded to drive cautiously in and near work zones, to buckle up, and to put phones down. 

Nebraska Department of TransportationJuly 24, 2024 (Gering, Neb.) — Weather permitting, work will begin July 29 on the main entrance to the Bridgeport Recreation Area, according to the Nebraska Department of Transportation. Simon Contractors, Inc. of Scottsbluff is the prime contractor for this project. Work includes patching cracks in the roadway and a 1-inch mill and asphalt overlay. Traffic will be maintained with daytime lane closures and flaggers. Anticipated completion is two weeks. Motorists are reminded to drive cautiously in and near work zones, to buckle up, and to put phones down.

Work will begin on the Bridgeport State Recreation Area road

WASHINGTON — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is speaking before a joint session of Congress as the war in Gaza continues.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?536521-1/israeli-prime-minister-delivers-speech-joint-meeting-congress">Click here to watch a replay</a>&nbsp;of the speech

Thousands of protesters are outside the Capitol to condemn the&nbsp;war in Gaza&nbsp;and the humanitarian crisis.

WASHINGTON — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is speaking before a joint session of Congress as the war in Gaza continues.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?536521-1/israeli-prime-minister-delivers-speech-joint-meeting-congress">Click here to watch a replay</a>&nbsp;of the speech<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721842486132.png" alt="Demonstrators Wednesday afternoon outside the Capitol image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Demonstrators Wednesday afternoon outside the Capitol image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Thousands of protesters are outside the Capitol to condemn the&nbsp;war in Gaza&nbsp;and the humanitarian crisis.

🎥Amid protests Israeli Prime Minister speaks before Congress

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/my-prognosis-is-incredibly-bright-nebraska-lawmaker-continues-blood-cancer-treatments/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;A Nebraska state senator said her ongoing cancer treatments of a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma have been going “very well,” and she looks forward to getting back to the statehouse.

State Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln, a first-term lawmaker in her second year in office, was diagnosed with&nbsp;<a href="https://lymphoma-action.org.uk/types-lymphoma-non-hodgkin-lymphoma/splenic-marginal-zone-lymphoma" target="_blank">splenic marginal zone lymphoma</a>&nbsp;at the beginning of the year, a rare and slow-growing type of blood cancer. She said she has a great medical team behind her as she nears what she hopes is the end of her treatments.&nbsp;

“My prognosis is incredibly bright,” Raybould told the Nebraska Examiner.

Raybould said she will have her sixth round of chemotherapy during the first week of August, which will last three days, followed by multiple days of recovery. As with other cancer treatments, Raybould’s treatment plan was determined and scheduled months in advance.

In that time, Raybould said, she’s made a lot of progress in her physical health and says, “fingers crossed,” her next round of chemo will be her last, and she can regain her strength.

Raybould’s diagnosis caused her to miss much of the 60-day regular legislative session in the spring, but she said she continued to remain on top of legislative issues. Now, she’s preparing&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/11-ne-lawmakers-to-host-lincoln-omaha-listening-sessions-on-property-taxes/">with colleagues</a>&nbsp;for an&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/13/gov-pillens-property-tax-tour-across-nebraska-didnt-lead-to-feedback-for-many-lawmakers/">expected special session on property taxes</a>&nbsp;tentatively&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/25/property-tax-special-session-likely-to-begin-july-25-speaker-arch-offers-schedule/">scheduled to begin Thursday</a>.

“I’m very enthusiastic and look forward to participating in this special session as much as I possibly can,” Raybould said.

Raybould said she is still recovering but has found “overwhelming” support, on a daily basis, from Nebraskans offering prayers and other kind words for her health.

