By TOMMY REZAC St. Joseph Post

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The Missouri Legislative session has ended without a sports betting bill being passed.

The
 Missouri House approved sports betting legislation in March for anyone 
21 and older to place wagers on college and professional sports teams. 
But in the Senate, members couldn't find a path forward, and it had to 
do with regulating slot machines.

State Senator Tony Luetkemeyer 
of Parkville co-sponsored sports betting legislation with senator Dan 
Hegeman of Cosby. Luetkemeyer says sports betting not passing was 
perhaps the biggest letdown of the session.

"I really wish we'd 
have gotten a sports book betting bill done," Luetkemeyer told St. 
Joseph Post. "That's a piece of legislation I've sponsored for the last 
four years I've been in the Senate. Primarily, because we know people 
are betting illegally in gray markets right now and we don't know if the
 data is reliable, whether people are getting ripped off."

A big 
point of contention is video lottery games like slot machines, which are
 unregulated and illegal in many cases. An amendment was added to 
Missouri's sports betting bill that would do away with all slot 
machines, leading to a lengthy filibuster.

Meanwhile, the state of
 Kansas just passed sports betting into law, with governor Laura Kelly 
signing that bill earlier this month.

"Kansas just passed sports 
betting this year," Luetkemeyer pointed out. "So, I think we're going to
 see a lot of tax dollars flowing out of the state of Missouri and being
 spent in Kansas, which is unfortunate, because all gaming revenues in 
Missouri have to go toward K-12 education."

If sports betting ever
 did pass in Missouri, it would bring in an estimated $10 million 
annually, with most of that going toward education.

Hegeman says it's frustrating, because sports betting has stalled in Missouri in previous years over the same issue.

"That
 continues to get hung up by the video lottery terminals," he said, "and
 wanting to tie the two issues together. At the last, we were trying to 
separate those and find a path forward, but we just didn't seem to be 
able to find that."

Sports betting is now legal to some degree in 
all of Missouri’s bordering states. Luetkemeyer believes this may add 
some needed pressure.

"I do think next year, there will be some 
increased pressure to pass sports betting because of the fact it passed 
in Kansas," Luetkemeyer said, "and the different consequences that could
 have. In terms of the Chiefs, in terms of tax revenue on the western 
side of the state. I do not believe the Chiefs are going to leave and go
 to Kansas - based on conversations I've had with folks within the 
organization."

The Supreme Court struck down a federal law in 2018
 against sports betting. Since then, more than 30 states have legalized 
it, including Illinois, Iowa and Kansas.

Kansas' bill says 80 
percent of the revenues generated from sports betting would go into a 
fund to provide incentives for professional teams to come to Kansas.

While
 he does not believe the Chiefs would ever leave Missouri, Luetkemeyer 
expresses some optimism that next year could be the year Missouri 
finally legalizes sports betting.

"What you're going to see a lot 
of people in St. Joe and Kansas City that will drive across the river, 
go into Kansas and place a bet during March Madness or for the Super 
Bowl and then drive back to Missouri," he said. "That means that tax 
revenue is leaving our state and going to Kansas, which is unfortunate."

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

By TOMMY REZAC St. Joseph PostST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The Missouri Legislative session has ended without a sports betting bill being passed.The
 Missouri House approved sports betting legislation in March for anyone 
21 and older to place wagers on college and professional sports teams. 
But in the Senate, members couldn't find a path forward, and it had to 
do with regulating slot machines.State Senator Tony Luetkemeyer 
of Parkville co-sponsored sports betting legislation with senator Dan 
Hegeman of Cosby. Luetkemeyer says sports betting not passing was 
perhaps the biggest letdown of the session."I really wish we'd 
have gotten a sports book betting bill done," Luetkemeyer told St. 
Joseph Post. "That's a piece of legislation I've sponsored for the last 
four years I've been in the Senate. Primarily, because we know people 
are betting illegally in gray markets right now and we don't know if the
 data is reliable, whether people are getting ripped off."A big 
point of contention is video lottery games like slot machines, which are
 unregulated and illegal in many cases. An amendment was added to 
Missouri's sports betting bill that would do away with all slot 
machines, leading to a lengthy filibuster.Meanwhile, the state of
 Kansas just passed sports betting into law, with governor Laura Kelly 
signing that bill earlier this month."Kansas just passed sports 
betting this year," Luetkemeyer pointed out. "So, I think we're going to
 see a lot of tax dollars flowing out of the state of Missouri and being
 spent in Kansas, which is unfortunate, because all gaming revenues in 
Missouri have to go toward K-12 education."If sports betting ever
 did pass in Missouri, it would bring in an estimated $10 million 
annually, with most of that going toward education.Hegeman says it's frustrating, because sports betting has stalled in Missouri in previous years over the same issue."That
 continues to get hung up by the video lottery terminals," he said, "and
 wanting to tie the two issues together. At the last, we were trying to 
separate those and find a path forward, but we just didn't seem to be 
able to find that."Sports betting is now legal to some degree in 
all of Missouri’s bordering states. Luetkemeyer believes this may add 
some needed pressure."I do think next year, there will be some 
increased pressure to pass sports betting because of the fact it passed 
in Kansas," Luetkemeyer said, "and the different consequences that could
 have. In terms of the Chiefs, in terms of tax revenue on the western 
side of the state. I do not believe the Chiefs are going to leave and go
 to Kansas - based on conversations I've had with folks within the 
organization."The Supreme Court struck down a federal law in 2018
 against sports betting. Since then, more than 30 states have legalized 
it, including Illinois, Iowa and Kansas.Kansas' bill says 80 
percent of the revenues generated from sports betting would go into a 
fund to provide incentives for professional teams to come to Kansas.While
 he does not believe the Chiefs would ever leave Missouri, Luetkemeyer 
expresses some optimism that next year could be the year Missouri 
finally legalizes sports betting."What you're going to see a lot 
of people in St. Joe and Kansas City that will drive across the river, 
go into Kansas and place a bet during March Madness or for the Super 
Bowl and then drive back to Missouri," he said. "That means that tax 
revenue is leaving our state and going to Kansas, which is unfortunate."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Sports betting bill fails in Missouri legislature

By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/first-hearing-in-slama-herbster-legal-fight-will-wait-until-june-14/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA
 — The first court hearing in the legal action between State Sen. Julie 
Slama and businessman Charles Herbster is now scheduled for 2 p.m. on 
June 14.

The
 hearing, originally set for June 3, also has been moved from Tecumseh 
to Beatrice, home base of Johnson County District Court Judge Ricky 
Schreiner.

Lawyers
 for Slama and Herbster agreed to the date and location changes, based 
on a document filed late last week in Johnson County District Court.

This
 hearing will address a series of motions Herbster’s lawyers filed 
contesting parts of Slama’s counter-lawsuit, as well as Slama’s push to 
depose Herbster with little delay.

It will also address the Slama legal team’s objections to Herbster’s motions.&nbsp;

Slama has accused Herbster of <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/16/slama-lawsuit-moves-forward-with-new-groping-details-herbster-denies/">groping her</a>. Herbster sued Slama over <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/04/22/charles-herbster-files-lawsuit-alleging-groundless-attack-by-nebraska-sen-julie-slama/">the accusation</a>.
 She then counter-sued him. Herbster has denied any wrongdoing and said 
he was the target of a political conspiracy on the part of Gov. Pete 
Ricketts and others. Ricketts has denied the accusation.&nbsp;

Herbster lost his bid for the Republican nomination for Nebraska governor on May 10.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653422005547.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Julie Slama (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Julie Slama (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/first-hearing-in-slama-herbster-legal-fight-will-wait-until-june-14/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA
 — The first court hearing in the legal action between State Sen. Julie 
Slama and businessman Charles Herbster is now scheduled for 2 p.m. on 
June 14.The
 hearing, originally set for June 3, also has been moved from Tecumseh 
to Beatrice, home base of Johnson County District Court Judge Ricky 
Schreiner.Lawyers
 for Slama and Herbster agreed to the date and location changes, based 
on a document filed late last week in Johnson County District Court.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653422032958.jpeg" alt="Charles Herbster (Courtesy of Charles Herbster for Governor)" />
 <figcaption>Charles Herbster (Courtesy of Charles Herbster for Governor)</figcaption>
 </figure>This
 hearing will address a series of motions Herbster’s lawyers filed 
contesting parts of Slama’s counter-lawsuit, as well as Slama’s push to 
depose Herbster with little delay.It will also address the Slama legal team’s objections to Herbster’s motions.&nbsp;Slama has accused Herbster of <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/16/slama-lawsuit-moves-forward-with-new-groping-details-herbster-denies/">groping her</a>. Herbster sued Slama over <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/04/22/charles-herbster-files-lawsuit-alleging-groundless-attack-by-nebraska-sen-julie-slama/">the accusation</a>.
 She then counter-sued him. Herbster has denied any wrongdoing and said 
he was the target of a political conspiracy on the part of Gov. Pete 
Ricketts and others. Ricketts has denied the accusation.&nbsp;Herbster lost his bid for the Republican nomination for Nebraska governor on May 10.

