Top Journal Star photos for February 2024

A lack of committee support indicates a constitutional amendment to restructure the Nebraska State Board of Education may be dead for this year.

Gov. Jim Pillen agreed to temporarily restore access to the Legislature's oversight offices if lawmakers approve a resolution calling for a monthslong review of the oversight system.

Nearly halfway through Nebraska's legislative session, Gov. Jim Pillen is standing by his goal of reducing property taxes by 40%, despite mixed reviews of his strategy.

Committee members said they wanted more time to examine HHS CEO Steve Corsi's background before taking a vote on whether or not to refer his confirmation to the full Legislature.

Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh’s proposal would allow state environmental regulators to deny a permit to a confined animal feeding operation if the applicant failed to install groundwater monitoring wells.

An Omaha-area senator more used to fighting the growth of Medicaid on Thursday urged colleagues to add coverage of anti-obesity medications to the state's Medicaid plan.

The measure would join the Cornhusker state with the more than 40 others that have already eliminated what the Elmwood legislator referred to as the “tax on death.” 

More than 30 law enforcement officials from departments across Nebraska met in Lincoln to discuss what needs to be done to retain and recruit more officers.

The Stanton County Board of Commissioners denied Summit Carbon Solutions a permit to build just over 8 miles of a carbon dioxide pipeline in the county.

A $10 million effort to ease Nebraska's child care crisis by paying the costs of child care for workers in the field cleared a major hurdle in the state Legislature.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nine states participate in a similar restaurant meals program.

Nebraska could pull thousands of young children out of poverty by providing their families with a $1,000 per child tax credit, a legislative panel was told.

Nebraska's Legislature gave first-round approval to a bill that would enhance penalties for drug dealers tied to overdoses — and, critics said, contribute to overcrowding at the state's prisons.

Nebraska lawmakers appear headed for a repeat of last year's battle over providing $25 million of state support for private and faith-based school scholarships, after a committee vote. 

A public hearing on a Nebraska lawmaker's bill calling for the eventual demolition of the state's oldest prison left questions over its future unanswered.

Public school districts in Nebraska could hire clergy to perform the same duties as school counselors under a bill presented at the Legislature on Tuesday.

The Nebraska Legislature’s Education Committee advanced a bill that aims to reimburse school districts that contract with licensed psychologists for mental and behavioral health services.

A referendum seeking to repeal a Nebraska law granting tax credits to individuals who donate to private school scholarship funds will appear on the November general election ballot.

Nebraska lawmakers are in better shape to meet their budget and tax goals after a state board raised its projections of state tax revenues. 

Nebraska's chief medical officer declined to participate in a discussion of regulations governing gender-affirming care for transgender youth with the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee on Thursday.

Nebraska's auditor flagged "flagrant abuses" Wednesday of a Medicaid program meant to cover costs of nonmedical services for disabled clients that has been plagued by "longstanding fraud."

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen vetoed a bill Monday that would allow the distribution of hypodermic needles to drug users to reduce the spread of infectious diseases. 

Gov. Jim Pillen expressed confidence at a town hall in Fremont that Nebraska will see a 40% property tax cut this year, even as the days tick down on the legislative session.