BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/clarkkauffman/">CLARK KAUFFMAN</a>&nbsp;

The state of Iowa, where nursing homes have compiled one of the nation’s worst records for staffing-level violations, has joined 19 other states in suing the Biden administration to block the implementation of new staffing requirements.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, seeks to overturn the nursing home staffing requirements approved earlier this year by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

In their petition, the 20 states, including Kansas, and more than a dozen industry associations argue that the new staffing requirements pose “an existential threat to the nursing home industry as many nursing homes that are already struggling will have no choice but to go out of business. And the main victims will be the patients who will have nowhere else to go.”

The lawsuit is in response to CMS’ decision in April to finalize new minimum staffing standards that will require homes to conduct assessments of their residents’ needs and provide 3.48 hours of direct nursing care per resident, per day. The rule also requires the homes to have a registered nurse available 24 hours per day, seven days a week.

Earlier this year,&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/04/16/iowa-nursing-homes-staffing-levels-are-among-the-nations-worst/" target="_blank">the Iowa Capital Dispatch reported</a>&nbsp;that Iowa nursing homes have the sixth-worst record in the nation for staffing-level violations. Data from CMS show that 14% of the state’s 422 nursing facilities were cited for insufficient staffing in fiscal year 2023. That was more than double the national average, which was 5.9%.

Only five other states — Hawaii, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico and Oregon — had a worse record of compliance with the sufficient-staffing requirement.

Des Moines’ Fleur Heights care facility compiled Iowa’s worst record of compliance.&nbsp; Over a nine-month period between May 2023 and February 2024, Fleur Heights was cited, but never fined, five times for insufficient staff — more than any other facility in the state.

Lawsuit: CMS pulls an elephant out of a mousehole

Federal data suggest many care facilities already meet the new standards, but industry officials allege nursing homes will need to hire an additional 27,000 full-time registered nurses and 78,000 full-time certified nurse aides, at a cost of more than $7 billion, to meet the requirements.

<a href="https://nursinghome411.org/alert-staffing-q4-2023/" target="_blank">A report from the Long-Term Care Community Coalition</a>&nbsp;earlier this year showed that 6 in 10 of all U.S. nursing homes would have met the new nurse-staffing standard of 3.48 hours in the fourth quarter of 2023. Iowa homes fell below the national average, with 56.5% of them meeting the new standard.

The fact that a majority of facilities already meet the new minimum standard while still facing quality-of-care issues has been an issue with many advocates who say&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/05/03/new-report-details-low-staffing-high-turnover-in-iowa-nursing-homes/" target="_blank">the new standards don’t go far enough.</a>&nbsp;They point to a federal study that shows each resident needs at least 4.1 hours of nursing care each day – which is a standard met by only 26% of all nursing homes nationally.

The lawsuit alleges the new requirements, which apply only to homes that accept taxpayer money through Medicaid and Medicare funding for resident care, are “not even close to lawful.”

That claim appears to be based on the plaintiffs’ argument that CMS lacks the broad authority needed to enact a rule that would “result in at least $43 billion of compliance costs for nursing homes nationwide over the next ten years” without first obtaining congressional approval. The lawsuit likens CMS’ action to pulling an elephant out of a mousehole.

The lawsuit also notes that the previous standards included a “flexible staffing standard” that dates back to 1972 and which required only that a nursing home “provide 24-hour licensed nursing services which are sufficient to meet the nursing needs of its residents.”

For at least 40 years, that standard came under fire from advocates for seniors who alleged it allowed corporate nursing home owners to define for themselves what constituted a “sufficient” level of staffing, even as federal studies showed inadequate staffing to be the single largest contributor to poor quality care in nursing homes.

Congress, the lawsuit points out, chose not to take action on complaints regarding the rule on “sufficient” staff.

“For decades, Congress, CMS, and its predecessors have considered — and rejected — proposals to replace the flexible staffing standards with a one-size-fits-all requirement,” the lawsuit argues, adding that the new mandate “threatens the health, safety, and well-being of millions of nursing home patients across the country.”

Although the new staffing requirements are to be phased in over two to three years, and include a waiver for homes in rural areas with labor-pool shortages, “the reality of a tight labor market requires nursing homes to hire immediately because the available supply of nurses will dwindle as the implementation date approaches,” the lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit characterizes the new staffing mandate of having a nurse available on a 24/7 basis as “a one-size-fits-all approach,” but acknowledges other elements of the mandate would be based on a care facility’s own assessment of residents’ needs.

Although the new rule includes a financial-hardship waiver for homes that can’t afford to meet the new staffing level requirements, the plaintiffs argue that in order to get such a waiver, a home must prove there’s a significant local shortage of health care workers, show evidence of staff recruitment efforts and competitive wages, and document their spending on staffing in relation to their overall revenue.

Even then, the plaintiffs argue, a “hardship exemption” can still be denied if a nursing home is designated a “special focus facility” due to major, recurring violations of resident-care standards.

Another point of contention referenced in the lawsuit is the new rule’s lack of recognition for the use of licensed practical nurses. The plaintiffs argue that the rule creates an incentive for facilities to fire LPNs and replace them with less skilled certified nurse aides. The rule “pressures long-term care facilities to replace experienced LPNs” with less-qualified new hires, the lawsuit alleges.

The lawsuit seeks a declaration by the court that CMS lacks the authority to impose the new requirements as well as orders vacating and setting aside specific requirements such as the 24/7 requirement for a registered nurse.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit include the states of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, South Carolina, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Co-plaintiffs include the LeadingAge lobbying and professional associations in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Colorado, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Michigan.

The defendants, CMS and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, have yet to file a response to the lawsuit. In other, similar lawsuits, such as one filed in Texas by industry officials, the agencies have denied any wrongdoing.

Iowa Capital-Dispatch, a States Newsroom affiliate,&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/10/09/iowa-19-other-states-sue-feds-to-block-staffing-mandates-for-nursing-homes/" target="_blank">produced this story</a>.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/clarkkauffman/">CLARK KAUFFMAN</a>&nbsp;The state of Iowa, where nursing homes have compiled one of the nation’s worst records for staffing-level violations, has joined 19 other states in suing the Biden administration to block the implementation of new staffing requirements.The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, seeks to overturn the nursing home staffing requirements approved earlier this year by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.In their petition, the 20 states, including Kansas, and more than a dozen industry associations argue that the new staffing requirements pose “an existential threat to the nursing home industry as many nursing homes that are already struggling will have no choice but to go out of business. And the main victims will be the patients who will have nowhere else to go.”The lawsuit is in response to CMS’ decision in April to finalize new minimum staffing standards that will require homes to conduct assessments of their residents’ needs and provide 3.48 hours of direct nursing care per resident, per day. The rule also requires the homes to have a registered nurse available 24 hours per day, seven days a week.Earlier this year,&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/04/16/iowa-nursing-homes-staffing-levels-are-among-the-nations-worst/" target="_blank">the Iowa Capital Dispatch reported</a>&nbsp;that Iowa nursing homes have the sixth-worst record in the nation for staffing-level violations. Data from CMS show that 14% of the state’s 422 nursing facilities were cited for insufficient staffing in fiscal year 2023. That was more than double the national average, which was 5.9%.Only five other states — Hawaii, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico and Oregon — had a worse record of compliance with the sufficient-staffing requirement.Des Moines’ Fleur Heights care facility compiled Iowa’s worst record of compliance.&nbsp; Over a nine-month period between May 2023 and February 2024, Fleur Heights was cited, but never fined, five times for insufficient staff — more than any other facility in the state.<h2>Lawsuit: CMS pulls an elephant out of a mousehole</h2>Federal data suggest many care facilities already meet the new standards, but industry officials allege nursing homes will need to hire an additional 27,000 full-time registered nurses and 78,000 full-time certified nurse aides, at a cost of more than $7 billion, to meet the requirements.<a href="https://nursinghome411.org/alert-staffing-q4-2023/" target="_blank">A report from the Long-Term Care Community Coalition</a>&nbsp;earlier this year showed that 6 in 10 of all U.S. nursing homes would have met the new nurse-staffing standard of 3.48 hours in the fourth quarter of 2023. Iowa homes fell below the national average, with 56.5% of them meeting the new standard.The fact that a majority of facilities already meet the new minimum standard while still facing quality-of-care issues has been an issue with many advocates who say&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/05/03/new-report-details-low-staffing-high-turnover-in-iowa-nursing-homes/" target="_blank">the new standards don’t go far enough.</a>&nbsp;They point to a federal study that shows each resident needs at least 4.1 hours of nursing care each day – which is a standard met by only 26% of all nursing homes nationally.The lawsuit alleges the new requirements, which apply only to homes that accept taxpayer money through Medicaid and Medicare funding for resident care, are “not even close to lawful.”That claim appears to be based on the plaintiffs’ argument that CMS lacks the broad authority needed to enact a rule that would “result in at least $43 billion of compliance costs for nursing homes nationwide over the next ten years” without first obtaining congressional approval. The lawsuit likens CMS’ action to pulling an elephant out of a mousehole.The lawsuit also notes that the previous standards included a “flexible staffing standard” that dates back to 1972 and which required only that a nursing home “provide 24-hour licensed nursing services which are sufficient to meet the nursing needs of its residents.”For at least 40 years, that standard came under fire from advocates for seniors who alleged it allowed corporate nursing home owners to define for themselves what constituted a “sufficient” level of staffing, even as federal studies showed inadequate staffing to be the single largest contributor to poor quality care in nursing homes.Congress, the lawsuit points out, chose not to take action on complaints regarding the rule on “sufficient” staff.“For decades, Congress, CMS, and its predecessors have considered — and rejected — proposals to replace the flexible staffing standards with a one-size-fits-all requirement,” the lawsuit argues, adding that the new mandate “threatens the health, safety, and well-being of millions of nursing home patients across the country.”<h2>Hardship exemptions are questioned</h2>Although the new staffing requirements are to be phased in over two to three years, and include a waiver for homes in rural areas with labor-pool shortages, “the reality of a tight labor market requires nursing homes to hire immediately because the available supply of nurses will dwindle as the implementation date approaches,” the lawsuit claims.The lawsuit characterizes the new staffing mandate of having a nurse available on a 24/7 basis as “a one-size-fits-all approach,” but acknowledges other elements of the mandate would be based on a care facility’s own assessment of residents’ needs.Although the new rule includes a financial-hardship waiver for homes that can’t afford to meet the new staffing level requirements, the plaintiffs argue that in order to get such a waiver, a home must prove there’s a significant local shortage of health care workers, show evidence of staff recruitment efforts and competitive wages, and document their spending on staffing in relation to their overall revenue.Even then, the plaintiffs argue, a “hardship exemption” can still be denied if a nursing home is designated a “special focus facility” due to major, recurring violations of resident-care standards.Another point of contention referenced in the lawsuit is the new rule’s lack of recognition for the use of licensed practical nurses. The plaintiffs argue that the rule creates an incentive for facilities to fire LPNs and replace them with less skilled certified nurse aides. The rule “pressures long-term care facilities to replace experienced LPNs” with less-qualified new hires, the lawsuit alleges.The lawsuit seeks a declaration by the court that CMS lacks the authority to impose the new requirements as well as orders vacating and setting aside specific requirements such as the 24/7 requirement for a registered nurse.Plaintiffs in the lawsuit include the states of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, South Carolina, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia.Co-plaintiffs include the LeadingAge lobbying and professional associations in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Colorado, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Michigan.The defendants, CMS and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, have yet to file a response to the lawsuit. In other, similar lawsuits, such as one filed in Texas by industry officials, the agencies have denied any wrongdoing.Iowa Capital-Dispatch, a States Newsroom affiliate,&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/10/09/iowa-19-other-states-sue-feds-to-block-staffing-mandates-for-nursing-homes/" target="_blank">produced this story</a>.