“They want me to get back. They need me to get back. They want me to be in fighting form,” Raybould said. “It is such a big joy to be thought of in such a kind way. It’s great.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721833137567.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln speaks on the floor of the Nebraska Legislature. March 1, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln speaks on the floor of the Nebraska Legislature. March 1, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/my-prognosis-is-incredibly-bright-nebraska-lawmaker-continues-blood-cancer-treatments/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;A Nebraska state senator said her ongoing cancer treatments of a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma have been going “very well,” and she looks forward to getting back to the statehouse.State Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln, a first-term lawmaker in her second year in office, was diagnosed with&nbsp;<a href="https://lymphoma-action.org.uk/types-lymphoma-non-hodgkin-lymphoma/splenic-marginal-zone-lymphoma" target="_blank">splenic marginal zone lymphoma</a>&nbsp;at the beginning of the year, a rare and slow-growing type of blood cancer. She said she has a great medical team behind her as she nears what she hopes is the end of her treatments.&nbsp;“My prognosis is incredibly bright,” Raybould told the Nebraska Examiner.Raybould said she will have her sixth round of chemotherapy during the first week of August, which will last three days, followed by multiple days of recovery. As with other cancer treatments, Raybould’s treatment plan was determined and scheduled months in advance.In that time, Raybould said, she’s made a lot of progress in her physical health and says, “fingers crossed,” her next round of chemo will be her last, and she can regain her strength.Raybould’s diagnosis caused her to miss much of the 60-day regular legislative session in the spring, but she said she continued to remain on top of legislative issues. Now, she’s preparing&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/11-ne-lawmakers-to-host-lincoln-omaha-listening-sessions-on-property-taxes/">with colleagues</a>&nbsp;for an&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/13/gov-pillens-property-tax-tour-across-nebraska-didnt-lead-to-feedback-for-many-lawmakers/">expected special session on property taxes</a>&nbsp;tentatively&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/25/property-tax-special-session-likely-to-begin-july-25-speaker-arch-offers-schedule/">scheduled to begin Thursday</a>.“I’m very enthusiastic and look forward to participating in this special session as much as I possibly can,” Raybould said.Raybould said she is still recovering but has found “overwhelming” support, on a daily basis, from Nebraskans offering prayers and other kind words for her health.“They want me to get back. They need me to get back. They want me to be in fighting form,” Raybould said. “It is such a big joy to be thought of in such a kind way. It’s great.”

‘My prognosis is incredibly bright’: Nebraska lawmaker continues blood cancer treatments

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;–&nbsp;Ahead of&nbsp;this week’s special session aimed at&nbsp;addressing Nebraska’s escalating property tax crisis, Governor Jim Pillen is issuing&nbsp;a&nbsp;‘statement of&nbsp;principles’ as to how he will approach the debate on reforming Nebraska’s imbalanced sales tax exemptions.&nbsp;

“This legislative process depends on everyone bringing their good faith ideas for the purpose of producing property tax reform for all Nebraskans,” said Gov. Pillen. “It is important that we start from a common place of understanding, especially in the debate over sales tax exemptions.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Gov.&nbsp;Pillen’s&nbsp;statement of principles&nbsp;follows:

•&nbsp;No sales tax on medicines used for human&nbsp;treatment

•&nbsp;No taxing services or goods provided through&nbsp;nonprofits

•&nbsp;No sales tax on ag inputs or manufacturing materials (defined as physical economic resources used to create goods to be sold to an end user)

•&nbsp;No sales tax on services or items that are exempt in all other&nbsp;states

•&nbsp;No sales tax on services or items that are exempt in all surrounding&nbsp;states&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I think these principles will help provide clarity and structure to what we need to consider when it comes to that long list of exemptions that are in play,” said Gov. Pillen.&nbsp;

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE&nbsp;–&nbsp;Ahead of&nbsp;this week’s special session aimed at&nbsp;addressing Nebraska’s escalating property tax crisis, Governor Jim Pillen is issuing&nbsp;a&nbsp;‘statement of&nbsp;principles’ as to how he will approach the debate on reforming Nebraska’s imbalanced sales tax exemptions.&nbsp;“This legislative process depends on everyone bringing their good faith ideas for the purpose of producing property tax reform for all Nebraskans,” said Gov. Pillen. “It is important that we start from a common place of understanding, especially in the debate over sales tax exemptions.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Gov.&nbsp;Pillen’s&nbsp;statement of principles&nbsp;follows:•&nbsp;No sales tax on food•&nbsp;No sales tax on medicines used for human&nbsp;treatment•&nbsp;No taxing services or goods provided through&nbsp;nonprofits•&nbsp;No sales tax on ag inputs or manufacturing materials (defined as physical economic resources used to create goods to be sold to an end user)•&nbsp;No sales tax on services or items that are exempt in all other&nbsp;states•&nbsp;No sales tax on services or items that are exempt in all surrounding&nbsp;states&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•&nbsp;No double taxation“I think these principles will help provide clarity and structure to what we need to consider when it comes to that long list of exemptions that are in play,” said Gov. Pillen.&nbsp;

Governor Jim Pillen Issues ‘Statement of Principles’ Ahead of Special Legislative Session

Office of U.S. Senator Deb Fischer

&nbsp; WASHINGTON ­– U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) issued the following statement on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle’s resignation following the assassination attempt on President Trump:

“Secret Service Director Cheatle has rightly resigned following her organization’s utter failure to protect President Trump. However, the American people still deserve to know why that failure was so complete, as well as what changes will be made to stop future assassination attempts. Administration and agency officials must cooperate fully, honestly, and transparently with Congressional investigations,”&nbsp;said Senator Fischer.

