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Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen's cell phone ban in schools advances

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen's cell phone ban in schools advances

Yahoo05-03-2025

LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska Examiner) — One of Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen's priorities advanced to the second round of debate with a vote on Monday, as a statewide cell phone ban in schools inched closer to becoming law, the Nebraska Examiner reports.
The bill would ban student use of personal electronic devices, such as cellphones, on school grounds or while attending a 'school instructional function,' such as field trips. But it would leave school districts wide latitude in approving student cellphone use, including some exceptions.
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Senators advanced Legislative Bill 140 Monday with bipartisan support, 44-0, with five lawmakers not voting or excused.
The proposed law moved out of the Education Committee 7-0, with one member absent. Pillen said during its public hearing last month that the bill focuses on student mental health and that he should have pushed the legislation earlier in his term as governor.
'The evidence, in my view, is crystal clear: Our kids are being harmed by their constant exposure to these things,' Pillen said at the time.
Several other states have pushed for similar legislation on students' cell phones with similar bipartisan support, but some experts warn that these types of restrictions could be outdated or challenging for classroom teachers and schools to enforce. State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha echoed similar concerns.
'Most schools already have these policies, which are good,' McKinney said on the floor. 'The only thing I think about is how these school districts will enforce this.'
McKinney added that there might be an uptick in classroom discipline issues because kids will be kids. During the same hearing at which Pillen testified, State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha voiced caution about whether students could quickly access phones in emergencies, such as during school shootings.
The bill addresses such concerns with exceptions. LB 140 would allow students to use cellphones at school in the following circumstances:
If needed as part of a student's special education plan.
When authorized by a school district for educational purposes during instructional time.
In cases of emergency or 'perceived threat of danger.'
When necessary to monitor or manage a student's health care.
When otherwise determined appropriate by the school board or otherwise allowed by an appropriate school employee.
Should the bill pass, all of Nebraska's 245 school districts would have to adopt device-related policies to conform to the law by the start of the 2025-26 school year. The bill doesn't apply to private schools. Enforcement and possible disciplinary action for violating the guidelines, if any, would be left up to individual school districts
'It's time to prioritize student success by eliminating unnecessary distractions,' said State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue, the sponsor of LB 140.
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In a possible hint of tension within the Legislature, State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha used her time to speak during the debate as a 'shot across the bow' because the Nebraska Legislature has shown her that it's 'going to screw over the poorest people in the state for just pettiness.'
'I'm going to make this body fight like hell for the things that don't benefit low-income people,' Cavanaugh said. 'You're going to have to fight like hell for it, not this bill, even though it had some opposition, I'm not opposed to it.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission hosts first meeting ahead of major deadlines
Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission hosts first meeting ahead of major deadlines

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Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission hosts first meeting ahead of major deadlines

