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Nebraska legislative committee advances contentious nomination for chief medical officer
LINCOLN — A Nebraska legislative committee on Thursday advanced the contentious appointment of a new chief medical officer who would be charged with determining new rules and regulations surrounding gender-affirming care for minors. Members of the Health and Human Services Committee advanced the appointment of Dr. Timothy Tesmer on a 4-2 vote. It was a […]
Nebraska lawmakers advance proposal to repeal motorcycle helmet mandate
LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers are one step away from repealing mandated motorcycle helmets in the state, advancing a long-sought proposal Wednesday. State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, offered an amendment to do so during debate on a bill related to the Department of Motor Vehicles. His proposal, originally […]
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen deploys state troopers to Texas days after meeting with Abbott
LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen announced Wednesday he has deployed 10 state troopers to the Texas border as his “promise to back Texas” and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. This comes two weeks after the ending of Title 42, a border policy implemented by former President Donald Trump that blocked migrants from claiming asylum during a […]
Nebraska regents to consider shifting Husker Athletics authority to NU president
LINCOLN — The University of Nebraska Board of Regents next week will consider a proposed bylaw change that could shift the direction and oversight of Husker Athletics to the NU president. Regents Tim Clare of Lincoln and Rob Schafer of Beatrice have proposed shifting authority of Husker Athletics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln chancellor to NU […]
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen signs abortion, gender care restrictions into law
LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen on Monday signed into law new restrictions on abortion and gender-affirming care for minors, which opponents vowed to fight until the very end. Legislative Bill 574, proposed by State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, passed 33-15 last Friday on the final round of debate. The measure includes an approximate 10-week […]
Nebraska passes stricter abortion ban, limits on gender-affirming care
LINCOLN — Pleas, chants and tossed tampons and pads did not stop the Nebraska Legislature’s conservative majority from passing a bill Friday combining two proposals that several state senators said might not have been able to pass on their own. Hundreds spent the day rallying at the Capitol for abortion rights and trans rights. They […]
Nebraska lawmaker introduces less restrictive amendment on abortion-gender care proposal
LINCOLN — An expected final vote Friday on the Nebraska Legislature’s efforts to further restrict abortions and limit gender-affirming care for minors may not be the last after a new amendment was filed Thursday. However, key senators said they would not support the changes proposed. State Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont filed an amendment to […]
Nebraska merges abortion, gender-affirming care measures into single bill
LINCOLN — With thousands of Nebraskans watching, including hundreds in person, state lawmakers shoehorned a stricter abortion ban into an already divisive bill to limit gender-affirming care for minors. The proposal is now one step from passage. Tuesday’s action was the culmination of months of public outcry and legislative fights over the two measures, both […]
A guide to Tuesday’s debate on amendment to combine gender-affirming care, abortion restrictions
LINCOLN — The session-long fight in some Nebraska lawmakers’ efforts to further restrict abortion and gender-affirming care for minors could be decided Tuesday evening with a decisive amendment to pair the measures as one proposal. State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair unveiled the amendment last Monday to marry two of the most divisive issues this session […]
Nebraska’s Chief Standing Bear honored with nationwide USPS stamp
LINCOLN — The story of Chief Standing Bear will spread across the nation with a U.S. Postal Service stamp issued Friday portraying the Ponca leader. Nebraskans gathered outside Chief Standing Bear’s statue on Centennial Mall in downtown Lincoln, including USPS officials, Ponca Tribe leaders and descendants of the chief, to observe the nationwide honor. Judi gaiashkibos, […]
Final say on Nebraska gender care bill would be delegated to executive branch appointee and DHHS
LINCOLN — The latest fight over gender-affirming care in Nebraska has shifted, at least slightly, from whether there should be restrictions to who should have the final authority in drafting them. A new amendment would combine two of the most controversial topics this legislative session — abortion and gender-affirming care — into Legislative Bill 574, the […]
State lawmakers to try again to limit abortion rights, pairing it with a bill involving gender care
LINCOLN — Foes of abortion rights are hoping to resurrect a debate on the issue in the waning days of the 2023 session by pairing it with another controversial proposal. On Monday afternoon, an abortion-related amendment to the bill that would ban gender-affirming procedures for minors was unveiled. The amendment would provide for a 12-week […]