[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6304082,"mediaKeyId","2469183-e149089b9462bfc7fcde9d3d950d606f","parentId",2469183,"title","Nebraska hearing backs bill to add tianeptine to controlled substances list after family testimony","audioSeconds",453,"startMs",542000,"endMs",995000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2469183-e149089b9462bfc7fcde9d3d950d606f&start=542&end=995","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2469183-e149089b9462bfc7fcde9d3d950d606f/thumbnail_542000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6304082/Nebraska/Nebraska-hearing-backs-bill-to-add-tianeptine-to-controlled-substances-list-after-family-testimony","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304082-5197fe74fb953335a5a69050446affa8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770707352&Signature=SrAJIDdjHF3jwuC3wH1suCj2dFt-EwJYr979V0jgcV1N7nG3451kxlb~3QgjvX1VWJnUOk~kgVIcwubB6MxIkPn-COE6J8HngFxBNxDmXDRVOM3ZyNBiGhpUKEGuUiM4ZlbOK1d-J5gfcg4SJwFQm75tButuO6rjdSnIvaYLQ2YdGcJ36PC7MEqYcB6ehmZkf0EOZF5~LXHDdZ2sJOzRkglbzspcKNa4VhK3GINgnj55ogT20wYvqlFjG7maaMAT9Lj3PB2-sKmbG4yxa13ya-r-zI6awO9dHCXcabor5m7i2i1TJYmwRiHXw3Vo2OpEBsrHhcvvLZpvykEVhoHleA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Nebraska Legislature","date","2025-02-28T00:00:00Z","article","Senator Merv Riepe introduced LB475 on the Nebraska Controlled Substance Act, asking the Judiciary Committee to add the synthetic drug tianeptine to the state schedule after testimony about local availability and harm.

Proponents said the drug—sold in head shops and online under names including Zaza Red—acts like an opioid, carries addiction and overdose risks, and is not federally scheduled. ‘‘Reports of abuse, severe withdrawal, and overdoses have surged across the U.S.,’’ Senator Merv Riepe told the committee, citing constituent reports and state head‑shop checks that found the product still being sold in Nebraska.

The bill drew emotional testimony from people who said tianeptine threatened their families. Haley Yelinek, whose adult son died in 2021, described his decline after using the product and pleaded for lawmakers to curb its sale. ‘‘My son was lured by the beautiful red bottle…It said ‘feel good. Clear your mind,’ but that isn’t what happened,’’ Yelinek said.

Lawmakers asked technical questions about scheduling. Senator Hallstrom pressed the sponsor on why the bill proposes Schedule IV rather than Schedule I or II, given there is no FDA‑approved medical use in the U.S. Riepe said he modeled the proposal on other states’ choices and sought a balance that would restrict unregulated sales while leaving the door open for any future legitimate medical uses.

Committee members also discussed federal versus state action; proponents said federal steps have lagged and states are acting now. No vote was recorded. The committee received one proponent letter and no opponent letters; Riepe said he would remain available to answer technical changes requested by the panel.

The measure will return to committee work sessions as sponsors and staff continue drafting language to address members’ questions about scheduling level and enforcement.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Judiciary Committee - 2/28/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Senator Merv Riepe persuaded the Judiciary Committee to consider LB475 after family testimony and store verifications showing tianeptine sold in Nebraska head shops under names like Zaza Red.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature NE, Nebraska","taxId",77675,"location","Nebraska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6304078,"Nebraska bill to move juvenile probation to executive branch draws sharp debate over transparency and public safety",1804,1346000,3150000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2469183-e149089b9462bfc7fcde9d3d950d606f&start=1346&end=3150","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2469183-e149089b9462bfc7fcde9d3d950d606f/thumbnail_1346000.jpg","/articles/6304078/Nebraska/Nebraska-bill-to-move-juvenile-probation-to-executive-branch-draws-sharp-debate-over-transparency-and-public-safety","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304078-2f3e6820af1c0b48d23d7122bdbdfb5b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770707352&Signature=QjDQe2VAmifiK4CF4fIhp42QTTIV6mvjqAEVEl3rjJYDjuY1weXZas8VDQWB~O1Wi6FBf9Pp33RLPbUv8HtlA27XfS58WcgsOvjG-~mW5T-PZCeyeD5W28Ar9PfDcWKtL0WyU6PrNGwjKCq3MOnv13feTvoyP7YD3aN9SRdMKI8GfTatCGhwXANbwSwTlpRXZ2vaMpElKLX5D0A4JREOhRIuvBc2E68X9REHOJu5dONLCIznTHCGrPN7Sdpk-G4xgUCxyPRfKHMZKG900kqUbKm6agX9-O0UYuvqjzTuvMZiwP~4TwwCHH8GrhjufYTD1wkEc51kypfAZW-MO2PSxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Eliot Bostar introduced LB684 to the Judiciary Committee, proposing to move administration of juvenile probation from Nebraska’s judicial branch to a new juvenile probation agency in the executive branch.