The current membership of the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission hosts an inaugural meeting. From left, Commissioners Monica Oldenburg, Kim Lowe and Bruce Bailey. At left is the seat for Commissioner Lorelle Mueting of Gretna. June 9, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — The Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission hosted its inaugural meeting Monday ahead of a fast-approaching July 1 deadline to set licensing criteria and an Oct. 1 deadline to begin issuing licenses. Emergency regulations will more than likely need to be adopted to meet the July deadline that voters approved in November, because of public hearing notice requirements for regulatory changes. Next steps remain unclear for the commission, which has a very limited amount of funds for the task. Commissioner Bruce Bailey of Lincoln, who separately chairs the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, said the goal is to come up with something to show the public by July 1 and seek feedback. 'That's where we are at this time,' Bailey told reporters after the meeting. ''Til then, we really don't know anything.' Bailey said his 'gut feeling, realizing what a short window it is,' is that the board will 'most likely' need to consider emergency regulations. Assistant Nebraska Attorney General Ben Swanson, who explained the typical rulemaking process to commissioners on Monday, said he would address the emergency process at the next commission meeting at 10 a.m. on June 26. The commission was still deciding on a location. It was not immediately clear whether the group would hold additional meetings before the July 1 deadline. Under normal rulemaking conditions, an agency or commission drafts guidelines and sets a hearing for public comment. The public must be notified at least 30 days before said hearing. If commissioners approve the proposed rules and regulations later this month, with no significant changes, the guidance will be sent to the Attorney General's Office for constitutional review. The governor has final say on the rules and regulations before they are filed with the Secretary of State's Office. If the commission makes significant changes, there must be another hearing with another 30-day notice. Much of the first meeting focused on administrative hurdles, including the Open Meetings Act for virtual and in-person meetings and support from the Nebraska Department of Administrative Services for budget control and human resources. Bailey and Crista Eggers, executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, the group that led the new laws through the process to the measures' 2024 wins at the ballot box, described Monday's meeting as a needed 'step.' 'We have to take the wins when we get the wins,' Eggers told reporters. 'Today, having a meeting was a win.' However, Eggers cautioned that major questions remain about how the commission will find funds to work, the timeline for future regulations and how commissioners will respect what the people had in mind when they passed the new laws. 'We have always been committed to sticking in here and advocating and fighting and educating until the day that we see Nebraska patients who need medical cannabis as an option have it, that it's accessible to them, that it's safe for them,' Eggers said. 'That day is not here yet.' State lawmakers in May approved a two-year state budget with a $30,000 increase in the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission's bottom line for staffing related to any of the commission's shared duties with the Nebraska Cannabis Commission, for staff who might take on new duties under the medical cannabis law. Voters placed all three members of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission on the Medical Cannabis Commission. 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Bailey asked whether those funds could be paid back if the Liquor Control Commission authorized diverting funds for the Medical Cannabis Commission. Leaver said 'yes and no,' as the Medical Cannabis Commission collects no general state taxes (income, sales, etc.) but could direct application fees, for instance, back to the cash fund. Liquor commissioners could ask the Legislature for more funds in 2026 or backfill spending, state budget officials have said. Bailey told reporters the commission would look into getting some funds soon in the face of a tight budget but 'a large goal.' 'We'll do our best, as we can,' Bailey said. Bailey and Lowe were sworn into their new roles Monday, as was Dr. Monica Oldenburg of Lincoln. The trio unanimously voted to elect Oldenburg, an anesthesiologist, as chair and approved up to two members to meet with outside consultants or experts and come back with that information. Commissioner Lorelle Mueting of Gretna missed the first meeting. Oldenburg defended Mueting as having had a prior commitment and said commissioners tried to get to work as soon as possible. The AG's Office did not, as it has in the past, threaten the commission Monday with a future lawsuit if licensing moves forward by the Oct. 1 deadline. Attorney General Mike Hilgers and his staff have repeatedly threatened that action, including in court and before the Legislature. Legal action continues in Lancaster County District Court, with a longtime marijuana opponent, former State Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell, trying to void the new medical cannabis laws. Kuehn's filings argue that the laws are an unlawful delegation of power and run afoul of federal laws against marijuana. Hilgers and his office have argued the AG should be the one to challenge the laws on encroaching on federal constitutional powers and have asked that Kuehn's case be dismissed. Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong is currently considering whether to dismiss the case. 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Nebraska congressman's bill would prioritize filling Weather Service vacancies after DOGE cuts
Nebraska congressman's bill would prioritize filling Weather Service vacancies after DOGE cuts

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Nebraska congressman's bill would prioritize filling Weather Service vacancies after DOGE cuts