First hearing in Slama-Herbster legal fight will wait until June 14

WASHINGTON (AP) — A massive recall is getting most of the blame for the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">baby formula shortage</a>, but experts say the products have long been vulnerable to this type of crisis due to decades-old policies that have allowed a handful of companies to corner the market.

Those government rules — aimed at assuring safe, affordable formula — are getting renewed scrutiny as President Joe Biden’s administration rushes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">import formula</a>&nbsp;from Europe.

“There’s perfectly good and safe baby formula available around the world. We just don’t have access to it,” said Bindiya Vakil, CEO of Resilinc, a supply chain analytics firm. ”We’ve created this problem by not setting up an infrastructure for imports.”

Federal regulators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-politics-science-e4aef87dfb74039f1612ca5279e85227">are expected</a>&nbsp;to soon allow Abbott Nutrition to reopen the Michigan plant that’s been closed since February due to contamination problems.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-government-and-politics-1e54ff345ab2a4be93f2e24d991e4450">The factory</a>&nbsp;is the largest of its kind in the U.S. and its shutdown — combined with pandemic-related supply chain problems — hobbled supplies of popular formulas and specialty formulas for children with rare medical conditions.

Lawmakers will hold three hearings on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-business-health-d3e32ba9e2381f77c299391e762abe21">the issue</a>&nbsp;this week, calling on company executives, government regulators and outside experts to testify. The attention could spur changes to government safety and contracting rules that have been in place since the 1980s and favor big U.S. manufacturers that are capable of navigating the complex requirements.

Baby formula is one of the few American products essentially unaffected by globalization, with 98% of the supply manufactured domestically. Four companies account for roughly 90% of the market: Abbott, Reckitt, Nestle and Perrigo, according to industry figures. That consolidation mirrors similar trends across the food industry.

But infant formula wasn’t part of a Biden administration initiative last year spotlighting dangerously concentrated industries, including prescription drugs, airlines, hearing aids and internet services.

Food experts say strict formula regulations set by the Food and Drug Administration have long limited competition.

Beginning in 1980, Congress gave the FDA authority to rigorously enforce the nutritional content of all formula sold in the U.S., imposing extra research and manufacturing standards that have few equivalents worldwide. The changes came after some babies were sickened by deficient formulas in the 1970s.

“They are pretty much the strictest food safety guidelines in the U.S. and America has some of the strictest guidelines in the world,” said Wendy White, a food safety expert at Georgia Tech.

Companies must consult with the FDA before selling a new formula, altering ingredients in an existing one or making major manufacturing changes. The result is only the biggest manufacturers have plants and procedures that comply with federal rules. And would-be competitors have little incentive to enter the field, given the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-pandemics-a19eb76d3c0b6077a7c2d1ae92a4a67f">declining</a>&nbsp;U.S. birth rate.

“You have to have a lot of expertise, a lot of resources and a lot of research dollars,” White said.

There are other hurdles for foreign manufacturers looking to compete. The U.S. has long imposed tariffs and quotas on dairy imports from abroad, including Canada, in order to shield American milk producers from competition.

Responding to political pressure, the Biden administration has begun&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-indianapolis-00f39fd46778ecdd543c22f3630d79ba">airlifting shipments</a>&nbsp;of formula from Europe. The FDA is also waiving some requirements to encourage more imports from overseas manufacturers that are expected to boost supplies in coming weeks.

The biggest driver of the U.S. market, by far, is a massive federal nutrition program that provides formula and other foods to lower-income women and children. The WIC program accounts for more than 50% of the U.S. market, providing formula for more than 1.2 million babies, according to the National WIC Association, which represents state and local administrators who run the benefit.

Beginning in 1989, federal law has required states to award contracts to a single formula company, based on whichever one can offer the biggest discounts.

The effect is that contract winners quickly squeeze out much of the competition on store shelves. Today, all 50 WIC contracts are held by three companies: Abbott, Reckitt and Nestle, according to the association. Abbott is the leader, with 34 state contracts.

The competitive effects of these sole-source contracts have been researched for years. A 2011 study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that whichever company wins a state’s WIC contract typically sees their market share grow by 74%, on average, as WIC recipients switch to their brand.

But not everyone supports overhauling the system. Brian Dittmeier of the National WIC Association says doing away with sole-source contracts would jeopardize the savings that allow the plan to serve so many Americans. Instead he says manufacturers should be held accountable for not investing in their own capacity.

“This is a manufacturing failure,” Dittmeier said. “The fact is there just is not enough product to fulfill the demand that manufacturers have drummed up over the years.” His group supports calls by some lawmakers for a federal antitrust investigation into the industry.

WIC contracts are generally rebid every four years and market share swings back and forth between the handful of players who compete.

Dr. Steven Abrams, a pediatrician at the University of Texas at Austin, says Congress should revisit the WIC program.

“We need to take a comprehensive look at where the failures happened and where we can fix them” said Abrams. “We need to consider whether we really want to have a situation where there’s that much dominance in the program.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648164055231.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ASSOCIATED PRESSWASHINGTON (AP) — A massive recall is getting most of the blame for the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">baby formula shortage</a>, but experts say the products have long been vulnerable to this type of crisis due to decades-old policies that have allowed a handful of companies to corner the market.Those government rules — aimed at assuring safe, affordable formula — are getting renewed scrutiny as President Joe Biden’s administration rushes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">import formula</a>&nbsp;from Europe.“There’s perfectly good and safe baby formula available around the world. We just don’t have access to it,” said Bindiya Vakil, CEO of Resilinc, a supply chain analytics firm. ”We’ve created this problem by not setting up an infrastructure for imports.”Federal regulators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-politics-science-e4aef87dfb74039f1612ca5279e85227">are expected</a>&nbsp;to soon allow Abbott Nutrition to reopen the Michigan plant that’s been closed since February due to contamination problems.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-government-and-politics-1e54ff345ab2a4be93f2e24d991e4450">The factory</a>&nbsp;is the largest of its kind in the U.S. and its shutdown — combined with pandemic-related supply chain problems — hobbled supplies of popular formulas and specialty formulas for children with rare medical conditions.Lawmakers will hold three hearings on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-business-health-d3e32ba9e2381f77c299391e762abe21">the issue</a>&nbsp;this week, calling on company executives, government regulators and outside experts to testify. The attention could spur changes to government safety and contracting rules that have been in place since the 1980s and favor big U.S. manufacturers that are capable of navigating the complex requirements.Baby formula is one of the few American products essentially unaffected by globalization, with 98% of the supply manufactured domestically. Four companies account for roughly 90% of the market: Abbott, Reckitt, Nestle and Perrigo, according to industry figures. That consolidation mirrors similar trends across the food industry.But infant formula wasn’t part of a Biden administration initiative last year spotlighting dangerously concentrated industries, including prescription drugs, airlines, hearing aids and internet services.Food experts say strict formula regulations set by the Food and Drug Administration have long limited competition.Beginning in 1980, Congress gave the FDA authority to rigorously enforce the nutritional content of all formula sold in the U.S., imposing extra research and manufacturing standards that have few equivalents worldwide. The changes came after some babies were sickened by deficient formulas in the 1970s.“They are pretty much the strictest food safety guidelines in the U.S. and America has some of the strictest guidelines in the world,” said Wendy White, a food safety expert at Georgia Tech.Companies must consult with the FDA before selling a new formula, altering ingredients in an existing one or making major manufacturing changes. The result is only the biggest manufacturers have plants and procedures that comply with federal rules. And would-be competitors have little incentive to enter the field, given the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-pandemics-a19eb76d3c0b6077a7c2d1ae92a4a67f">declining</a>&nbsp;U.S. birth rate.“You have to have a lot of expertise, a lot of resources and a lot of research dollars,” White said.There are other hurdles for foreign manufacturers looking to compete. The U.S. has long imposed tariffs and quotas on dairy imports from abroad, including Canada, in order to shield American milk producers from competition.Responding to political pressure, the Biden administration has begun&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-indianapolis-00f39fd46778ecdd543c22f3630d79ba">airlifting shipments</a>&nbsp;of formula from Europe. The FDA is also waiving some requirements to encourage more imports from overseas manufacturers that are expected to boost supplies in coming weeks.The biggest driver of the U.S. market, by far, is a massive federal nutrition program that provides formula and other foods to lower-income women and children. The WIC program accounts for more than 50% of the U.S. market, providing formula for more than 1.2 million babies, according to the National WIC Association, which represents state and local administrators who run the benefit.Beginning in 1989, federal law has required states to award contracts to a single formula company, based on whichever one can offer the biggest discounts.The effect is that contract winners quickly squeeze out much of the competition on store shelves. Today, all 50 WIC contracts are held by three companies: Abbott, Reckitt and Nestle, according to the association. Abbott is the leader, with 34 state contracts.The competitive effects of these sole-source contracts have been researched for years. A 2011 study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that whichever company wins a state’s WIC contract typically sees their market share grow by 74%, on average, as WIC recipients switch to their brand.But not everyone supports overhauling the system. Brian Dittmeier of the National WIC Association says doing away with sole-source contracts would jeopardize the savings that allow the plan to serve so many Americans. Instead he says manufacturers should be held accountable for not investing in their own capacity.“This is a manufacturing failure,” Dittmeier said. “The fact is there just is not enough product to fulfill the demand that manufacturers have drummed up over the years.” His group supports calls by some lawmakers for a federal antitrust investigation into the industry.WIC contracts are generally rebid every four years and market share swings back and forth between the handful of players who compete.Dr. Steven Abrams, a pediatrician at the University of Texas at Austin, says Congress should revisit the WIC program.“We need to take a comprehensive look at where the failures happened and where we can fix them” said Abrams. “We need to consider whether we really want to have a situation where there’s that much dominance in the program.”

