Nebraska
Nebraska senator invokes colleague's name while reading rape scene during debate
LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska Examiner) — A Nebraska legislative debate about keeping obscenity out of K-12 schools ended abruptly Monday night after a lawmaker, while reading a book passage about an explicit rape scene, invoked a colleague’s name.
State Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings, during debate on Legislative Bill 441, warned state senators and those watching the livestream of legislative proceedings that he would be quoting from the hearing testimony on the bill.
LB 441, the priority bill of State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, seeks to crack down on obscenity and pornography in K-12 schools.
One person testifying at the March 24, 2023, hearing on LB 441 read passages from a book titled “Lucky,” by Alice Sebold, which includes a graphic description of a rape Sebold survived in college.
While reading the testimony, Halloran inserted the name “Senator Cavanaugh” at the end of some sentences about the sexual assault.
He didn’t specify which Cavanaugh. (Both Machaela Cavanaugh and her brother John serve in the Legislature.)
At least two of Halloran’s colleagues publicly called for him to resign.
During about four hours of debate, Halloran and others alluded repeatedly to the hearing transcript. Halloran was the first to read directly from it.
“We talked about, ‘My kids haven’t experienced this in my school,’” Halloran said. “Doesn’t matter. If it’s just one school that experiences this, (it’s) one too many.”
The lawmaker also invoked State Sen. George Dungan’s name after reading the passage.
He called out Dungan, of Lincoln, and Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, both attorneys, for questioning the legality of LB 441 but not proposing solutions.
“Don’t throw it away — fix it,” Halloran said. “It’s a problem.”
Much of Monday’s debate featured supporters saying that LB 441 would fix a loophole that they say prevents prosecution if a school official provides obscenity to minors.
Opponents said that is already illegal under state law, and school officials do not have immunity from prosecution.
After Halloran read from “Lucky,” Sen. John Cavanaugh said the Hastings senator “missed the point.”
“Yes, life is gross and very unpleasant,” he said. “But that is what life is, and people who experience that want to know they’re not alone.”
Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh told Halloran that his speech was harassment.
She said that while she and Albrecht disagreed about the bill, Albrecht remained professional during debate. Halloran did not, she said.
“That was so out of line and unnecessary and disgusting to say my name over and over again like that,” Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh said.
“You don’t know anything about anyone else’s life, and I can tell you that women in this body have been subjected to sexual violence,” she continued. “I didn’t know you were capable of such cruelty. That was so unbecoming of you and unbecoming of this body, and I hope that some other people who are Republicans will stand up and defend me.”
Albrecht and a handful of other lawmakers had left the floor when Halloran was reading the passage.
Albrecht said afterward she was “mortified” if Cavanaugh’s name was invoked.
“I don’t want to listen to this, but deep down inside, this is what’s happening,” Albrecht said. “… I will be the first to stand up and say I’m sorry — I’m sorry that we even have to read anything like this.”
Halloran, in an email to a Nebraska teacher Monday evening, wrote, “If you would have listened closely, I was addressing her lawyer brother … John!”
In another email shared online and with the Examiner, Halloran described the passage as a “‘how to rape’ lesson given to young people” and said his only regret is that liberals are not upset that “Lucky” is in school libraries.
Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh said on social media that Halloran’s explanation that he was referring to her brother was “dismissive” and ignores that men can also be sexually assaulted.
Colleagues from both sides of the aisle in the officially nonpartisan Legislature condemned Halloran.
State Sens. Megan Hunt of Omaha, a progressive, and Julie Slama of Dunbar, a conservative, both called for him to resign.
“Disgusting,” Slama wrote on X. “No context makes this appropriate.”
Speaker John Arch of La Vista, on a motion from Hunt, agreed to adjourn one hour early Monday evening.
The debate is scheduled to pick up Tuesday afternoon after lawmakers finish second-round debate on the state budget.
“There’s times when we just have to step back from the debate, and I think this is one of those times,” Arch said.
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KEARNEY – Successful and aspiring entrepreneurs were recognized April 21 during the annual Light It Up awards ceremony at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
Hosted by UNK’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Rural Development, the event celebrates the vision, innovation and hard work of entrepreneurs and advocates who are making a difference in Kearney and throughout greater Nebraska.