Flood's legislation was cosponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers from Florida, California, Oklahoma, and Illinois. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — Nebraska Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Flood introduced legislation this month that would make it harder for National Weather Service employees to be fired. The bipartisan-backed bill, named the Weather Workforce Improvement Act, would reclassify Weather Service employees as public safety personnel — essentially protecting them from most future administrative hiring freezes and buyouts. Flood's legislation was cosponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers from Florida, California, Oklahoma, and Illinois. No other members of the Nebraska delegation have yet signed on as cosponsors. The bill also would allow the agency director a two-year authority to hire meteorologists and other positions deemed critical for the Weather Service, to fill positions that can't be filled now due to a broader freeze on government hiring. 'It doesn't matter if you're a Republican or a Democrat or an Independent,' Flood said. 'Everybody wants accurate weather forecasting.' The proposal comes after a Weather Service office in the Omaha area and other Great Plains offices announced pausing the deployment of weather balloons in April. Omaha-based NWS office will deploy weather balloons again after DOGE cuts Flood and others in the federal delegation reversed that decision after pushing back against the then-Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency cuts — though Flood said last week that the vacancies had started during former President Joe Biden. The station is launching two weather balloons a day, Flood has said, but the Omaha-area Weather Service office has said it still faces staffing issues. Flood told the Examiner in April that if his legislation had been in place, 'it would never have gotten to the point it is.' The Weather Service has faced staffing issues long before Trump's second term, but recent cuts required 'urgent action,' according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Trump Administration fired a total of roughly 600 workers from both agencies in March as it tried to reshape the federal bureaucracy. DOGE cuts to the Weather Service affecting Nebraska contributed to two forecasting offices that cover some rural parts of western and southwestern Nebraska to no longer monitor local weather around-the-clock. Weather Service offices covering parts of rural Nebraska no longer monitor weather 24/7 One office in Wyoming that covers eight counties in the Nebraska Panhandle, and the other in Kansas that forecasts for three counties in the southwestern corner of Nebraska had to find backup during uncovered shifts. Other nearby forecasting offices — dealing with their own staffing problems — have to handle the load. The Weather Service said last week it had been granted an exemption to Trump's government-wide hiring freeze to hire 126 people to 'stabilize' the department. That is less than a quarter of the cuts made to the agency this year. Nebraska and local rural weather experts say NWS staffing shortages threaten public safety. Flood said he hopes to get his proposal amended into a 'more comprehensive weather-related bill' for a vote on the House floor. He says it is more challenging to pass a law at the federal level than his time as a state lawmaker, where he served as speaker. 'Passing the law in Congress is like a Rubik's Cube with 536 squares on it and a lot of different colors,' Flood said during a press call last week. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

Nebraska auditor: Financial wrongdoing in local governments seems ‘increasingly commonplace'
Nebraska auditor: Financial wrongdoing in local governments seems ‘increasingly commonplace'

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Nebraska auditor: Financial wrongdoing in local governments seems ‘increasingly commonplace'

