Latest news with #AshleiSpivey
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Nebraska college savings accounts expand to cover private K-12 tuition
A proposal to expand tax-advantaged Nebraska college savings accounts to cover the costs of private K-12 tuition passed as part of a larger bill related to property taxes. (Camilla Forte/The Hechinger Report) LINCOLN — A proposal to expand tax-advantaged Nebraska college savings accounts to cover the costs of private K-12 tuition passed Friday as part of a larger bill related to property taxes. The passage of Legislative Bill 647 was delayed because State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha wanted to remove State Sen. Tony Sorrentino's proposal due to what she called a broken 'agreement' regarding State Sen. Ashlei Spivey of Omaha, which would have helped schools fund long-term substitutes so teachers could take paid time off around significant life events. State Sen. Brad von Gillern of the Elkhorn area said there was no 'agreement' with the Legislature's Revenue Committee. 'There was no deal,' he said. 'I was invited into a conversation to talk about the bills that were at play, including Senator [Ashlei Spivey]'s bill. I told the participants in that meeting clearly that I will not make a deal. Each bill needs to stand on its own.' The 'deal' involved a bipartisan group on the Education Committee and the state's largest teachers' union — which led to a month-long effort to get a package of proposals out of committee. That package is dead, replaced by a watered-down clean-up bill. LB 647 advanced 35-13. That tally included the support of two Democrats, State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln and Dan Quick of Grand Island. Bostar said that he voted against including Sorrentino's proposal during the last round of debate but decided to vote for LB 647 as a whole because it was needed to balance the budget. State Sen. Dan Quick of Grand Island said his constituents have asked to be in favor of Sorrenino's proposal. At least 42 states already allow such savings accounts to cover tuition at K-12 private schools, which was first allowed federally in 2018 after congressional passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, for up to $10,000 per beneficiary per year. A 529 savings plan — in Nebraska, NEST 529 — offers tax breaks to encourage families or students to donate and allows the savings to grow tax-free and be used for an approved educational purpose. Nebraska voters in November repealed the state's new school voucher or scholarship program that was set to steer public dollars to private schools, though conservative lawmakers and Gov. Jim Pillen have pledged to keep trying to pass a replacement. Public school advocates have argued against using public funds for that purpose and said voucher programs in other states have bled public money needed for public education. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Public safety' package clears latest hurdle, offers changes but keeps lower detention age of 11
State Sen. Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln. May 19, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner). LINCOLN — A 'public safety' package on Thursday cleared a second lawmaking hurdle and retains what has been the most controversial element — lowering the minimum age at which a youth can be detained from 13 to 11. Before Legislative Bill 530 passed on a 35-9 vote, however, lawmakers approved smaller juvenile-justice related changes to address some concerns of certain lawmakers and nonprofits, said State Sen. Carolyn Bosn, chair of the Legislature's Judiciary Committee. Among modifications was a requirement that all temporary and alternative placement options be exhausted before a child age 11 or 12 would be detained in a facility, which critics say causes lasting trauma. Removed as a reason a youth could be detained was 'harm to self' language. 'We didn't want to create an illusion that we were detaining youth who might be going through a mental health crisis,' said Bosn. Also changed was the name of a new designation a court could bestow on certain youth offenders. Omaha State Sen. Ashlei Spivey had taken issue with the earlier proposed 'high-risk juvenile probationer' category, comparing it to a 'super predator' flag that would disproportionately harm youths of color. Amended language now refers to those youths as 'comprehensive supervision probationers.' In the end, Spivey was among nine 'no' votes, joining State Sen. Terrell McKinney of North Omaha, who was unsuccessful in garnering support for additional changes. For example, he wanted to limit which law enforcement levels are to receive a monthly list of 'comprehensive supervision probationers' generated by the Office of Probation Administration. McKinney proposed that the list be provided only to high-ranking officers, not those below the rank of captain. He said his concern was the 'rogue' law enforcement officers who can misuse such information to 'provoke' or unfairly target youths. He said that happens disproportionately in his district. McKinney noted during Thursday's debate that a teen was dead after being shot by a Douglas County sheriff's deputy that morning. The investigation is ongoing. 