US safety, savings rules set stage for baby formula shortage

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/23/state-audit-finds-millions-in-dollars-of-mistaken-payments-by-douglas-county-treasurer/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN
 — A new state audit says the Douglas County Treasurer’s Office has 
wrongly calculated the amount of tax revenue due to several local taxing
 entities, overpaying the Omaha Public Schools by nearly $6 million but 
underpaying the Elkhorn School District by $4 million.

Douglas County and the City of Omaha were 
also among those losing out on millions in tax revenue, said the audit, 
released Monday.

The
 mistaken payment of in-lieu-of-taxes funds paid by the Omaha Public 
Power District is the same problem uncovered a year ago at the Sarpy 
County Treasurer’s Office by the Nebraska State Auditor’s Office.

In
 Sarpy County, Treasurer Brian Zuger was fired by the county board in 
the wake of the mistaken payments there, and several school districts 
have taken the Sarpy County office to court, seeking repayment of the 
in-lieu-of-taxes funds owed to them. Millard Public Schools maintains it
 was underpaid by $2.4 million by Sarpy County, and the Omaha Public 
Schools says it is owed $1.4 million.

Douglas
 County Treasurer John Ewing, when reached Monday, said the office has 
been calculating the in-lieu-of tax distribution in the same way since 
the 1960s and had continued its practice following a review in 2019 that
 included some consultation with the State Auditor’s Office.

“This
 is not a case of money being misappropriated, it’s really a case of a 
mistaken interpretation of the state statute that had continued up until
 this year’s distribution,” Ewing said.&nbsp;

He said it will likely be up to the various 
taxing entities, along with the County Treasurer’s Office, to get 
together and decide how to reconcile the under- and overpayments over 
the past several years. Ewing said he has talked with several of the 
entities involved and doesn’t expect a lawsuit, such as the one filed in
 Sarpy County.

“Everyone makes mistakes,” he said, adding. “It’s a mistake versus a knowing, wrong distribution.”

Ewing has scheduled a press conference for 10 a.m. Tuesday to answer further questions.

The office’s official response to the audit was that the mistaken payments were “a good-faith mistake.”

Ewing
 said that Douglas County, and Sarpy County, are the only two counties 
in Nebraska that distribute the in-lieu of tax payments to multiple 
school districts in the same city.

The Treasurer’s Office said that it had 
begun reviewing its practices prior to the auditor’s review and that its
 calculation method had been corrected for 2022 payments of the OPPD 
tax.

Instead
 of paying property taxes, the Omaha Public Power District pays 
“in-lieu” of tax payments based on 5% of its annual revenue from 
electric sales. Last year, that amounted to $26 million, which was then 
distributed to the county, cities and school districts in the county.

&nbsp;The
 money, according to the state audit, is supposed to be distributed to 
the various school districts in Douglas County based on the tax levies 
of each individual district.

Instead
 of doing that, the Douglas County treasurer had utilized the tax levy 
of the Omaha Public Schools and distributed the funds based on the 
student enrollment at each of the districts. That was the same mistaken 
formula used in Sarpy County, according to the State Auditors Office.

The amount of overpayments identified in the audit:

Also on Monday, the State Auditor’s Office 
released a review of the practices of the Sarpy County Treasurer’s 
Office from July 1, 2021, to the end of 2021, which would be after the 
county treasurer had been replaced.

Deputy State Auditor Craig Kubicek said 
procedures at the Sarpy County Treasurer’s Office had improved 
considerably since the critical 2021 audit by his office.

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/05/23/state-audit-finds-millions-in-dollars-of-mistaken-payments-by-douglas-county-treasurer/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN
 — A new state audit says the Douglas County Treasurer’s Office has 
wrongly calculated the amount of tax revenue due to several local taxing
 entities, overpaying the Omaha Public Schools by nearly $6 million but 
underpaying the Elkhorn School District by $4 million.Douglas County and the City of Omaha were 
also among those losing out on millions in tax revenue, said the audit, 
released Monday.The
 mistaken payment of in-lieu-of-taxes funds paid by the Omaha Public 
Power District is the same problem uncovered a year ago at the Sarpy 
County Treasurer’s Office by the Nebraska State Auditor’s Office.<h2>Same problem in Sarpy County</h2>In
 Sarpy County, Treasurer Brian Zuger was fired by the county board in 
the wake of the mistaken payments there, and several school districts 
have taken the Sarpy County office to court, seeking repayment of the 
in-lieu-of-taxes funds owed to them. Millard Public Schools maintains it
 was underpaid by $2.4 million by Sarpy County, and the Omaha Public 
Schools says it is owed $1.4 million.Douglas
 County Treasurer John Ewing, when reached Monday, said the office has 
been calculating the in-lieu-of tax distribution in the same way since 
the 1960s and had continued its practice following a review in 2019 that
 included some consultation with the State Auditor’s Office.“This
 is not a case of money being misappropriated, it’s really a case of a 
mistaken interpretation of the state statute that had continued up until
 this year’s distribution,” Ewing said.&nbsp;He said it will likely be up to the various 
taxing entities, along with the County Treasurer’s Office, to get 
together and decide how to reconcile the under- and overpayments over 
the past several years. Ewing said he has talked with several of the 
entities involved and doesn’t expect a lawsuit, such as the one filed in
 Sarpy County.<h2>‘Everyone makes mistakes</h2>“Everyone makes mistakes,” he said, adding. “It’s a mistake versus a knowing, wrong distribution.”Ewing has scheduled a press conference for 10 a.m. Tuesday to answer further questions.The office’s official response to the audit was that the mistaken payments were “a good-faith mistake.”Ewing
 said that Douglas County, and Sarpy County, are the only two counties 
in Nebraska that distribute the in-lieu of tax payments to multiple 
school districts in the same city.<h2>Process corrected</h2>The Treasurer’s Office said that it had 
begun reviewing its practices prior to the auditor’s review and that its
 calculation method had been corrected for 2022 payments of the OPPD 
tax.Instead
 of paying property taxes, the Omaha Public Power District pays 
“in-lieu” of tax payments based on 5% of its annual revenue from 
electric sales. Last year, that amounted to $26 million, which was then 
distributed to the county, cities and school districts in the county.&nbsp;The
 money, according to the state audit, is supposed to be distributed to 
the various school districts in Douglas County based on the tax levies 
of each individual district.Instead
 of doing that, the Douglas County treasurer had utilized the tax levy 
of the Omaha Public Schools and distributed the funds based on the 
student enrollment at each of the districts. That was the same mistaken 
formula used in Sarpy County, according to the State Auditors Office.<h2>Overpayments/underpayments</h2>The amount of overpayments identified in the audit:<ul>
 <li>$5.6 million to the Omaha Public Schools.</li><li>$4.4 million to the City of Omaha.</li><li>$2.7 million to Douglas County.</li>
 </ul>The amount of underpayments were:<ul>
 <li>$4.2 million to Elkhorn Public Schools.</li><li>$4 million to Ralston Public Schools.</li><li>$3.7 million to Westside Community Schools.</li><li>$818,000 to Millard Public Schools.</li>
 </ul>Also on Monday, the State Auditor’s Office 
released a review of the practices of the Sarpy County Treasurer’s 
Office from July 1, 2021, to the end of 2021, which would be after the 
county treasurer had been replaced.Deputy State Auditor Craig Kubicek said 
procedures at the Sarpy County Treasurer’s Office had improved 
considerably since the critical 2021 audit by his office.

Audit: Millions of dollars of mistaken payments by Douglas Co. treasurer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hyundai is recalling 239,000 cars in the U.S. because the seat belt pretensioners can explode and injure vehicle occupants. Three injuries have been reported, two in the U.S. and one in Singapore.