Office of U.S. Senator Deb Fischer&nbsp; WASHINGTON ­– U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) issued the following statement on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle’s resignation following the assassination attempt on President Trump:“Secret Service Director Cheatle has rightly resigned following her organization’s utter failure to protect President Trump. However, the American people still deserve to know why that failure was so complete, as well as what changes will be made to stop future assassination attempts. Administration and agency officials must cooperate fully, honestly, and transparently with Congressional investigations,”&nbsp;said Senator Fischer.

Fischer Statement on Secret Service Director Cheatle’s Resignation

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>&nbsp;-<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a Tuesday call with reporters committed to a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, the likely Democratic presidential candidate.

“I would be willing to do more than one debate,” Trump said.

Harris, who says she is the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democratic-delegates-swiftly-give-harris-enough-support-clinch-presidential-nomination" target="_blank">won pledges&nbsp;</a>from enough Democratic delegates by late Monday night to gain the nomination. President Joe Biden on Sunday dropped his reelection bid and endorsed Harris.

During the call, Trump also said that he’s not worried about campaigning against Harris because “she’s the same as Biden” in her policies.

Trump later in the call criticized Harris for the Biden administration’s immigration approach, a topic that he has made a core part of his platform in his third run for the White House.

The Harris campaign did not immediately respond to States Newsroom’s request for comment on Trump’s remarks about debating.

Trump also said he is not sure he wants to take part in a debate hosted by ABC News that was scheduled for Sept. 10 with then-presumptive Democratic nominee Biden.

Biden’s shaky performance in a June 27 debate with Trump led to weeks of growing Democratic unease with his campaign, and members of both the U.S. House and Senate called for the president to drop his reelection bid.

Trump also noted that he hasn’t agreed to the ABC debate because he “agreed to a debate with Joe Biden,” and not Harris.

Harris held her first campaign rally Tuesday in Milwaukee, where she leaned into her prior work as a prosecutor and the attorney general for the state of California.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721587521577.png" alt="File photo CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>&nbsp;-<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a Tuesday call with reporters committed to a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, the likely Democratic presidential candidate.“I would be willing to do more than one debate,” Trump said.Harris, who says she is the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democratic-delegates-swiftly-give-harris-enough-support-clinch-presidential-nomination" target="_blank">won pledges&nbsp;</a>from enough Democratic delegates by late Monday night to gain the nomination. President Joe Biden on Sunday dropped his reelection bid and endorsed Harris.During the call, Trump also said that he’s not worried about campaigning against Harris because “she’s the same as Biden” in her policies.Trump later in the call criticized Harris for the Biden administration’s immigration approach, a topic that he has made a core part of his platform in his third run for the White House.The Harris campaign did not immediately respond to States Newsroom’s request for comment on Trump’s remarks about debating.Trump also said he is not sure he wants to take part in a debate hosted by ABC News that was scheduled for Sept. 10 with then-presumptive Democratic nominee Biden.Biden’s shaky performance in a June 27 debate with Trump led to weeks of growing Democratic unease with his campaign, and members of both the U.S. House and Senate called for the president to drop his reelection bid.Trump also noted that he hasn’t agreed to the ABC debate because he “agreed to a debate with Joe Biden,” and not Harris.Harris held her first campaign rally Tuesday in Milwaukee, where she leaned into her prior work as a prosecutor and the attorney general for the state of California.

Trump says he’s willing to debate Harris, more than once

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/07/22/flurry-of-100-new-laws-are-taking-effect-in-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;A flurry of new state laws took effect Friday, establishing new policies for firearms in small schools, launching Parole Board reforms and expanding open government and voting rights.

Of the 150 bills&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/11/more-than-100-bills-sent-to-nebraska-gov-pillen-for-approval-in-legislative-voting-spree/#:~:text=By%3A%20Zach%20Wendling%20%2D%20April%2011%2C%202024%208%3A38%20pm&amp;text=LINCOLN%20%E2%80%94%20After%20a%20marathon%20voting,the%20governor%20for%20his%20signature.">signed into law this year</a>, more than 100 became effective last week. Some took effect in the spring while others won’t get the green light until July 1, 2025.

Here is a breakdown of some of Nebraska’s newest laws.