Nebraska, 19 other states sue feds to block staffing mandates for nursing homes

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/09/midwest-secretaries-of-state-host-election-security-and-integrity-summit-in-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA —&nbsp;Four secretaries of state and a federal agency director in cybersecurity described their work Wednesday as a line of defense in upholding election integrity and security ahead of the Nov. 5 election.

Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, in explaining the reason for Wednesday’s summit, asked simply, “Why not?” He said the Midwest states of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and South Dakota have demonstrated that elections can be safe, smooth and secure.

“Election security is not static. Election security is not a one-and-done deal. Election security is dynamic,” Evnen said at the news conference. “If you’re going to continue to address these dynamic challenges to elections, then you do so in a dynamic fashion.”

The ‘imperative’ of election confidence

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unomaha.edu/ncite/index.php" target="_blank">National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology and Education Center</a>, or NCITE, headquartered at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, hosted the event.

Evnen’s three counterparts from Iowa (Paul Pate), Missouri (Jay Ashcroft) and South Dakota (Monae Johnson) joined the event, which Evnen said he expects to be repeated in future years. Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab participated in other summit events, including briefings on NCITE research, but was unable to attend the news conference, officials said.

Pate, who is in his fourth term as Iowa’s secretary of state, said he has seen elections evolve and become “more aggressive” in the past two decades, particularly through technology.

Yet election confidence remains essential, Pate said, and secretaries of state are doing everything they can to uphold integrity and security.

“It’s imperative that Americans, and Iowans, have confidence in those election results because the day after the election, if they don’t believe that that’s their governor or their senator or their president, our Republic has fallen without a single bullet being fired,” Pate said. “That’s not acceptable, so we’re going to continue to be vigilant and do what we can on our front.”

Director Jen Easterly of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2018/11/19/cybersecurity-and-infrastructure-security-agency" target="_blank">U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency</a>, said CISA stands “shoulder to shoulder” with election officials nationwide. She said she has “tremendous confidence” in U.S. elections.

Easterly said CISA was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2018/11/19/cybersecurity-and-infrastructure-security-agency" target="_blank">established in 2018</a>&nbsp;from a previous U.S. Department of Homeland Security agency in part due to foreign attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election and after election infrastructure was designated as “critical” infrastructure.

The agency helps state and local election officials to prepare for any threats, including ransomware,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nonhazardous-material-found-in-envelope-sent-to-ne-secretary-of-states-office-caution-urged/">physical threats</a>&nbsp;and threats from foreign adversaries (such as Russia, Iran and China). Some of the support the agency provides, Easterly said, are security assessments, hypothetical scenario training and training for de-escalation and anti-active shooter incidents.

“At the end of the day, we know that elections will be safe. They will be secure. They will be free. They will be fair. But there will be things that go wrong,” Easterly said. “The good news is these disruptions, while problematic, will not affect how votes are counted and how votes are cast.”

Evnen said some of the ways that Nebraska has partnered with CISA in the past two years have included weekly scans of all 93 Nebraska county election websites for vulnerabilities, giving local officials “.gov” emails and website addresses and setting up internal protocols for day-to-day security.

“These are important steps we’re taking across Nebraska to ensure that our cyberinfrastructure is protected,” Evnen said.

Pate said those steps are national standards as officials “plan for the worst and hope for the best.”&nbsp;

All five secretaries of state who partnered with NCITE this week are elected Republicans, and Ashcroft said the officials don’t serve just Republicans or Democrats or&nbsp; Libertarians or any other third parties in their respective states.

He said if officials do their job well, they are the basketball ref or linesman of a football game who “no one notices.”

The secretaries of state and Easterly invited more people to get involved in the election process, such as serving as poll workers or watchers, and for anyone who has questions to ask.

“We run elections for the people of the states,” Ashcroft explained. “We run elections for our government because it is how ‘we the people’ decide that our Republic will move forward.”

Ashcroft added that no matter who wins or loses, or which issues pass or fail, “at the end of the day, the American people can drink their beverage of choice and either celebrate or commiserate, but know that they were a part of the decision, that their votes counted and that the votes made a difference.”

The election officials noted that it is typical for “official” results not to be finalized for up to a week after Election Day, but they said that’s due in part due to the need to process provisional ballots, as well as conducting the “checks and balances” needed to ensure accurate results, particularly in close races, or possibly hand-count some ballots.

But for the most part, the secretaries of state said of their jurisdictions, most election results are typically available within a few hours of polls closing on Election Day.

“I believe in getting quick results out, my colleagues do, but we all believe in getting it right, and we believe in making sure that every American, no matter where Uncle Sam has sent them, has the right to participate in our elections,” Ashcroft said, indicating overseas voters.

Johnson, from South Dakota, said the “greatest unease” about the general election is the period between when polls close and when results are finalized. She said officials are workshopping scenarios with public safety teams to ensure that post-election events proceed smoothly and on time.

“Protecting the voting process and its facilitators is a collaborative process, and we have full faith in our state’s ability to overcome any disruptions,” Johnson said.

Gina Ligon, director of NCITE at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said the center, which includes 38 partner universities, is working on four projects, such as tracking threats to election workers through federal charges and possible threats from emerging technologies.

Ligon said the federal charges are the “tip of the iceberg” as federal charges are a “really high bar,” while other NCITE research includes threats or violence specifically against election officials in swing states, including Pennsylvania, Arizona and Georgia.

Those states have seen the largest spikes in data in recent years, Ligon said.

That project is extending to Nebraska, partially with the competitiveness of Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District for president. There are currently no federal charges, according to Ligon.

Other research, out of the University of Arkansas, includes interviews of election workers who have faced threats of violence. Initial research has indicated women don’t always report when they are victims of violence, Ligon said, and that people don’t understand when they cross First Amendment protections from anger to prohibited threats.

“As much as people say this is nothing new&nbsp;— ‘we’ve experienced this for a long time’ — our data just doesn’t support that,” Ligon said.

As of this time, Easterly said, there have been no specific election threats from terrorists, though she noted federal authorities thwarted the apparent plans of an&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahomavoice.com/briefs/oklahoma-city-man-faces-charges-related-to-planned-election-day-terrorist-attack-authorities-say/" target="_blank">Oklahoma City man</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday and charged him with allegedly plotting a terrorist attack on Election Day in support of ISIS.

“If there are other things that we are seeing from the terrorist landscape, we will ensure that election officials are apprised of that immediately,” Easterly said.

Easterly said the period between Election Day on Nov. 5 and the presidential inauguration on Jan. 20 will be critical. She said foreign adversaries will try to create a “wedge” and attempt to “shred our institutions” or sow discord as each milestone of certification and validation passes.

