Nebraska

Rules debate, tax shift appetite among five things to watch in 2024 session of Nebraska Legislature | Nebraska Examiner

Published

2 years ago

January 3, 2024

Rules debate, tax shift appetite among five things to watch in 2024 session of Nebraska Legislature | Nebraska Examiner

LINCOLN — Wednesday marks the start of the 2024 session of the Nebraska Legislature, a 60-day session that several lawmakers said they hope is less acrimonious than last year’s filibuster-fest.

Here’s some things to watch in the session, based on discussions with senators and lobbyists:

A smooth start?

Can the 49-seat Unicameral get out of the starting gate without a bruising floor fight over the rules?

More than one senator said the tenor of a debate over multiple rules changes — the first item of debate on the 2024 agenda — will say a lot about whether this year is a repeat of last year, an endless string of filibusters that got personal at times.

Speaker of the Legislature John Arch of La Vista (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Speaker of the Legislature John Arch of LaVista, who has proposed a group of rules changes, has said he wants the rules debate completed by Jan. 12, and Jan. 19 at the latest.

Arch made it clear he doesn’t want a repeat of 2017, when a debate over rules extended well into that session.

But Bayard Sen. Steve Erdman, who has proposed his own slate of rules changes, said he’s ready for a lengthy debate.

“I don’t give a rip if it takes all 60 days,” he said.

So which rules are adopted, and how many hard feelings are generated, will say a lot.

Whose rules changes will win out?

Arch has proposed a slate of rules changes that he hopes will “hit the reset button” and “improve” the institution of the Legislature.

He told Todd Watson on his recent podcast for the Nebraska Republican Party that his goal is to encourage “good debate and good progress” while allowing “majority rule and minority voice.”

State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska News Service)

Meanwhile, Erdman, who chairs the Legislature’s Rules Committee, has proposed his own set of rules changes, which are viewed as more controversial.

Two of his ideas — to eliminate secret votes for leaders of legislative committees and bar the news media from committee executive sessions when committees are deciding whether bills advance or die — have been proposed and failed to pass in the past. Could this be the year?

Another Erdman proposal, not to count senators as “present and not voting” when calculating the two-thirds vote needed by the body to shut off a filibuster and pass a bill — thus possibly lowering the standard from 33 votes — has some momentum.

Again, how many bruised egos come out of the rules debate, and how long it goes, will shape the rest of the 2024 session. Senators are looking for Speaker Arch to take the reins and return some sense of normalcy.

A big tax shift

Gov. Jim Pillen and the “working group” he appointed to come up with ideas to reduce property taxes has loaded up a big one — a tax shift that would require a 2-cent increase in the state sales taxe rate.

Former Gov. Pete Ricketts rejected such “tax shift” proposals as a tax increase, because one tax was being increased. But backers of Pillen’s proposal are portraying it as a way to reduce the total tax load, by shifting it off local property taxes via a higher sales tax.

Reducing property taxes — which are levied at the local level — via action at the statehouse has always been a complicated political and fiscal balancing act.

But key senators including Lou Ann Linehan, the chair of the Revenue Committee, said they’re frustrated that recent increases in state credits to offset local property taxes, and last year’s infusion of $350 million in extra aid to K-12 schools, haven’t resulted in reductions in property taxes.

Raising sales taxes would be a big lift and will be fiercely opposed by groups that argue it’s a regressive tax that impacts the poor more than the rich.

Workforce, workforce, workforce

The state’s business community has been banging the drum in recent years for help filling the tens of thousands of vacant jobs across the state.

Business leaders have called for better housing for workers, better training, professional licensing reform and incentives and internships for filling vital positions as nurses, teachers and the like.

What will the Legislature pass?

Restoring access for inspectors general

A legal opinion from Attorney General Mike Hilgers in August has largely eliminated the ability of two inspectors general offices created by the Legislature to inform them on the state’s child welfare and corrections agencies.

Because of the nonbinding opinion, the inspectors general of corrections and child welfare no longer have access to records or institutions to probe disturbances in prisons or the possibility of abuse and deaths of children in state care.

Senators have largely defended the vital oversight function those offices performed. But can they strike a balance with the executive and judicial branches to restore it?

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Nebraska

‘Best we’ve played all year.’ Trent Perry scores 20 points as UCLA routs No. 9 Nebraska

Published

10 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

‘Best we’ve played all year.’ Trent Perry scores 20 points as UCLA routs No. 9 Nebraska

The UCLA men’s basketball team made Senior Night one to savor Tuesday, dominating No. 9 Nebraska 72-52 at Pauley Pavilion for its 20th victory of the season and third over a top-10 ranked opponent.

The Bruins improved to 20-10 overall and 12-7 in the Big Ten with one regular season game remaining, Saturday at crosstown rival USC.

Trent Perry scored 20 points, Eric Dailey Jr. had 14 and three players — Tyler Bilodeau, Skyy Clark and Xavier Booker — each added eight points.

“Nebraska’s got a great team,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said. “This is the best we’ve played all year — they brought out the best in us. We went from our worst defensive effort to our best. They outhustle everyone they play, but not us. Tonight we were great, but I love the way they play. If we had their attitude we’d have their record.”

