Nebraska Update

Nebraskans with felony drug convictions almost saw a light at the end of the tunnel when legislators voted to end the lifetime ban on SNAP access. But then, the governor’s veto was not overturned. Those impacted said this decision will ultimately harm the state.

In the month of May alone, the casino contributed more than one million dollars to the state’s Property Tax Credit Cash Fund. Thanks in part to a new expansion in April, WarHorse has already generated more revenue at its south Omaha location in the first five months of 2025 than it did throughout all of last year. Across the state, revenues have grown steadily at other casinos in Lincoln, Grand Island, and Columbus with new locations on the horizon in other cities. Lance Morgan, the CEO of WarHorse Gaming, doesn’t see the growth of the industry slowing down any time soon.

The over 1000 page ‘big beautiful bill’ covers many things, but rural health leaders are most concerned over what proposed Medicaid cuts will do to an already fragile rural health system.

Specialty producers exporting to China have been hit just as hard as soybeans and beef. But they often have fewer alternative markets for their crops, worsening the impact of retaliatory tariffs.

Lancaster County District Court Judge Susan Strong dismissed a lawsuit Thursday alleging that the state’s medical cannabis program violates state and federal law. The case was brought by former State Sen. John Kuehn, who claimed laws allowing any form of marijuana are unconstitutional because the substance remains illegal at the federal level. Kuehn argued his status as a Nebraska taxpayer gives him the right to sue the state over its “illegal expenditure of taxpayer money.” Strong disagreed, saying that “the Court does not believe that the incidental burdens of implementing a law, like employee time and printing costs, is an ‘expenditure of public funds’ sufficient to confer taxpayer standing under Nebraska law.”

The commission voted unanimously to approve emergency regulations on medical cannabis to meet its deadline of July 1st in the initiative approved by voters last November. The regulations allow only one dispensary in each of the state’s 12 district court judicial districts and prohibit raw plant material or any product that is smoked or vaped. The regulations did not include details about who counts as a qualified patient to receive medical cannabis.

Come the end of the month, Nebraska’s Women’s Health Initiative Advisory Council will also come to an end. The council was terminated in the recent legislative session.

The manufacturing and agriculture sectors are struggling to grow, according to two surveys in the Midwest.

State Sen. John Cavanaugh kicked off his bid to become the next congressman for Nebraska’s Second District Tuesday night. In a speech to several hundred supporters gathered at Omaha’s Firefighters Union Hall, Cavanaugh vowed to stand up to President Donald Trump and work to protect Medicaid, social security and public lands.

New data from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services suggest a disconnect between people with developmental disabilities who are offered money by the state and getting them connected to services. More than 3,000 families have been offered state funding, since Governor Jim Pillen launched an initiative last spring to end an eight year waiting list. But data show not many families are using the state funding.