“That’s why it’s up to all of us as Americans — as the secretary [Ashcroft] said, ‘We the people’ — these elections are for us,” Easterly said. “It’s up to all of us to do our part in protecting and preserving our democracy.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728570860264.jpeg" alt="Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, at podium, leads a Wednesday news conference in Omaha into election security and integrity. Behind him, from left, are Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson, Director Jen Easterly of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and Director Gina Ligon of the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology and Education Center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Oct. 9, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, at podium, leads a Wednesday news conference in Omaha into election security and integrity. Behind him, from left, are Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson, Director Jen Easterly of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and Director Gina Ligon of the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology and Education Center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Oct. 9, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/09/midwest-secretaries-of-state-host-election-security-and-integrity-summit-in-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA —&nbsp;Four secretaries of state and a federal agency director in cybersecurity described their work Wednesday as a line of defense in upholding election integrity and security ahead of the Nov. 5 election.Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, in explaining the reason for Wednesday’s summit, asked simply, “Why not?” He said the Midwest states of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and South Dakota have demonstrated that elections can be safe, smooth and secure.“Election security is not static. Election security is not a one-and-done deal. Election security is dynamic,” Evnen said at the news conference. “If you’re going to continue to address these dynamic challenges to elections, then you do so in a dynamic fashion.”<h2>The ‘imperative’ of election confidence</h2>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unomaha.edu/ncite/index.php" target="_blank">National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology and Education Center</a>, or NCITE, headquartered at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, hosted the event.Evnen’s three counterparts from Iowa (Paul Pate), Missouri (Jay Ashcroft) and South Dakota (Monae Johnson) joined the event, which Evnen said he expects to be repeated in future years. Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab participated in other summit events, including briefings on NCITE research, but was unable to attend the news conference, officials said.Pate, who is in his fourth term as Iowa’s secretary of state, said he has seen elections evolve and become “more aggressive” in the past two decades, particularly through technology.Yet election confidence remains essential, Pate said, and secretaries of state are doing everything they can to uphold integrity and security.“It’s imperative that Americans, and Iowans, have confidence in those election results because the day after the election, if they don’t believe that that’s their governor or their senator or their president, our Republic has fallen without a single bullet being fired,” Pate said. “That’s not acceptable, so we’re going to continue to be vigilant and do what we can on our front.”Director Jen Easterly of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2018/11/19/cybersecurity-and-infrastructure-security-agency" target="_blank">U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency</a>, said CISA stands “shoulder to shoulder” with election officials nationwide. She said she has “tremendous confidence” in U.S. elections.Easterly said CISA was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2018/11/19/cybersecurity-and-infrastructure-security-agency" target="_blank">established in 2018</a>&nbsp;from a previous U.S. Department of Homeland Security agency in part due to foreign attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election and after election infrastructure was designated as “critical” infrastructure.<h2>Security protocols and training</h2>The agency helps state and local election officials to prepare for any threats, including ransomware,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nonhazardous-material-found-in-envelope-sent-to-ne-secretary-of-states-office-caution-urged/">physical threats</a>&nbsp;and threats from foreign adversaries (such as Russia, Iran and China). Some of the support the agency provides, Easterly said, are security assessments, hypothetical scenario training and training for de-escalation and anti-active shooter incidents.“At the end of the day, we know that elections will be safe. They will be secure. They will be free. They will be fair. But there will be things that go wrong,” Easterly said. “The good news is these disruptions, while problematic, will not affect how votes are counted and how votes are cast.”Evnen said some of the ways that Nebraska has partnered with CISA in the past two years have included weekly scans of all 93 Nebraska county election websites for vulnerabilities, giving local officials “.gov” emails and website addresses and setting up internal protocols for day-to-day security.“These are important steps we’re taking across Nebraska to ensure that our cyberinfrastructure is protected,” Evnen said.Pate said those steps are national standards as officials “plan for the worst and hope for the best.”&nbsp;<h2>Elections for ‘we the people’</h2>All five secretaries of state who partnered with NCITE this week are elected Republicans, and Ashcroft said the officials don’t serve just Republicans or Democrats or&nbsp; Libertarians or any other third parties in their respective states.He said if officials do their job well, they are the basketball ref or linesman of a football game who “no one notices.”The secretaries of state and Easterly invited more people to get involved in the election process, such as serving as poll workers or watchers, and for anyone who has questions to ask.“We run elections for the people of the states,” Ashcroft explained. “We run elections for our government because it is how ‘we the people’ decide that our Republic will move forward.”Ashcroft added that no matter who wins or loses, or which issues pass or fail, “at the end of the day, the American people can drink their beverage of choice and either celebrate or commiserate, but know that they were a part of the decision, that their votes counted and that the votes made a difference.”The election officials noted that it is typical for “official” results not to be finalized for up to a week after Election Day, but they said that’s due in part due to the need to process provisional ballots, as well as conducting the “checks and balances” needed to ensure accurate results, particularly in close races, or possibly hand-count some ballots.But for the most part, the secretaries of state said of their jurisdictions, most election results are typically available within a few hours of polls closing on Election Day.“I believe in getting quick results out, my colleagues do, but we all believe in getting it right, and we believe in making sure that every American, no matter where Uncle Sam has sent them, has the right to participate in our elections,” Ashcroft said, indicating overseas voters.Johnson, from South Dakota, said the “greatest unease” about the general election is the period between when polls close and when results are finalized. She said officials are workshopping scenarios with public safety teams to ensure that post-election events proceed smoothly and on time.“Protecting the voting process and its facilitators is a collaborative process, and we have full faith in our state’s ability to overcome any disruptions,” Johnson said.<h2>NCITE research</h2>Gina Ligon, director of NCITE at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said the center, which includes 38 partner universities, is working on four projects, such as tracking threats to election workers through federal charges and possible threats from emerging technologies.Ligon said the federal charges are the “tip of the iceberg” as federal charges are a “really high bar,” while other NCITE research includes threats or violence specifically against election officials in swing states, including Pennsylvania, Arizona and Georgia.Those states have seen the largest spikes in data in recent years, Ligon said.That project is extending to Nebraska, partially with the competitiveness of Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District for president. There are currently no federal charges, according to Ligon.Other research, out of the University of Arkansas, includes interviews of election workers who have faced threats of violence. Initial research has indicated women don’t always report when they are victims of violence, Ligon said, and that people don’t understand when they cross First Amendment protections from anger to prohibited threats.“As much as people say this is nothing new&nbsp;— ‘we’ve experienced this for a long time’ — our data just doesn’t support that,” Ligon said.<h2>‘It’s up to all of us’</h2>As of this time, Easterly said, there have been no specific election threats from terrorists, though she noted federal authorities thwarted the apparent plans of an&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahomavoice.com/briefs/oklahoma-city-man-faces-charges-related-to-planned-election-day-terrorist-attack-authorities-say/" target="_blank">Oklahoma City man</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday and charged him with allegedly plotting a terrorist attack on Election Day in support of ISIS.“If there are other things that we are seeing from the terrorist landscape, we will ensure that election officials are apprised of that immediately,” Easterly said.Easterly said the period between Election Day on Nov. 5 and the presidential inauguration on Jan. 20 will be critical. She said foreign adversaries will try to create a “wedge” and attempt to “shred our institutions” or sow discord as each milestone of certification and validation passes.“That’s why it’s up to all of us as Americans — as the secretary [Ashcroft] said, ‘We the people’ — these elections are for us,” Easterly said. “It’s up to all of us to do our part in protecting and preserving our democracy.”

Midwest secretaries of state host election security and integrity summit in Nebraska

Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for more than 72.5 million Americans will increase 2.5 percent in 2025, the Social Security Administration announced today. On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by about $50 per month starting in January, according to a media release from the agency.

Over the last decade the COLA increase has averaged about 2.6 percent. The COLA was 3.2 percent in 2024.

Nearly 68 million Social Security beneficiaries will see a 2.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) beginning in January 2025.  Increased payments to nearly 7.5 million people receiving SSI will begin on December 31, 2024. (Note: Some people receive both Social Security benefits and SSI).

“Social Security benefits and SSI payments will increase in 2025, helping tens of millions of people keep up with expenses even as inflation has started to cool,” said Martin O’Malley, Commissioner of Social Security.

Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages.  Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) is slated to increase to $176,100 from $168,600.

Social Security begins notifying people about their new benefit amount by mail starting in early December.

This year, for the first time, Social Security beneficiaries will receive a newly designed and improved COLA notice that makes it easier for customers to find the information they need most. The simplified COLA notice is now only one page, uses plain and personalized language, and provides exact dates and dollar amounts of a person’s new benefit amount and any deductions.

Individuals who have a personal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/">my Social Security</a>&nbsp;account can view their COLA notice online, which is secure, easy, and faster than receiving a letter in the mail. People can set up text or email alerts when there is a new message--such as their COLA notice--waiting for them in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/">my Social Security</a>.

People will need to have a personal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/">my Social Security</a>&nbsp;account by Nov. 20 to see their COLA notice online. To get started, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount">www.ssa.gov/myaccount</a>.

Information about Medicare changes for 2025 will be available at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicare.gov/">www.medicare.gov</a>. For Social Security beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare, the 2025 benefit amount will be available via&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/">my Social Security's</a>&nbsp;Message Center starting in late November. Those who have not opted to receive messages online will receive their COLA notice by mail in December.

The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697549458437.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for more than 72.5 million Americans will increase 2.5 percent in 2025, the Social Security Administration announced today. On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by about $50 per month starting in January, according to a media release from the agency.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728570541677.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Over the last decade the COLA increase has averaged about 2.6 percent. The COLA was 3.2 percent in 2024.Nearly 68 million Social Security beneficiaries will see a 2.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) beginning in January 2025.  Increased payments to nearly 7.5 million people receiving SSI will begin on December 31, 2024. (Note: Some people receive both Social Security benefits and SSI).<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728570588387.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“Social Security benefits and SSI payments will increase in 2025, helping tens of millions of people keep up with expenses even as inflation has started to cool,” said Martin O’Malley, Commissioner of Social Security.Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages.  Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) is slated to increase to $176,100 from $168,600.Social Security begins notifying people about their new benefit amount by mail starting in early December.This year, for the first time, Social Security beneficiaries will receive a newly designed and improved COLA notice that makes it easier for customers to find the information they need most. The simplified COLA notice is now only one page, uses plain and personalized language, and provides exact dates and dollar amounts of a person’s new benefit amount and any deductions.Individuals who have a personal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/">my Social Security</a>&nbsp;account can view their COLA notice online, which is secure, easy, and faster than receiving a letter in the mail. People can set up text or email alerts when there is a new message--such as their COLA notice--waiting for them in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/">my Social Security</a>.People will need to have a personal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/">my Social Security</a>&nbsp;account by Nov. 20 to see their COLA notice online. To get started, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount">www.ssa.gov/myaccount</a>.Information about Medicare changes for 2025 will be available at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicare.gov/">www.medicare.gov</a>. For Social Security beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare, the 2025 benefit amount will be available via&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/">my Social Security's</a>&nbsp;Message Center starting in late November. Those who have not opted to receive messages online will receive their COLA notice by mail in December.The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Social Security confirms 2025 cost of living increase

By ALVARO PUIG Consumer Education Specialist

<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/10/ftc-takes-action-against-marriott-starwood-over-multiple-data-breaches">Marriott settled charges related to a data breach</a>&nbsp;that exposed the information of millions of guests. The company will take steps to better protect customers’ personal information. And it will give customers more control over their information.

