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Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nebraska social media limits, lab-grown meat ban, domestic abuse survivor help, 28 more bills pass
A trio of legislative bills passed just hours before the end of the 2024 summer special session related to property taxes are prepared to be ceremoniously signed by Gov. Jim Pillen. Aug. 20, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — Nebraska state senators sent 31 bills Wednesday to the governor for his approval, including measures requiring age verification to use social media, banning lab-grown meat, helping domestic violence survivors and outlawing the use of credit card skimmers. The bills that passed included Legislative Bill 383, from State Sen. Tanya Storer of Whitman, requiring that, starting in July 2026, anyone wishing to create a social media account in Nebraska must prove they are 18 years old or older. Younger users would need parental permission. A parent would also need to prove they are 18 years old or older. LB 383 also includes the provisions of LB 172, from State Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering, outlawing using artificial intelligence or computer generation to create pornographic images or videos depicting someone younger than 18 years old, or knowingly and intentionally receiving such content. Both measures were priorities of Gov. Jim Pillen and Attorney General Mike Hilgers, as was LB 140 from State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue. LB 140 would require all of Nebraska's 245 school districts to prohibit student use of cellphones and other personal electronic communication devices during most parts of the school day beginning this fall. School districts would retain wide latitude in implementing such a policy. Most already have one. LB 383 passed 46-3. LB 140 passed 48-1. Lawmakers also approved LB 246, from State Sen. Barry DeKay of Niobrara at Pillen's request, to ban the sale of lab-grown meat. Some lawmakers, including conservative State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston, as well as the Nebraska Farm Bureau, preferred to label rather than ban the products, which aren't currently available in Nebraska markets. LB 246 passed 38-11 and would take effect three months after lawmakers adjourn. The last day is scheduled for June 9. Lawmakers also advanced housing supports for survivors of domestic violence and sex trafficking through LB 78, from State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln. It would increase the documentary stamp tax by 7 cents per $1,000 worth of property, which is on the transfer of real estate, a portion of which the state uses for affordable housing or homeless shelter assistance. All new revenue would be directed to the new housing assistance. It passed 49-0 and would take effect three months after adjournment. Senators also passed LB 559, from State Sen. Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln, chair of the Legislature's Judiciary Committee, to outlaw unauthorized skimming devices and 'kingpins' who use them, such as on ATMs, point-of-sale systems or fuel pumps. It passed 43-6. The bill included LB 464, also from Bosn, a former prosecutor, to outlaw 'organized retail crime,' a step up from strings of shoplifting depending on the value of merchandise stolen. Other bills that passed on Wednesday include: LB 32, from State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha, to allow candidates to use a post office box instead of a street address on political advertisements. A street address would still need to be on file with state officials. Passed 47-2. LB 36, from State Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth, to establish the 'Safe Battery Collection and Recycling Act' to collect and safely dispose of certain batteries, increase fees on Nebraska Game and Parks Commission park entry permits and expand allowable water recreation projects. Passed 43-6. LB 80, from State Sen. Bob Hallstrom of Syracuse, would consolidate laws related to protection orders, extend ordered protection orders and renewals to two years instead of one, require child abuse involving a military family to be reported to the service member's military installation and require landlords to change locks or remove a perpetrator of domestic violence from a rental agreement soon after abuse is documented and a protective or restraining order has been granted. Passed 46-3. LB 133, from State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue, to expand the definition of 'law enforcement officer' to include animal control officers to enforce state or local animal control laws if authorized by a city, village or county. Passed 42-7. LB 166, from State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward, to require county treasurers to conceal the addresses of law enforcement, members of the Nebraska National Guard or judges if such a person applies to have their address withheld, which is currently the law for county assessors. Addresses for judges would also be concealed when they are up for retention elections. Passed 48-1. LB 230, also from Hallstrom, to restrict and regulate the sale of kratom to those 21 years of age or older, classify tianeptine ('gas station heroin') as a Schedule II controlled substance and prohibit the sale of nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Passed 49-0. LB 257, from State Sen. Dan Quick of Grand Island, creates a pathway for marriage and family therapists from other states to be licensed in Nebraska and increases the minimum liability coverage needed for child care licensing. Passed 46-3. LB 287, from State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha, to give additional authority to cities of the metropolitan class (Omaha) to crack down on bed bug infestations and regulate housing authorities within metropolitan cities for pest control, regular inspections, property registrations, penalties or requiring updates to the city council. Passed 34-15. LB 332, from State Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering, to create assistant funeral directors, permit pharmacists to dispense emergency refills in certain circumstances and require Medicaid coverage for psychology