[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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],{"_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",6277850,"mediaKeyId","2646117-cf7870e33932c0248a3356de2efdc0ed","parentId",2646117,"title","Committee hears cleanup bill to clarify eligibility, modernize admissions at Nebraska veterans homes","audioSeconds",968,"startMs",2510000,"endMs",3478000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2646117-cf7870e33932c0248a3356de2efdc0ed&start=2510&end=3478","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2646117-cf7870e33932c0248a3356de2efdc0ed/thumbnail_2510000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6277850/Nebraska/Committee-hears-cleanup-bill-to-clarify-eligibility-modernize-admissions-at-Nebraska-veterans-homes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6277850-4d753e9f7552b2543a2ac110c59388b0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771145385&Signature=KCDvGxgT3y3DdXNaecnycyO6SVAsfSZed5bRFkHdYBMYr7iKaSgD9XVrR~wONDWkAtJEtl2SW~jn-7AyrXlVAVw1VNIOMAUEWy~OX96YFMbZQkA4WIWPfq2MWCycuHnMf3Ewt7dqee5I~Yv7mgeioxP49jrJHFKPz0SCgC4wMr1vwk4Ccd1Mt1XgqzfRwKORkeMIGH3n4M~FybHNEDDLipfWGy~tcesxa~2dQi3bU8A30YwOL8n3R9ddY2iyMKwMLrg~ZikO5Zf539oa47wMQIs0PNxnl2~bcyYV8VouRn5SRWxq755aYQL4btwA0CTTAU298ZCpmBArLj4K~OP2Jg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Nebraska Legislature","date","2025-03-14T00:00:00Z","article","Sen. Dan Linooski introduced LB419 at the request of the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs as a statutory cleanup bill intended to clarify eligibility for state veterans homes and to modernize language around veterans aid applications.

The bill would remove the statutory age threshold for admission to veterans homes and focus eligibility on whether an applicant \"is in need of long-term care,\" according to the department's director, John Hilgert. \"What we want to use for criteria is the need of the individual,\" Hilgert told the committee, explaining the change would allow veterans or spouses who require skilled long-term care to be eligible regardless of age.

LB419 also clarifies that state service officers may submit Nebraska Veterans Aid applications on veterans' behalf and adds other language updates the department requested. Hilgert described pending agency amendments (AM606) to clarify application frequency rules and a narrow exception for funeral-expense assistance.

Committee members asked about fiscal and capacity implications. Hilgert said there is a waiting list for some care levels and that capacity is constrained primarily by staffing rather than beds. He described recent and planned adjustments at the Eastern Nebraska Veterans Home: conversion of 30 assisted-living beds into skilled beds and the creation of 24 single-room assisted-living beds to meet demand. Hilgert said the department recently added capacity and continues hiring to serve more veterans.

No fiscal note was presented during the hearing. Senators and the department discussed the department's historic role and eligibility criteria; Hilgert noted the first state veterans home was established in Grand Island in 1887 and said the bill updates antiquated language while reaffirming service eligibility for Nebraska National Guard members.

Sen. Linooski asked the committee to advance LB419 with the department's amendment. The committee did not take a final vote during the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Government, Military and Veterans Affairs - Room 1507 3/14/2025, 2:30:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","LB419 would modernize statutory language governing admission and veterans aid, remove an arbitrary age threshold and allow state service officers to file applications; Department of Veterans Affairs said changes will help serve veterans more efficiently but staffing and waiting lists remain constraints.","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},6277855,"Panel advances bill to exempt local foster-care review boards from Open Meetings Act for confidential case reviews",958,1497000,2455000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2646117-cf7870e33932c0248a3356de2efdc0ed&start=1497&end=2455","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2646117-cf7870e33932c0248a3356de2efdc0ed/thumbnail_1497000.jpg","/articles/6277855/Nebraska/Panel-advances-bill-to-exempt-local-foster-care-review-boards-from-Open-Meetings-Act-for-confidential-case-reviews","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6277855-6d0a71e15115485487a897a1ce452733/orig.mp4?Expires=1771145385&Signature=l~oBugMfzly-rWVBrgI4YUuvVHPDH6KlOWYzACuyjFXPbf9TcZh-2YKMGnne2NxS7rceBYAFNJqYESzFiQE0GGTcWxuxThbMQuJXFrnByD7TJ101D3~tcEVbcPxulPgcUgHMd-6xE--4Jp3RV9TiB630YW834Moos6SLnMcQSE5~nm3R5dE3EocOKiwupYirtqofRctJ0Rz0Ri-9YluJvBhiaVIXa2ccZZd5j-Ec6YnxVmt8b-QZ6pq1oKLxYg0gXOckGgGVLuiTDpM6Eo1iA6xhDR~qfUYDv1q~QydEUbiXC~F8yOPPditMg8nrp1StTMUk9KhqpV6kvuCQhEV9Yw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sen. Makayla Kavanaugh introduced LB238 to clarify how the Open Meetings Act applies to local foster care review boards and to allow those volunteer boards to continue meeting entirely in private, including by virtual means, when reviewing case-specific child welfare information.

Kavanaugh said local boards review children's case plans — which include private health and family information — and that the current partial exemption to the Open Meetings Act is confusing. \"This bill proposes the broader exemption recommended by the assistant attorney general to further enable the local foster care review boards to do their review cases,\" Kavanaugh told the committee.