If you’re a Marriott customer, here’s what the settlement means for you:

To learn more about protecting yourself after a data breach, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.identitytheft.gov/Info-Lost-or-Stolen">IdentityTheft.gov</a>.

By ALVARO PUIG Consumer Education Specialist<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/10/ftc-takes-action-against-marriott-starwood-over-multiple-data-breaches">Marriott settled charges related to a data breach</a>&nbsp;that exposed the information of millions of guests. The company will take steps to better protect customers’ personal information. And it will give customers more control over their information.If you’re a Marriott customer, here’s what the settlement means for you:<ol>
 <li>You may ask Marriott to review your Bonvoy account for unauthorized, suspicious activity. If, after an investigation, Marriott determines your loyalty points were stolen through unauthorized access to your account, Marriott will restore your stolen points.</li><li>You may request through Marriott's website or mobile app the deletion of your personal information associated with your email address or Bonvoy account number.</li><li><a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/now-leaving?external_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.marriott.com%2Fabout%2Fprivacy.mi&amp;back_url=https%3A%2F%2Fconsumer.ftc.gov%2Fconsumer-alerts%2F2024%2F10%2Fmarriott-data-breach-settlement-what-it-means-consumers%3Futm_source%3Dgovdelivery">Marriott’s privacy policy</a>&nbsp;must clearly state why it’s collecting your personal information and the business need for keeping it.</li><li>You can enable multi-factor authentication on your Bonvoy account to add an extra layer of security.</li>
 </ol>Additionally, Marriott will<ul>
 <li>put in place a comprehensive information security program that includes multi-factor authentication, encryption, and other safeguards</li><li>cooperate with third party audits of its information security program</li><li>only collect and keep personal information if it has a business need for it</li><li>only use the information it collects for the purpose for which it was collected</li><li>delete collected information when it no longer has a need for it</li><li>not use for marketing purposes information you asked Marriott to delete</li>
 </ul>To learn more about protecting yourself after a data breach, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.identitytheft.gov/Info-Lost-or-Stolen">IdentityTheft.gov</a>.

Marriott data breach settlement: What it means for consumers

LINCOLN, NEB. – All five members of the Nebraska congressional delegation have received the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) “Friend of Farm Bureau” award for the 118th Congress. The awards are given at the end of each Congress to lawmakers based on individual voting records on Farm Bureau priority issues, which in 2024 included protecting animal agriculture from animal rights extremists, supporting a new Farm Bill and other federal risk management programs, pushing to expand agricultural markets, and many others. Nebraska Farm Bureau nominated the members of the delegation for the awards.

“We are very fortunate to have elected leaders working in Washington, D.C. who recognize and value the significant impact of agriculture in our state. Their commitment to advocating for policies that benefit Nebraska's farm and ranch families deserves recognition. We are proud to have the American Farm Bureau recognize all five members of our state’s congressional delegation for their leadership and service,” said Mark McHargue, Nebraska Farm Bureau president.

Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts received the AFBF “Friend of Farm Bureau” award, as did Rep. Mike Flood (R-Dist.1), Rep. Don Bacon (R-Dist.2), and Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Dist.3).

“We look forward to continuing to work with the members of the delegation on initiatives that will grow opportunities for Nebraska agriculture. History has consistently shown, when farm and ranch families and the agricultural economy do well, the people and state of Nebraska do well,” said McHargue.

The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service, and advocacy efforts. More than 55,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nefb.org/" target="_blank">www.nefb.org</a>.

Nebraska Farm BureauLINCOLN, NEB. – All five members of the Nebraska congressional delegation have received the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) “Friend of Farm Bureau” award for the 118th Congress. The awards are given at the end of each Congress to lawmakers based on individual voting records on Farm Bureau priority issues, which in 2024 included protecting animal agriculture from animal rights extremists, supporting a new Farm Bill and other federal risk management programs, pushing to expand agricultural markets, and many others. Nebraska Farm Bureau nominated the members of the delegation for the awards.“We are very fortunate to have elected leaders working in Washington, D.C. who recognize and value the significant impact of agriculture in our state. Their commitment to advocating for policies that benefit Nebraska's farm and ranch families deserves recognition. We are proud to have the American Farm Bureau recognize all five members of our state’s congressional delegation for their leadership and service,” said Mark McHargue, Nebraska Farm Bureau president.Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts received the AFBF “Friend of Farm Bureau” award, as did Rep. Mike Flood (R-Dist.1), Rep. Don Bacon (R-Dist.2), and Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Dist.3).“We look forward to continuing to work with the members of the delegation on initiatives that will grow opportunities for Nebraska agriculture. History has consistently shown, when farm and ranch families and the agricultural economy do well, the people and state of Nebraska do well,” said McHargue.The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service, and advocacy efforts. More than 55,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nefb.org/" target="_blank">www.nefb.org</a>.

   Nebraska Delegation Members Earn “Friend of Farm Bureau” Award

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/08/medical-cannabis-sponsors-push-back-on-nebraska-officials-claims-of-fraud-and-malfeasance/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;The sponsors of Nebraska’s medical cannabis ballot measures are pushing back on the state’s chief election official for questioning nearly 100,000 signatures, which they say threatens “the initiative right altogether.”

Secretary of State Bob Evnen and Attorney General Mike Hilgers entered court filings questioning the validity of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/07/ag-secretary-of-state-target-nearly-100000-signatures-on-nebraska-medical-cannabis-petitions/">roughly 49,000 signatures on each of two medical cannabis petitions</a>. They alleged that more than half involved “notary malfeasance.” Evnen asked the court to determine the actual number of valid signatures and void the election results if there aren’t enough.

Attorneys for the three sponsors of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana said Monday that Evnen has not alleged any “intentional wrongdoing” as required under the law and ignores past legal precedents “in his effort to disenfranchise tens of thousands of Nebraska voters.”

“Even worse, Nebraska’s highest election official advances a burden shifting framework that threatens to undermine and eliminate the initiative right altogether,” the sponsors’ brief states.

Evnen on Sept. 13 certified the campaign’s two measures — which would legalize and regulate the drug for medical use — for the Nov. 5 ballot. Evnen confirmed nearly 90,000 valid signatures on each cannabis petition. The campaign needs at least 86,499 valid signatures. Early voting has already begun.

On Sept. 12, John Kuehn, a former state senator and former State Board of Health member, filed a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/12/lawsuit-seeks-to-invalidate-nebraskas-medical-marijuana-ballot-measures/">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;challenging the legal sufficiency of the ballot measures. Kuehn named Evnen and the three campaign sponsors in the lawsuit.

Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong allowed the complaints from Evnen and Kuehn to&nbsp;<a href="http://v/" target="_blank">move forward</a>&nbsp;while narrowing Kuehn’s lawsuit to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/25/attorneys-weigh-in-on-whether-to-dismiss-nebraska-medical-cannabis-lawsuit/">approximately 17,000 signatures</a>&nbsp;on each petition to define “clerical and technical errors” as opposed to actual invalidities.

Hilgers announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/13/nebraska-ag-announces-investigation-into-several-thousand-signatures-on-2024-petitions/">statewide investigation</a>&nbsp;the same day that Evnen certified the November ballot, looking into fraud, malfeasance and “irregularities” specifically on the cannabis petitions.

One paid circulator from Grand Island and one notary from York have been charged as a result of the investigation. In a legal filing last week, Hilgers said more charges could be coming and specifically implicated 10 more circulators or notaries by name, including one of the ballot sponsors.

There are four other measures on the Nov. 5 ballot, but Hilgers has announced an investigation only into the medical cannabis measures.

A brief from the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office in support of Evnen states the legal concept of “standing” —&nbsp;whether a controversy exists for a case to even proceed in court —&nbsp;”keeps both courts and litigants in their proper lanes.”

Hilgers and his office echoed Kuehn’s attorneys’ contention that if a measure is legally or constitutionally insufficient, Evnen’s duties change. Any uncertainty, Hilgers’ office continues, “frustrates the Secretary’s proper execution and administration of those duties.”

“Concluding that the Secretary lacks standing would improperly restrict his ability to carry out his constitutional role and do what the Election Act requires,” the brief states.

Kuehn and his attorneys defended Evnen’s ability to bring the amended claim against the ballot sponsors and pointed to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/articles.php?article=III-2" target="_blank">Nebraska Constitution’s sections on citizen-led petitions</a>.

Kuehn’s attorneys write that the constitution is “self-executing” and that no state law can change or impede Evnen’s constitutional mandate to prevent certification of legally insufficient ballot measures. Should Evnen get new information, which they say includes Hilgers’ investigation, the constitution requires Evnen to act.

“This duty is plainly a legal interest in the subject of this litigation,” Kuehn’s brief states.

Should Judge Strong dismiss Evnen’s claim for a lack of “standing,” Kuehn’s attorneys requested that he be allowed to add the challenged signatures to his batch of challenges.

The ballot sponsors’ attorneys argue that no Nebraska court has ever invalidated a petition signature based on an alleged error of a third-party notary. They note that the Nebraska Supreme Court, in 1919, did allow&nbsp;<a href="https://history.nebraska.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/doc_publications_NH1988Barkley.pdf" target="_blank">signatures to be invalidated</a>&nbsp;based on widespread circulator fraud, but the case has never been extended to notaries.

“It would make little sense to penalize a voter for purported mistakes that occur after they affix their signature on a petition, and for which they have no responsibility or control,” the ballot sponsors’ attorneys wrote.

