Connect with us

Nebraska

Lincoln area senators look ahead to 2025 Legislative Session

Published

on

Lincoln area senators look ahead to 2025 Legislative Session


LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – This Wednesday, Nebraska’s 49 lawmakers will flock to the Nebraska State Capitol to begin the 2025 Legislative Session.

It falls to them to build a biennial budget proposal for the next two years, but already, projections show a roughly $400 million deficit that they need to close.

“We are mandated to pass a balanced budget in the state of Nebraska by the Constitution,” State Sen. Tom Brandt said. “It is going to happen. Will there be pain and suffering? I’m sure, but it will happen on the part of the Legislature.”

Many lawmakers say that means it won’t be a year for bold spending ideas. Instead, they’ll be looking for places to tighten the belt.

Advertisement

“I think working together we’ll be able to mitigate deep cuts on critical human services and key priorities like education,” State Sen. Danielle Conrad said. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to also kind of chart a path together that keeps us on the right path and away from devolving into a divisive session.”

One big difference between this year and last year is time. 2024 was more of a sprint, just 60 days of legislative action. This year, it’s 90 days, dragging lawmakers to the beginning of June and giving them plenty of time to hammer out compromises—so long as there’s an appetite.

And more than a dozen new senators will be sworn in on Wednesday, which some more veteran lawmakers see as a boon.

“My last two years in the legislature have been marked by a lot of tumultuous fights, a lot of culture war issues, things like that,” State Sen. George Dungan, said. “With the new crop of people coming in, I think it gives us an opportunity to kind of hit that reset button and really have a conversation with each about why are we here.”

Every senator 10/11 NOW spoke with on Monday emphasized property taxes, though their approaches varied between targeted relief and more general cuts funded by sales taxes.

Advertisement

Many said they’re greeting the session with hopefulness.

“I think we’ve got an opportunity to make some big changes this year and really dive deep into some of those property tax issues that we spoke about this summer,” State Sen. Carolyn Bosn said.

Click here to subscribe to our 10/11 NOW daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.



Source link

Advertisement

Nebraska

How Nebraska men’s basketball’s historic start to the season could end its NCAA tournament drought

Published

on

How Nebraska men’s basketball’s historic start to the season could end its NCAA tournament drought
























How Nebraska men’s basketball’s historic start to the season could end its NCAA tournament drought | NCAA.com


Skip to main content



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Nebraska

Britt Prince scores 20 for No. 25 Nebraska women in 78-73 win over Indiana

Published

on

Britt Prince scores 20 for No. 25 Nebraska women in 78-73 win over Indiana


LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Britt Prince scored 20 points and Jessica Petrie added 17 for No. 25 Nebraska in a 78-73 win over Indiana on Thursday night.

Prince, who buried her 700th career point in the fourth quarter, scored 15 of her points in the second half after holding off a late surge from the Hoosiers (11-6, 0-5 Big 10) in the third quarter. Logan Nissley added 11 points.

Indiana went on a 14-1 run in the third to take the lead from Nebraska (14-2, 3-2) for the first time since the beginning of the game, leading briefly at 51-49. Indiana took a 1-point lead with 5:32 to play, but Nebraska scored 16 points over the final 6:14.

Advertisement

Shay Ciezki scored 31 points on 13-of-21 shooting for Indiana, her fourth time this season scoring more than 30 points. Zania Socka-Nguemen added 19 points and 11 rebounds. Maya Makalusky had 12 points. The Hoosiers shot 51% as a team from the field compared to Nebraska’s 42%, but have dropped their fourth straight game.

Up next

Indiana: Hosts No. 14 Iowa on Sunday.

Nebraska: Hosts No. 4 UCLA on Sunday.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Nebraska

33 Nebraska senators urge Board of Regents to delay vote on $800M acquisition of Nebraska Medicine

Published

on

33 Nebraska senators urge Board of Regents to delay vote on 0M acquisition of Nebraska Medicine


LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Thirty-two Nebraska state senators joined Sen. Brad von Gillern’s letter calling on the Nebraska Board of Regents to delay a vote on the proposed $800 million acquisition of Nebraska Medicine.

The letter, dated Thursday and bearing a total of 33 signatures from state senators, shared concerns about the proposed acquisition, including the lack of transparency to the public and the Legislature.

According to the letter, the regents’ Jan. 9 meeting agenda item summary indicates that the Board has “negotiated the final agreement over a series of meetings in the past 18 months”.

The regents will consider a proposal in which Clarkson Regional Health Services would give up its 50% membership in Nebraska Medicine. The deal would give full control of the health system to the University of Nebraska.

Advertisement

However, the letter said the public and Legislature have had little time to understand the proposal, its impact and any financial implications of the transaction.

“The University of Nebraska and Nebraska Medicine are two institutions of tremendous significance to our state, and any major changes to the existing structures must be carefully considered,” the letter stated.

Senators are asking the Board to delay the vote to “ensure all viable alternatives have been considered and until all stakeholders understand the impact of the proposal for the state” and the two institutions.

The Board of Regents meeting, previously set for Friday, will now be held Thursday, Jan. 15 at 9 a.m.

Click here to subscribe to our 10/11 NOW daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending