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Nebraska homeowners lost about $17 million in home equity between 2014 and 2021, when more than 300 homes were taken for property tax debts. (blvdone/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Court's 'home equity theft' ruling helps homeowners in NE, nationwide

A year-old U.S. Supreme Court case means relief for two Nebraskans who faced losing their homes and all the equity they had built, when investment …

In Vermont, Maine and the District of Columbia, people with felony convictions do not lose their right to vote. (Studio Romantic/Adobe Stock)

NE AG's opinion could set voting rights restoration back decades

About 7,000 Nebraskans with felony convictions who thought they'd be able to register to vote, now face uncertainty. In question is the …

En Vermont, Maine y el Distrito de Columbia, las personas condenadas por delitos graves no pierden su derecho al voto. (Studio Romantic/Adobe Stock)

NE podría retroceder décadas en la restauración del derecho al voto

Alrededor de 7,000 habitantes de Nebraska con condenas por delitos graves que pensaban que podrían registrarse para votar, ahora se enfrentan a …

A Washington Post study found the number one issue cited by callers to LGBTQ+ help lines in 2023 was

NE LGBTQ+ community, advocates see wins at state, federal levels

Members of Nebraska's LGBTQ+ community and their supporters saw positive actions at both the state and federal level this month. At the state level…

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, elements all youth need, which are

NE advocates for LGBTQ+ rights hopeful after visits with state senators

State legislators across the country continue to introduce anti-LGBTQ bills and there have been a record number of them for four years in a row…

Youth.gov defines the primary goals of the juvenile justice system as:

ACLU: Excessive youth 'room confinement' non-rehabilitative, violates NE law

A 2020 Nebraska law restricted the use of solitary confinement, also known as "juvenile room confinement," for Nebraska youths in detention. But a …

According to USDA Economic Research Service, the number of U.S. agricultural workers on H-2A visas rose from under 50,000 in 2005 to more than 250,000 in 2021. Their average wage in 2021 was $13.00 an hour for just over 39 hours per week. (Photo credits: Alex/Adobe Stock)

Agriculture Worker Rights Program: Attorneys for Eligible Ag Workers in NE

With an average hourly wage of under $15 in 2021, many Nebraska agricultural workers would be hard-pressed to afford an attorney if they needed one …

The Nebraska Indian Child Welfare Act builds on protections passed by Congress in 1978 by clarifying state policies and procedures regarding implementation of the federal Indian Child Welfare Act. (Adobe Stock)

Brief Urges Supreme Court to Uphold Indian Child Welfare Act

The ACLU of Nebraska has joined a national brief filed in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court challenging a 1978 law passed by Congress aiming to …

Even after court cases and claims of voter irregularities produced zero evidence, roughly 70% of Republicans still believe fraud played a major role in the 2020 election. (Adobe Stock)

November Election to Determine State, Local Races in Redrawn Nebraska Districts

With November's elections just over the horizon, voter-rights groups are working to get Nebraskans up to speed on recent changes in voting districts …

Nebraska taxpayers are on the hook for more than $38,000 a year for every person serving time in the state's prison system. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska's Prison Overcrowding Emergency Now in Third Year

Nebraska is now in year three of a prison overcrowding emergency, according to the latest numbers released by the Nebraska Department of Correctional …

Latino leaders and advocates criticized Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts for failing to fund a state count committee, a commonly used tool for reaching historically hard-to-count communities in census surveys. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Outperforms National Census in Tally of Latinos

Nebraska did a better job counting the state's Latino residents in the 2020 Census than new national undercount data suggests. According to analysis …

So far, a ballot signature campaign led by Christa Eggers to legalize medical cannabis has reached Nebraska's 5%-of-voters threshold in four of the required 38 counties. (Rebecca Gratz)

Ballot Initiative Requirements Challenged as Unconstitutional

The American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit challenging Nebraska's requirements for voter-led initiatives …

LB 933 would make it a felony to provide medicine or procedures that end pregnancies, even in cases of rape and incest. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Lawmakers Advance Abortion Ban Opposed by Majority of Voters

Nebraska is on track to ban all abortions in the state if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its landmark Roe v. Wade decision. On Friday, lawmakers …