Evnen’s argument, the attorneys argue, is that “a single error — whatever the reason — is tantamount to pervasive and widespread fraud.”&nbsp;

They contend that&nbsp; Evnen is not authorized under any state law or regulation to request such a remedy of “wholesale invalidation” and that Evnen’s role is to verify signature requirements before placing a measure on the ballot and&nbsp;confirm&nbsp;the outcome of the election.

In their argument, the sponsors’ attorneys point to a 2022 case in North Dakota where the secretary of state invalidated 15,740 otherwise valid signatures because they came from a certain notary. The North Dakota Supreme Court reversed the action and refused to invalidate a greater number of petitions.

“Part of safeguarding the precious right of initiative is ensuring that political opponents cannot bury the electorate in legal bills based on threadbare allegations of technical mistakes,” the ballot sponsors’ attorneys said. “This is particularly true when the political opponent is the State’s highest election official — the same one who has already certified the initiatives he now attacks.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728483576509.jpeg" alt="Supporters of medical cannabis petitions packed a courtroom Friday on the first day of a court hearing that could determine the fate of two 2024 ballot measures on medical cannabis. In the front row, center, are the sponsors of that petition. From left, State Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln, Crista Eggers of Gretna and former State Sen. Adam Morfeld. Sept. 20, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Supporters of medical cannabis petitions packed a courtroom Friday on the first day of a court hearing that could determine the fate of two 2024 ballot measures on medical cannabis. In the front row, center, are the sponsors of that petition. From left, State Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln, Crista Eggers of Gretna and former State Sen. Adam Morfeld. Sept. 20, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/08/medical-cannabis-sponsors-push-back-on-nebraska-officials-claims-of-fraud-and-malfeasance/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;The sponsors of Nebraska’s medical cannabis ballot measures are pushing back on the state’s chief election official for questioning nearly 100,000 signatures, which they say threatens “the initiative right altogether.”Secretary of State Bob Evnen and Attorney General Mike Hilgers entered court filings questioning the validity of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/07/ag-secretary-of-state-target-nearly-100000-signatures-on-nebraska-medical-cannabis-petitions/">roughly 49,000 signatures on each of two medical cannabis petitions</a>. They alleged that more than half involved “notary malfeasance.” Evnen asked the court to determine the actual number of valid signatures and void the election results if there aren’t enough.Attorneys for the three sponsors of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana said Monday that Evnen has not alleged any “intentional wrongdoing” as required under the law and ignores past legal precedents “in his effort to disenfranchise tens of thousands of Nebraska voters.”“Even worse, Nebraska’s highest election official advances a burden shifting framework that threatens to undermine and eliminate the initiative right altogether,” the sponsors’ brief states.<h2>Timeline of the lawsuit</h2>Evnen on Sept. 13 certified the campaign’s two measures — which would legalize and regulate the drug for medical use — for the Nov. 5 ballot. Evnen confirmed nearly 90,000 valid signatures on each cannabis petition. The campaign needs at least 86,499 valid signatures. Early voting has already begun.On Sept. 12, John Kuehn, a former state senator and former State Board of Health member, filed a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/12/lawsuit-seeks-to-invalidate-nebraskas-medical-marijuana-ballot-measures/">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;challenging the legal sufficiency of the ballot measures. Kuehn named Evnen and the three campaign sponsors in the lawsuit.Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong allowed the complaints from Evnen and Kuehn to&nbsp;<a href="http://v/" target="_blank">move forward</a>&nbsp;while narrowing Kuehn’s lawsuit to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/25/attorneys-weigh-in-on-whether-to-dismiss-nebraska-medical-cannabis-lawsuit/">approximately 17,000 signatures</a>&nbsp;on each petition to define “clerical and technical errors” as opposed to actual invalidities.Hilgers announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/09/13/nebraska-ag-announces-investigation-into-several-thousand-signatures-on-2024-petitions/">statewide investigation</a>&nbsp;the same day that Evnen certified the November ballot, looking into fraud, malfeasance and “irregularities” specifically on the cannabis petitions.One paid circulator from Grand Island and one notary from York have been charged as a result of the investigation. In a legal filing last week, Hilgers said more charges could be coming and specifically implicated 10 more circulators or notaries by name, including one of the ballot sponsors.There are four other measures on the Nov. 5 ballot, but Hilgers has announced an investigation only into the medical cannabis measures.<h2>The secretary of state’s duties</h2>A brief from the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office in support of Evnen states the legal concept of “standing” —&nbsp;whether a controversy exists for a case to even proceed in court —&nbsp;”keeps both courts and litigants in their proper lanes.”Hilgers and his office echoed Kuehn’s attorneys’ contention that if a measure is legally or constitutionally insufficient, Evnen’s duties change. Any uncertainty, Hilgers’ office continues, “frustrates the Secretary’s proper execution and administration of those duties.”“Concluding that the Secretary lacks standing would improperly restrict his ability to carry out his constitutional role and do what the Election Act requires,” the brief states.Kuehn and his attorneys defended Evnen’s ability to bring the amended claim against the ballot sponsors and pointed to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/articles.php?article=III-2" target="_blank">Nebraska Constitution’s sections on citizen-led petitions</a>.Kuehn’s attorneys write that the constitution is “self-executing” and that no state law can change or impede Evnen’s constitutional mandate to prevent certification of legally insufficient ballot measures. Should Evnen get new information, which they say includes Hilgers’ investigation, the constitution requires Evnen to act.“This duty is plainly a legal interest in the subject of this litigation,” Kuehn’s brief states.Should Judge Strong dismiss Evnen’s claim for a lack of “standing,” Kuehn’s attorneys requested that he be allowed to add the challenged signatures to his batch of challenges.<h2>‘The precious right of initiative’</h2>The ballot sponsors’ attorneys argue that no Nebraska court has ever invalidated a petition signature based on an alleged error of a third-party notary. They note that the Nebraska Supreme Court, in 1919, did allow&nbsp;<a href="https://history.nebraska.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/doc_publications_NH1988Barkley.pdf" target="_blank">signatures to be invalidated</a>&nbsp;based on widespread circulator fraud, but the case has never been extended to notaries.“It would make little sense to penalize a voter for purported mistakes that occur after they affix their signature on a petition, and for which they have no responsibility or control,” the ballot sponsors’ attorneys wrote.Evnen’s argument, the attorneys argue, is that “a single error — whatever the reason — is tantamount to pervasive and widespread fraud.”&nbsp;They contend that&nbsp; Evnen is not authorized under any state law or regulation to request such a remedy of “wholesale invalidation” and that Evnen’s role is to verify signature requirements before placing a measure on the ballot and&nbsp;confirm&nbsp;the outcome of the election.In their argument, the sponsors’ attorneys point to a 2022 case in North Dakota where the secretary of state invalidated 15,740 otherwise valid signatures because they came from a certain notary. The North Dakota Supreme Court reversed the action and refused to invalidate a greater number of petitions.“Part of safeguarding the precious right of initiative is ensuring that political opponents cannot bury the electorate in legal bills based on threadbare allegations of technical mistakes,” the ballot sponsors’ attorneys said. “This is particularly true when the political opponent is the State’s highest election official — the same one who has already certified the initiatives he now attacks.”

Medical cannabis sponsors push back on Nebraska officials’ claims of fraud and malfeasance

O'Neill Police Department &amp; Holt County Attorney - Joint Press Release

O'Neill, Neb. - On October 7, 2024, at approximately 6:00 a.m., first responders from the O’Neill Fire Department and O’Neill Police Department were dispatched to an explosion and structure fire on the Saint Mary’s and Saint Patrick’s campus near Avera Saint Anthony’s Hospital. Area mutual aid fire departments from Atkinson, Chambers and Ewing, the Holt County Sheriff's Office, and the Holt County Emergency Manager responded for assistance. 

First responders on the scene identified a vehicle that they believed was associated with the incident. The O’Neill Police Department initiated an investigation into the cause of the incident and were assisted by the Fire Marshals, Nebraska State Patrol, ATF, and County Attorney's Office.

That investigation led to the identification of the driver of the vehicle, a 58-year-old male Guatemalan national. With the assistance of an interpreter, that individual did cooperate with investigators before being transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. His condition is unknown to investigators at this time.

At the time of this release and based upon a review of the witness interviews and medical records, there is no evidence that the individual was under the influence of any alcohol or intoxicating substances.

The initial findings indicate that the vehicle had a low-speed collision with and damaged the gas line feeding the Parish Center building approximately 50 minutes prior to the explosion. During that time period, natural gas leaked into the building and eventually ignited, causing the explosion and fire. The blast caused severe damage to surrounding homes, classrooms, and the hospital.

This matter will remain under investigation and further updates will be provided if and when they are available.

O'Neill Police Department &amp; Holt County Attorney - Joint Press ReleaseO'Neill, Neb. - On October 7, 2024, at approximately 6:00 a.m., first responders from the O’Neill Fire Department and O’Neill Police Department were dispatched to an explosion and structure fire on the Saint Mary’s and Saint Patrick’s campus near Avera Saint Anthony’s Hospital. Area mutual aid fire departments from Atkinson, Chambers and Ewing, the Holt County Sheriff's Office, and the Holt County Emergency Manager responded for assistance. First responders on the scene identified a vehicle that they believed was associated with the incident. The O’Neill Police Department initiated an investigation into the cause of the incident and were assisted by the Fire Marshals, Nebraska State Patrol, ATF, and County Attorney's Office.That investigation led to the identification of the driver of the vehicle, a 58-year-old male Guatemalan national. With the assistance of an interpreter, that individual did cooperate with investigators before being transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. His condition is unknown to investigators at this time.At the time of this release and based upon a review of the witness interviews and medical records, there is no evidence that the individual was under the influence of any alcohol or intoxicating substances.The initial findings indicate that the vehicle had a low-speed collision with and damaged the gas line feeding the Parish Center building approximately 50 minutes prior to the explosion. During that time period, natural gas leaked into the building and eventually ignited, causing the explosion and fire. The blast caused severe damage to surrounding homes, classrooms, and the hospital.This matter will remain under investigation and further updates will be provided if and when they are available.