services provided by qualifying advanced-level practitioners supervised by a licensed psychologist. Passed 49-0. LB 364, also from Quick, would allow the Legislature's Executive Board, when the Legislature is not in session, to approve an 'indication of intent' from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to move land into the state park system. Passed 46-3. LB 526, from State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte, to allow a public power supplier to pass on costs to or require additional terms and conditions of cryptocurrency mining operations, including if the operation necessitates infrastructure upgrades. Passed 49-0. LB 561, also from Brandt, would create a special permit for overweight vehicles carrying raw milk up to 107,500 pounds. The Nebraska Department of Transportation would need to create a list of bridges that would and would not support the weight. Passed 49-0. LB 660, from State Sen. Bob Andersen of north-central Sarpy County, would require state agencies to regularly review regulations and repeal unnecessary rules, mandate an updated inventory of federal funds the state relies on along with contingency plans in the event of reductions in federal support and permit legal challenges against rules or regulations in local district courts rather than only in Lancaster County. Passed 49-0. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lab-grown meat ban is another step closer to becoming law in Nebraska
Cattle gather in a pen on a warm day. (Stock photo byPlus) LINCOLN — A bill banning lab-grown meat from Nebraska advanced Tuesday to its final round in the Legislature after a failed attempt to change the focus instead to labeling. The voice vote ended a two-day debate. Undertones of culture war politics were more on display during the second round of debate in the statehouse. State Sen. Barry DeKay of Niobrara — in a nod to some national Republicans calling similar bans around the country an attempt to stop the 'elitist' class from promoting unnatural foods — called lab-grown meat an attempt by groups to undermine Nebraska beef. 'I'd like to also share this quote from Bill Gates…rich nations should move to eat 100% synthetic beef,' said DeKay, who introduced the bill. Nebraska is marching toward becoming the fourth state to implement a ban on lab-grown meat. Mississippi was the third state to outlaw cell-derived meat. Florida and Alabama have banned cultivating and selling meat grown in laboratories in recent years. The proposed law doesn't ban alternative-meat products like the Impossible Burger, which is made entirely from plants. The target is cell-derived meat produced from animal cells, enabling the cells to multiply and differentiate into muscle, fat, and connective tissue without slaughtering animals. The bill would ban the production, import, distribution, promotion, display or sale of any cultivated-protein food in the state. State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln proposed an amendment to the bill that would have replaced the ban with labeling of lab-grown meat — a proposal supported by the Nebraska Farm Bureau. 'I believe that's a better, more thoughtful approach that's in line with agricultural leadership thinking on this topic,' Conrad said. 'I think a ban is too restrictive.' The amendment failed with a 12-24 vote. Nebraska is the second-largest cattle-producing state in the U.S., behind only Texas. Cattle and other livestock production are among Nebraska's largest industries, bringing nearly $31.6 billion to the state, according to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. The Food and Drug Administration approved lab-grown meat for human consumption in 2022. 'I believe it will only add to the arsenal group of individuals who want to engineer our dietary choices,' DeKay said in support of his proposed ban, 'increasing pressures to legally, culturally deny real meat out of animal welfare activists.' Conrad questioned the DeKay claims of negative effects. Democratic aligned lawmakers said labeling is a better option because it is a more free-market approach. Rural State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner preferred the labeling approach. 'Because cattle is [Nebraska's] number one industry,' Ibach said. 'I will do everything to protect that. Banning it is not a bad thing.' Ibach said she is fine with either approach and was marked 'present not voting' for Conrad's amendment. California-based UPSIDE Foods, which sells lab-grown meat, sued the state of Florida for its ban on cell-derived meat last year. While a district court judge rejected Upside Foods's request for a preliminary injunction, the lawsuit is still ongoing. Uma Valeti, CEO and founder of UPSIDE Foods, said he recently met with Gov. Jim Pillen about the potential ban and called it a productive conversation. 'There's a lot of misinformation about cultivated meat,' Valeti said. 'Banning cultivated meat won't protect farmers; it will only limit Nebraska's ability to lead, grow its meat production capacity, and weaken its food system.' DeKay's bill was introduced at the request of Pillen, who owns a major hog operation based in Columbus. Pillen has called the creation of 'bioreactor meat' a 'dishonest attack' on producers in Nebraska. The Nebraska Farm Bureau supported legislation that would label lab-grown meat but not ban it, saying the bureau supports a free and open market and believes that there is a much better option than a ban. State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha supported Conrad's failed amendment. He said he and the Farm Bureau often disagree on issues. 'If the (Farm) bureau and I are on the same side of something, that's certainly something people should take seriously,' Cavanaugh said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tariffs harming farms, businesses and budgets