The following awards were presented during the ceremony at Discovery Hall:
Student Entrepreneur Award
Fallon Wells, Flourish Floral Company
The winner of UNK’s Big Idea business pitch competition, Fallon Wells graduates next month with a degree in interior and product design and a minor in entrepreneurship. She’s returning to her hometown of Central City, where she’ll own and operate a flower shop.
“What truly sets Fallon apart is her commitment to her community. By choosing to invest in and sustain a local business in her hometown, she is helping preserve an important community staple. Her work ensures continued access to a service that brings people together during meaningful moments,” her nomination stated.
Emerging Entrepreneur Award
Connor Streit, PolyPath Med
Connor Streit, founder of PolyPath Med, earned the Emerging Entrepreneur Award for his efforts to reduce medical waste. His business focuses on repurposing unused sterile plastic from operating rooms, diverting thousands of pounds from landfills.
Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award
Cody Lawson, 1to1 Technologies
Cody Lawson started his business as a teenager and has grown it into a multistate technology support and repair company known for its customer-focused approach and community involvement. The business has seven full-time employees and a new facility in Central City.
“Cody is our poster child for the entrepreneurial spirit,” his nomination stated. “He inspires others to take the leap and mentors those who attempt it.”
Entrepreneurship Advocate Award
Caleb Pollard, Valley County Economic Development/Ord Area Chamber of Commerce
Caleb Pollard serves as executive director of Valley County Economic Development, an organization formed through an interlocal agreement between the city of Ord, Valley County, Ord Area Chamber of Commerce and Greater Loup Valley Activities. Through coaching and regional partnerships, he has supported business growth across the area, helping generate millions in revenue and expand employment opportunities. An entrepreneur himself, Pollard co-founded Scratchtown Brewing Company in Ord.
“Caleb’s commitment to Ord and the Sandhills spans more than 25 years, beginning as a college student, returning after stints in Lincoln and Omaha, and planting deep roots with his family in 2008,” his nomination stated. “He draws an explicit parallel between his personal philosophy and community building: ‘I love to garden … you plant seeds with intention, and with a lot of patience and hard work, you hope that you reap a harvest. … We’re very intentional in taking a much longer view on how to build community.’”
Alumni Entrepreneur Award
Noah Young, The Shiloh Farm
A 2018 UNK graduate, Noah Young has built a large online following while promoting agriculture and homesteading education, reaching audiences worldwide. His Shiloh Farm social media accounts have more than 2 million followers on Instagram and TikTok, making him one of the most-viewed ag influencers.
“Everyone who has ever met him will tell you that his love for agriculture is real and that he really does want everyone to experience it,” his nomination stated. “I had the opportunity to travel with Noah this summer across many different states and was able to see the impact he has on people thousands of miles away.”
Nebraska
Nebraska is becoming the first state to implement a Medicaid work requirement signed by Trump
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska on Friday will become the first state to enforce work, volunteer or education requirements for new Medicaid applicants, eight months before the federally mandated requirements kick in.
Advocates worry that the state is launching so rapidly that key details remain unresolved and some people who are eligible for coverage will lose it.
State officials say they’re prepared, training staff and sending letters, emails and texts to people who could be impacted.
Health policy experts, advocates and other states will be watching closely.
“It can be used as a lesson for other states, both where things go well and where things don’t go well,” said Jennifer Tolbert, deputy director of KFF’s Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured.
The law is expected to leave some without insurance
The work requirement is part of a broad tax and policy law that President Donald Trump signed last year. Nebraska Republican Gov. Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen announced in December that the state would implement it eight months before it was required, saying the aim was “making sure we get every able-bodied Nebraskan to be a part of our community.”
The state had one of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S. in February: 3.1%
The federal policy won’t apply to all Medicaid beneficiaries, just those who are enrolled under an expansion that most states chose to make to allow more low-income people to get healthcare coverage.
Under the change, many Medicaid participants ages 19 through 64 will have to show that they work or do community service at least 80 hours a month, or are enrolled in school at least half-time. They’ll also have their eligibility reviewed every six months rather than annually, so they could lose coverage faster if their circumstances change.