Investigation underway in Monday morning parish fire in O'Neill 

LINCOLN, NE –&nbsp;Governor Jim Pillen announced the mobilization of the Nebraska Telecommunicator Emergency Response Team (TERT) to assist North Carolina as it continues to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The group deployed on Friday, Oct. 4 to Buncombe County for 14 days. That county is one of the hardest hit locations from the storm.

“The hurricane catastrophically damaged communication systems in North Carolina, and this team is desperately needed to provide the kind of specialized 911 communications support that will ensure public safety,” said Gov. Pillen.

Deployment of the TERT members comes in response to a request received through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). EMAC is an&nbsp;interstate mutual aid agreement between all U.S. states and territories, which formalizes and streamlines the process for requesting needed resources in times of disaster.&nbsp;Nebraska has a strong history of deploying personnel and equipment to states and territories via EMAC for response and recovery support to hurricanes, wildfires, and other types of incidents.

The team received a thorough briefing before departure. Living conditions are hampered by power outages, flooding, debris, downed trees and sporadic cellular coverage. The team will be staying in a gymnasium, used to house other emergency responders, including TERTs from other states.

“The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) continues to monitor and review resource requests from impacted states via the EMAC system,” said Erv Portis, assistant director for NEMA. “We are constantly communicating with those state and local partners to assess Nebraska’s capacity to respond when those requests come in. We will be doing the same as Hurricane Milton makes its approach toward Florida in the coming days.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE –&nbsp;Governor Jim Pillen announced the mobilization of the Nebraska Telecommunicator Emergency Response Team (TERT) to assist North Carolina as it continues to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The group deployed on Friday, Oct. 4 to Buncombe County for 14 days. That county is one of the hardest hit locations from the storm.“The hurricane catastrophically damaged communication systems in North Carolina, and this team is desperately needed to provide the kind of specialized 911 communications support that will ensure public safety,” said Gov. Pillen.Deployment of the TERT members comes in response to a request received through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). EMAC is an&nbsp;interstate mutual aid agreement between all U.S. states and territories, which formalizes and streamlines the process for requesting needed resources in times of disaster.&nbsp;Nebraska has a strong history of deploying personnel and equipment to states and territories via EMAC for response and recovery support to hurricanes, wildfires, and other types of incidents.The team received a thorough briefing before departure. Living conditions are hampered by power outages, flooding, debris, downed trees and sporadic cellular coverage. The team will be staying in a gymnasium, used to house other emergency responders, including TERTs from other states.“The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) continues to monitor and review resource requests from impacted states via the EMAC system,” said Erv Portis, assistant director for NEMA. “We are constantly communicating with those state and local partners to assess Nebraska’s capacity to respond when those requests come in. We will be doing the same as Hurricane Milton makes its approach toward Florida in the coming days.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Gov. Pillen Announces Mobilization of Communications Team to Assist in Hurricane-Ravaged North Carolina

The Federal Trade Commission is sending more than $88,000 in refunds to consumers who bought Chinese-made measuring cups marketed as “Made in USA” by Instant Brands, the maker of Pyrex-brand kitchen and home products, according to a media release.

The FTC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/01/ftc-order-requires-pyrex-glass-manufacturer-pay-falsely-claiming-chinese-products-were-made-usa">took action against Instant Brands</a>&nbsp;in 2023 charging that the company claimed that all its popular glass measuring cups were made in the United States, despite some measuring cups actually being imported from China. All told, more than 110,000 units of Chinese-made measuring cup sets were sold to U.S. consumers while being marketed as “Made in USA.” Instant Brands agreed to a settlement with the FTC that stopped the company from making deceptive claims about products being “Made in USA” and required them to pay a monetary judgment.

The FTC is sending checks to 10,259 consumers. Recipients should cash their checks within 90 days, as indicated on the check. Consumers who have questions about their payment should contact the refund administrator, Simpluris, at 833-244-7320, or visit the FTC website to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/recent-ftc-cases-resulting-refunds/refund-programs-frequently-asked-questions">view frequently asked questions</a>&nbsp;about the refund process. The Commission never requires people to pay money or provide account information to get a refund.

The Commission’s&nbsp;<a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/federal.trade.commission/viz/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase">interactive dashboards for refund data</a>&nbsp;provide a state-by-state breakdown of refunds in FTC cases. In 2023,&nbsp;FTC actions led to $330 million in refunds to consumers across the country.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. &nbsp;The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. Learn more about consumer topics at&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/">consumer.ftc.gov</a>, or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at&nbsp;<a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Follow the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/stay-connected/social-media">FTC on social media</a>, read&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts">consumer alerts</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog">business blog</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/stay-connected">sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts</a>.

The Federal Trade Commission is sending more than $88,000 in refunds to consumers who bought Chinese-made measuring cups marketed as “Made in USA” by Instant Brands, the maker of Pyrex-brand kitchen and home products, according to a media release.The FTC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/01/ftc-order-requires-pyrex-glass-manufacturer-pay-falsely-claiming-chinese-products-were-made-usa">took action against Instant Brands</a>&nbsp;in 2023 charging that the company claimed that all its popular glass measuring cups were made in the United States, despite some measuring cups actually being imported from China. All told, more than 110,000 units of Chinese-made measuring cup sets were sold to U.S. consumers while being marketed as “Made in USA.” Instant Brands agreed to a settlement with the FTC that stopped the company from making deceptive claims about products being “Made in USA” and required them to pay a monetary judgment.The FTC is sending checks to 10,259 consumers. Recipients should cash their checks within 90 days, as indicated on the check. Consumers who have questions about their payment should contact the refund administrator, Simpluris, at 833-244-7320, or visit the FTC website to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/recent-ftc-cases-resulting-refunds/refund-programs-frequently-asked-questions">view frequently asked questions</a>&nbsp;about the refund process. The Commission never requires people to pay money or provide account information to get a refund.The Commission’s&nbsp;<a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/federal.trade.commission/viz/Refunds_15797958402020/RefundsbyCase">interactive dashboards for refund data</a>&nbsp;provide a state-by-state breakdown of refunds in FTC cases. In 2023,&nbsp;FTC actions led to $330 million in refunds to consumers across the country.The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. &nbsp;The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. Learn more about consumer topics at&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/">consumer.ftc.gov</a>, or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at&nbsp;<a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Follow the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/stay-connected/social-media">FTC on social media</a>, read&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts">consumer alerts</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog">business blog</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/stay-connected">sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts</a>.

Pyrex refund for glass products falsely advertised as ‘Made in USA’

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Mega Millions, the lottery game that has produced a record six jackpot wins exceeding $1 billion, is getting ready for a “mega” overhaul with plans to be bigger and better than ever when the new and improved game launches in April 2025, according to a media lease. 

Among the enhancements, players will benefit from:

“We are creating a game that both our existing players and people new to Mega Millions will love and get excited about playing,” said Joshua Johnston, Lead Director of the Mega Millions Consortium. “We expect more billion-dollar jackpots than ever before, meaning creating more billionaires and many more millionaires as the jackpots climb, plus this game will continue the important legacy of supporting great causes everywhere Mega Millions is played.

”When the new and improved game launches next April, tickets will cost $5 per play. This is only the game’s second price adjustment since the first ticket was sold more than 20 years ago and the first change since the current game matrix was adopted in 2017.Since Mega Millions launched in 2002, it has produced six winners of billion-dollar jackpots. Since the last change in 2017 more than 1,200 players have become millionaires, an average of 3 millionaires per week.Mega Millions is a national game with tickets sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are conducted at 11 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, Georgia. Lottery profits support a wide variety of good causes and are allocated differently in each jurisdiction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620755777014.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OLYMPIA, Wash. - Mega Millions, the lottery game that has produced a record six jackpot wins exceeding $1 billion, is getting ready for a “mega” overhaul with plans to be bigger and better than ever when the new and improved game launches in April 2025, according to a media lease. Among the enhancements, players will benefit from:<ul>
 <li>Improved odds to win the jackpot</li><li>Bigger jackpots more frequently</li><li>Larger starting jackpots</li><li>Faster growing jackpots</li><li>A built-in multiplier on every play, automatically improving every non-jackpot win by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X or 10X – up to $10 million for matching the five white balls</li><li>No breakeven prizes, meaning when a player wins, they’ll always win more than the cost of the ticket</li>
 </ul>“We are creating a game that both our existing players and people new to Mega Millions will love and get excited about playing,” said Joshua Johnston, Lead Director of the Mega Millions Consortium. “We expect more billion-dollar jackpots than ever before, meaning creating more billionaires and many more millionaires as the jackpots climb, plus this game will continue the important legacy of supporting great causes everywhere Mega Millions is played.”When the new and improved game launches next April, tickets will cost $5 per play. This is only the game’s second price adjustment since the first ticket was sold more than 20 years ago and the first change since the current game matrix was adopted in 2017.Since Mega Millions launched in 2002, it has produced six winners of billion-dollar jackpots. Since the last change in 2017 more than 1,200 players have become millionaires, an average of 3 millionaires per week.Mega Millions is a national game with tickets sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are conducted at 11 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, Georgia. Lottery profits support a wide variety of good causes and are allocated differently in each jurisdiction.

Price to purchase a Mega Millions ticket is going up

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen has directed the State Capitol be illuminated in blue the evening of Oct. 7, marking the one-year anniversary of the terror attack by Hamas on Israel. The lighting of the building also symbolizes Nebraska’s ongoing support of Israel, which this week was targeted by an Iranian missile strike. Blue is representative of Israel’s flag, which is blue and white.