In a letter to the Korean automaker, government regulators said that the driver’s and front passenger’s seat belt pretensioners can explode upon deployment and send shrapnel throughout the vehicle. Pretensioners tighten the belts in preparation for a crash.

The recall, which expands and replaces three previous recalls, includes 2019-2022 Accents, 2021-2023 Elantras and 2021-2022 Elantra HEVs, or hybrid electric vehicles. Vehicles repaired under the previous recalls will need to be brought to dealerships again for the new remedy.

Owners will be able to take their recalled vehicles to dealerships where the seat belt pretensioners will be fit with a cap at no cost. Hyundai is expected to notify owners by July 15, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration said.

For more information, owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460 and reference recall number 229. They can also call the NHTSA vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hyundai is recalling 239,000 cars in the U.S. because the seat belt pretensioners can explode and injure vehicle occupants. Three injuries have been reported, two in the U.S. and one in Singapore.In a letter to the Korean automaker, government regulators said that the driver’s and front passenger’s seat belt pretensioners can explode upon deployment and send shrapnel throughout the vehicle. Pretensioners tighten the belts in preparation for a crash.The recall, which expands and replaces three previous recalls, includes 2019-2022 Accents, 2021-2023 Elantras and 2021-2022 Elantra HEVs, or hybrid electric vehicles. Vehicles repaired under the previous recalls will need to be brought to dealerships again for the new remedy.Owners will be able to take their recalled vehicles to dealerships where the seat belt pretensioners will be fit with a cap at no cost. Hyundai is expected to notify owners by July 15, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration said.For more information, owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460 and reference recall number 229. They can also call the NHTSA vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Hyundai recalls 239,000 cars for exploding seat belt parts

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-unemployment-rate-hits-all-time-low-for-second-straight-month/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

Nebraska’s
 latest unemployment rate of 1.9% represented an all-time low for the 
second straight month, and that April level remains tied for the lowest 
reached by any state in history.

That’s according to the State Department of Labor’s preliminary and seasonally adjusted report, released Friday.

The April rate is down from the March 2022 rate of 2.0% and down also from the April 2021 rate of 2.6%.

Only
 Utah has ever dropped to such a level, tying with Nebraska for the 
record low, state officials said. (Unemployment data go back to 1976.)

‘Historically high levels since July’

Nationwide,
 the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April was 3.6%. That’s 
unchanged from the month before and down 2.4 percentage points from the 
April 2021 rate of 6.0%.

The
 State Labor Department reports also that Nebraska’s preliminary 
employment for April reached an all-time high of 1.04 million people 
working.

“The
 number of employed workers in the labor force has been at historically 
high levels since July of 2021,” Labor Commissioner John Albin said. 
“The Omaha metro reached a record high employment level at nearly half a
 million in April, and the Lincoln metro has seen record highs for two 
straight months.”

Gov.
 Pete Ricketts lauded the employment picture, saying in a statement that
 Nebraska leads the nation in per-capita employment, with 69 out of 100 
adults actively working. He said that compares with a national rate of 
60 out of 100 adults employed.

A
 different Census Bureau survey — based not on households but on nonfarm
 businesses and their payroll job counts — shows the number of filled 
jobs in the state at 1.028 million in April. That’s up 10,245 over the 
month before and up 25,052 over the prior year.

Private
 industries with the most growth, year to year, were trade, 
transportation and utilities (up 7,262); leisure and hospitality (up 
5,828); and education and health services (up 3,818).

The
 number of employed and unemployed in the labor force are based on 
Census Bureau surveys. Both those individuals who are claiming 
unemployment benefits and those who are not claiming can be counted as 
unemployed based on their survey responses. People who are not working 
and are not seeking work are not considered part of the labor force and 
therefore are not included in the unemployment rate calculation.

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-unemployment-rate-hits-all-time-low-for-second-straight-month/">Nebraska Examiner</a>Nebraska’s
 latest unemployment rate of 1.9% represented an all-time low for the 
second straight month, and that April level remains tied for the lowest 
reached by any state in history.That’s according to the State Department of Labor’s preliminary and seasonally adjusted report, released Friday.The April rate is down from the March 2022 rate of 2.0% and down also from the April 2021 rate of 2.6%.Only
 Utah has ever dropped to such a level, tying with Nebraska for the 
record low, state officials said. (Unemployment data go back to 1976.)<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653404538471.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Historically high levels since July’</h2>Nationwide,
 the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April was 3.6%. That’s 
unchanged from the month before and down 2.4 percentage points from the 
April 2021 rate of 6.0%.The
 State Labor Department reports also that Nebraska’s preliminary 
employment for April reached an all-time high of 1.04 million people 
working.“The
 number of employed workers in the labor force has been at historically 
high levels since July of 2021,” Labor Commissioner John Albin said. 
“The Omaha metro reached a record high employment level at nearly half a
 million in April, and the Lincoln metro has seen record highs for two 
straight months.”Gov.
 Pete Ricketts lauded the employment picture, saying in a statement that
 Nebraska leads the nation in per-capita employment, with 69 out of 100 
adults actively working. He said that compares with a national rate of 
60 out of 100 adults employed.<h2>Private industries with most growth</h2>A
 different Census Bureau survey — based not on households but on nonfarm
 businesses and their payroll job counts — shows the number of filled 
jobs in the state at 1.028 million in April. That’s up 10,245 over the 
month before and up 25,052 over the prior year.Private
 industries with the most growth, year to year, were trade, 
transportation and utilities (up 7,262); leisure and hospitality (up 
5,828); and education and health services (up 3,818).The
 number of employed and unemployed in the labor force are based on 
Census Bureau surveys. Both those individuals who are claiming 
unemployment benefits and those who are not claiming can be counted as 
unemployed based on their survey responses. People who are not working 
and are not seeking work are not considered part of the labor force and 
therefore are not included in the unemployment rate calculation.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Neb. jobless rate hits all-time low for second straight month

DICKINSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and made an arrest.

Just before 10p.m. May 19, sheriff's deputies responded to Lion’s Den, located at 2349 Fair Road in Dickinson County, for a commercial business alarm, according to a social media report.

 Deputies discovered a man had entered the occupied business and removed property without permission, valued at more than $2,000. 

 After seeking assistance from the public through a Facebook post to help identify the suspect, Deputies were led to Washington, Kansas where the Washington County Sheriff’s Office located and detained 43-year-old Kenneth L. Riddle of Washington, Kansas and a vehicle. 

Dickinson County deputies took Riddle into custody and booked him on requested charges of Aggravated Burglary and Felony Theft. 

On Monday, with assistance from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 300 West 1st Street in Washington, Kansas and recovered the stolen property.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653399806537.png" alt="Riddle-photo Dickinson Co." />
 <figcaption>Riddle-photo Dickinson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>DICKINSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and made an arrest.Just before 10p.m. May 19, sheriff's deputies responded to Lion’s Den, located at 2349 Fair Road in Dickinson County, for a commercial business alarm, according to a social media report. Deputies discovered a man had entered the occupied business and removed property without permission, valued at more than $2,000. After seeking assistance from the public through a Facebook post to help identify the suspect, Deputies were led to Washington, Kansas where the Washington County Sheriff’s Office located and detained 43-year-old Kenneth L. Riddle of Washington, Kansas and a vehicle. Dickinson County deputies took Riddle into custody and booked him on requested charges of Aggravated Burglary and Felony Theft. On Monday, with assistance from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 300 West 1st Street in Washington, Kansas and recovered the stolen property.

Sheriff: Kan. man arrested for burglary from porn store

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly 50 defense leaders from around the world met Monday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-kharkiv-2fb1355f5c0b5724adfc5b4367807335">agreed to send more advanced weapons to Ukraine</a>, including a harpoon launcher and missiles to protect its coast, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters.

And Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that “low-level” discussion is underway on how the U.S. may need to adjust its training of Ukrainian forces and on whether some U.S. troops should be based in Ukraine.

The U.S. withdrew its few troops in Ukraine before the war and has no plans to send in combat forces. Milley’s comments left open the possibility troops could return for embassy security or another non-combat role.

The U.S. embassy in Kyiv has partially reopened and is staffing up again, and there have been questions about whether the U.S. will send a Marine security force back in to help protect the embassy or if other options should be considered.

Asked if U.S. special operations forces may go into Ukraine, which officials have insisted they are not doing yet, Milley said that “any reintroduction of U.S. forces into Ukraine would require a presidential decision. So we’re a ways away from anything like that.”

Speaking to Pentagon reporters, Austin declined to say if the U.S. will send Ukraine high-tech mobile rocket launchers, which it has requested. But Austin said that some 20 nations announced Monday that they will send new packages of security assistance to Ukraine, as its war with Russia reaches the three-month mark.

In particular, he said that Denmark has agreed to send a harpoon launcher and missiles to Ukraine to help Ukraine defend its coast. Russia has ships in the Black Sea and has used them to launch cruise missiles into Ukraine. The Russian ships have also stopped all commercial ship traffic from entering Ukraine ports.