Monica Gross, executive director of the Foster Care Review Office, testified that local review boards are independent volunteers that make nonbinding recommendations to juvenile courts about safety, permanency and well-being. Gross said the boards \"do not discuss any public business or formulate any public policy\" and that statutes already deem foster children's case records confidential. She said virtual meetings during the COVID pandemic allowed more volunteers and stakeholders to participate and that the office has seen 600 to 900 participants monthly on virtual meetings. Gross urged advancement of LB238 to general file.

Ben Kinnison, an assistant attorney general, testified in a neutral capacity and said the Attorney General's Office enforces the Open Meetings Act. He said removing the local boards from the act would be consistent with prior exemptions the Legislature has enacted for entities handling confidential child information and would align the law with the statutory confidentiality of foster-care records.

Committee members asked about public transparency and the possibility of using open meetings with confidential records redacted; proponents said the nature of the boards' work is case-specific and largely private, and that filings and court records remain available through the juvenile court process. The hearing record shows 2 proponents and 5 opponents filed position comments for LB238, and no neutral comments.

Sen. Kavanaugh asked the committee to advance the bill with the technical input from the Attorney General's Office.","LB238 would remove local foster care review boards from Open Meetings Act coverage so volunteers can continue fully private virtual case reviews; proponents said virtual meetings increased volunteer participation, while the Attorney General's office testified neutrally in support of privacy goals.",{"_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},6277860,"Committee hears bill to let Nebraska legal notices appear on qualified news websites and apps",1128,233000,1361000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2646117-cf7870e33932c0248a3356de2efdc0ed&start=233&end=1361","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2646117-cf7870e33932c0248a3356de2efdc0ed/thumbnail_233000.jpg","/articles/6277860/Nebraska/Committee-hears-bill-to-let-Nebraska-legal-notices-appear-on-qualified-news-websites-and-apps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6277860-47b88033a836f15319d72e9560312e9e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771145385&Signature=euCkUbQlKn3o0fyZfJtdnwFUNe7ZxYJRvJxughKpuQvEMYkMqqWD~~JwVQwmMO7GnkbdUsnah7ISZ-Laz4BckmIJ-7D2wLAZk9QdA4LurETXTNJFg8NtUiXxX14oIl3WQiDb0u2LbURvnUNeTxLWC5W507pQGql404fGMGZHYKYzfF7nKfMyG395~VF8qjkYR~H--Y2Osv6P6rwbP2FQBC80T~pxzefbM4SfEzH1McazmQf-jrpw8L27HFvFxkzQseUnuxnyXAhVSF7ywqV9z1ArUtACF6-OptrtaS6qEUA5vAG3I3LWSUVRvlp4tcCm9Rdqkj9ZEbuvYMwGwKkAeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sen. Rita Sanders, chairwoman of the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, introduced LB596 on behalf of her constituent and local publisher Garrett Sims, saying the bill would permit legal notices to appear on \"websites and application of digital news publications\" in addition to print newspapers.

The measure would change current practice under the cited statute that requires publication in print; Sanders said the bill \"updates our legal notice requirements to better reflect the modern media landscape.\" The bill keeps print publication as an option while allowing notices to be considered legally published on a digital platform if that platform meets specified qualifications.

Supporters told the committee the change is aimed primarily at smaller jurisdictions where local newspapers have closed and residents now rely on digital local news. Colby Coash of the Nebraska Association of School Boards said some school districts are in \"virtual media deserts\" where the nearest qualifying print publication is many miles away and not read locally. \"We're not interested in not publicizing when meetings are happening,\" Coash said. \"We want the public engaged.\" Beth Bazyn Ferrell of the Nebraska Association of County Officials said counties worry when a local paper closes because they still must publish notices such as meeting minutes and lists of delinquent taxes.

Dennis Deroissett, executive director of the Nebraska Press Association, testified in opposition to the bill \"as it is currently worded,\" urging the committee to allow stakeholders to craft clear parameters. \"Public notices are not advertisements. They are legally required information to be disseminated to taxpayers and the public,\" Deroissett said, arguing that any digital standard must protect accessibility, independence, verifiability and archivability. He noted Nebraska newspapers already maintain a free, cooperative statewide website that archives notices and currently houses over 500,000 notices at no cost to government or the courts.

Committee members questioned what would qualify as an eligible digital publisher; Sanders and proponents said they expect a certification or qualification process rather than allowing unvetted social media pages. During questioning the Nebraska Press representative said roughly 22 of the state's smaller, rural newspapers currently have no website and that about one-third of papers have increased readership in the last two years.

Sen. Sanders closed by saying the bill is intended to complement, not replace, print notices and asked for a green vote. For the hearing record, online position comments showed 10 proponents and 2 opponents and 0 neutral comments.

The committee did not take a vote on LB596 during the hearing; senators asked stakeholders to continue conversations about workable standards for digital publication.","A Nebraska bill would allow legal notices now required to appear in print newspapers to be published on qualifying websites and mobile applications; proponents said the change would reach residents in media deserts, while the Nebraska Press Association urged clearer standards and stakeholder negotiation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears cleanup bill to clarify eligibility, modernize admissions at Nebraska veterans homes

Panel advances bill to exempt local foster-care review boards from Open Meetings Act for confidential case reviews

Committee hears bill to let Nebraska legal notices appear on qualified news websites and apps