Critics of Critical Race Theory have called for lawmakers to allow parents to take their kids, along with tax dollars meant for public schools, into schools that more closely adhere to their political and religious beliefs. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Lawmakers to Debate How Race is Taught in Public Schools

Since January of last year, following national unrest over the police killing of George Floyd, 37 states have introduced measures designed to …

An ACLU of Nebraska investigation found mistakes and confusion over Nebraska's two-year waiting period to restore voting rights for people with felony records had caused election officials to send disqualification notices to Nebraskans who should not have received them. (Adobe Stock)

Lawmakers to Consider Restoring Voter Rights for Former Felons

Lawmakers are considering a bill which would restore Nebraskans' right to vote immediately after they complete their felony sentences, instead of …

Hair is a sacred symbol for Lakota tribal members, and should only be cut by a Native American woman or a child's grandfather in ceremony. (Adobe Stock)

Lakota Racial Justice and Religious Freedom Case Headed for Trial

ROSEBUD, Neb. -- A lawsuit accusing a Nebraska school district of violating a Lakota family's First Amendment rights and unlawful racial …

Just four of 19 Nebraska law-enforcement agencies surveyed do not currently employ a multilingual officer. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Law Enforcement Behind on Language Accessibility

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Not one law-enforcement agency in Nebraska is meeting all U.S. Department of Justice guidance and best practices on how to provide …

A new report spotlights the economic impacts of limiting a woman's right to safe and legal abortion. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Restricting Abortion Access Brings Big Financial Trouble

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Limiting women's access to abortion and other reproductive health care can have a devastating impact on state economies. According …

Nine in ten Nebraskans told researchers that voter redistricting should be driven by 2020 census data, not by making deals that benefit a political party. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraskans Can Give Feedback on New Voter District Maps Next Week

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Next week, Nebraska lawmakers will hold three public hearings on how new voter maps should be drawn for the state's 49 districts…

A new Gallup survey shows more than 60% of Americans say they know

Juneteenth Declared National Holiday, Amidst Progress, Upheaval

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday, after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by both …

Omaha police emails reveal a police lieutenant requesting undercover officers participate in a demonstration days after police received city guidance that it was a lawful activity. (Snappy Goat)

Alarm Sounded Over Omaha Police Surveillance of Black Activists, Allies

OMAHA, Neb. -- Omaha Police Department emails obtained through a public records request suggest surveillance activities targeting racial justice …

Nebraska's redlined neighborhoods were the only places families of color could live, and were located near environmental hazards. (Dnavarrojr/Pixabay)

Advocates: Biden Climate Plan Could Help NE's Redlined Neighborhoods

LINCOLN, Neb. - President Joe Biden has charged top White House officials with ensuring that communities living in the shadows of the nation's power …

A new online anti-racist toolkit includes tips for advocating while practicing safe social distancing, and from the comfort of your couch. (Becker1999/Wikimedia Commons)

Nebraska Black Leaders Launch Anti-Racism Toolkit

LINCOLN, Neb. -- With demonstrations sparked by the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer well into their second week, civic …

The number of states that prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ students in schools nearly doubled between 2010 and 2020, from nine to 15. (William Murphy/Flickr)

Study: Nebraska Lags Nation in LGBTQ Equality

LINCOLN, Neb. -- This year the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide three cases that could determine whether or not federal discrimination …

Law-enforcement jurisdictions have been ending their agreements with ICE because of increased costs to local taxpayers, increased risks of racial profiling, and damaging relations between communities and law enforcement.(Pixabay)

Coalition Presses Dakota County Sheriff to End Ties with ICE

LINCOLN, Neb. — Dakota County immigrant communities targeted by the Trump administration's recent promise of mass deportation aren't getting …

Nebraska's 150,000 immigrants paid nearly $950 million in taxes in 2017. (Jonathan McIntosh/Wikimedia Commons)

Scholarship Campaign Launched for Undocumented Students

LINCOLN, Neb. — On Wednesday at the Nebraska Civil Rights Conference in Lincoln, a national campaign was launched to pave the way for more …

De los m�s de 25 millones de hogares que carecen de acceso al internet de banda ancha, 19 millones est�n en �reas rurales. (Pixabay)

