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Nebraska Senators Schedule Town Halls To Discuss Medical Marijuana Bills

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Nebraska Senators Schedule Town Halls To Discuss Medical Marijuana Bills


“Since the legislature has failed to act at this point, I want to give the citizens an opportunity to have their voices heard by their elected representatives.”

By Zach Wendling, Nebraska Examiner

State lawmakers scheduled three eastern Nebraska public forums this weekend to allow the public to weigh in on medical cannabis and proposed state legislation.

State Sens. John Cavanaugh (D) of Omaha, Rick Holdcroft (R) of Bellevue and Ben Hansen (R) of Blair plan to host the series this Saturday in La Vista, Sunday in Omaha and Monday in Lincoln. Attendants will be able to hear updates on the status of medical cannabis legislation, namely Hansen’s Legislative Bill 677, and “share their thoughts.”

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The schedule is as follows:

  • Saturday, May 3, from 1–3 p.m. at the Carpenters Union Hall in La Vista (10761 Virginia Plaza, La Vista).
  • Sunday, May 4, from 1–3 p.m., at the University of Nebraska at Omaha Thompson Alumni Center (8800 Dodge St., Omaha).
  • Monday, May 5, from 5–7 p.m., at Southeast Community College (8800 O St., Lincoln).

The hosts plan to accommodate everyone who wishes to speak during the two-hour events.

In November, about 71 percent of Nebraskans legalized medical cannabis with a physician’s recommendation, and 67 percent of Nebraskans voted for a regulatory scheme.

“Since the legislature has failed to act at this point, I want to give the citizens an opportunity to have their voices heard by their elected representatives,” Cavanaugh told the Nebraska Examiner.

Hansen said the town halls are meant to help inform the public about the legislative process and receive feedback, answering questions and hearing concerns.

General Affairs Committee

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Hansen’s LB 677 seeks to help the ballot measures build better guardrails, with help from supporters who put the measures on the ballot.

His bill would delay full implementation of the regulatory law to give the new Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission time to craft regulations that, without funding, officials have said is near impossible to get done by the voter-set July 1 deadline or begin licensing by October 1.

LB 677 has stalled in the Legislature’s General Affairs Committee that Holdcroft chairs. Cavanaugh is the vice chair.

Holdcroft, who has said he would support a narrowed LB 677, said he is looking for “back and forth” at the public forums, such as whether to allow smoking or how many dispensaries should be permitted.

At an April 17 meeting of committee members, the committee considered a narrower committee amendment that sought to create a list of qualifying conditions, restrict who can recommend medical cannabis, exclude smoking as permissible for medical cannabis and prohibit sales of natural cannabis flower or bud.

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None of the eight committee members tried to attach the amendment to LB 677. Advancing the bill as-is failed along ideological lines, 3–5.

‘A little bit of limbo’

Five days later, Hansen filed an amendment to add post-traumatic stress disorder as a qualifying condition and allow sales of flower and bud, the latter of which is a line in the sand for Hansen. Hansen also filed what is known as a “pull motion” that would advance LB 677, with at least 25 votes in the full 49-member legislative body and start the three-round debate.

The latest Hansen amendment would not allow smoking THC products to be sold.

Hansen said he is “stuck in a little bit of a limbo” trying to figure out the route to go, preferring to go through committee instead of the “little more aggressive maneuver” of a pull motion. He said he feels it would be a “disservice” to Nebraskans if the bill isn’t at least discussed.

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“I’m hoping that Sen. Holdcroft, myself and the General Affairs Committee can kind of have a kumbaya moment a little bit here and move something forward that we can both agree on, which I’m assuming we both won’t like,” Hansen said.

Speaker John Arch (R) of La Vista, who sets the daily legislative agenda, declined to say if he would schedule Hansen’s pull motion as those discussions continue.

‘Uphold the voice of the people’

Crista Eggers, executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, said her team is “very appreciative” of lawmakers’ efforts to give voters a chance to voice their feelings on the issue.

“While we find it disheartening that Nebraskans are being asked to ‘clarify their vote,’ we hope this final effort makes it clear: Nebraskans support medical cannabis. They knew what they were voting for,” Eggers said. “They now are demanding lawmakers to uphold the voice of the people.”

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LB 677 faces a tight timeline and fiscal situation in the waning days of the 2025 legislative session. Debate on the state’s budget bills—with a major hole to still fill—is set to begin May 6. The final budget must pass by May 15.

Lawmakers are set to adjourn for the year on June 9.

Any legislation would require at least 33 votes to become law because lawmakers are seeking to amend laws that voters approved via ballot initiative.

Also co-hosting the public forums are State Sens. Ashlei Spivey of Omaha, John Fredrickson of Omaha, Jane Raybould of Lincoln, Victor Rountree of Bellevue, Margo Juarez of Omaha, Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, Megan Hunt of Omaha, Myron Dorn of Adams, Merv Riepe of Ralston, Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, Tom Brandt of Plymouth, George Dungan of Lincoln and Danielle Conrad of Lincoln.

This story was first published by Nebraska Examiner.

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Nebraska Senator Requests Investigation Into Spending By Medical Marijuana Ballot Initiative Opponents

Photo courtesy of Philip Steffan.