Exceptions will be made for people who are too medically frail to work or in addiction treatment programs, among others.
An Urban Institute report from March estimated that the changes would mean about 5 million to 10 million people fewer people nationally would be enrolled in Medicaid than would have been otherwise.
Choices states make about how to run their programs are expected to be a major factor in exactly how many people lose coverage.
“The higher the administrative burden, the more likely people are found noncompliant and disenrolled,” said Michael Karpman, who researches health policy at Urban.
Nebraska plans to use data to help determine who qualifies
Not everyone who has coverage will need to submit proof that they’re working.
The state says it will first match enrollees with other data it has to see if participants are working or exempt. The state says it has that information for most of the roughly 70,000 people enrolled in Medicaid through the expansion.
That leaves between 20,000 and 28,000 who would have to provide more information, plus an average of 3,000 to 4,000 new enrollees each month.
At first, they will just need to show that they met the requirements in just one month of the previous 12. The time frame will shift to six months in 2027.
There’s some flexibility. For instance, instead of showing they work 80 hours in a month, someone could instead provide records that demonstrate they earned at least $580, the amount someone earning minimum wage would make in 80 hours.
People who don’t submit requested information within 30 days of being asked could have their applications denied or lose coverage they already have.
The change is causing worry and confusion
Bridgette Annable, who lives in southwest Nebraska, received a letter saying she must meet the work requirements or lose the benefits that pay for her insulin and diabetic supplies.
The 21-year-old mother now has a part-time job, despite being advised against it to protect her mental health. She’s worried about her ability to keep working.
“I am working 30 to 25 hours a week — as much as my employer can provide,” Annable said. “Although I call out of work often due to fibromyalgia pain and bipolar episodes that leave me too tired to leave the house. I have enough energy to take care of my daughter and do some cleaning, but that’s about it.”
Amy Behnke, the CEO of the Health Center Association of Nebraska, said that staff members who help people enroll with Medicaid and their clients have a lot of questions, including some that the state hasn’t yet answered.
Some examples: Apprenticeship programs are supposed to count for work requirements, but does that apply only to those certified by the state’s labor department? There’s an exemption for people who travel to a hospital for care, but there’s not clarity on how far the journey must be.
KFF’s Tolbert noted that the state issued its 295-page list last week of conditions that could qualify someone as medically frail. “We don’t know if it’s a comprehensive list,” she said.
“The speed at which we are choosing to implement work requirements hasn’t left a lot of space for really meaningful communication,” Behnke said.
And Nebraska could have to make changes after the federal government provides guidance that is expected in June.
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Mulvihill reported from Haddonfield, New Jersey.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced today that it is submitting a request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expand the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Healthy Choice Waiver to include candy as an ineligible purchase. Once approved, the restriction will take effect November 1, 2026.
“DHHS continues to strengthen our Healthy Choice Waiver by adding candy to the list of items ineligible for purchase with SNAP benefits,” said Shannon Grotrian, Director of the Office of Economic Assistance (OEA). “This step supports healthier SNAP purchasing decisions and reflects the Department’s commitment to improving health outcomes for Nebraskans.”
The change builds on the current Healthy Choice Waiver, which already prohibits the purchase of soda and energy drinks, a policy that took effect January 1, 2026.
Excessive consumption of sugar can contribute to a range of serious health conditions, including heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and dental decay. Research from the USDA has shown that SNAP participants have a higher prevalence of obesity than both income-eligible and higher-income nonparticipants.
That same study found that SNAP participants, on average, consume more added sugars and fewer fruits and vegetables than non-participants. Another study from the University of Minnesota found that restriction of sugary foods led to an increase in healthier purchases and a decrease in sugary food purchases.
Prior to the implementation date, educational information will be sent to SNAP participants, retailers, and community members outlining the changes. Additional information including the definition of candy, will be shared in the following weeks on the SNAP Healthy Choice Waiver webpage at https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Healthy-Choices-Waiver.aspx. This will include frequently asked questions (FAQ), information on healthy alternative purchases, and other community resources.
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