A view of a Center-pivot irrigation system in a cornfield in Wood River, Nebraska. (Diana) Many Nebraskans are feeling pressure right now. Whether you're a working parent in Scottsbluff, a small business owner in Omaha or one of the many farmers like myself in between, one word sums up the current economic mood: uncertainty. Everyone's watching their budgets a little more closely, wondering if they can still afford the same basic things they could a year ago. That's why we need our leaders in Washington, D.C., to step up. The people we elected to represent us were supposed to focus on lowering prices and making everyday goods more affordable. Instead, we're dealing with another round of tariffs. Just one set of tariffs, announced by President Donald Trump on April 2 — what he called 'Liberation Day' — will cost the average American household about $2,100. If all of his proposed tariffs for 2025 go into effect? That number jumps to $3,800. Nebraskans certainly didn't vote in 2024 to have nearly four grand pulled out of our pockets. The concern about costs isn't a Republican issue or a Democrat issue: It's an everybody issue. Poll after poll shows the majority of voters are worried about prices. Even Trump's own pollster found cost of living is the top concern for his supporters and swing voters. Nebraskans voted for policies that would ease inflation and let us keep more of what we earn. What we've gotten instead is the opposite. The tariff-heavy approach doesn't reflect the message many sent at the ballot box. Inflation is already projected to go over 4% this year, and after the April tariff news, the stock market had its worst week since the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumer confidence has been dropping every month in 2025. It's now the lowest it's been since late 2022. The hit to Nebraskans' wallets is only part of the story. New tariffs are also hurting the backbone of Nebraska's economy: agriculture. We're the Cornhusker State for a reason. Our corn production brings in more than $8 billion each year. But now our top export is at risk. In 2024, more than 90% of Nebraska's corn exports went to Canada, Mexico and China, the countries being hit the hardest by these tariffs. This isn't a new kind of pain for Nebraska's farmers. Back in 2019, the Nebraska Farm Bureau said tariffs cost us $1 billion. That's a tough pill to swallow, but for many farmers, it's just more of the same. Paul Krueger, a corn and soybean farmer from Bladen said it best: 'Any time our country gets involved with any sort of tariffs that affect the agriculture industry, every farmer just kind of groans about that. We're powerless to do anything except take what comes out in the wash.' He's right. And it's not just farmers. It's business owners across Nebraska who feel forgotten. While tariffs grab the spotlight, other policies that could actually help drive down costs are being pushed aside. Take the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which would extend tax cuts that spurred the economy during the president's first term. This key legislation still hasn't been extended. Policies that would cut red tape to empower small businesses are also on the backburner. Crucial industries like manufacturing, which is huge for our state, seem to be being ignored. Tariffs can have a purpose. But the way they're being used right now doesn't match what voters asked for. Even some of President Trump's former advisors have said we should've gone with tax cuts before tariffs. That said, it's not too late. There's still time to put working families first, to make the economy more affordable and to follow through on the promises that got officials elected. Nebraska's own U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., is moving in the right direction. He introduced a bill in Congress to give more say back to Congress on trade policy. He put it simply: 'The Constitution is clear … Congress has the power of tariffs and taxes and we gave some of that power to the executive branch. … In hindsight, that was a mistake.' It's that kind of thinking we need. It shows he's looking out for Nebraska families, farmers and workers who just want relief from rising costs. We don't need more economic strain. Nebraskans voted for lower prices and a better standard of living. It's time for our leaders to deliver. Walker Luedtke is a farmer who owns an agricultural supply business in Saunders County. He earned a master's degree in agriculture from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and resides in Wahoo, Nebraska. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Agriculture Day spotlight shows 244,000 Nebraska jobs supported by ag
Nebraska is recognizing National Ag Week. (Courtesy of Nebraska Department of Agriculture) OMAHA — A group of ag fans assembled Tuesday in Omaha to celebrate National Agriculture Day and spotlight the role the industry plays in Nebraska's economy. The Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, which hosted the gathering, was joined by representatives of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Nebraska Farm Bureau and Conagra Brands. Gov. Jim Pillen also made a pair of stops in Omaha on Tuesday, including at JBS Beef in South Omaha, presenting proclamations recognizing Ag Week, March 16-22. 'Nebraska's agricultural industry continues to be a cornerstone of our economy, providing jobs, economic growth and tax revenue for our communities,' said Mark McHargue, president of the Farm Bureau Foundation board, which raises awareness of the sector's significance. 'From small family farms to large agribusinesses, agriculture is integral to every corner of our state.' The group shared these highlights: Nebraska's ag sector supports more than 244,000 jobs statewide, contributes $97.4 billion in sales and generates more than $6 billion in tax revenue. Agriculture is behind more than 40% of jobs in 54 of Nebraska's 93 counties. Douglas County leads the state with more than 29,000 ag-related jobs. David Bracht, president of the Omaha chamber's agricultural council, said in a news release that Douglas County's leadership in creating ag-related jobs underscores the industry's impact not only in rural areas but in urban centers of the state. The speakers said Omaha is a hub for agribusiness career opportunities. 'Omaha innovators have created a city where you can dig in the dirt or dive into data,' said Sherry Vinton, director of the state Agriculture Department. 'Whether a gearhead, number cruncher, sustainability dreamer or a content creator, Nebraska agriculture has a place for you.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