“We’ve gained a sharper, shared sense of Ukraine’s priority requirements and the situation on the battlefield,” Austin told reporters at the close of the virtual meeting with the defense leaders. “Many countries are donating critically needed artillery ammunition, coastal defense systems and tanks and other armored vehicles. Others came forward with new commitments for training.”

The U.S. and other countries have been training Ukrainian forces in nearby European countries.

Austin added that the Czech Republic recently donated attack helicopters, tanks and rockets, and that Italy, Greece, Norway and Poland announced new donations Monday of artillery systems and ammunition.

“The nature of the fight, as you’ve heard us describe a number of times is ... really shaped by artillery in this phase,” said Austin. “And we’ve seen serious exchanges of artillery fires over the last several weeks.”

Austin said that during the virtual meeting, Ukraine officials made clear their security needs. And he said those are consistent with what has been identified in recent weeks — long-range artillery and rocket systems, armored personnel carriers and drones.

Milley provided the greatest detail to date on the increased U.S. presence in Europe since Russia invaded in late February. Last fall. there were roughly 78,000 U.S. troops in the region, and that has gone up to 102,000 — including 24 surface ships, four submarines, 12 fighter jet squadrons, two combat aviation units, and six Army brigade combat teams, along with their division and corps leaderships.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly 50 defense leaders from around the world met Monday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-kharkiv-2fb1355f5c0b5724adfc5b4367807335">agreed to send more advanced weapons to Ukraine</a>, including a harpoon launcher and missiles to protect its coast, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters.And Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that “low-level” discussion is underway on how the U.S. may need to adjust its training of Ukrainian forces and on whether some U.S. troops should be based in Ukraine.The U.S. withdrew its few troops in Ukraine before the war and has no plans to send in combat forces. Milley’s comments left open the possibility troops could return for embassy security or another non-combat role.The U.S. embassy in Kyiv has partially reopened and is staffing up again, and there have been questions about whether the U.S. will send a Marine security force back in to help protect the embassy or if other options should be considered.Asked if U.S. special operations forces may go into Ukraine, which officials have insisted they are not doing yet, Milley said that “any reintroduction of U.S. forces into Ukraine would require a presidential decision. So we’re a ways away from anything like that.”Speaking to Pentagon reporters, Austin declined to say if the U.S. will send Ukraine high-tech mobile rocket launchers, which it has requested. But Austin said that some 20 nations announced Monday that they will send new packages of security assistance to Ukraine, as its war with Russia reaches the three-month mark.In particular, he said that Denmark has agreed to send a harpoon launcher and missiles to Ukraine to help Ukraine defend its coast. Russia has ships in the Black Sea and has used them to launch cruise missiles into Ukraine. The Russian ships have also stopped all commercial ship traffic from entering Ukraine ports.“We’ve gained a sharper, shared sense of Ukraine’s priority requirements and the situation on the battlefield,” Austin told reporters at the close of the virtual meeting with the defense leaders. “Many countries are donating critically needed artillery ammunition, coastal defense systems and tanks and other armored vehicles. Others came forward with new commitments for training.”The U.S. and other countries have been training Ukrainian forces in nearby European countries.Austin added that the Czech Republic recently donated attack helicopters, tanks and rockets, and that Italy, Greece, Norway and Poland announced new donations Monday of artillery systems and ammunition.“The nature of the fight, as you’ve heard us describe a number of times is ... really shaped by artillery in this phase,” said Austin. “And we’ve seen serious exchanges of artillery fires over the last several weeks.”Austin said that during the virtual meeting, Ukraine officials made clear their security needs. And he said those are consistent with what has been identified in recent weeks — long-range artillery and rocket systems, armored personnel carriers and drones.Milley provided the greatest detail to date on the increased U.S. presence in Europe since Russia invaded in late February. Last fall. there were roughly 78,000 U.S. troops in the region, and that has gone up to 102,000 — including 24 surface ships, four submarines, 12 fighter jet squadrons, two combat aviation units, and six Army brigade combat teams, along with their division and corps leaderships.

Pentagon considers sending U.S. troops back into Ukraine

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission voted this week to seek comment on a proposal to provide additional universal service support to certain rural carriers in exchange for increasing deployment to more locations at higher speeds.  The proposal would make changes to the Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) program, with the goal of achieving widespread deployment of faster 100/20 Mbps broadband service throughout the rural areas served by rural carriers currently receiving A-CAM support.  

The ACAM Broadband Coalition submitted a proposal to create an Enhanced A-CAM program, which is the impetus for the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopted today.  Enhanced A-CAM, as proposed, would raise the broadband speeds required by the A-CAM programs to those generally required by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, while minimizing duplicative support across different federal broadband programs.  The Notice also proposes targeted modifications to the high-cost program rules to improve efficiency and efficacy in the program, including further streamlining of the annual reporting rules.  

The Notice seeks comment on whether and how the Commission could: 

· Offer additional A-CAM support in exchange for increased broadband deployment obligations to additional locations and at higher speeds under an Enhanced A-CAM program.

· Use the new Broadband DATA Act maps to determine any new deployment obligations.

· Calculate support for an Enhanced A-CAM program, including whether the existing A-CAM framework continues to be appropriate.

· Align specific proposals with Congressional intent, as well as programs at other agencies.

· Improve the administration of the high-cost program and better safeguard the Universal Service Fund.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584977952684.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FCCWASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission voted this week to seek comment on a proposal to provide additional universal service support to certain rural carriers in exchange for increasing deployment to more locations at higher speeds. The proposal would make changes to the Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) program, with the goal of achieving widespread deployment of faster 100/20 Mbps broadband service throughout the rural areas served by rural carriers currently receiving A-CAM support. The ACAM Broadband Coalition submitted a proposal to create an Enhanced A-CAM program, which is the impetus for the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopted today. Enhanced A-CAM, as proposed, would raise the broadband speeds required by the A-CAM programs to those generally required by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, while minimizing duplicative support across different federal broadband programs. The Notice also proposes targeted modifications to the high-cost program rules to improve efficiency and efficacy in the program, including further streamlining of the annual reporting rules. The Notice seeks comment on whether and how the Commission could: · Offer additional A-CAM support in exchange for increased broadband deployment obligations to additional locations and at higher speeds under an Enhanced A-CAM program.· Use the new Broadband DATA Act maps to determine any new deployment obligations.· Calculate support for an Enhanced A-CAM program, including whether the existing A-CAM framework continues to be appropriate.· Align specific proposals with Congressional intent, as well as programs at other agencies.· Improve the administration of the high-cost program and better safeguard the Universal Service Fund.

FCC proposes higher speed goals for small rural broadband providers

TOKYO (AP) — President Joe Biden said Monday the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan, declaring the commitment to protect the island is “even stronger” after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine?utm_source=apnewsnav&amp;utm_medium=featured">Russia’s invasion of Ukraine</a>. It was one of the most forceful presidential statements in support of Taiwan’s self-governing in decades.

Biden, at a news conference in Tokyo, said “yes” when asked if he was willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if China invaded. “That’s the commitment we made,” he added.

The U.S. traditionally has avoided making such an explicit security guarantee to Taiwan, with which it no longer has a mutual defense treaty, instead maintaining a policy of “strategic ambiguity” about how far it would be willing to go. The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which has governed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-china-united-states-beijing-united-nations-0f27ca946b9fa97487af1ba8e80c3682">U.S. relations with the island</a>, does not require the U.S. to step in militarily if China invades, but makes it American policy to ensure Taiwan has the resources to defend itself and to prevent any unilateral change of status by Beijing.

A White House official said Biden’s comments did not reflect a policy shift for the United States, a point echoed more firmly by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, asked by reporters if Biden’s answer indicated the U.S. would do more to help Taiwan than it has done to help Ukraine and whether the U.S. was making a commitment to send troops to help Taiwan in the event of an invasion.

“As the president said our One China policy has not changed,” Austin said at the Pentagon. “He reiterated that policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He also highlighted our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to help provide Taiwan the means to defend itself. So, again, our policy is not changed.”

But Biden’s words drew a sharp response from mainland China, which has claimed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taiwan">Taiwan</a>&nbsp;to be a rogue province.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin expressed “strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition” to Biden’s comments. “China has no room for compromise or concessions on issues involving China’s core interests such as sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

He added, “China will take firm action to safeguard its sovereignty and security interests, and we will do what we say.”

Speaking alongside Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Biden said any effort by China to use force against Taiwan would “just not be appropriate,” adding that it would “dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-army-taiwan-air-force-df5ce025994309b138a015c8e0526a1f">China has stepped up its military provocations</a>&nbsp;against democratic Taiwan in recent years, aimed at intimidating it into accepting Beijing’s demands to unify with the communist mainland.

“They’re already flirting with danger right now by flying so close and all the maneuvers that are undertaken,” Biden said of China.