Bostar told the committee that transferring probation would increase transparency, restore information‑sharing with law enforcement, and allow judges to decide felony arrest detention after a hearing. ‘‘Under the administration of the judicial branch, we have seen a continuous lack of transparency,’’ Bostar said. He cited county statistics showing rising juvenile felony referrals in some jurisdictions and argued the executive branch could coordinate probation with child welfare services.

Law enforcement and prosecutors offered broad support. Patrick Dempsey, president of the Omaha Police Officers Association, and Lincoln Police Union President Joe Villamontae said officers have lost routine access to probation information, including GPS monitor locations, and described high‑profile violent incidents involving juveniles they said were on probation. Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said judge review of felony detention and a different administrative structure could provide options for dangerous youth and help resolve placement shortages.

Proponents from community providers and former juvenile offenders urged better funding and faster contracts so treatment providers can accept youth instead of leaving them in detention. Several former probationers and program staff told the committee that voucher‑style payments have made it hard for community programs to staff and respond quickly.

Opponents and skeptics included the State Court Administrator Corey Steele, juvenile court Judge Roger Heideman and former probation administration chief Deb Menardi, who cautioned that moving probation risks undermining judicial procedure and the unique role judges play in juvenile cases. Steele highlighted existing legal limits on sharing court data and said the broader statutory data‑sharing question may be the real bottleneck. Defense and civil‑liberty witnesses urged caution against politicizing supervision and called for targeted law changes, better data sharing and more placements rather than wholesale transfer of administration.

Committee members pressed both sides on details: how behavioral‑health placements and caseloads would be managed, why prior moves had been made, and whether the executive branch has the capacity to administer complex juvenile services. Several witnesses said the current system is ‘‘not working for anyone’’ while others warned that moving probation won’t itself create beds, nor will it automatically fix interagency coordination.

No committee decision was recorded. Sponsors and stakeholders said they will continue working on statutory language and implementation questions; the proposal is likely to return for additional drafting to resolve concerns on data access, placements and statutory authority for detention decisions.

The committee heard more than two dozen in‑person proponents and dozens of written statements; testimony reflected a broad coalition of law enforcement, prosecutors, service providers, advocacy groups and former clients.","Sen. Eliot Bostar’s bill to move juvenile probation from the courts to a new executive‑branch agency prompted a large, sometimes tense Judiciary Committee hearing focusing on transparency, detention decisions and whether the move would improve public safety.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6304068,"‘Lataha’s Law’ proposed after multiple bike, pedestrian deaths; senators weigh stiffer penalties and move‑over duties",132,7306000,7438000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2469183-e149089b9462bfc7fcde9d3d950d606f&start=7306&end=7438","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2469183-e149089b9462bfc7fcde9d3d950d606f/thumbnail_7306000.jpg","/articles/6304068/Nebraska/Latahas-Law-proposed-after-multiple-bike-pedestrian-deaths-senators-weigh-stiffer-penalties-and-moveover-duties","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304068-5a122f920418c128a5c0b8a787fc9063/orig.mp4?Expires=1770707352&Signature=J4bgPl-p91h3ur5i~6ykhi6SkiMnPhZcud~xGSZU-2FOPZ6SD0x~OxIjHVaFRj-u7rSmkJF3KrFtXZSAFT6gZZDJfensWYJYkiOfDVlSapj~PDf~J~VVAKa-nVm4lPuHqPkNxmvUwhZTlJx14PFLslGG69ghVik1pmj2-n2WXiQ87r-5lLOjC3m2JzM85MTu45RnCEMKwQad13c8X4fwgBxWQp~6I-zFf~CvFZcjI4cB4ZNm1FgFLNf3rLErJ3WP94l~ALmJ0dbdsZs4hPzmud5WOY4VWMFNYj9Rzfg8D~VbIY8rHi~53liRyDQwtbl7LkUWTI5C0KLUBpt7mpQ14A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Kathleen Kauth introduced LB530—branded in testimony as ‘‘Lataha’s Law’’—to raise criminal penalties for extreme speeding and create a statutory category of ‘‘vulnerable road user’’ with specific move‑over and safe‑passing duties.