<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55486" target="_blank">Legislative Bill 1402</a>, from State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, sets aside&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/pillen-approves-nebraskas-newest-school-choice-law-as-opponents-weigh-next-steps/#:~:text=By%3A%20Zach%20Wendling%20%2D%20April%2024%2C%202024%207%3A29%20pm&amp;text=Jim%20Pillen%20on%20Wednesday%20approved,will%20fight%20the%20new%20law.&amp;text=Legislative%20Bill%201402%2C%20from%20State%20Sen.">$10 million for the state treasurer</a>&nbsp;to distribute private K-12 scholarships to prospective students.

As of Oct. 31, the law will repeal its predecessor:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50326" target="_blank">LB 753</a>, a one-to-one tax credit, capped at $25 million, that used scholarship-granting organizations to route funds to students and families.

Public school advocates are again seeking to block LB 1402, as they tried with the previous version. The Support our Schools ballot committee submitted signatures July 17, again seeking&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/pillen-approves-nebraskas-newest-school-choice-law-as-opponents-weigh-next-steps/#:~:text=By%3A%20Zach%20Wendling%20%2D%20April%2024%2C%202024%207%3A29%20pm&amp;text=Jim%20Pillen%20on%20Wednesday%20approved,will%20fight%20the%20new%20law.&amp;text=Legislative%20Bill%201402%2C%20from%20State%20Sen.">access to the November ballot</a>&nbsp;to decide the fate of LB 1402.

<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55393" target="_blank">LB 1329</a>, an Education Committee package, in part authorizes school boards to create a written policy for security personnel and off-duty law enforcement to carry firearms on school grounds or at school-sponsored activities. State Sen. Tom Brewer introduced the proposal in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55183" target="_blank">LB 1339</a>.

The policy must specify personal qualifications, training, appropriate firearms and ammunition, and appropriate use of force.

The State Board of Education will develop a model policy in consultation with the Nebraska State Patrol, including the appropriate number of training hours for security personnel.

The law doesn’t include&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=79-102" target="_blank">Class III, IV or V</a>&nbsp;public school districts, or districts of at least 5,000 or more people.

The committee package also included&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55154" target="_blank">LB 1385</a>, from State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, to streamline the application process to expand teaching certificates and explain how teachers could earn additional endorsements. It also creates license reciprocity with other states.

Also included in LB 1329 were bills to prohibit debt collection agencies and interest charges for students’ unpaid breakfast and lunch accounts (<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=54754" target="_blank">LB 855</a>&nbsp;from State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln); to limit the use of mercator maps in K-12 classrooms beginning this fall (<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=54916" target="_blank">LB 962</a>&nbsp;from State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha) and to allow school boards to levy&nbsp;<a href="https://revenue.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/pad/research/annual-reports/2023/annrpt2023%20table%2013.pdf" target="_blank">additional property taxes</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/29/nebraska-lawmakers-advance-school-safety-package-to-full-legislature/">school safety infrastructure</a>&nbsp;concerns (<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55179" target="_blank">LB 1012</a>&nbsp;from State Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont).

<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=49705" target="_blank">LB 16</a>&nbsp;has been described as a “comprehensive rewrite” of the state’s&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/03/13/platte-institute-other-advocates-celebrate-new-nebraska-occupational-licensing-reforms/">occupational licensure policies</a>. Conrad took up the bill after its introducer, former State Sen. Tom Briese of Albion, resigned to become&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/09/14/pillen-appoints-state-sen-tom-briese-as-new-state-treasurer/">state treasurer</a>.

The legislation provides additional ways to license and recognize licenses from experienced workers who move to Nebraska from other states.&nbsp;

LB 16 also includes language to allow interior designers to join a voluntary registry for their profession. Brewer introduced those provisions in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=49734" target="_blank">LB 471</a>.&nbsp;

Lawmakers are taking steps to eliminate poverty in Lincoln and Omaha through&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=54715" target="_blank">LB 840</a>, from State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha. It requires both cities to submit a five-year poverty elimination action plan by July 1, 2025.

That document must include goals for poverty elimination in certain areas and plans to use federal, state and local incentives to eliminate poverty in those areas.

Another bill applying to just Lincoln and Omaha officials is&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55631" target="_blank">LB 1358</a>&nbsp;from State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha, which was amended into and passed in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55110" target="_blank">LB 1300</a>.

McDonnell’s proposal sets a ceiling for city council members and mayors to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/11/lawmakers-seek-to-prevent-pacific-conflict-build-bridges-with-nebraska-asian-americans/">increase their salaries</a>: no more than the average percentage change in the unadjusted Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for the period since the last salary increase, plus 1%.