Under the “one China” policy, the U.S. recognizes Beijing as the government of China and doesn’t have diplomatic relations with Taiwan. However, the U.S. maintains unofficial contacts including a de facto embassy in Taipei, the capital, and supplies military equipment for the island’s defense.

Biden said it was his “expectation” that China would not try to seize Taiwan by force, but he also said that “depends upon just how strong the world makes clear that that kind of action is going to result in long-term disapprobation by the rest of the community.”

He added that deterring China from attacking Taiwan was one reason why it’s important that Russian President Vladimir Putin “pay a dear price for his barbarism in Ukraine,” lest China and other nations get the idea that such action is acceptable.

Wanting no escalation with nuclear-armed Russia, Biden quickly ruled out putting U.S. forces into direct conflict with Russia. But the U.S. has shipped billions of dollars in military assistance that has helped Ukraine put up a stiffer-than-expected resistance to Russia’s onslaught.

Taipei cheered Biden’s remarks, with Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Joanne Ou expressing “sincere welcome and gratitude.”

“The challenge posed by China to the security of the Taiwan Strait has drawn great concern in the international community,” said Ou. “Taiwan will continue to improve its self-defense capabilities, and deepen cooperation with the United States and Japan and other like-minded countries to jointly defend the security of the Taiwan Strait and the rules-based international order, while promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.”

It’s not the first time Biden has pledged to defend Taiwan against a Chinese attack, followed by administration officials contending there had been no change to American policy. In a CNN town hall in October, Biden was asked about using the U.S. military to defend Taiwan and replied, “Yes, we have a commitment to do that.”

Taiwan isn’t the only foreign policy issue on which the White House has clarified or walked back Biden’s comments. When he declared in March that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-biden-united-nations-jen-psaki-40e21508055f7ff65424afe2d8e406d8">Putin was a war criminal, J</a>&nbsp;en Psaki, then the press secretary, said the president was “speaking from his heart” even though a legal conclusion hadn’t been reached on the issue.

During a March speech in Poland, Biden said of Putin: “This man cannot remain in power.” White House officials raced to say that Biden was not calling for regime change in Russia.

Biden’s latest comments on Taiwan came just before he formally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-asia-united-states-c6878c7d14112e45a870a3e8735f7e71">launched a long-anticipated Indo-Pacific trade pact</a>&nbsp;that excludes Taiwan.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed Sunday that Taiwan isn’t among the governments signed up for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which is meant to allow the U.S. to work more closely with key Asian economies on issues like supply chains, digital trade, clean energy and anticorruption.

Inclusion of Taiwan would have irked China.

Sullivan said the U.S. wants to deepen its economic partnership with Taiwan on a one-to-one basis.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653334090110.png" alt="President Biden’s words drew a sharp response from mainland China, which has claimed&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;to be a rogue province-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden’s words drew a sharp response from mainland China, which has claimed&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;to be a rogue province-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOKYO (AP) — President Joe Biden said Monday the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan, declaring the commitment to protect the island is “even stronger” after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine?utm_source=apnewsnav&amp;utm_medium=featured">Russia’s invasion of Ukraine</a>. It was one of the most forceful presidential statements in support of Taiwan’s self-governing in decades.Biden, at a news conference in Tokyo, said “yes” when asked if he was willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if China invaded. “That’s the commitment we made,” he added.The U.S. traditionally has avoided making such an explicit security guarantee to Taiwan, with which it no longer has a mutual defense treaty, instead maintaining a policy of “strategic ambiguity” about how far it would be willing to go. The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which has governed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-china-united-states-beijing-united-nations-0f27ca946b9fa97487af1ba8e80c3682">U.S. relations with the island</a>, does not require the U.S. to step in militarily if China invades, but makes it American policy to ensure Taiwan has the resources to defend itself and to prevent any unilateral change of status by Beijing.A White House official said Biden’s comments did not reflect a policy shift for the United States, a point echoed more firmly by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, asked by reporters if Biden’s answer indicated the U.S. would do more to help Taiwan than it has done to help Ukraine and whether the U.S. was making a commitment to send troops to help Taiwan in the event of an invasion.“As the president said our One China policy has not changed,” Austin said at the Pentagon. “He reiterated that policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He also highlighted our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to help provide Taiwan the means to defend itself. So, again, our policy is not changed.”But Biden’s words drew a sharp response from mainland China, which has claimed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taiwan">Taiwan</a>&nbsp;to be a rogue province.Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin expressed “strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition” to Biden’s comments. “China has no room for compromise or concessions on issues involving China’s core interests such as sovereignty and territorial integrity.”He added, “China will take firm action to safeguard its sovereignty and security interests, and we will do what we say.”Speaking alongside Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Biden said any effort by China to use force against Taiwan would “just not be appropriate,” adding that it would “dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-army-taiwan-air-force-df5ce025994309b138a015c8e0526a1f">China has stepped up its military provocations</a>&nbsp;against democratic Taiwan in recent years, aimed at intimidating it into accepting Beijing’s demands to unify with the communist mainland.“They’re already flirting with danger right now by flying so close and all the maneuvers that are undertaken,” Biden said of China.Under the “one China” policy, the U.S. recognizes Beijing as the government of China and doesn’t have diplomatic relations with Taiwan. However, the U.S. maintains unofficial contacts including a de facto embassy in Taipei, the capital, and supplies military equipment for the island’s defense.Biden said it was his “expectation” that China would not try to seize Taiwan by force, but he also said that “depends upon just how strong the world makes clear that that kind of action is going to result in long-term disapprobation by the rest of the community.”He added that deterring China from attacking Taiwan was one reason why it’s important that Russian President Vladimir Putin “pay a dear price for his barbarism in Ukraine,” lest China and other nations get the idea that such action is acceptable.Wanting no escalation with nuclear-armed Russia, Biden quickly ruled out putting U.S. forces into direct conflict with Russia. But the U.S. has shipped billions of dollars in military assistance that has helped Ukraine put up a stiffer-than-expected resistance to Russia’s onslaught.Taipei cheered Biden’s remarks, with Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Joanne Ou expressing “sincere welcome and gratitude.”“The challenge posed by China to the security of the Taiwan Strait has drawn great concern in the international community,” said Ou. “Taiwan will continue to improve its self-defense capabilities, and deepen cooperation with the United States and Japan and other like-minded countries to jointly defend the security of the Taiwan Strait and the rules-based international order, while promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.”It’s not the first time Biden has pledged to defend Taiwan against a Chinese attack, followed by administration officials contending there had been no change to American policy. In a CNN town hall in October, Biden was asked about using the U.S. military to defend Taiwan and replied, “Yes, we have a commitment to do that.”Taiwan isn’t the only foreign policy issue on which the White House has clarified or walked back Biden’s comments. When he declared in March that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-biden-united-nations-jen-psaki-40e21508055f7ff65424afe2d8e406d8">Putin was a war criminal, J</a>&nbsp;en Psaki, then the press secretary, said the president was “speaking from his heart” even though a legal conclusion hadn’t been reached on the issue.During a March speech in Poland, Biden said of Putin: “This man cannot remain in power.” White House officials raced to say that Biden was not calling for regime change in Russia.Biden’s latest comments on Taiwan came just before he formally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-asia-united-states-c6878c7d14112e45a870a3e8735f7e71">launched a long-anticipated Indo-Pacific trade pact</a>&nbsp;that excludes Taiwan.White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed Sunday that Taiwan isn’t among the governments signed up for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which is meant to allow the U.S. to work more closely with key Asian economies on issues like supply chains, digital trade, clean energy and anticorruption.Inclusion of Taiwan would have irked China.Sullivan said the U.S. wants to deepen its economic partnership with Taiwan on a one-to-one basis.___

Biden threatens China with military action to defend Taiwan

Three doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine offer strong protection for children younger than 5, the company announced Monday. Pfizer plans to give the data to U.S. regulators later this week in a step toward letting the littlest kids get the shots.

The news comes after months of anxious waiting by parents desperate to vaccinate their babies, toddlers and preschoolers, especially as COVID-19 cases once again are rising. The 18 million tots under 5 are the only group in the U.S. not yet eligible for COVID-19 vaccination.

The Food and Drug Administration has begun evaluating data from rival Moderna, which hopes to begin offering two kid-sized shots by summer.

Pfizer has had a bumpier time figuring out its approach. It aims to give tots an even lower dose — just one-tenth of the amount adults receive — but discovered during its trial that two shots didn’t seem quite strong enough for preschoolers. So researchers gave a third shot to more than 1,600 youngsters — from age 6 months to 4 years — during the winter surge of the omicron variant.

In a press release, Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said the extra shot did the trick, revving up tots’ levels of virus-fighting antibodies enough to meet FDA criteria for emergency use of the vaccine with no safety problems.