Kauth said the bill responds to a string of recent deaths and growing public concern about drivers racing, distracted driving and close passes that injure or kill bicyclists and pedestrians. ‘‘We take our lives and the lives of those around us in our hands every time we get behind the wheel,’’ Kauth said, citing fatal crashes and an increase in youth violent crime at other hearings that day as part of a broader safety conversation.

Sheriff Aaron Hansen and police union and chiefs testified in support, saying speeding and distracted driving are the top public safety complaints in many counties and that current fines and penalties don’t deter reckless behavior. ‘‘Average fines for willful reckless driving convictions have been around $200,” said Sheriff Hansen. ‘‘That’s not a deterrent for someone driving 100+ mph.’’

Cycling and pedestrian advocates urged the committee to adopt the bill’s definition of vulnerable road users, which covers cyclists, people on foot, users of mobility devices, people working on roadsides and others, so drivers must ‘move over’ when safe or slow down otherwise. ‘We need laws that protect people who don’t have a ton of protection,’ testified Julie Harris of Bike Walk Nebraska. Family members of people killed while riding legally described ongoing trauma and asked lawmakers to provide clearer legal accountability.

Industry groups including AAA and representatives of banks and business associations told the committee that stricter penalties and clearer move‑over duties can reduce crashes and are consistent with national safety trends. Some committee members questioned enforcement mechanics and whether higher fines alone change behavior; proponents and law enforcement pointed to a mix of education, enforcement and higher penalties as the intended approach.

No vote was recorded. Sponsors said they will continue drafting to reflect policing and judicial concerns about enforcement and to ensure penalties are proportionate. The committee heard multiple emotional stories from families who lost loved ones in bicycle and pedestrian collisions; several witnesses asked lawmakers to act quickly to change the law.","Sen. Kathleen Kauth’s LB530 would create a statutory category of ‘vulnerable road user,’ increase penalties for extreme speeding and require drivers to move over or slow when passing people on foot, bikes, mobility devices or roadside workers.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6304073,"Bill would let Nebraska prisoners request lab confirmation of contraband tests after inspector general flags false positives",131,5544000,5675000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2469183-e149089b9462bfc7fcde9d3d950d606f&start=5544&end=5675","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2469183-e149089b9462bfc7fcde9d3d950d606f/thumbnail_5544000.jpg","/articles/6304073/Nebraska/Bill-would-let-Nebraska-prisoners-request-lab-confirmation-of-contraband-tests-after-inspector-general-flags-false-positives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304073-f67606228d129e6f45c3ef75f4d7484b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770707352&Signature=L2-q8ACG8iLZCXd8ZF6zjNWnVr0L2fv8SJZjp601VgkY0ca5pobc3yET6mmmJ9VTST1y~1PaNZtG1ESMNliw5UP3FHGRPW-nuY0VLt6PcarpwoySFz1jYg-V5M9xh85VKKVfqCY6V2SHhVvrtfQ~v3H-M2wWCVHdi-uRUY~OdmszE23vU1K4-7sOvqzTpEvrb5Qa3Q8E7UhjFLZnbWa7-Koe-drLzgJs8DODe6fWWg-vMKfeIltXAaJDtESRxeRgjpMC~6Xxe8YdVdRt5uLCLvf-oJNNeVDJIP~HJ~fMUntaDovlAcAIRDCp6s-3W0wGcUCEO71OPrgNrbbM1vcRxg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sen. Margaux Juarez proposed LB519 to let incarcerated people request independent confirmatory testing when department staff report positive results on presumptive contraband field tests.

Juarez said her bill would reduce mistakes built on quick field results. ‘‘Field tests are a useful tool for preliminary screenings, but are too unreliable to decide an inmate’s disciplinary cases,’’ she told the Judiciary Committee, citing a 2024 inspector‑general report that documented instances in which positive spot tests led to disciplinary removals and even delayed parole.

Doug Coburnick, Nebraska’s Inspector General of Corrections, testified in neutral support and said his office’s 2024 investigation found that field screening devices sometimes give false positives and that NDCS should permit access to confirmatory testing similar to statutory protections already available for urine toxicology screening. He added that private labs generally return confirmatory results within about 30 days, though timing varies by lab.

The department’s witnesses and the ACLU backed the idea of confirmation but raised practical questions about turnaround time, logistics and costs. The bill as written requires an inmate to pay for confirmatory testing if the results remain positive; proponents said that rule discourages frivolous tests while sparing the department costs when a test proves negative.

The committee discussed whether appeals under the Administrative Appeals Act are an adequate remedy; sponsors said confirmatory tests are faster and less costly than repeated administrative and court appeals. No vote was taken. Senators and witnesses agreed to work on technical language about who pays for tests, how quickly labs must turn results around, and whether the department must set an official process.