The Nebraska State Auditor's Office is located in the State Capitol. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — After Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley issued a recent statement exposing alleged financial improprieties involving several local governments, he said his office faced a surge of callers requesting probes of their towns, too. It's a common response, Foley said, after news hits of a small-town investigation by the auditor. 'The phone starts ringing,' he said, repeating a common refrain: ''Hey look at us. Look what's happening in my village or county too.'' While grateful for the interest, Foley said such complaints are 'disconcerting' in that they could signal rising misuse of public resources in smaller public entities across Nebraska. He said the alerts also 'distract' from one of his office's other main tasks, bird-dogging the 'mega agencies' of state government. 'How much time can you spend on the Decatur Housing Authority when you've got DHHS sitting over there with 40% of the state budget?,' Foley said, referring to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley said he won't announce a decision on whether he will seek reelection in 2026 until late this year or early in the next. He told the Nebraska Examiner he's happy as auditor. 'I've got a great team, very dedicated, very talented people. Happy to be here,' said Foley, 71. Foley, a Republican, said he has enjoyed his auditor tenure — 'both times.' His most recent election in late 2022 had him sworn in Jan. 5, 2023. He also served as auditor from 2007 through 2015. In between, Foley served as Nebraska's lieutenant governor. Foley began the 2014 election cycle as a candidate for governor but was defeated in the primary by future running mate Pete Ricketts, who selected Foley as his lieutenant in September 2014. Ricketts is now a U.S. senator. Foley also previously served in the Legislature, serving a Lincoln-area district from 2000 to 2007. — Cindy Gonzalez In his most recent press release June 3, Foley grouped highlights of eight audit letters he sent local governments. His office's allegations ranged from a Decatur housing chief giving herself more than $18,000 in unsupported payments to a Nemaha County commissioner caught on camera using a county gas pump to fuel his personal truck. Not all caller alerts result in investigations, Foley said, particularly if the person complaining doesn't provide enough detail. When a probe of a local government entity is launched, he said, an auditor team typically spends weeks collecting and analyzing information. In many cases, he said, someone is fired or results are turned over to law enforcement. Foley said the Auditor's Office staff of nearly 50 is down from about 60 three decades ago — and has audit oversight of roughly 2,500 units of local government. Under their watch are state agencies, officers, boards, commissions, certain political subdivisions and federal funds under contract. While acknowledging state budget concerns and competing demands, he noted that the state spends about $200 to audit every $1 million in spending. 'That's not a very good ratio.' Standing out as troubling trends during auditor reviews, Foley said, are misuse of credit cards and government-owned vehicles. 'Credit cards are an enormous headache for auditors and for these agencies,' he said, adding that too many agencies allow too many credit cards to be in circulation and are too loose with controls. Agencies are starting to install GPS trackers on public vehicles, he said, which has led to improvements. Foley assembled those eight letters sent over six weeks to local governments as part of an effort to underscore his sense that there has been an 'uptick in improper financial practices in local governmental entities.' (He said the auditor's office, meanwhile, continues to do other work and conduct other reviews.) 'Unfortunately, these more recent eight examples of both accounting incompetence and apparent financial malfeasance at political subdivisions are not unusual,' said Foley. 'Based upon my office's ongoing work, especially over the past year or so, they seem increasingly commonplace — making heightened vigilance, by public servants and citizens alike, ever more crucial.' The examples cited: Decatur Housing Authority in Burt County: In addition to allegedly processing about $18,000 in excessive compensation and unsupported reimbursements to herself, the executive director reportedly mishandled cash rental payments resulting in roughly $8,000 in 'missing money.' She reportedly tried to delete hundreds of computer files. Furthermore, Foley noted that his office earlier this year had sent a separate audit letter to the woman's previous employer pointing to an alleged salary overpayment to herself of about $11,000. The auditor's report on the Decatur Housing Authority did not indicate an effort by the audit team to contact the housing director, who was reportedly terminated from her job in February. The report said it forwarded information to various law enforcement and government agencies. The housing authority board, in its response to the state, said it was implementing steps recommended by the auditing team. Cedar County: A former Cedar County commissioner allegedly used a county pickup truck for personal business — though the commissioner denied that a few photos included in the report represented him on unofficial business. The same commissioner, according to the auditor's report, allegedly allowed payment for county services with gift cards that were largely unaccounted for — something also denied by the commissioner. The auditor's report said the former commissioner didn't provide an explanation for a gift card that was produced during the review. The county also was accused of not following proper bidding procedures for nearly $1 million in contracts. Village of Pleasanton in Buffalo County: Public employees allegedly spent more than $20,000 on village business at Menard's over a two-year period, and one employee allegedly used about $2,000 in rebate coupons as well as several hundred dollars in store credit vouchers for personal purchases. Separate 'shoddy accounting' practices, according to the auditor, resulted in the village paying thousands of dollars of claims. Village of Farnam in Dawson County: The audit team, as part of its review, identified 22 months of utility and other services, or about $2,700, that the former Village Clerk did not bill to herself. At the time of the auditor's letter, she was on the Village Board. She was found guilty of official misconduct in May, paid $3,151 in restitution, and a sentencing is set for July. Nemaha County and Nemaha Rural Fire District 4: Auditors reported that a county commissioner was photographed March 24 using a fuel pump that can be accessed after hours by personnel with insider knowledge. Dundy County: A deputy county clerk who resigned from her position at the request of the Dundy County Board continued to work and was paid full-time wages despite a considerable drop in responsibilities. Custer County: Employees are able to clock in and out of work using mobile devices, and a county highway worker was alleged to be at home or at her kids' events when she was supposed to be at work. She resigned before she could be questioned, the auditor said. Village of Litchfield in Sherman County A Village Clerk, prior to resigning, allegedly paid herself at least $2,200 more than allowed and was paid $763 in 'suspicious' reimbursement. The village allegedly failed to withhold proper taxes from employee paychecks, opening the community to retroactive payments and penalties. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

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