Preliminary data suggested the three-dose series is 80% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19, the companies said, but they cautioned the calculation is based on just 10 cases diagnosed among study participants by the end of April. The study rules state that at least 21 cases are needed to formally determine effectiveness, and Pfizer promised an update as soon as more data is available.

The companies already had submitted data on the first two doses to the FDA, and BioNTech’s CEO, Dr. Ugur Sahin, said the final third-shot data would be submitted this week.

“The study suggests that a low, 3-microgram dose of our vaccine, carefully selected based on tolerability data, provides young children with a high level of protection against the recent COVID-19 strains,” he said in a statement.

What’s next? FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks has pledged the agency will “move quickly without sacrificing our standards” in evaluating tot-sized doses from both Pfizer and Moderna.

The agency has set tentative dates next month for its scientific advisers to publicly debate data from each company.

Moderna is seeking to be the first to vaccinate the littlest kids. It submitted data to the FDA saying tots develop high levels of virus-fighting antibodies after two shots that contain a quarter of the dose given to adults. The Moderna study found effectiveness against symptomatic COVID-19 was 40% to 50% during the omicon surge, much like for adults who’ve only had two vaccine doses.

Complicating Moderna’s progress, the FDA so far has allowed its vaccine to be used only in adults.

The FDA is expected to review Moderna's data on both the youngest age group, plus its study of teens and elementary-age children. Other countries already have expanded Moderna's shot to kids as young as 6.

While COVID-19 generally isn’t as dangerous to youngsters as to adults, some children do become severely ill or even die. And the omicron variant hit children especially hard, with those under 5 hospitalized at higher rates than at the peak of the previous delta surge.

It’s not clear how much demand there will be to vaccinate the youngest kids. Pfizer shots for 5- to 11-year-olds opened in November, but only about 30% of that age group have gotten the recommended initial two doses. Last week, U.S. health authorities said elementary-age children should get a booster shot just like everyone 12 and older is supposed to get, for the best protection against the latest coronavirus variants.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635537216378.png" alt="Children's COVID vaccine -photo courtesy Pfizer" />
 <figcaption>Children's COVID vaccine -photo courtesy Pfizer</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical WriterThree doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine offer strong protection for children younger than 5, the company announced Monday. Pfizer plans to give the data to U.S. regulators later this week in a step toward letting the littlest kids get the shots.The news comes after months of anxious waiting by parents desperate to vaccinate their babies, toddlers and preschoolers, especially as COVID-19 cases once again are rising. The 18 million tots under 5 are the only group in the U.S. not yet eligible for COVID-19 vaccination.The Food and Drug Administration has begun evaluating data from rival Moderna, which hopes to begin offering two kid-sized shots by summer.Pfizer has had a bumpier time figuring out its approach. It aims to give tots an even lower dose — just one-tenth of the amount adults receive — but discovered during its trial that two shots didn’t seem quite strong enough for preschoolers. So researchers gave a third shot to more than 1,600 youngsters — from age 6 months to 4 years — during the winter surge of the omicron variant.In a press release, Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said the extra shot did the trick, revving up tots’ levels of virus-fighting antibodies enough to meet FDA criteria for emergency use of the vaccine with no safety problems.Preliminary data suggested the three-dose series is 80% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19, the companies said, but they cautioned the calculation is based on just 10 cases diagnosed among study participants by the end of April. The study rules state that at least 21 cases are needed to formally determine effectiveness, and Pfizer promised an update as soon as more data is available.The companies already had submitted data on the first two doses to the FDA, and BioNTech’s CEO, Dr. Ugur Sahin, said the final third-shot data would be submitted this week.“The study suggests that a low, 3-microgram dose of our vaccine, carefully selected based on tolerability data, provides young children with a high level of protection against the recent COVID-19 strains,” he said in a statement.What’s next? FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks has pledged the agency will “move quickly without sacrificing our standards” in evaluating tot-sized doses from both Pfizer and Moderna.The agency has set tentative dates next month for its scientific advisers to publicly debate data from each company.Moderna is seeking to be the first to vaccinate the littlest kids. It submitted data to the FDA saying tots develop high levels of virus-fighting antibodies after two shots that contain a quarter of the dose given to adults. The Moderna study found effectiveness against symptomatic COVID-19 was 40% to 50% during the omicon surge, much like for adults who’ve only had two vaccine doses.Complicating Moderna’s progress, the FDA so far has allowed its vaccine to be used only in adults.The FDA is expected to review Moderna's data on both the youngest age group, plus its study of teens and elementary-age children. Other countries already have expanded Moderna's shot to kids as young as 6.While COVID-19 generally isn’t as dangerous to youngsters as to adults, some children do become severely ill or even die. And the omicron variant hit children especially hard, with those under 5 hospitalized at higher rates than at the peak of the previous delta surge.It’s not clear how much demand there will be to vaccinate the youngest kids. Pfizer shots for 5- to 11-year-olds opened in November, but only about 30% of that age group have gotten the recommended initial two doses. Last week, U.S. health authorities said elementary-age children should get a booster shot just like everyone 12 and older is supposed to get, for the best protection against the latest coronavirus variants.

Pfizer says 3 COVID shots protect children under 5

By SCOTT CARLSON North Platte Post

BLAIR, Neb.-A recent graduate of Fremont High School was seriously injured in a Sunday morning car accident and will not recover from her injuries, according to school officials.

According to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, the crash happened early Sunday morning just southwest of Blair on Highway 30.

A preliminary investigation indicates a 2014 Jeep Patriot, driven by Madison Everitt, 18, of Fremont, was westbound when it crossed the center line and collided "nearly head-on" with a 1996 Plymouth driven by Eduard Bruwer, 34, of Blair.

Everitt was flown to the University of Nebraska Medical Center with serious head injuries.

In a social media post by Fremont Public Schools Superintendent Mark Shepard said Everitt is not expected to recover from her injuries.

“This is a tragic loss for FHS, the school district, and our community," Shepard said in the post. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones of Maddie and her family."

Everitt is a 2022 graduate of Fremont High School

Bruwer condition is unknown at this time but he is expected to survive.

The investigation into the crash is ongoing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653317431904.png" alt="Everitt" />
 <figcaption>Everitt</figcaption>
 </figure>By SCOTT CARLSON North Platte PostBLAIR, Neb.-A recent graduate of Fremont High School was seriously injured in a Sunday morning car accident and will not recover from her injuries, according to school officials.According to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, the crash happened early Sunday morning just southwest of Blair on Highway 30.A preliminary investigation indicates a 2014 Jeep Patriot, driven by Madison Everitt, 18, of Fremont, was westbound when it crossed the center line and collided "nearly head-on" with a 1996 Plymouth driven by Eduard Bruwer, 34, of Blair.Everitt was flown to the University of Nebraska Medical Center with serious head injuries.In a social media post by Fremont Public Schools Superintendent Mark Shepard said Everitt is not expected to recover from her injuries.“This is a tragic loss for FHS, the school district, and our community," Shepard said in the post. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones of Maddie and her family."Everitt is a 2022 graduate of Fremont High SchoolBruwer condition is unknown at this time but he is expected to survive.The investigation into the crash is ongoing.

Recent Fremont grad won't recover following Sunday morning crash

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — With Oklahoma only days away from enacting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-politics-texas-legislature-a43f7f21c1b8e07a383b120d1bdbc695">the toughest state ban on abortion in the U.S.,</a>&nbsp;providers were preparing to stop terminating pregnancies as questions remained Friday about enforcing the law’s limited exceptions.

<a href="http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2021-22%20ENR/hB/HB4327%20ENR.PDF" target="_blank">The law</a>&nbsp;allows abortions to save a pregnant patient’s life “in a medical emergency” and supporters said doctors still would decide what an emergency is, though that could change later if it becomes perceived as a loophole. There’s also an exception for cases of rape, sexual assault or incest that have been reported to law enforcement, but it doesn’t help victims who don’t report the crimes to police.

Abortion providers said they are likely to be cautious because the new law, like a ban at about six weeks enacted earlier and a similar 2021&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-business-lawsuits-laws-8690c15ea5de5c6ed695003b7a533cb1">law in Texas,</a>&nbsp;will expose them to potentially expensive lawsuits over alleged violations. They’re planning to refer some patients to states like Colorado or Kansas, but some won’t be able to manage the extra time or travel involved.

Oklahoma will provide a preview of what is in store for other states if the U.S. Supreme Court follows through on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-07439f9fc4542f1500ab78dfd34036b1">a draft opinion</a>&nbsp;leaked earlier this month overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion. The law also is likely to prompt Oklahoma residents — and Texans who’d traveled to the neighboring state — to go elsewhere to end their pregnancies.

“An abortion ban in one state doesn’t stay just in that state,” said Neta Meltzer, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood Rocky Mountains, which operates two dozen health centers in Colorado and New Mexico. “It absolutely has ripple effects in neighboring states and across the country.”

