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Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
No more vetoes, Pillen says as 2025 Legislature wraps up; two lawmakers relieved
State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha speaks on the floor of the Legislature on May 19, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner). LINCOLN — Two Nebraska bills most vulnerable to a governor's veto in the waning hours of the 2025 Nebraska Legislature are about to become law without his objection. The pair — separate priority bills from Omaha State Sens. Megan Hunt and Terrell McKinney — were among a late wave of 26 bills approved by the full Legislature and awaiting action by Gov. Jim Pillen as lawmakers adjourned for the year. Both the Hunt and McKinney bills cleared final votes Friday by less than the number needed to override a veto. Pillen, in a letter early Monday to the Clerk of the Legislature, said all the bills on his desk 'will become law without my objections in the coming days.' Included in the 26 bills Pillen is expected to approve were three sent to his desk Monday. That negated any need for veto override attempts on the Legislature's final day. Hunt said she was 'surprised,' and excited to see her Legislative Bill 275 cross the finish line. The bill reforms the use of Social Security benefits received by eligible Nebraska foster children, in part strengthening communication between the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and the youth's representative. Hunt described recipients as among the state's most vulnerable, because the benefits are related to the death of a parent or guardian or a physical or mental disability. DHHS currently intercepts the Social Security benefits bound for those kids and uses the funds to offset the state costs of the youths' care. LB 275 requires DHHS to set aside at least 20% of all Social Security benefits in a separate trust fund, beginning when the foster youth is 14, with the percentage increasing gradually to 50% at age 18. Meant to ease transition to adult independence, it brings Nebraska 'in line with federal law to provide further accountability, transparency and conservation of a portion of the funds in a trust account for the youth's own use when they exit state care.' Hunt said she thought LB 275, which advanced to Pillen's desk on a 29-19 vote, might be in jeopardy partly because of a roughly $1 million in annual notification and operational costs estimated in a fiscal note and also because of a pattern of Pillen's vetos, which she said have been 'less about policy and more about the introducer.' McKinney said Monday that he was unsure what Pillen might do on LB 48, his bill aimed at helping to keep youths out of the criminal justice system. He said he was happy to see it unobstructed by a veto, and proud of the accomplishment. 'It's good legislation that's going to help a lot of families and juveniles, keeping them out of the system,' he said. LB 48 calls for an around-the-clock Family Resource and Juvenile Assessment Center pilot program in Omaha. The goal is two sites that will address family dynamics, mental health, substance abuse and educational challenges to juvenile delinquency. The bill faced resistance and near demise during earlier legislative debate. It passed final reading on a 27-21 vote. Of 26 bills awaiting Pillen's signature Monday, two others passed final legislative debate with 33 votes; four passed with vote tallies in the mid to upper 30s, and the rest secured 40 or more votes. Said Hunt: 'I'm excited now to breathe a sigh of relief and move on to the next issue.' Nebraska Examiner reporter Zach Wendling contributed to this report. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
After multiple arrests, Iowa man sues when he's denied SNAP benefits
(Photo by) An Iowa man who says he has no stable access to food is suing the state, alleging it has unfairly denied him access to food assistance based on a criminal conviction later voided by the courts. Charles Hasselmann, 32, of Ankeny alleges that in 2023, he applied for food assistance while residing in a correctional facility as a result of a probation-revocation order that was premised on a finding of him being a habitual offender. The sentence was later vacated by a district court judge, Hasselmann claims, with the judge finding the habitual-offender enhancement to his sentence on a theft conviction lacked sufficient factual basis. Because of that finding, the court also set aside the related order that revoked his probation, Hasselmann claims. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Court records indicate the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services later disqualified Hasselmann from receiving food assistance through the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP, for at least 12 months. It also demanded restitution for overpayment, citing 'stolen' funds that Hasselmann says are due to others' unauthorized use of his benefits card. In his lawsuit against DHHS, Hasselmann is seeking an injunction that would award him SNAP benefits and halt any further efforts at collections for the alleged overpayments. In his petition, Hasselmann claims he was recently released from more than two years of incarceration and now has no reliable access to food or income. The public interest, he argues, strongly favors his access to 'basic nutritional support.' The state has yet to file a response to the lawsuit, but in a related court case attorneys for the state argued that while a judge did find there was insufficient factual basis to impose the habitual-offender sentence enhancement on the conviction for theft, the court did not disturb the underlying conviction for theft. The state's lawyers say that under a plea deal that was later reached, Hasselmann had agreed to a prison term of no more than five years on the theft charge. The court then set aside the earlier probation violation order, the state alleges, not because it represented 'an illegal sentence,' but because, through the subsequent plea deal, a five-year prison sentence had been agreed to and imposed. Court records indicate that since 2012, Hasselmann has been charged with numerous felony and misdemeanor offenses, resulting in seven convictions for theft, five convictions for driving while barred, five convictions for forgery, two convictions for assault and two convictions for drunken driving. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Nebraska confirms state's first measles case since 2017, in county bordering SD
A digitally colorized, thin-section transmission electron microscopic image of a single measles virus particle. (CDC/Cynthia S. Goldsmith; William Bellini, Ph.D.) Nebraska confirmed its first measles case of the recent national surge, this one in the state's Panhandle in a county bordering South Dakota. The measles case involving an 'age-appropriately vaccinated child' in Sheridan County is the state's first since 2017, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. The child had no history of out-of-state travel. 'We are grateful the child's symptoms have been mild, and they are recovering,' said Jessica Davies, health director of the Panhandle Public Health District that covers 12 western counties. 'Those with known exposure have already been notified.' DHHS says people visiting the following locations may have been exposed to measles and are advised to visit and complete the state DHHS's risk assessment survey: Family Dollar in Rushville, 316 W 2nd St., on May 17 from 9 a.m. to noon. Gordon Memorial Hospital Clinic in Gordon on May 21 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The state health agency said people may have been exposed to measles in two cities in the panhandle and advised them to visit and complete the state DHHS risk assessment survey. Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease that spreads when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. It can cause severe disease, complications and even death. Symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose and a rash over the body. Being vaccinated is the best way to prevent getting sick with measles or spreading it to other people. Measles can affect anyone, but it is most common in children. The state health agency emphasizes that if an individual thinks they have symptoms of measles, they should isolate themselves and call a health care facility in advance to get tested. State health officials also said anyone with known measles exposure and no confirmed immunity needs to stay at home and away from others for 21 days from the last date of exposure. Vaccines have made measles rare in the U.S., leading to its elimination in 2000, but the politicization of vaccinations has played a part in the resurgence of measles in the U.S. Many nearby states have had measles cases this year. Kansas currently has 58 cases. Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen held a press conference in April with state health officials urging Nebraskans to get vaccinated against a disease that can cause serious health complications, especially for children under age 5. At the time, Pillen said, 'It's not if it's going to come to Nebraska, but when.' South Dakota has not reported a confirmed measles case so far this year, but reported a case last year that was the state's first in nine years. South Dakota Searchlight contributed to this report. The location of Nebraska's Sheridan County, on the border with South Dakota. This story was originally published by the Nebraska Examiner. Like South Dakota Searchlight, it's part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Aaron Sanderford for questions: info@
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Stein declares May 25-31 as North Carolina heat awareness week
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCT) — Governor Josh Stein proclaimed May 25-31 as North Carolina Heat Awareness Week to bring attention to climate warming. 'North Carolina state agencies and community partners are working to make sure North Carolinians have the resources they need to stay safe when temperatures soar,' Governor Josh Stein said. 'North Carolina is preparing for another summer of record heat. While you are outside this summer, please take the necessary steps to prevent heat exhaustion and illness.' Communities across N.C. are encouraged to prepare for high summer temperatures. Among weather-related hazards, extreme heat is responsible for the highest number of deaths each year. Some signs and symptoms of heat-related illness include: Heavy sweating Paleness Muscle cramps Racing or weak pulse Dizziness Headache Fainting Nausea or vomiting. Heat-related illnesses can affect anyone regardless of age, income, physical condition or occupation, People with underlying health conditions are at a disproportionate risk of experiencing adverse health effects. Additionally, NCDHHS Operation Fan Heat Relief is underway through Oct. 31, 2025. Visit DHHS's website to see if you qualify for a free fan for the hot summer months. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Nebraska DHHS confirms measles case in Panhandle — state's first since 2017
Signs point the way to measles testing in the parking lot of the Seminole Hospital District on February 27, 2025, in Seminole, Texas. Nebraska confirmed its first measles case of the recent national surge. (Photo by) LINCOLN — Nebraska confirmed its first measles case of the recent national surge, this one in the state's Panhandle. The measles case involved an 'age-appropriately vaccinated child' in Sheridan County is the state's first since 2017, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. The child had no history of out-of-state travel. 'We are grateful the child's symptoms have been mild, and they are recovering,' said Jessica Davies, health director of the Panhandle Public Health District that covers 12 western counties. 'Those with known exposure have already been notified.' The state health agency said people may have been exposed to measles in two cities in the panhandle and advised them to visit and complete the state DHHS risk assessment survey. DHHS says people visiting the following locations may have been exposed to measles and are advised to visit and complete the state DHHS's risk assessment survey. Family Dollar in Rushville, 316 W 2nd St., on May 17 from 9 a.m. to noon Gordon Memorial Hospital Clinic in Gordon on May 21 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease that spreads when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. It spreads easily when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. It can cause severe disease, complications and even death. Symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose and a rash over the body. Being vaccinated is the best way to prevent getting sick with measles or spreading it to other people. Measles can affect anyone, but it is most common in children. The state health agency emphasizes that if an individual thinks they have symptoms of measles, they should isolate themselves and call a healthcare facility in advance to get tested. State health officials also said anyone with known measles exposure and no confirmed immunity needs to stay at home and away from others for 21 days from the last date of exposure. Vaccines have made measles rare in the U.S., leading to its elimination in 2000, but the politicization of vaccinations has played a part in the resurgence of measles in the U.S. Many nearby states have had a handful of measles cases. Kansas currently has 58 cases. Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen held a press conference in April with state health officials urging Nebraskans to get vaccinated against a disease that can cause serious health complications, especially for children under age five. At the time, Pillen said, 'It's not if it's going to come to Nebraska, but when.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