'I'm trying to make sure more lives don't get lost,' McKinney said. Bosn said that no one likely would be completely satisfied with the juvenile justice parts of the public safety package, but she called the results so far a 'showing of good will.' Spivey said that while some parts still give her 'heartburn,' she appreciated the process to try to reach a compromise on parts opponents said were overly punitive. Bosn, a former prosecutor, views the overall package as promoting public safety while also better re-directing juveniles who have veered into trouble. LB 530 includes an underlying bill introduced by State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha which aims to increase fines for speeding violations and to change the law to help 'vulnerable road users.' Segments of at least nine bills were folded into the megabill before the Legislature's Judiciary Committee moved it to the floor for full debate. Lawmakers advanced it 33-0 in the first round and now, after approval Thursday, it moves to final reading. Other components folded into the package: LB 6, introduced by Bosn and aimed at fentanyl poisoning, calls for enhanced penalties when the person using the controlled substance dies or sustains serious injury. LB 44, by McKinney, allows individuals to file for post-conviction relief up until the age of 21 if the conviction occurred as a minor. LB 124, by State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue, would match a drunken driver's penalty for motor vehicle homicide of an unborn child to the penalty that drunken driver would get for motor vehicle homicide. LB 395, by State Sen. Barry DeKay of Niobrara, would allow police access to a sealed juvenile record when someone applies for a concealed handgun permit. LB 404, by State Sen. Robert Hallstrom of Syracuse, authorizes courts to extend a term of probation upon a joint application from the probation officer and the person on probation. LB 600, by State Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, authorizes the Department of Transportation to temporarily reduce speed limits on highways under specific conditions such as adverse weather or traffic congestion. LB 684, by State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln, was essentially gutted and replaced by a series of juvenile justice measures, including the lowering of the age at which a youth could be detained in a facility. That element, which sparked criticism from many during a public hearing, was originally part of a bill by Ralston State Sen. Merv Riepe. Bosn said the Judiciary Committee sees the measures as ways to 'improve accountability for juveniles and transparency for law enforcement.' Spivey said the detainment measures were among the package's most concerning, and that prevention and rehabilitation services are more effective when dealing with young people whose brains are still developing. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nebraska ed package blows up, as push to infuse religion into public schools fails
State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha listens to State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil kneeling at her desk. March 12, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — An uneasy compromise that became the Education Committee package bill died on the Nebraska statehouse floor Wednesday, in part because the quest to infuse more religion into public schools failed. A cross-section of committee members tried to get a group of loosely related education proposals out of committee and onto the floor for a month. The combined bill was viewed as a bipartisan deal involving several groups, including the conservative chair of the committee and the state's largest teachers union, to marry a proposal that would allow K-12 students to be excused during the school day for off-site religious instruction and coursework to a bill from State Sen. Ashlei Spivey of Omaha that would help schools find more long-term substitutes so teachers could take paid time off around significant life events. Some who backed the deal have said that parents can already sign out their kids for any reason and that they do not see it as a state endorsement of religion. Other lawmakers have expressed that it would open the door for other religious-themed bills. The floor debate was like many of the tense executive sessions on the package. The deal blew up on the floor after State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha successfully removed Central City's State Sen. Loren Lippincott's Legislative Bill 550, a release time proposal, killing the whole package. While the original deal is dead – lawmakers involved in negotiations let lawmakers skip over the bill. Their aim: to bring back a cleaner version of LB 306 — mainly some clean-up language sought by State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil to address change terms and provisions in state law relating to higher education in the session's final days while giving lawmakers an opportunity to pro attach their proposals to it individually and let the full Legislature vote on each. 'I think in any normal course of a session, a bill like LB 550 would be seen as a radical piece of legislation,' Hunt said. The vote to remove Lippincott's proposal was bipartisan, 25-9. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle expressed concerns about the logistical challenges of letting students leave, including how often students would miss classes. Some wondered whether it might blur the line between church and state. The Lippincott bill was part of a national lobbying effort by a Christian education organization with ties to the populist right, LifeWise Academy. Lippincott confirmed in previous reporting that his bill is modeled after other states' 'release time' legislation. Jesse Vohwinkel, LifeWise Academy's Vice President of Growth, testified in favor of Lippincott's bill during its public hearing in February. The company was mentioned multiple times during the debate. In recent weeks, some legislative Republicans have privately told the Examiner that Lippincott's bill could go a step too far for them. The vote indicates the climb some social conservatives backing religious bills face. 'I find that it has a high potential of being very discriminatory against other faiths,' State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston said during the debate. After the Lippincott proposal was removed from the package, state Sen. Dan Lonowski of Hastings attempted to remove Spivey's bill from the package. It failed by a 22-16 vote, needing 25 votes. Then, after the failed motion to remove Spivey's bill, some Republicans on the committee said Democrats had broken the 'deal.' Education Committee Chair State Sen. Murman and other Republicans tanked the package. 'We had an agreement in the Education Committee,' Murman said. 'All of us on the committee had to compromise a little bit … the compromise is no longer in effect.' Democrats on the committee said Murman's approach requiring LB 550 in the package had caused the tension. The final nail came in an 8-29 vote, with the Legislature failing to adopt the committee package as an amendment to the bill, LB 306, killing Spivey's priority bill and other parts of the package. The Spivey bill sought to give teachers up to three weeks of paid leave to deal with significant life events. The bill would have paid for this leave using a new payroll fee on teacher salaries to cover the costs of paying long-term substitutes while the teachers are out. The fee would also help pay for special education teacher recruitment and retention. The Nebraska State Education Association, one of the brokers of the package, saw the deal blow up as Tim Royers, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, was behind the glass watching lawmakers. He said the union was 'disappointed' with the outcome. 'We're disappointed with the vote. Only 8% of educators feel the Legislature takes them into account when they craft education policy,' Royers said. 'Tonight's vote is indicative of why they feel that way. We fully intend to come back next session and get a bill to the Governor's desk.' But the union may not need to wait long if the late compromise between Murman and other lawmakers who want to revive a backup plan comes to fruition. Speaker John Arch said he would bring the base of LB 306 back during the last few days of the session. The impromptu compromise came after Omaha State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh threatened to grind the Legislature to a halt over the package's death. 'This is awful when we can't pass the committee priority package bill because the committee chairman won't even vote for his own committee amendment,' Cavanaugh said. 'This session is an abomination.' Lippincott told the Examiner that he's considering attempting to propose his amended version of LB 550. However, he said he was thinking about it realistically, as a majority of senators have already rejected his proposal. Murman said the remaining proposals that were part of the package would likely get votes as separate amendments. 'Making laws is like making sausage; you hope it sticks together,' Murman said. 'It didn't.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nebraska ed package blows up, as push to infuse religion into public schools fails
State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha listens to State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil kneeling at her desk. March 12, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — An uneasy compromise that became the Education Committee package bill died on the Nebraska statehouse floor Wednesday, in part because the quest to infuse more religion into public schools failed. A cross-section of committee members tried to get a group of loosely related education proposals out of committee and onto the floor for a month. The combined bill was viewed as a bipartisan deal involving several groups, including the conservative chair of the committee and the state's largest teachers union, to marry a proposal that would allow K-12 students to be excused during the school day for off-site religious instruction and coursework to a bill from State Sen. Ashlei Spivey of Omaha that would help schools find more long-term substitutes so teachers could take paid time off around significant life events. Some who backed the deal have said that parents can already sign out their kids for any reason and that they do not see it as a state endorsement of religion. Other lawmakers have expressed that it would open the door for other religious-themed bills. The floor debate was like many of the tense executive sessions on the package. The deal blew up on the floor after State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha successfully removed Central City's State Sen. Loren Lippincott's Legislative Bill 550, a release time proposal, killing the whole package. While the original deal is dead – lawmakers involved in negotiations let lawmakers skip over the bill. Their aim: to bring back a cleaner version of LB 306 — mainly some clean-up language sought by State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil to address change terms and provisions in state law relating to higher education in the session's final days while giving lawmakers an opportunity to pro attach their proposals to it individually and let the full Legislature vote on each. 