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A proposal banning certain forms of hemp and so-called synthetic cannabis was passed over Friday before a vote could be taken. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Kathleen Kauth, made the decision after it appeared there would not be the votes necessary to overcome a filibuster attempt. Progressives filed motions to stop an amendment clarifying that the bill wouldn’t supersede the medical marijuana initiatives Nebraskans passed in November from being added to the bill. Sen. Ben Hansen, who voted for the bill on the first two rounds, said without the amendment, he couldn’t support it moving forward.

Gov. Jim Pillen celebrated new laws he said would protect children online, and lawmakers approved extending tax deductions for private education to pre-college levels.

CHI Good Samaritan hospital in Kearney just upgraded its NICU. Tele-health neonatologists and new equipment can provide more specialized care, lower the number of babies that need to be transferred to Lincoln or Omaha hospitals.

It's reported that a new prison complex north of Lincoln is over budget and behind schedule. Bids on the new prison must be in by the end of the day Tuesday, June 3. Nebraska Public Media’s Dale Johnson asked Rob Jeffreys, Director of Nebraska’s Department of Corrections, what happens after all the bids are in.

The Nebraska Legislature advanced a measure dealing with college testing, amid recrimations about another attempt to approve a lower minimum wage for teen workers.

The state auditor’s office found administrators at Isanti Community Schools spent more than $300,000 in questionable purchases, including golf equipment and memberships, gift cards and a senior trip to Florida.

The Nebraska Legislature gave final approval Wednesday to scaling back paid sick leave approved by voters, but didn't take up a proposal for a lower minimum wage for teenage workers.

A Nebraska-based company spent two years figuring out there is a disconnect between what educators are teaching K-8 students in math and what those students are tested on. Now, it aims to solve that disconnect.

A bill restricting some consumable hemp products in Nebraska advanced to the final round of debate in the Legislature Tuesday Afternoon. Under a bill from Sen. Kathleen Kauth, LB316, some consumable hemp products would be reclassified as marijuana, which is currently illegal for recreational use in the state. To remain legal, THC – the chemical responsible for making a user high – must make up less than 0.3% of the processed hemp product’s total weight with a limit of 10 total milligrams of THC per package.

The Nebraska Legislature upheld Gov. Jim Pillen's veto of a bill aimed at cracking down on bedbugs in Omaha Housing Authority buildings.

Nebraska has seen a steady increase in calls to 9-8-8, a number that connects people to counselors that can provide crisis support for mental health concerns, substance abuse disorders, loneliness and more. In fiscal year 2023, there were about 19,000 calls to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline from Nebraskans. In 2024, just over 23,000 Nebraskans called in. There have been around 20,000 calls in the current fiscal year, representing a 14% increase in monthly calls compared to last year.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has a new position focused on connecting justice-involved young people to educational opportunities. It’s meant to be proactive and offer support the whole way through.

The Legislature’s General Affairs Committee heard testimony from Lorelle Mueting and Dr. Monica Oldenburg, who were both selected by the governor from a pool of applicants. Mueting serves as a prevention program director at Heartland Family Service, while Oldenburg is an anesthesiologist who previously practiced in Colorado. Both have a history of opposition to medical marijuana legalization.

Creighton baseball is playing in the Big East Tournament this weekend and that means head baseball coach Ed Servais only has a few games left. Servais is set to retire after leading the program for 22 years.

This Mental Health Awareness month, the Lincoln Police Department is celebrating a successful start to its co-responder program -- a team-up with mental health professionals that could decrease the use of jails and emergency medical services. Lincoln announced plans for the co-responder program in September, with a partnership between LPD and CenterPointe, a mental health and substance abuse care clinic that conducts street outreach and crisis response. It began in early March.

The Nebraska Legislature Thursday revived a proposal for a lower minimum wage for young workers, but final approval may have to wait 'til next year.

State senators considered a package of education bills Wednesday afternoon. By the end of the day’s debate, only the underlying bill, LB306, remained. The legislation initially contained six different bills after an amendment, AM1335, from the Legislature’s Education Committee combined them. The section of the bill from Sen. Loren Lippincott, originally LB550, which would excuse students from public schools to attend religion classes, was among the most controversial. It would require school districts to adopt policies allowing students to miss up to one class period per week for an off-site course in religious instruction.

The U.S. House is putting final touches on its budget reconciliation bill, also known as President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill." It includes sweeping changes to Medicaid funding, energy and tax policies. Nebraska Public Media's Kassidy Arena caught up with District 2 House Representative Don Bacon on the budget bill, which he says he'll support.

Senators gave first-round approval Wednesday to a proposed restructuring of how the Legislature watches over state agencies.

Medical marijuana will not be regulated by the Nebraska Legislature this year after a bill failed to overcome a filibuster Tuesday evening. Nebraska voters overwhelmingly approved two ballot initiatives legalizing and regulating medical marijuana last fall. However, the drug remains inaccessible in the state. The Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission is tasked with drafting regulations and the group is unlikely to begin licensing dispensaries until October at the earliest.