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Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

NE: Budget Policy & Priorities

As of 2023, 29 of Nebraska's 93 counties had no behavioral health professionals. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, March 28, 2024

NE behavioral health advocates, consumers question $15 million funding shift

A 2023 study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center concluded the number of Nebraskans with a mental health or substance abuse disorder has pr…

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The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says state programs supporting private schools, such as vouchers and scholarships,
NE lawmakers work to circumvent private-school referendum vote

Nebraskans this November will be able to vote on whether to keep the Opportunity Scholarships Act, which gives a dollar-for-dollar tax credit to …

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Renewable energy land-lease payments to Nebraska landowners total nearly $38 million annually, and wind and solar projects bring Nebraska more than $17 million annually in state and local taxes. (Bryan Kelly/Adobe Stock)
Nebraskans for clean energy, rural development say bill would harm both

Roughly 35% of Nebraska's electricity is produced from renewable sources and advocates of clean energy development are concerned about the changes a b…

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The 12 nursing homes that closed in Nebraska in the past three years amount to 556 fewer beds for Nebraskans needing nursing-home level care. (luckybusiness/Adobe Stock)
NE Legislature to hear bills that bolster struggling long-term care industry

Nebraska saw nine long-term care facility closures in 2022, second only to 13 in Texas. In the past three years, Nebraska has lost a combined 29 …

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There are about 48 million unpaid family caregivers in the U.S., providing care with a dollar value of nearly $600 billion. (Rido/Adobe Stock)
NE lawmakers consider tax credits for family caregivers

About 180,000 Nebraskans are caregivers for a family member. Nationally, family caregivers spend an average of more than $7000 a year on related …

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States can set more restrictive qualifications for child care subsidies than the federal government. In 2019, nearly 89,000 Nebraska children qualified using federal parameters, but fewer than 36,000 qualified using Nebraska's state-defined rules. (Lordn/Adobe Stock)
Kentucky-inspired bill would help NE child care providers, workforce

In the 2023 Nebraska Rural Poll 61% agreed there's a shortage of affordable child care in their communities, and more than 75% said their communities …

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According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 10.2 million U.S. households had low food security and 6.8 million had very low food security at some time during 2022. (nicoletaionescu/Adobe Stock)
NE bill would ensure Summer EBT participation; first hearing Thursday

According to a recent USDA study, 12% of Nebraskans experience food insecurity. That's higher than the national average. If legislation that is the …

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In 2024, Nebraska is spending less than 25% of what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers best practices on tobacco control programs, according to an American Lung Association report. (Zhikun Sun/Adobe Stock)
Report: NE receives failing grades for three of five tobacco-control measures

Nebraska needs to do better when it comes to tobacco use prevention and cessation, according to a newly released report. In the American Lung …

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Omaha, Lincoln, Hastings, Alliance and Scottsbluff are among Nebraska cities and towns to celebrate Pride Month in 2023. (Manny DaCunhay/Adobe Stock)
OutNebraska advocates for LGBTQ+ at NE Capitol, statewide

With the start of the Nebraska Unicameral's 2024 session this week, guarding against the divisiveness experienced last session is top of mind for …

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Since 2008, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program has awarded nearly $68 million in low-interest loans and $17 million in grants to rural microentrepreneurs. (Andriy Blokhin/Adobe Stock)
Renewing and revising USDA's RMAP benefits NE small towns

Dozens of Microenterprise Development Organizations from 28 states, including Nebraska's Center for Rural Affairs, have signed a letter urging …

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One of the goals of the Biden administration's Justice40 Initiative is that
New environmental justice center helps NE communities, organizations

There's a new resource for Nebraska communities and organizations facing environmental justice issues: the Heartland Environmental Justice Center (HEJ…

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In 2021, 37% of people in the U.S. ages 18 and older used telehealth services at least once. (DC Studio/Adobe Stock)
'Champion' NE state senators helped lower insulin costs, strengthen telehealth

As of Jan. 1, insulin will become a lot more affordable for many Nebraskans, and those who have come to rely on telehealth visits are more likely to …

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