The Republican-dominated Oklahoma Legislature approved the abortion ban Thursday, and GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt, a strong abortion foe, is expected to sign it once it reaches his desk, probably early next week. The bill contains a clause that says it takes effect as soon as he does.

“All of our rights end when we do harm to someone else, and we believe strongly that the life of the unborn child is a life that deserves protection,” said the Oklahoma Senate’s top leader, Greg Treat, an Oklahoma City Republican. “If we have to pay an economic price for that, I’m willing to pay an economic price for that.”

The two Planned Parenthood clinics in Oklahoma, in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, suspended abortion services after Stitt signed the six-week ban earlier this month. A clinic run by Trust Women in Oklahoma City is providing abortion services until Stitt signs the new law. An attorney for the Tulsa Women’s Clinic said it would also stop performing abortions as soon as the law is signed.

Abortion rights advocates hope to challenge the new law in state courts, despite a provision saying that no court has the authority to issue an order blocking the law temporarily in response to such a challenge.

Even if a challenge were successful, Rabia Muqaddam, a senior Center for Reproductive Rights attorney said, “It may be some time and the results will just continue to be catastrophic for patients.”

The push for the law is part of a larger effort to restrict or ban abortion in Republican-led states, anticipating a U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe. About two dozen states are poised to ban abortion.

But because Oklahoma moved first toward a ban beginning at the “fusion” of sperm and egg, the White House labeled it the most extreme anti-abortion measure so far.

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement: “In addition, it adopts Texas’ absurd plan to allow private citizens to sue their neighbors for providing reproductive health care and helping women to exercise their constitutional rights.”

Katy Gluck, a 39-year-old health care worker from the Oklahoma City area, joined a group of about a half dozen protesters Friday at the Capitol as they chanted, “My body, my choice” in the rotunda.

“Do I agree in late-term abortions? No, I don’t,” she said. But, she added, “the government should have no say in what we do with our bodies. It’s just an attack on women, and I don’t agree with it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649779268364.png" alt="The two Planned Parenthood clinics in Oklahoma, in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, suspended abortion services after Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the six-week ban earlier this month-photo courtesy Office of Oklahoma Governor." />
 <figcaption>The two Planned Parenthood clinics in Oklahoma, in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, suspended abortion services after Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the six-week ban earlier this month-photo courtesy Office of Oklahoma Governor.</figcaption>
 </figure>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — With Oklahoma only days away from enacting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-politics-texas-legislature-a43f7f21c1b8e07a383b120d1bdbc695">the toughest state ban on abortion in the U.S.,</a>&nbsp;providers were preparing to stop terminating pregnancies as questions remained Friday about enforcing the law’s limited exceptions.<a href="http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2021-22%20ENR/hB/HB4327%20ENR.PDF" target="_blank">The law</a>&nbsp;allows abortions to save a pregnant patient’s life “in a medical emergency” and supporters said doctors still would decide what an emergency is, though that could change later if it becomes perceived as a loophole. There’s also an exception for cases of rape, sexual assault or incest that have been reported to law enforcement, but it doesn’t help victims who don’t report the crimes to police.Abortion providers said they are likely to be cautious because the new law, like a ban at about six weeks enacted earlier and a similar 2021&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-business-lawsuits-laws-8690c15ea5de5c6ed695003b7a533cb1">law in Texas,</a>&nbsp;will expose them to potentially expensive lawsuits over alleged violations. They’re planning to refer some patients to states like Colorado or Kansas, but some won’t be able to manage the extra time or travel involved.Oklahoma will provide a preview of what is in store for other states if the U.S. Supreme Court follows through on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-07439f9fc4542f1500ab78dfd34036b1">a draft opinion</a>&nbsp;leaked earlier this month overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion. The law also is likely to prompt Oklahoma residents — and Texans who’d traveled to the neighboring state — to go elsewhere to end their pregnancies.“An abortion ban in one state doesn’t stay just in that state,” said Neta Meltzer, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood Rocky Mountains, which operates two dozen health centers in Colorado and New Mexico. “It absolutely has ripple effects in neighboring states and across the country.”The Republican-dominated Oklahoma Legislature approved the abortion ban Thursday, and GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt, a strong abortion foe, is expected to sign it once it reaches his desk, probably early next week. The bill contains a clause that says it takes effect as soon as he does.“All of our rights end when we do harm to someone else, and we believe strongly that the life of the unborn child is a life that deserves protection,” said the Oklahoma Senate’s top leader, Greg Treat, an Oklahoma City Republican. “If we have to pay an economic price for that, I’m willing to pay an economic price for that.”The two Planned Parenthood clinics in Oklahoma, in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, suspended abortion services after Stitt signed the six-week ban earlier this month. A clinic run by Trust Women in Oklahoma City is providing abortion services until Stitt signs the new law. An attorney for the Tulsa Women’s Clinic said it would also stop performing abortions as soon as the law is signed.Abortion rights advocates hope to challenge the new law in state courts, despite a provision saying that no court has the authority to issue an order blocking the law temporarily in response to such a challenge.Even if a challenge were successful, Rabia Muqaddam, a senior Center for Reproductive Rights attorney said, “It may be some time and the results will just continue to be catastrophic for patients.”The push for the law is part of a larger effort to restrict or ban abortion in Republican-led states, anticipating a U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe. About two dozen states are poised to ban abortion.But because Oklahoma moved first toward a ban beginning at the “fusion” of sperm and egg, the White House labeled it the most extreme anti-abortion measure so far.Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement: “In addition, it adopts Texas’ absurd plan to allow private citizens to sue their neighbors for providing reproductive health care and helping women to exercise their constitutional rights.”Katy Gluck, a 39-year-old health care worker from the Oklahoma City area, joined a group of about a half dozen protesters Friday at the Capitol as they chanted, “My body, my choice” in the rotunda.“Do I agree in late-term abortions? No, I don’t,” she said. But, she added, “the government should have no say in what we do with our bodies. It’s just an attack on women, and I don’t agree with it.”Both supporters and critics of the new law agreed that the threat of civil lawsuits, which could be filed up to six years after an abortion, and fines of up to $10,000 are powerful incentives for providers to avoid running afoul of it.<a href="http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2021-22%20ENR/SB/SB612%20ENR.PDF" target="_blank">Another Oklahoma law,</a>&nbsp;signed by Stitt in April and set to take effect in August, will make it a felony to perform an abortion, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. It is being challenged in state district court.“Ultimately, a lot of this is going to come down to a risk assessment by each abortion provider to decide what level of risk they’re able to take on,” said Jessica Arons, a senior American Civil Liberties Union attorney on abortion issues.Part of the risk for abortion providers is parsing out how the new law’s limited exceptions apply.The exception allowing abortions to save a pregnant person’s life doesn’t specify who has the final say on what constitutes a medical emergency, but Treat and other supporters said doctors still will be empowered to make those decisions. State Rep. Wendi Stearman, the new law’s author, said such abortions would be done in hospitals.“I would like to be able to trust our doctors in this state to know when it is necessary to perform an abortion, and there are cases when it is,” said Stearman, a Tulsa-area Republican.But Mallory Schwarz, executive director of Pro-Choice Missouri, suggested such an exemption is “hollow,” saying such language requires the patient “to basically be on their deathbed.”“If they’re not sick enough yet, then they might not qualify for that medical emergency,” Schwarz said. “If they’re not on their deathbed, is it an emergency?”Supporters said requiring victims of rape, sexual assault and incest to report the crimes to law enforcement means there is a record to rely upon. The law doesn’t specify that a written report is required.Abortion opponents acknowledged struggling with including the exception because they believe, as Stitt said in a Fox News interview Sunday, “that is a human being inside the womb.” Stearman said she included it in the new law so that a rapist or family member committing incest wouldn’t be able to file a lawsuit over an abortion.But providers and abortion rights advocates said requiring the crimes to be reported to allow an abortion likely means that most victims won’t be able to obtain abortions. Victims have a variety of reasons for not reporting, including fear of retaliation or because they believe police won’t act.And, said Jessie Hill, a law professor at Case Western University in Cleveland, “Is there any clear way to basically say we think women are going to lie about being assaulted?”“I don’t think they’ve thought through any of this,” said Hill, an attorney in challenges to abortion laws in Ohio. “I’m not sure they even know how any of it works, honestly.”Treat said the new law will work “in concert” with others already on the books.“We have been very thoughtful on these, sought legal counsel, and got feedback,” he said.Meanwhile, clinics in other states are bracing for an influx of patients from Oklahoma.In Shreveport, Louisiana, Administrator Kathaleen Pittman was helping answer the phone at the Hope Medical Group for Women because of the high volume of calls.She and her employees put patients on a waiting list, calling them back for appointments weeks out. The clinic is doing its work under the shadow of Louisiana’s 2006 “trigger” law that will ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned. Her clinic and two others in the state would close, she said.“Can you imagine how confusing it is for the public?” she said.