The Pew Charitable Trusts - State and Consumer Initiatives from Nebraska

In Drought Ravaged Plains, Efforts to Save a Vital Aquifer

The Ogallala Aquifer, which feeds some of the world’s most productive croplands, is running dry.

States Seek Legal Limits on Domestic Drones

Lawmakers in nearly half the states are working to set legal limits on the use of drones, before they become a key part of domestic policing.

Lincoln Journal Star: Tax Incentives Need Review

If Nebraska’s business incentives might cost as much as $234,568 for every job created, there should be little question of whether regular, thorough review of the incentives is needed.

Why Tax Revision Is an Inexact Science

Several governors are talking about major change in their state tax structures this year. How do they know how much money a revised tax system will bring in? Often, they don’t.

Diving Deeper: Nebraska Governor’s Thinking on Tax Cuts, Medicaid

Few governors are in as enviable a position as Nebraska’s Dave Heineman. The Republican has one of the highest approval rates of any governor in the country, and his state has one of the lowest unemployment rates.

State Lawmakers Push Crackdown on Cancer-Causing Radon

Legislation filed in Iowa and Nebraska, and a proposal taking shape in Utah aim to reduce people’s exposure to radon, which kills about 21,000 people each year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

As Legislatures Become More Partisan, Nebraska Holds Out

LINCOLN, Nebraska — Both in law and in practice, Nebraska has the least partisan legislature in the country. To supporters, that makes it a national model. To the state’s dominant Republican Party, however, that sometimes makes it a political obstacle.

Nebraska Governor Approves Keystone XL Re-route

The controversial Keystone XL pipeline expansion, which would ferry Canadian tar sands oil 1,700 miles to refineries in Texas, is one step closer to becoming a reality.

GOP Lawmakers Look to Abolish Income Taxes

Republican lawmakers in several states are taking aim at something no state has done in more than three decades: eliminate income taxes.

Nebraska State of the State Address 2013

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Jan. 15 -- Following is the prepared text of Gov. Dave Heineman's (R) 2013 State of the State Address:

Public Safety in Nebraska

Public safety in Nebraska.

Falling Short on Dental Sealants: Nebraska

How well is Nebraska protecting kids from tooth decay?

The Impact of the Fiscal Cliff: Nebraska

Federal and state finances are closely intertwined, and the fiscal cliff’s tax and spending provisions will have consequences for states.

Online Voter Registration Now Offered in 13 States—Driving Thousands of New Registrants and Updates

Since July, California, Maryland, New York, and South Carolina have introduced online voter registration, bringing to 13 the number of states that currently offer this service. Increased use of online registration and new technologies adopted in these states has resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of registered voters.

Still Risky: Checking Accounts in Nebraska

Checking accounts, the most widely used financial product in America, contain hidden risks that can harm consumers. Two of the 12 largest banks nationwide offer checking accounts in Nebraska and hold 15 percent of all deposits in the state. Here’s what consumers in Nebraska may be paying.

States Still Resisting National Sex Offender Law

A 2006 federal law calls on states to create a national sex offender registry. But most have not complied, and some have stopped trying.

Michigan Lawmakers Mandate Pledge of Allegiance in Schools

The Michigan Senate on Thursday passed legislation requiring public schools to display a U.S. flag in every classroom and to give students an opportunity each day to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Cost of Cutting Polling Places in Nebraska

Recently, some election jurisdictions have taken to reducing the number of precincts and polling places, at least in part to save money.

For Some States, Medicaid Expansion May Be a Tough Fiscal Call

GOP governors appear poised to leave federal dollars on the table.

Widening Gap Update: Nebraska

Nebraska consistently paid its full annual pension contribution every year from 2005 to 2010, and the system was 84 percent funded in fiscal year 2010, but faced a $2 billion funding gap. Most experts agree that a fiscally sustainable system should be at least 80 percent funded. The state does not calculate a liability for retiree health benefits.

Time Served in Nebraska

The average offender in Nebraska released in 2009 served 2.1 years in custody, 6% less than the average offender released in 1990.

State Courts Replacing Paper with Electronic Record-Keeping

State courts have been slow to computerize, but they are gradually replacing stacks of paper with electronic documents.

Nebraska's Heineman Pitches a Broad Tax Cut Package

TAX & BUDGET BEAT: Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman thinks cutting taxes will make his state more business friendly, but critics are concerned that Nebraska and its local governments need the revenue.

Obama Decision Denies Keystone XL Permit

TODAY'S TAKE: A controversial oil pipeline project is put on hold as its route through Nebraska remains a subject of fierce debate.

Nebraska State of the State Address 2012

LINCOLN, Nebraska - Jan. 12 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Dave Heineman's (R) 2012 state of the state address: Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Legislature, Tribal Chairmen, Distinguished Guests, Friends and Fellow Nebraskans: I am pleased to be here at the beginning of th

Election Websites: Nebraska

Being Online Is Still Not Enough provides state-by-state reviews and analysis based on detailed criteria of election websites for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

In Nebraska, a Pipeline Reprieve and Some Lessons Learned

Many lawmakers in Nebraska don't want oil flowing past the state's scenic Sand Hills. They've persuaded the federal government and the company behind the pipeline to reconsider the proposed route.

Special Sessions: A Calculated Risk

The legislative year ended for most states during the summer, but special sessions are bringing many lawmakers back to their capitals. The success of such sessions can depend on the behind-the-scenes deal-making that precedes them.