“Israel remains the target of state-sponsored terrorism. This is a dangerous and devastating situation, not only for those living in Israel, but also the Jewish communities here in Nebraska,” said Gov. Pillen. “We must stand up to antisemitism and discrimination in every form. Lighting the Capitol is a visual representation of that commitment.”

On Monday, Gov. Pillen will meet with representatives from Nebraska’s Jewish community, as they gather to commemorate the terror attack. He will also issue a proclamation marking the anniversary and reiterating Nebraska’s unwavering support for Israel, and its condemnation of antisemitism and terrorism.

Last week, Gov. Pillen joined 25 other Republican governors calling for passage of federal antisemitism legislation. The letter requests that the U.S. Senate pass what is known as the working definition of antisemitism, put forth by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). 

The legislation, which received bipartisan support, passed the U.S. House in May, following widespread and increasing incidents of antisemitism on college campuses.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen has directed the State Capitol be illuminated in blue the evening of Oct. 7, marking the one-year anniversary of the terror attack by Hamas on Israel. The lighting of the building also symbolizes Nebraska’s ongoing support of Israel, which this week was targeted by an Iranian missile strike. Blue is representative of Israel’s flag, which is blue and white.“Israel remains the target of state-sponsored terrorism. This is a dangerous and devastating situation, not only for those living in Israel, but also the Jewish communities here in Nebraska,” said Gov. Pillen. “We must stand up to antisemitism and discrimination in every form. Lighting the Capitol is a visual representation of that commitment.”On Monday, Gov. Pillen will meet with representatives from Nebraska’s Jewish community, as they gather to commemorate the terror attack. He will also issue a proclamation marking the anniversary and reiterating Nebraska’s unwavering support for Israel, and its condemnation of antisemitism and terrorism.Last week, Gov. Pillen joined 25 other Republican governors calling for passage of federal antisemitism legislation. The letter requests that the U.S. Senate pass what is known as the working definition of antisemitism, put forth by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). The legislation, which received bipartisan support, passed the U.S. House in May, following widespread and increasing incidents of antisemitism on college campuses.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Gov. Pillen Directs Capitol to be Lit Blue Marking Anniversary of Attack on Israel

&nbsp; WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement today on the anniversary of the October 7 attacks on Israel:

“One year ago, Hamas attacked our ally Israel—slaughtering Israelis and Americans alike, abducting hundreds of hostages, and starting a war that still ravages the Middle East. Today, we remember those lost. Their memory strengthens our resolve to bring the remaining hostages home and aid in Israel’s defense.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer&nbsp; WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement today on the anniversary of the October 7 attacks on Israel:“One year ago, Hamas attacked our ally Israel—slaughtering Israelis and Americans alike, abducting hundreds of hostages, and starting a war that still ravages the Middle East. Today, we remember those lost. Their memory strengthens our resolve to bring the remaining hostages home and aid in Israel’s defense.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fischer Statement on Anniversary of October 7 Attacks

LINCOLN, NEBRASKA – Nebraska State Treasurer Tom Briese announced that the application for the Nebraska Education Scholarship Program (LB1402) is now open to families.

Nebraska Education Scholarships are designed to help more K-12 Nebraska students access the educational setting that is right for them. The program is being implemented in partnership with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nebraskaopportunity.org/" target="_blank">Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska</a>&nbsp;(“OSN”) and education technology leader,&nbsp;<a href="https://withodyssey.com/" target="_blank">Odyssey</a>.

“My office is pleased to partner with OSN and Odyssey to implement this scholarship program and give families more educational access to the school environment that will work for them,” said Briese. “It’s important that this application process is easy, efficient, and accessible to parents, and I think we’ve accomplished that.”&nbsp;

Eligibility requirements for applying for an Education Scholarship can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nebraskaopportunity.org/" target="_blank">nebraskaopportunity.org</a>. Qualification priority is given to lower-income families, students with special needs, students from military families, students in foster care, students who have been denied public school option enrollment, and students who have experienced harassment or abuse in their previous school.&nbsp;

The scholarship application is free to applicants and is available in English and Spanish. The application link can be accessed through the qualified nonpublic school of the family’s choice.

If families need help connecting to a school or have questions about the process, they may contact OSN at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@nebraskaopportunity.org" target="_blank">info@nebraskaopportunity.org</a>.

About Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska

Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska “(OSN)” is&nbsp;a&nbsp;state-approved scholarship granting organization and&nbsp;a&nbsp;501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps implement the Opportunity Scholarships Act (LB753). OSN does this by empowering parents to choose the best educational setting for their children through awarding nonpublic school tuition scholarships and providing access to school options. For more information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nebraskaopportunity.org/lb1402" target="_blank">nebraskaopportunity.org/lb1402</a>.

Odyssey is&nbsp;a&nbsp;mission-driven technology company that collaborates with state agencies to help families access high-quality education for their children. Odyssey works directly with states, vendors, and parents to support school choice programs, including education savings accounts (ESAs) and vouchers, by disbursing state-approved funding for tuition expenses, tutors, technology, software, curriculum, and more. To date, Odyssey's technology has helped more than 140,000 students access over $400 million in state funding. For more information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.withodyssey.com/" target="_blank">www.withodyssey.com</a>.

Nebraska State Treasurers OfficeLINCOLN, NEBRASKA – Nebraska State Treasurer Tom Briese announced that the application for the Nebraska Education Scholarship Program (LB1402) is now open to families.Nebraska Education Scholarships are designed to help more K-12 Nebraska students access the educational setting that is right for them. The program is being implemented in partnership with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nebraskaopportunity.org/" target="_blank">Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska</a>&nbsp;(“OSN”) and education technology leader,&nbsp;<a href="https://withodyssey.com/" target="_blank">Odyssey</a>.“My office is pleased to partner with OSN and Odyssey to implement this scholarship program and give families more educational access to the school environment that will work for them,” said Briese. “It’s important that this application process is easy, efficient, and accessible to parents, and I think we’ve accomplished that.”&nbsp;Eligibility requirements for applying for an Education Scholarship can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nebraskaopportunity.org/" target="_blank">nebraskaopportunity.org</a>. Qualification priority is given to lower-income families, students with special needs, students from military families, students in foster care, students who have been denied public school option enrollment, and students who have experienced harassment or abuse in their previous school.&nbsp;The scholarship application is free to applicants and is available in English and Spanish. The application link can be accessed through the qualified nonpublic school of the family’s choice.If families need help connecting to a school or have questions about the process, they may contact OSN at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@nebraskaopportunity.org" target="_blank">info@nebraskaopportunity.org</a>.About Opportunity Scholarships of NebraskaOpportunity Scholarships of Nebraska “(OSN)” is&nbsp;a&nbsp;state-approved scholarship granting organization and&nbsp;a&nbsp;501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps implement the Opportunity Scholarships Act (LB753). OSN does this by empowering parents to choose the best educational setting for their children through awarding nonpublic school tuition scholarships and providing access to school options. For more information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nebraskaopportunity.org/lb1402" target="_blank">nebraskaopportunity.org/lb1402</a>.About OdysseyOdyssey is&nbsp;a&nbsp;mission-driven technology company that collaborates with state agencies to help families access high-quality education for their children. Odyssey works directly with states, vendors, and parents to support school choice programs, including education savings accounts (ESAs) and vouchers, by disbursing state-approved funding for tuition expenses, tutors, technology, software, curriculum, and more. To date, Odyssey's technology has helped more than 140,000 students access over $400 million in state funding. For more information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.withodyssey.com/" target="_blank">www.withodyssey.com</a>.

Applications Now Available for Nebraska Education Scholarship Program

Lincoln, Neb. - The Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved nearly$5.5 million in funding (<a href="https://www.nebraska.gov/psc/orders/telecom/2024-09-24%20NUSF-92.64%20Order%20Granting%20Application,%20In%20Part.pdf" target="_blank">NUSF-92.64</a>) for the construction of 10 cellular towers through the Nebraska Universal Service Fund (NUSF) Dedicated Wireless Fund Program.

“Utilizing the Nebraska Universal Service Fund for the support and buildout of cell towers hasproven to be yet another avenue the Commission employs to help improve communication tounserved and underserved areas,” said Commission Chair Dan Watermeier.

UScellular will receive $5,493,500 in grant funding support to build 10 tower sites near the communities of Bancroft, Bradshaw, Clearwater, Garland, Glenvil, Orleans, Page, Plymouth, Rising City and Sterling. UScellular has committed to completing construction of the towers within 24 months of approval of the funding.

The PSC allocated just over seven million dollars in Wireless Fund Program Support for the2024 funding year. The remaining dedicated support allocated but not awarded will be rolled into the next wireless fund grant cycle.

PSCLincoln, Neb. - The Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved nearly$5.5 million in funding (<a href="https://www.nebraska.gov/psc/orders/telecom/2024-09-24%20NUSF-92.64%20Order%20Granting%20Application,%20In%20Part.pdf" target="_blank">NUSF-92.64</a>) for the construction of 10 cellular towers through the Nebraska Universal Service Fund (NUSF) Dedicated Wireless Fund Program.“Utilizing the Nebraska Universal Service Fund for the support and buildout of cell towers hasproven to be yet another avenue the Commission employs to help improve communication tounserved and underserved areas,” said Commission Chair Dan Watermeier.UScellular will receive $5,493,500 in grant funding support to build 10 tower sites near the communities of Bancroft, Bradshaw, Clearwater, Garland, Glenvil, Orleans, Page, Plymouth, Rising City and Sterling. UScellular has committed to completing construction of the towers within 24 months of approval of the funding.The PSC allocated just over seven million dollars in Wireless Fund Program Support for the2024 funding year. The remaining dedicated support allocated but not awarded will be rolled into the next wireless fund grant cycle.