Casi uno de cada tres hogares rurales carece de Internet de Banda Ancha

LYONS, Neb. – Nebraska podría estar en riesgo de retrasarse respecto a sus estados vecinos, en asegurar que todos los residentes tengan …

Nebraska does not currently provide explicit statewide non-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender workers. (USAF)

Nebraska Leads Effort to Deny Trans Workers' Job Protections

LINCOLN, Neb. – A group of 16 states, led by Nebraska, has filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to confirm that businesses can …

The Human Rights Campaign says policies that promote an inclusive school atmosphere are key to protecting LGBTQ teens' well-being. (Wikimedia Commons)

Advocates Urge Lawmakers to Prevent Bullying LGBTQ Youth

LINCOLN, Neb. -- A new survey shows high rates of depression and anxiety among LGBTQ teens nationwide. Advocates say lawmakers could do more to …

Report Examines Federal Religious-Exemption Protections

LINCOLN, Neb. -- New guidelines from the Trump administration that claim to protect religious freedoms may actually infringe on more freedoms than …

The disabilities-rights community says it was not consulted on a bill in Congress promising so-called

Groups Call ADA Bill in Congress an Attack on Civil Rights

LINCOLN, Neb. – A bill in Congress aimed at strengthening the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) may not be what it seems, according to its …

Turning community concerns into action can help honor the life of Martin Luther King Jr. (Urban Promise/Flickr)

Be the Change: Nebraskans Called to Serve on MLK Day

LINCOLN, Neb. – This year marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King Jr., and his life and legacy will be honored Monday …

The Omaha Tribe, the Santee Sioux Nation, the Ponca Tribe and the Winnebago Tribe are the four federally recognized tribes in Nebraska. (Bill Strain/Flickr)

Celebrating Nebraska's Native American Past, Present, Future

LINCOLN, Neb. – Friday is Native American Heritage Day, and November is Native American Heritage Month. The executive director of Humanities …

An estimated two out of three people in U.S. jails have not been convicted of the charges against them. (Pixabay)

Pretrial Process: Justice Denied in Nebraska?

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska received an "F" for its pretrial justice system in a new report, but there are attempts to improve the process already …

Immigration advocates say DREAMers are in every way Americans apart from the paperwork. (Elvert Barnes/Flickr)

Trump DACA Rumors No Surprise for Nebraska Dreamers

LINCOLN, Neb. — Reports that President Trump will end protections for so-called DREAMers are coming as no surprise to some immigrant advocates…

Lawsuit Challenges Overcrowding in State Prisons

LINCOLN, Neb. – A coalition is seeking class-action status for a lawsuit to end overcrowding in Nebraska prisons. At nearly 160 percent of …

Voter turnout among individuals with disabilities is typically lower than for those who do not have a disability. (justgrimes/Flickr)

Elevating Voice of Voters with Disabilities

LINCOLN, Neb. -- People with disabilities represent nearly one-sixth of the total electorate in the United States, and during National Disability …

Thirty of 49 Nebraska senators are needed to overturn a veto of a voting-rights bill for felons who have completed their sentences. (Nebraska Secretary of State)

Battle over Felony Voting Ban Heats Up in Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. – About 7,000 people live, work and pay taxes in Nebraska, but aren't eligible to vote in elections. That's because under current …

Communities in Kansas and Oklahoma have faced many difficult choices in the years following massive tax cuts. (M. Kuhlman)

Income Tax Cuts: A Cautionary Tale for Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Four-day school weeks, reduced Medicaid reimbursements, cuts to programs that help home-bound seniors; those are just some of the …

Many Nebraskans are answering Martin Luther King Jr.'s call to give back to others. (Pixabay)

Nebraskans 'Reach Their Hand Out' to Build Stronger Nation

LINCOLN, Neb. – People around Nebraska will honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by making Monday’s federal holiday a day …

More than 1,200 law professors say as U.S. attorney general, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., would not promote justice and equality. (Gage Skidmore/Flickr)

Nebraska Law Prof: Career Politician Shouldn't be Attorney General

LINCOLN, Neb. – Hundreds of legal scholars from almost every state, including Nebraska, are objecting to the president-elect's choice of Sen…

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NE: Civil Rights