'I think in any normal course of a session, a bill like LB 550 would be seen as a radical piece of legislation,' Hunt said. The vote to remove Lippincott's proposal was bipartisan, 25-9. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle expressed concerns about the logistical challenges of letting students leave, including how often students would miss classes. Some wondered whether it might blur the line between church and state. The Lippincott bill was part of a national lobbying effort by a Christian education organization with ties to the populist right, LifeWise Academy. Lippincott confirmed in previous reporting that his bill is modeled after other states' 'release time' legislation. Jesse Vohwinkel, LifeWise Academy's Vice President of Growth, testified in favor of Lippincott's bill during its public hearing in February. The company was mentioned multiple times during the debate. In recent weeks, some legislative Republicans have privately told the Examiner that Lippincott's bill could go a step too far for them. The vote indicates the climb some social conservatives backing religious bills face. 'I find that it has a high potential of being very discriminatory against other faiths,' State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston said during the debate. After the Lippincott proposal was removed from the package, state Sen. Dan Lonowski of Hastings attempted to remove Spivey's bill from the package. It failed by a 22-16 vote, needing 25 votes. Then, after the failed motion to remove Spivey's bill, some Republicans on the committee said Democrats had broken the 'deal.' Education Committee Chair State Sen. Murman and other Republicans tanked the package. 'We had an agreement in the Education Committee,' Murman said. 'All of us on the committee had to compromise a little bit … the compromise is no longer in effect.' Democrats on the committee said Murman's approach requiring LB 550 in the package had caused the tension. The final nail came in an 8-29 vote, with the Legislature failing to adopt the committee package as an amendment to the bill, LB 306, killing Spivey's priority bill and other parts of the package. The Spivey bill sought to give teachers up to three weeks of paid leave to deal with significant life events. The bill would have paid for this leave using a new payroll fee on teacher salaries to cover the costs of paying long-term substitutes while the teachers are out. The fee would also help pay for special education teacher recruitment and retention. The Nebraska State Education Association, one of the brokers of the package, saw the deal blow up as Tim Royers, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, was behind the glass watching lawmakers. He said the union was 'disappointed' with the outcome. 'We're disappointed with the vote. Only 8% of educators feel the Legislature takes them into account when they craft education policy,' Royers said. 'Tonight's vote is indicative of why they feel that way. We fully intend to come back next session and get a bill to the Governor's desk.' But the union may not need to wait long if the late compromise between Murman and other lawmakers who want to revive a backup plan comes to fruition. Speaker John Arch said he would bring the base of LB 306 back during the last few days of the session. The impromptu compromise came after Omaha State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh threatened to grind the Legislature to a halt over the package's death. 'This is awful when we can't pass the committee priority package bill because the committee chairman won't even vote for his own committee amendment,' Cavanaugh said. 'This session is an abomination.' Lippincott told the Examiner that he's considering attempting to propose his amended version of LB 550. However, he said he was thinking about it realistically, as a majority of senators have already rejected his proposal. Murman said the remaining proposals that were part of the package would likely get votes as separate amendments. 'Making laws is like making sausage; you hope it sticks together,' Murman said. 'It didn't.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Associated Press
14-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
North Omaha: Moving Forward – Transformation 2030 Sparks Momentum for Change