Proponents included the ACLU and several current and former corrections professionals; the inspector general appeared neutral but supportive of changes recommended in his 2024 report. The Judiciary Committee will consider amendments on logistics and funding before scheduling further action.","Sen. Margaux Juarez told a Judiciary Committee hearing that LB519 would let inmates request independent laboratory confirmation of positive field tests for contraband in Nebraska prisons after an inspector‑general review found false positives.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6304063,"Lawmakers hear bill to target skimmer schemes, link financial fraud to trafficking and creation of restitution fund",219,5371000,5590000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2469183-e149089b9462bfc7fcde9d3d950d606f&start=5371&end=5590","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2469183-e149089b9462bfc7fcde9d3d950d606f/thumbnail_5371000.jpg","/articles/6304063/Nebraska/Lawmakers-hear-bill-to-target-skimmer-schemes-link-financial-fraud-to-trafficking-and-creation-of-restitution-fund","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304063-abdc90d60cd883dc2cbb0a06e54332ed/orig.mp4?Expires=1770707352&Signature=Ep30oRwRsumkZrZBQSn4CqZKC~TVgpWmW6tIrLxj38czTHhD6TKklgQRNagluW5NvysLAtN0NDidw5JnXwASaoif7q8SLCUvlBmuJnRGgh7KcldpKUkmCeuO32YQiHHp-6lRkUJ0aOMDiz5phBROV5d7s3azvZBOn8xK5JBDGDAeIrlpwRDmrPv3D5LZMx3urHuJluZCOEshbMjV2tdsLXRhNpqv7GU-nYuhg2XoN-reLAYwkFWsjCNn9FwPJ0tFZi-eovqLBhx9GXWg1EWEwX~ug8gmbD-7sV4otQOLyJgXukMkjpf8naG80ExobVPddT~jMe0a~wRvilaaGWKjVA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Carolyn Boson introduced LB559, a package to address growing financial crimes (skimming, card‑washing and organized fraud), add higher penalties tied to the size of an enterprise and create a Financial Fraud Victims Restitution Fund.

Boson described a surge in skimming and other payment‑card fraud: industry witnesses cited sharp increases in compromised cards and urged a statutory toolset to help prosecutors go after organizers rather than only the low‑level participants. ‘‘Mastercard reported skimmers infected thousands of sites in 2022 and 2023, and compromised cards rose sharply,’’ the sponsor told the Judiciary Committee.

Law enforcement and financial industry witnesses described how organized groups—sometimes foreign—use skimmers at ATMs and pumps, wash card data onto blank or gift cards and move cash through fraud‑friendly merchants. Douglas County investigator Michael DeChellis and bank fraud investigators said schemes can cost banks, businesses and consumers large sums and often use low‑paid couriers or recruited account holders, creating a layered, hard‑to‑trace structure.

Supporters said a kingpin‑style statute would let state prosecutors pursue organizers of multi‑jurisdictional fraud rings when federal charges are not appropriate or available. Several witnesses urged adding a fund to compensate victims of financial transaction offenses; Boson’s AM465 supplement would create a Financial Fraud Victims Restitution Fund and permit victims to apply for reimbursements.

Opposition testimony from the Nebraska Criminal Defense Attorneys Association raised concerns about overlap with existing conspiracy law, double‑counting or charge‑stacking, and proof standards for ‘‘kingpin’’ leadership claims. Testifiers urged careful drafting to avoid unintended prosecutorial overreach. Witnesses said the amendment addresses some civil‑forfeiture concerns; defenders still asked for clarity about how the kingpin elements will be proved and whether the statute would be focused only on financial crimes.

No committee action was taken; the sponsor and stakeholders said they would continue negotiations on drafting, thresholds for enterprise‑size penalties and victim restitution procedures before the bill reaches a committee vote.

The committee heard written positions in support from multiple banks and consumer protection offices and a single written opposition from the defense bar; several law‑enforcement, banking and advocacy witnesses testified in person.","Sen. Carolyn Boson proposed LB559 to criminalize the unauthorized use of skimmer devices, create higher penalties for leaders of organized financial‑crime enterprises and build a restitution fund for victims.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Nebraska hearing backs bill to add tianeptine to controlled substances list after family testimony

Nebraska bill to move juvenile probation to executive branch draws sharp debate over transparency and public safety

‘Lataha’s Law’ proposed after multiple bike, pedestrian deaths; senators weigh stiffer penalties and move‑over duties

Bill would let Nebraska prisoners request lab confirmation of contraband tests after inspector general flags false positives

Lawmakers hear bill to target skimmer schemes, link financial fraud to trafficking and creation of restitution fund