Eric Freeny had four points, five rebounds and three steals in 18 minutes for UCLA, which got 26 points in the paint and 17 second-chance points.

“Effort is what it takes to win in March,” Freeny said. “It was our last home game. Coach keeps on pushing me to be better everyday.”

Sam Hoiberg had 12 points to lead Nebraska, but Pryce Sandfort, who began the game leading the conference in three-pointers made per game, was held to nine points.

“Sandford has been unbelievable so to hold him to nine points is amazing,” Cronin said. “Brandon Williams was the unsung hero.”

Williams had six points and three rebounds in 12 minutes off the bench.

The Bruins were in control from the opening tip-off and never trailed the Cornhuskers (25-5, 14-5). UCLA improved to 10-3 in all-time against Nebraska and the win greatly strengthened its resume for the NCAA tournament as the Bruins also beat then-No. 4 Purdue 69-67 on Jan. 20 and then-No. 10 Illinois 95-94 in overtime on Feb. 21 on Donovan Dent’s layup with one second left.

“We have to take attitude we came with tonight, bottle it up and take it on the road,” Dailey Jr. said. “We’ve got so much left. The season’s not over… we’re only as good as our last game. It’s all about how you respond. I love the fight that we played with tonight.”

This is the fifth time in Cronin’s seven seasons that the Bruins have won 20 or more games. They are 17-1 at home (their only loss in overtime to Indiana on Jan. 31).

“Since I’ve been here we don’t lose much at home.” Cronin said.

UCLA went ahead by 15 points, 37-22, on Perry’s three-pointer with 2:41 left and led 37-24 at intermission. The Bruins shot 50% from the field in the first half (15 for 30) while Nebraska was only 31% (nine for 29).

The Bruins increased their advantage to 18 points on Dailey’s dunk less than five minutes into the second half and the visitors got no closer than nine the rest of the way.

Prior to pregame introductions the Bruins honored seniors Bilodeau, Dent and Clark; fifth-year player Jamar Brown; redshirt seniors Steven Jamerson II, Jack Seidler and Anthony Peoples Jr; and redshirt junior Evan Manjikian. In a media timeout, midway through the first half, former coach Jim Harrick (who led UCLA to its 11th national championship in 1995) was honored and got a loud ovation.

“I’m happy for our seniors, I didn’t want them to lose their last game at Pauley,” said Perry, who reversed a subpar performance at Minnesota, where he was 0-for-7 from the field with one rebound and one assist in 26 minutes. “I had to come out here tonight and bounce back for my team. I play for something bigger than myself and I’m fortunate to have the type of guys I do around me.”

UCLA guard Skyy Clark looks to pass while under pressure from Nebraska guard Sam Hoiberg and forward Berke Buyuktuncel in the second half.

(William Liang / Associated Press)

Over the last four games, Dent has 46 assists and just two turnovers.

Bilodeau has scored in double figures in 26 of 28 games played, totaling 20 points or more nine times.

Dailey moved to within five points of reaching the 1,000-career point milestone.

UCLA has now made at least one three-pointer in 887 of 888 games dating to February 2000.

“We had one practice this week, that’s it,” Cronin said. “We watched film, had a heart-to-heart talk and a shoot around today but that’s it.”

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Nebraska

4.1-magnitude earthquake hits south-central Nebraska

Published

22 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

4.1-magnitude earthquake hits south-central Nebraska

People across Nebraska and Kansas reported feeling an earthquake Sunday afternoon.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a quake measuring 4.1 on the Richter Scale struck around 1 p.m. about 3 miles east of the Webster County village of Cowles, which is in south-central Nebraska near the Kansas border.

A quake of that magnitude is considered “light” and not likely to cause damage.

But the USGS received dozens of reports from people who said they felt the quake, some as far away as Omaha and Manhattan, Kansas. Numerous people took to social media to report feeling the quake.

Two aftershocks of 2.6 magnitude later occurred near the original quake site, one about 90 minutes after the initial quake and one later Sunday night.

Earthquakes are relatively rare in Nebraska, but the state does usually record one or two minor ones per year. The last time Nebraska recorded a quake of a magnitude 4 or above was in December 2023, also in Webster County.

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Nebraska

Nebraska Lottery results: See winning numbers for Powerball, Pick 3 on March 2, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

The results are in for the Nebraska Lottery’s draw games on Monday, March 2, 2026.

Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on March 2.

Winning Powerball numbers from March 2 drawing

02-17-18-38-62, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 2 drawing

21-28-58-65-67, Powerball: 25

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 2 drawing

7-5-8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 2 drawing

03-08-09-17-25

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning 2 By 2 numbers from March 2 drawing

Red Balls: 14-26, White Balls: 17-18

Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning MyDay numbers from March 2 drawing

Month: 05, Day: 03, Year: 23

Check MyDay payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 2 drawing

28-41-42-50-55, Bonus: 02

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Nebraska Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3, 5: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
Lucky For Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
2 By 2: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
MyDaY: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
Lotto America: 9:15 p.m CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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