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Pillen: Nebraska senator tears down historical exhibits by PragerU from Capitol walls

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Pillen: Nebraska senator tears down historical exhibits by PragerU from Capitol walls


LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Parts of a temporary historical exhibit inside the Nebraska State Capitol were torn down by a state senator, Gov. Pillen alleges.

Gov. Pillen said Wednesday on social media that several displays of historical figures, key events in the American Revolution and portraits of those who signed the Declaration of Independence were “ripped off the walls” by state Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha.

A 40-second video shared by Pillen appears to show Sen. Cavanaugh taking down several displays and a photo showed the items on the floor of her office.

A 40-second video shared by Gov. Jim Pillen shows Sen. Cavanaugh taking down several displays and a photo showed the items on the floor of her office.(Governor Jim Pillen’s office)

The displays featuring material made by the controversial conservative group PragerU were put up in the state Capitol as part of the United States’ 250th anniversary.

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“Celebrating America during our 250th year should be a moment of unity and patriotism, not divisiveness and destructive partisanship. I am disappointed in this shameful and selfish bad example,” Pillen wrote.

Cavanaugh told 10/11 that senators are prohibited from putting items on the walls in the hallway outside their offices. She said the posters line the entire hallway around the first floor, but she only took down the ones outside her office.

“When I walked in this morning and saw these poster boards lining the hallway of my office, I thought well I’m not allowed to have things lining the hall of my office… I tried to take them down as gently as I could and not damage any of them, and I stacked them inside of my office and I let the state patrol know that they were there,” Cavanaugh said.

PragerU has previously faced criticism for making content that historians, researchers and scholars have considered inaccurate or misleading. Some parents and educators have also spoken out against the nonprofit, saying its content spreads misinformation and is being used for “indoctrinating children.”

The Founders Museum exhibit in particular has been criticized by The American Historical Association for blurring the line between reality and fiction, according to NPR.

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The exhibit is supposed to remain on display during public building hours through the summer.

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Oregon State LB transfer Dexter Foster commits to Nebraska

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Oregon State LB transfer Dexter Foster commits to Nebraska


Nebraska has picked up a third linebacker commitment from Oregon State transfer Dexter Foster, a sophomore with three seasons of eligibility remaining, including a redshirt year. 

The 6-foot-3, 236lb linebacker started in seven games this fall for the Beavers, totaling 52 tackles with 3.0 tackles for loss, four quarterback hurries and a pass breakup. As a true freshman in 2024, he appeared in 12 games, totaling 43 tackles with two tackles for loss, a sack and two quarterback hurries. 

Foster held just two offers coming out of high school prior to committing to Oregon State, but was at one point a target for new Nebraska defensive coordinator Rob Aurich, when Aurich was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Idaho in 2022-2023. 

The sophomore joins a linebacker room that has seen a bit of a facelift through transfer portal additions. San Diego State linebacker Owen Chambliss led the Aztecs in tackles this season and has now signed with the Huskers, following Rob Aurich to Lincoln. Iowa State freshman linebacker Will Hawthorne committed to the Huskers on Tuesday. Nebraska fell just short of Iowa State when Hawthorne was coming out of Gilbert (Ia.) in the 2025 cycle. 

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Foster is the seventh transfer portal addition for the Huskers this cycle and the fourth defensive addition. The Huskers are expected to be done with linebacker portal recruiting at this point and will turn attention to needs up front, both at defensive tackle and edge rusher. 

Quick look at what Nebraska is getting in Foster

Standing 6-foot-3, and north of 235lbs, Foster is rangy and athletic in space. Has the versatility to play true strong-side or weak-side linebacker and could even spin down to edge rusher if needed. Possesses the athletic and physical range to track down ball-carriers in space, arm length to keep would-be-blockers at bay. Shows good eye discipline working through traffic, quick to react and trigger downhill, with the fluidity to change directions quickly. Still more read-and-react than anticipatory at this point in his development, but gets to his spots quickly. Has the athleticism to stick in coverage against running backs, tight ends and even slot receivers. 

Has the experience, size and play-style to factor into Nebraska’s linebacker rotation immediately, and could even push to start alongside San Diego State linebacker transfer Owen Chambliss. Has the versatility to be a chess piece of sorts for Aurich and stick on the field regardless of personnel.



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Nebraska-based pizza chain Godfather’s Pizza is set to open a new location in Queen Creek

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Nebraska-based pizza chain Godfather’s Pizza is set to open a new location in Queen Creek


QUEEN CREEK, AZ — A slice of the Midwest is coming to the East Valley! Godfather’s Pizza from Omaha, Nebraska, is set to open a new location this month in Queen Creek.

Bruce Cannon, who owns and operates two Godfather’s Pizza locations in Lincoln and Norfolk, Nebraska, will also own and operate the new Queen Creek restaurant.

“This marks the brand’s first traditional Godfather’s Pizza restaurant in Arizona since 2009, signaling an exciting return to the Phoenix metro area,” read the news release sent to ABC15.

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The restaurant will open near Queen Creek Rd and Signal Butte Rd.

The restaurant will provide dine-in, carryout, and third-party delivery options, featuring its classic pizza lineup alongside favorites like breadsticks, streusels, and specialty pies.

IF YOU GO

  • Opening date: January 19, 2026.
  • Address: 22485 Queen Creek Road, Suite 101

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