Humanities Desk | Net Radio

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

A house near the intersection of Center Street and 35th Street, sits a house that, unknown to many, was built for a very specific purpose: to create magic. With the recent purchase of the house by the Omaha Magical Society, plans have been laid to preserve and unearth the rich history of the Abbott house.

A house near the intersection of Center Street and 35th Street, sits a house that, unknown to many, was built for a very specific purpose: to create magic. With the recent purchase of the house by the Omaha Magical Society, plans have been laid to preserve and unearth the rich history of the Abbott house.

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.

Currently, Nebraska law prohibits anyone with three or more drug-related felony charges or any drug distribution charge from accessing federal SNAP benefits. A bill from Sen. Victor Rountree would have removed those restrictions, as long as the beneficiaries had completed their sentences and participated in a substance abuse treatment program. The bill passed last week, but Gov. Jim Pillen vetoed it, leading to a vote to override Monday.

Lincoln is now home to more than 300 thousand people after gaining an estimated 38 hundred new residents between July 1st of 2023 and 2024. Omaha also gained around 2500 residents over that time, reversing several years of flat or negative growth. Among the ten largest cities in the state, none are growing as fast proportionally as Columbus, however. While many smaller cities across the state have struggled to keep up with the demand for housing, Columbus mayor Jim Bulkley says his city is expected to have 600 new housing units completed within the next two years.

Gov. Jim Pillen announced Friday he intends to provide administrative support and resources to the Medical Cannabis Commission. “With support from the Policy Research Office, the Department of Administrative Services, and other agencies, as necessary, the Medical Cannabis Commission is fully enabled to meet and carry out its responsibilities under the Patient Protection Act and the Regulation Act to meet its milestone dates of July 1 and October 1,” a press release from the Governor’s Office said. The commission was created upon the passage of Initiative 438 by Nebraska voters in November 2024.

Hamilton’s advanced load in arrived at the Orpheum Theater on Sunday, May 4th, while the show did its final performance in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Four days later, the show will begin for Nebraskans in Omaha. How does this happen? How does a crew of 70 move a whole stage production over 12 hours, and have it ready to run again within four days?

A bill from Sen. Victor Rountree would have allowed all individuals convicted of felonies to become eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program after completing their sentences. Currently, Nebraska allows those with two or fewer felonies for drug use and possession to receive benefits, but those with drug distribution felonies remain banned. Rountree’s bill would have made around 1,000 new Nebraskans eligible. It passed the final round of debate Wednesday with 32 votes but was vetoed by Pillen soon afterward. Rountree said he wasn’t surprised.

Sen. Kathleen Kauth’s Stand with Women Act, LB89, made it through the second round of debate in the Nebraska Legislature Wednesday evening, but not before an amendment stripped it of a key provision. Sen. Kathleen Kauth’s Stand with Women Act, LB89, made it through the second round of debate in the Nebraska Legislature Wednesday evening, but not before an amendment stripped it of a key provision. Sen. Merv Riepe was one of 33 senators to vote for the bill on the first round of debate, but he said he would only advance it further if changes were made. Those changes included removing a requirement for students at K-12 schools and universities to use bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding to their biological sex.

A proposal to reduce inheritance taxes and raise county fees came up two votes short of overcoming a filibuster attempt in the Nebraska Legislature Tuesday evening. Sen. Rob Clements’ priority bill, LB468, as amended on the second round of debate, would have reduced the total amount of inheritance taxes Nebraska counties collect by around 24%, Clements said. Nebraska is one of five states with inheritance taxes and eliminating them altogether has been a longtime goal for Clements.

American Mariachi sets the stage for the Omaha Community Playhouse’s first play consisting of an entirely Latino cast. The show made both local and national history by being the first rendition at a community playhouse.

Nebraska’s horsemen are off to the races at Legacy Downs in Lincoln this Friday, the racetrack’s first day of its live meet. They will host around 90 races in the next five weeks, helping keep Nebraskan horse owners, jockeys and caretakers in the state while generating more betting revenue.

This weekend marks the 105th year of the Cinco de Mayo celebration in South Omaha. Its growth for over a century has had both a community and economic impact on the area.

Lawmakers began their second day debating how best to make up for a significant shortfall in the state budget. In recent years, the state has been flush with cash, thanks to post-pandemic revenue growth and an influx of federal dollars, but this year’s budgeting process has looked a little different. Sen. Myron Dorn, a member of the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee serving his seventh year in the Unicameral, said most of the body lacks the institutional knowledge and experience that would be valuable.

State auditor Mike Foley says Nebraska is spending too much on leasing commercial office space. In a letter he sent to the Legislature’s Performance Audit Committee Monday, Foley highlighted the 37% increase in the amount the state paid for commercially leased space over the last five years. He said the state should consider buying or building new properties to save money long term, since the cost per square foot is significantly cheaper at state-owned buildings.