States Retool Food Stamp, Benefits Systems

A number of states used to make food stamp recipients pass a fingerprint test. Now all but one has stopped, to save on staff time and ease the burden on the clients.

Is Nebraska's Cash Balance Pension a Model?

Nebraska uses an unusual hybrid pension plan that blends the traditional fixed-benefit approach with something resembling a 401(k). Looking to save money, several states are considering copying it.

Heineman Chosen to Lead Governors' Association

TODAY'S TAKE: Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman was named chairman of the National Governors Association on Sunday (July 17), becoming the state's first chief executive in six decades to lead the influential group.

New Jersey Wants Shorter DMV Lines

TRANSPORTATION BEAT: A proposal to reduce wait times to get driver's licenses gets the backing of the agency's chief … Maryland demands more disclosure from a French train operator about its role in the Holocaust … Louisiana's Bobby Jindal kills a highway bill the day it is announced, and other transportation news.

Children's Dental Health: Nebraska

Nebraska meets half of the eight policy benchmarks aimed at addressing children’s dental health needs. The state is one of eleven who succeeded in providing dental care to over half of its Medicaid-enrolled children.

Measuring Transportation Investments: Nebraska

A May 2011 report, Measuring Transportation Investments: The Road to Results, found considerable differences among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Minnesota Senate Votes to Shrink State Government

MANAGEMENT BEAT: There may be 15 percent fewer workers in Minnesota state government … California Governor Jerry Brown weighs in with a pension overhaul plan … Nebraska looks to compromise on collective bargaining, and other government management news.

After Giffords Shooting, No Slowdown for Gun Rights

The shooting of a U.S. representative and 18 others in Arizona has done little to slow the momentum of pro-gun legislation in statehouses. If anything, gun-rights supporters face better odds this year due to Republican electoral gains.

Nebraska State of the State Address 2011

LINCOLN, Nebraska - Jan. 13 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Dave Heineman's (R) 2011 state of the state address: Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Legislature, Tribal Chairmen, Distinguished Guests, Friends and Fellow Nebraskans: I am honored and pleased to have the opportunity to continue as the

Did Race to the Top Help or Hurt the Push for a Common Curriculum?

States were working on a common set of education standards before the Obama administration decided to make adoption of them part of Race to the Top. The prospect of winning federal money motivated some states to pass the standards, but the administration's blessing may have turned others away.

Last-Minute Gubernatorial Candidates Enter Races in Nebraska, Colorado

TODAY'S TAKE: The Nebraska Democrat is limited to 100 days of campaigning for the governor's seat. The conservative Colorado candidate joins a race that still has two Republicans vying for a primary victory.

Abortion Returns to Center Stage

TODAY'S TAKE: The Florida Senate on Thursday (April 29) put the state budget, a property-insurance overhaul, an energy bill and other end-of-session legislation on hold while it debated imposing tough new abortion rules. If approved, the bill would become at least the third state measure in recent weeks to impose strict new regulations on women who seek abortions. Nebraska and Oklahoma passed abortion-related laws earlier this month.

Nebraska Set to Extend Bars' Closing Time

TODAY'S TAKE: Under a bill awaiting the governor's signature, Nebraska is set to join most other states by allowing bars to stay open until 2 a.m., an hour later than is now the case. Only a small number of states, including Delaware, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Utah, retain a 1 a.m. closing time. Nevada, on the other hand, allows its residents to drink whenever they want.

Why State Debates Don't Last Forever

If the United States Senate followed the rules of the New Jersey General Assembly, it wouldn't take 60 votes for Democrats to overcome a Republican filibuster. It would take 75, or three-quarters of the chamber, one of the highest such thresholds of any legislative body in the nation. So why don't filibusters grind business to a halt in New Jersey as they do in the U.S. Senate?

The Trillion Dollar Gap: Nebraska

Nebraska is managing its long-term pension liability well.

Health Care Wrangling Could Delay State Aid

TODAY'S TAKE: Federal health care reform has been a divisive issue for states, but for some governors seeking immediate budget relief from Capitol Hill, the wrangling over the legislation is causing uncertainty.

Summary of Nebraska State of the State Address

Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman (R) proposed growing his state's economy, making over public education and further streamlining state government in his state of the state address Jan. 14, just two months after he and the Legislature budget-cut their way out of a $335 million deficit.

Nebraska State of the State Address 2010

LINCOLN, Neb. - Jan. 14 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Dave Heineman's (R) 2010 state of the state address: Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Legislature, Tribal Chairmen, Distinguished Guests, Friends and Fellow Nebraskans: As we enter a new decade, we have a unique opportunity to pause - to r

Lawmakers Set to Return for 'Brutal' Sessions

TODAY'S TAKE: Lawmakers in 13 states return this week for legislative sessions that will be dominated by austere budgets and major elections in November.

Republican AGs Probe Health Care Deal

TODAY'S TAKE: The Republican attorneys general of Alabama, Colorado, Michigan, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas and Washington State are threatening to challenge as unconstitutional a provision written into the U.S. Senate's national health care bill that cuts a special deal for Nebraska.

State Officials Weigh in on Health Care

TODAY'S TAKE: The deeply partisan debate over health care legislation working its way through Congress is breaking down along similar lines in the states, which will be tasked with carrying out much of the plan.

Report: 11 States Emerging From Recession

It's going to be a long, hard climb out of the current economic downturn for many recession-ridden states hit hard by the housing crash, unemployment and shrinking revenues. But as the national economy starts its slow recovery, 11 states and the District of Columbia are showing signs of emerging from the recession, according to a new report.