PSC NUSF-92 Program Supports Cell Tower Construction

WASHINGTON —The United States will provide nearly $157 million in new U.S. humanitarian&nbsp;assistance&nbsp;to support populations affected by conflict in Lebanon and the region, according to a statement from the U..S Department of State.

&nbsp;This funding will address new and existing needs of internally displaced persons and refugee populations inside Lebanon and the communities that host them.&nbsp; The assistance will also support those fleeing to neighboring Syria.&nbsp;

This life-saving assistance from the American people includes nearly $82 million immediately available through the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration and $75 million through the United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.&nbsp; 

Of this total, USAID has already deployed $11.5 million, and working with Congress plans to make another $63.5 million available in the coming weeks, to ensure that vital humanitarian assistance can continue to reach the most vulnerable communities in need.&nbsp;&nbsp;This&nbsp;emergency food, shelter, blankets, hygiene kits, protection, water, and sanitation assistance will be a critical lifeline for those who have endured unimaginable hardships.

The United States provided nearly $386 million over the last year to support vulnerable populations in Lebanon and Syria impacted by the increase in conflict.&nbsp; This new humanitarian assistance comes at a time of devastating humanitarian crisis for Lebanon, with more than a million people displaced from their homes. &nbsp;The United States is committed to helping those most vulnerable in Lebanon and throughout the region. &nbsp;We&nbsp;urge other donors to join us in stepping up to contribute to these new humanitarian needs.

WASHINGTON —The United States will provide nearly $157 million in new U.S. humanitarian&nbsp;assistance&nbsp;to support populations affected by conflict in Lebanon and the region, according to a statement from the U..S Department of State.&nbsp;This funding will address new and existing needs of internally displaced persons and refugee populations inside Lebanon and the communities that host them.&nbsp; The assistance will also support those fleeing to neighboring Syria.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The people of Lebanon are facing an increasingly dire humanitarian situation. I am concerned about the security and well-being of civilians suffering in Lebanon and will continue working to help meet the needs of all civilians there. To that end, the United States will provide…&mdash; Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) <a href="https://twitter.com/VP/status/1842710797241434259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>This life-saving assistance from the American people includes nearly $82 million immediately available through the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration and $75 million through the United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.&nbsp; Of this total, USAID has already deployed $11.5 million, and working with Congress plans to make another $63.5 million available in the coming weeks, to ensure that vital humanitarian assistance can continue to reach the most vulnerable communities in need.&nbsp;&nbsp;This&nbsp;emergency food, shelter, blankets, hygiene kits, protection, water, and sanitation assistance will be a critical lifeline for those who have endured unimaginable hardships.The United States provided nearly $386 million over the last year to support vulnerable populations in Lebanon and Syria impacted by the increase in conflict.&nbsp; This new humanitarian assistance comes at a time of devastating humanitarian crisis for Lebanon, with more than a million people displaced from their homes. &nbsp;The United States is committed to helping those most vulnerable in Lebanon and throughout the region. &nbsp;We&nbsp;urge other donors to join us in stepping up to contribute to these new humanitarian needs.

US to give $157 million in aid in response to Lebanon crisis

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a> <a href="https://statesnewsroom.com/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education is launching the first testing period for its phased rollout of the 2025-26 form to apply for federal financial student aid on Tuesday, with more students set to partake in this beginning testing stage than initially expected.

The department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-education-department-gradually-roll-out-new-fafsa-form-dec-1" target="_blank">announced in August</a>&nbsp;it would be using a staggered approach to launch the 2025-26&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/dont-give-fafsa-advocates-student-financial-aid-urge" target="_blank">Free Application for Federal Student Aid</a>&nbsp;— or FAFSA — in order to address any issues that might arise before the form opens up to everyone by Dec. 1. The number of students able to complete the form will gradually increase throughout four separate testing stages, with the first one beginning Oct. 1.

The phased rollout makes the form fully available two months later than usual and comes as the 2024-25 form — which got a makeover after Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act in late 2020 — faced a series of highly publicized hiccups that the department has worked to fix.

Earlier in September, the department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-education-department-open-new-financial-aid-form-more-applicants" target="_blank">announced six community-based organizations</a>&nbsp;chosen to participate in the first testing period: Alabama Possible; Bridge 2 Life, in Florida; College AIM, in Georgia; Education is Freedom, in Texas; the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, in California; and the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria, in Virginia.

“Thanks to the wonderful organizations, we expect closer to 1,000 students in Beta 1 as opposed to the 100 we initially thought,” FAFSA executive adviser Jeremy Singer said on a call with reporters Monday regarding the 2025-26 form.

During this first testing stage, U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal said the department will process students’ FAFSAs, “give students an opportunity to make corrections, if needed, and send the records to colleges and state agencies.”

“Colleges will be able to use these same records when it’s time for them to make financial aid offers,” said Kvaal, who oversees higher education and financial aid, including the Office of Federal Student Aid.

The department on Monday also named 78 community-based organizations, governmental entities, high schools, school districts and institutions of higher education to participate in its three subsequent testing periods for the 2025-26 form.

Three of the community-based organizations chosen to take part in the first testing period — Florida’s Bridge 2 Life; Texas’ Education is Freedom; and Virginia’s&nbsp; Scholarship Fund of Alexandria — will also participate in subsequent testing stages.

To help students and families prepare for the 2025-26 application cycle, the department said this week it’s releasing a revised&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/aid-estimator/" target="_blank">Federal Student Aid Estimator</a>, updated resources for creating a&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/" target="_blank">StudentAid.Gov account</a>, including a “parent wizard,” as well as an updated prototype of the 2025-26 FAFSA.

Last week, the department released&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/sites/ed/files/2024-09/AFocusonImprovingtheFAFSAExperience.pdf" target="_blank">a report</a>&nbsp;outlining 10 steps it’s taking to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/gaps-fafsa-rollout-are-closing-watchdog-tells-us-house-panel" target="_blank">improve the FAFSA application process</a>. Part of those efforts include the department strengthening its leadership team and working to address issues for families without Social Security numbers when completing the form, in addition to vendors adding more than 700 new call center agents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727807641728.png" alt=" A sign reminding people to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — appears on a bus near Union Station in Washington, D.C. (Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom)" />
 <figcaption> A sign reminding people to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — appears on a bus near Union Station in Washington, D.C. (Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a> <a href="https://statesnewsroom.com/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education is launching the first testing period for its phased rollout of the 2025-26 form to apply for federal financial student aid on Tuesday, with more students set to partake in this beginning testing stage than initially expected.The department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-education-department-gradually-roll-out-new-fafsa-form-dec-1" target="_blank">announced in August</a>&nbsp;it would be using a staggered approach to launch the 2025-26&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/dont-give-fafsa-advocates-student-financial-aid-urge" target="_blank">Free Application for Federal Student Aid</a>&nbsp;— or FAFSA — in order to address any issues that might arise before the form opens up to everyone by Dec. 1. The number of students able to complete the form will gradually increase throughout four separate testing stages, with the first one beginning Oct. 1.The phased rollout makes the form fully available two months later than usual and comes as the 2024-25 form — which got a makeover after Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act in late 2020 — faced a series of highly publicized hiccups that the department has worked to fix.Earlier in September, the department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-education-department-open-new-financial-aid-form-more-applicants" target="_blank">announced six community-based organizations</a>&nbsp;chosen to participate in the first testing period: Alabama Possible; Bridge 2 Life, in Florida; College AIM, in Georgia; Education is Freedom, in Texas; the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, in California; and the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria, in Virginia.“Thanks to the wonderful organizations, we expect closer to 1,000 students in Beta 1 as opposed to the 100 we initially thought,” FAFSA executive adviser Jeremy Singer said on a call with reporters Monday regarding the 2025-26 form.During this first testing stage, U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal said the department will process students’ FAFSAs, “give students an opportunity to make corrections, if needed, and send the records to colleges and state agencies.”“Colleges will be able to use these same records when it’s time for them to make financial aid offers,” said Kvaal, who oversees higher education and financial aid, including the Office of Federal Student Aid.<h2>Three more testing periods</h2>The department on Monday also named 78 community-based organizations, governmental entities, high schools, school districts and institutions of higher education to participate in its three subsequent testing periods for the 2025-26 form.Three of the community-based organizations chosen to take part in the first testing period — Florida’s Bridge 2 Life; Texas’ Education is Freedom; and Virginia’s&nbsp; Scholarship Fund of Alexandria — will also participate in subsequent testing stages.To help students and families prepare for the 2025-26 application cycle, the department said this week it’s releasing a revised&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/aid-estimator/" target="_blank">Federal Student Aid Estimator</a>, updated resources for creating a&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/" target="_blank">StudentAid.Gov account</a>, including a “parent wizard,” as well as an updated prototype of the 2025-26 FAFSA.Last week, the department released&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/sites/ed/files/2024-09/AFocusonImprovingtheFAFSAExperience.pdf" target="_blank">a report</a>&nbsp;outlining 10 steps it’s taking to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/gaps-fafsa-rollout-are-closing-watchdog-tells-us-house-panel" target="_blank">improve the FAFSA application process</a>. Part of those efforts include the department strengthening its leadership team and working to address issues for families without Social Security numbers when completing the form, in addition to vendors adding more than 700 new call center agents.

U.S. Department of Education begins testing new FAFSA form

JERUSALEM —U.S. forces conducted strikes on 15 Houthi targets in Iranian-backed Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen at approximately 5p.m. on Friday, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

These targets included Houthi offensive military capabilities. "These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels," according to the Central Command.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728066701383.png" alt="A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor -photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor -photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM —U.S. forces conducted strikes on 15 Houthi targets in Iranian-backed Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen at approximately 5p.m. on Friday, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.These targets included Houthi offensive military capabilities. "These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels," according to the Central Command.On Monday the Pentagon announced it was sending a “few thousand” additional troops to the Middle East to bolster security and to defend Israel if necessary.&nbsp;The additional forces would raise the total number of troops in the region to as many as 43,000.