COVID-19 to Worsen Local Pension Debts
COVID-19 to Worsen Local Pension Debts
Officials and taxpayers cannot afford to be blindsided this time.
Helping Hands at an Omaha Distillery
Helping Hands at an Omaha Distillery
Nebraska entrepreneurs are adapting to help meet emergency community needs.
Governor Ricketts signs emergency order for health care licensing reciprocity
Governor Ricketts signs emergency order for health care licensing reciprocity
An emergency executive order can help more medical personnel respond to the COVID-19 crisis in Nebraska.
Are we there yet? Looking ahead to life after COVID-19
Are we there yet? Looking ahead to life after COVID-19
I suspect that we’ve all been just a little out of sorts lately. While I personally work from home most of the time, I’m usually able to do that work without kids in the house–and I usually jump in the car and run to the grocery store, or downtown to the post office or to...
State should allow to-go mixed drink sales
State should allow to-go mixed drink sales
UPDATE: Govenor Ricketts issued Executive Order “to provide relief to restaurants and bars” In a time of emergency many regulations are lifted to help business continue and keep people employed. Many states and large cities have lifted regulations allowing for the curbside or delivery sale of alcoholic beverages to keep these places in business. The...
Nebraska should eliminate excise tax on spirits
Nebraska should eliminate excise tax on spirits
On March 18th the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau waived some of the regulations associated with distilled spirits to allow them to make hand sanitizer in an effort to curb the national shortage. In addition, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) passed on March 25th eliminated the federal excise...
From Rogue Fitness to Rogue Medical
From Rogue Fitness to Rogue Medical
A 600 employee fitness equipment company based in Columbus, Ohio seized the opportunity to reach out to the many people suffering from job loss resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Rogue Fitness announced it was hiring 100 new employees and increasing wages temporarily by $2/hour. Why? Because Rogue Fitness realized that they had the capacity and...
How long would Nebraska’s rainy day fund last?
How long would Nebraska’s rainy day fund last?
In just a few months’ time we went from having a budget surplus and debating tax cuts to complete uncertainty. All the pressures on Nebraska’s budget are unknown at this time and it would be wise for lawmakers to be prudent of the states’ savings to ensure a state crisis does not evolve out of...
Nebraska ranked 9th for health care openness and access
Nebraska ranked 9th for health care openness and access
To see the study – click here. To see the details on Nebraska – click here. The Mercatus Center has pre-released its Healthcare Openness and Access Project (HOAP). This index measures the extent to which states leave patients, providers, and businesses free to seek or provide healthcare as they deem best. Each state is evaluated...
Virtual meetings: a good transparency measure, not just during a crisis
Virtual meetings: a good transparency measure, not just during a crisis
In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis we have seen local governments go to great lengths to maintain good government transparency. Gov. Pete Ricketts issued an executive order allowing local boards to meet by video conference, teleconference or other electronic means through May 31st to prevent the spread of the virus. Specifically, Grand Island Public...
State takes steps to adopt Platte Institute emergency recommendations
State takes steps to adopt Platte Institute emergency recommendations
It’s amazing to reflect on how quickly COVID-19 has changed our lives in just a few weeks. On February 27, our state recognized that we needed to start preparing for the inevitable event that COVID-19 would officially affect our state. On March 6, Nebraska’s first COVID-19 case was confirmed. As I write this, Nebraska now has...
Nebraska Legislature votes on COVID-19 funding
Nebraska Legislature votes on COVID-19 funding
The Speaker suspended the legislative session on March 16th in response to the COVID-19 situation, but reconvened on Monday, March 23rd to vote on an amendment that would provide emergency funding to aid Nebraska public health workers in combating the virus. The amendment will spend around $83.6 million. Here is the fiscal note of the...
Iowa suspends health care worker license requirements amid COVID-19 crisis
Iowa suspends health care worker license requirements amid COVID-19 crisis
Nurses and doctors are at the forefront of the COVID-19 crisis. At a time when our country is trying to avoid an overrun of our healthcare system, technicalities and license requirements need to be relaxed. We can look to Iowa for a perfect example of this. Governor Kim Reynolds issued a State of Public Health...
Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis
Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis
The COVID-19 emergency response requires state policymakers to focus on the essential and conduct their business with transparency.