Salaries can’t be increased more than once every two fiscal years.

If officials seek to increase their salaries more than that level, the increase must be the subject of a public hearing, receive supermajority support from the city council and be put to a public vote.

<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50402" target="_blank">LB 43</a>, with provisions from Conrad’s&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50179" target="_blank">LB 366</a>, outlaws special fees for&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/03/21/legislature-outlaws-public-records-special-fees-extends-grace-period-before-charges/">public records requests</a>&nbsp;and doubles the grace period before fees are imposed on records requests, from four to eight hours. Those hours include consecutive time spent “searching, identifying, physically redacting or copying” after a records request.&nbsp;

The changes apply to all Nebraskans and news media.

Recordkeepers could also waive or reduce records fees if doing so is in the public interest or “likely to contribute to the understanding of the operations or activities of government and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the person requesting such records.”

Another provision in LB 43 was Thurston State Sen. Joni Albrecht’s&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50594" target="_blank">LB 637</a>, which requires every public body subject to the Open Meetings Act to allow members of the public an opportunity to speak at each of their public meetings. This doesn’t include closed sessions.

State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue, who introduced LB 43, also passed&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=49659" target="_blank">LB 71</a>&nbsp;to modernize a 30-year-old law regarding&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/03/21/proposal-advances-to-modernize-parental-involvement-in-nebraska-k-12-education/">parental rights in education</a>.

The revisions will expand what educational materials parents can access, in addition to textbooks and tests, such as employee training materials, websites or applications used for learning, digital materials and activities information.

School districts would need to specify how they would “accommodate” — not merely “handle” — parental requests to attend and monitor classes, assemblies, activities or counseling sessions.

Districts must update their policies by July 1, 2025.

State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward introduced&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55539" target="_blank">LB 1296</a>&nbsp;to create a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/03/15/lawmaker-seeks-nebraska-registry-of-authorized-vape-products-crackdown-on-sales/">Nebraska-specific registry and list of regulations</a>&nbsp;for vaping products.

Beginning Friday, passed as part of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55526" target="_blank">LB 1204</a>, online or other electronic sales for vapes are no longer allowed. Violations are a Class I misdemeanor.&nbsp;

Manufacturers of electronic nicotine delivery systems must complete a&nbsp;<a href="https://revenue.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/tax-forms/2024/5-272.pdf" target="_blank">certification</a>&nbsp;form and pay a $75 fee by April 1, 2025. The Nebraska Department of Revenue will list all approved manufacturers and products that have been approved for sale beginning Oct. 31, 2025.

The law also cracks down on advertising targeted at minors, outlawing ads or packaging that:

“What we saw with schools, we saw highlighters, flash drives, that’s illegal, full stop,” Attorney General Mike Hilgers told the Nebraska Examiner. “Even if it is registered, they can’t do that.”

Hilgers worked with Hughes on the legislation and said the “Nebraska-based solution” will help to screen out material that is counterfeit or otherwise not safe for consumers.

Another bill from Hughes,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55026" target="_blank">LB 1035</a>, will establish a prescription drug donation program. While no nonprofit has yet been chosen, Hughes has eyed a likely partnership with the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/13/nebraska-lawmaker-looks-to-partner-with-iowas-prescription-drug-donation-program/">Iowa-based nonprofit SafeNetRx</a>, which she visited last October.

Under the law, prescription drugs must be in single-unit doses in original, unopened, sealed and tamper-evident packaging. Nebraskans can already donate to SafeNetRx’s program, but the law opens up a pathway for the medicine to be returned to Nebraska patients.

A DHHS spokesperson said the department is having conversations with SafeNetRx about how the Iowa program can work in Nebraska and about licensing and statutory obligations.

DHHS is also set to coordinate and cooperate with the Public Service Commission to ensure the nationwide 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can be&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/new-nebraska-law-connects-911-operators-with-988-suicide-prevention-line/">routed to 911 servers</a>, and vice versa. State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha introduced that change in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=54752" target="_blank">LB 929</a>, which passed in&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55163" target="_blank">LB 1200</a>.

Several changes are coming to the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/04/legislative-package-advances-to-reform-nebraska-parole-board/">state’s parole system</a>&nbsp;through McKinney’s&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50450" target="_blank">LB 631</a>.

One major change is limiting the Board of Parole to two reasons for which it may defer parole: if there is a substantial risk that the person would not conform to the conditions of parole or that continued correctional treatment, medical care or training would “substantially enhance his or her capacity to lead a law-abiding life when released at a later date.”