'This summit reinforced that when we align our efforts and remain strategic, we can secure the investments, policies, and opportunities needed to bring about real change.' — Willie Barney, CEO and founder, Empowerment Network OMAHA, NE, UNITED STATES, March 14, 2025 / / -- On Saturday, March 8, more than 100 business owners, residents, community leaders and policymakers gathered to outline a strategic vision for North Omaha's future during North Omaha: Moving Forward – Transformation 2030. Backed by the Empowerment Network, the summit addressed policy, economic development, education, housing, safety, and entrepreneurship, and served as a powerful catalyst for action. 'To truly transform North Omaha, we must continue moving forward with a united front,' said Willie Barney, CEO and founder, Empowerment Network. 'This summit reinforced that when we align our efforts and remain strategic, we can secure the investments, policies, and opportunities needed to bring about real change.' North Omaha: Moving Forward – Transformation 2030 featured key discussions on legislative and policy matters, with speakers emphasizing the need to prepare for the 2026 legislative session. Topics included juvenile justice reform, sentencing laws for minors, and securing funding for community initiatives. Attendees were urged to engage in interim hearings and advocate for policies that support North Omaha's growth. Presenters included State Senators Ashlei Spivey and Terrell McKinney and County Commissioner Chris Rodgers, as well as representatives from Davis Contracting, Creighton University, Hayes & Associates, Malcolm X Foundation, Omaha Northwest High School Principal Dr. Kimberly Jackson and the Empowerment Network's Skill Up/Power Up Omaha Program. The theme of economic empowerment reverberated across discussions throughout the morning. Leaders stressed the need for a comprehensive development plan, ensuring that North Omaha has access to critical funding and business resources. Omaha's Inland Port Authority and the Airport Business Park programs were highlighted as key projects that will drive job creation and economic growth. Designed to manage inland port districts, the Inland Port Authority can enhance economic activity, attract businesses and improve freight transportation efficiency. As a commercial and industrial development located near an airport, designed to attract logistics companies, manufacturers, and businesses that benefit from proximity to air transportation, the Airport Business Park program intends to attract new industries and jobs to the Omaha market. Entrepreneurship remains a central pillar of transformation. During the summit, attendees learned about financial literacy tools, access to capital and programs designed to support the growth of Black-owned businesses. According to data from the Brookings Institute, between 2017 and 2022, the number of Black-owned businesses with employees increased by 95 percent in Omaha, representing a significant rise in Black entrepreneurship during that period. This data reinforces the potential for sustained economic expansion. With the goal of increasing North Omaha's graduation rate from 70 to 90 percent in the next five years, education leaders discussed strategies including mentorship programs, career pathways and financial literacy training for students. Through programs like Cradle to Career, a community initiative spearheaded by Empowerment Network and aimed at guiding Omaha youth from early childhood to successful career placement, students are provided with resources and a pathway to achieve academic success. Efforts to increase affordable housing, homeownership opportunities and revitalization projects were a focal point, alongside discussions on community safety. North Omaha is experiencing increasing growth with private developers that grew up in the neighborhood. A united approach to violence prevention and justice reform was emphasized, with speakers calling for greater community involvement in advocacy efforts and accountability. The next meeting in April will bring the community together to finalize the plans. 'We've had more than 500 leaders, residents and stakeholders engage in the Transformation 2030 meetings this year,' said Barney. 'Thousands have provided input over the past year through summits and conferences. The community has helped to establish goals, review and add solutions, discuss policies and produce initial priorities. Next month we will move to budgets and finalizing the strategic plan and immediate actions.' The Empowerment Network plans to formally launch the Transformation 2030 plan at its annual Rebuilding the Village Conference on Friday, May 16. The annual summit is supported by community partners and initiatives, including Charles Drew Health Center, Inc., Family Housing Advisory Services, Inc., Great Plains Black History Museum, Metropolitan Community College, Omaha 360, Omaha Economic Development Corporation, Step-Up Omaha and Urban League of Nebraska. As an organization dedicated to building safe and thriving communities through economic, educational and social success, Empowerment Network is also supported in part by the My Brother's Keeper Alliance, a program of The Obama Foundation. Initiatives like The State of North Omaha annual summit promote supportive communities for boys and young men of color, ensuring they feel valued and have clear pathways to opportunity. About the Empowerment Network The Empowerment Network is a nonprofit organization committed to advancing economic, social and civic progress within Omaha's African American community, North Omaha and the region. Through collaborative efforts and innovative initiatives, the Empowerment Network strives to create opportunities for empowerment and transformation in every zip code and neighborhood in the City of Omaha and other national communities. Vicki Quaites-Ferris The Empowerment Network +1 402-502-5153 Facebook X LinkedIn YouTube Legal Disclaimer:
