GOVERNOR JIM PILLEN SIGNS STAND WITH WOMEN ACT
LINCOLN, NE (KOLN) – Governor Pillen signed LB89, the Stand With Women Act, on Wednesday morning.
Packed to the walls in the Governor’s Hearing Room at the State Capitol, Governor Pillen was joined by a number of legislative leaders, notable female athletes from Nebraska and across the U.S., and people donned in black and white shirts reading “Stand with women”, who helped push the effort all the way to its signing.
“This bill is really a big deal; for our young people, for our kids, standing up for women, and it’s a big deal standing up for the values of Nebraska…,” said Governor Pillen. “It is time for all Nebraskans, not just the people here, but everyone of us in the room; that we get comfortable being uncomfortable…”
Gov. Pillen then threw things over to Senator Kathleen Kauth, who championed and introduced the legislation on the Governor’s behalf, “I have talked to people about this issue and we might disagree on a lot, we might comment things from different perspectives, but on this issue: that men are men, women are women, and men should not be playing in women’s sports,” she said.
The bill, which passed on a final vote of 33-16, requires that students in K-12 and postsecondary school participate on sports teams that correspond to their sex as defined in law. There are no restrictions when it comes to co-ed sports. Girls may play on a male-designated team, if no female-only alternative exists.
Passage of LB 89 builds upon the Governor’s executive order establishing a Women’s Bill of Rights and aligns with President Trump’s order, Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.
Notable athletes were also in attendance were at today’s signing.
In the national conversation, Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer from Tennessee and outspoken activist campaigning against the participation of trans women in women’s sports, “I’m here today to celebrate the tremendous progress in saving women’s sports and reclaiming our language.” Payton McNabb, a former high school volleyball player from North Carolina and an ambassador of the Independent Women’s Forum, added, “I love how much Governor Pillen is fighting for his state and for the women and girls in his state…”
On the local end, Husker softball player Jordy Bahl, and Husker volleyball player Rebekah Allick, were also in attendance and added their support on Wednesday’s signing.
“I’ve never been more proud to be a Nebraskan,” said Bahl. “I never could have imagined how much more pride I would feel in getting to be apart of what ultimately is so much more important than playing softball. And I truly feel that was part of God’s calling in me coming back home.”
Allick added, “I’m just really grateful to be surrounded by independent and individual thinkers. Again, this is not a political matter, this is common sense.”
Following the signing, Governor Pillen and Senator Kauth opened up the floor for questions. When asked about enforcement of the new state law, Governor Pillen added, “If a school chooses…not to abide, they will have severe problems in the state of Nebraska, it’s just pure and simple.”
When asked about how this bill may make transgender Nebraskans who no longer feel welcomed in the state, Governor Pillen said, “…coming to the understanding that they’re not welcome is not true: we are protecting all young women in sports. It is not biologically adept for a young boy that says ‘I’m trans’ and becomes a woman, to compete in sports. It’s just not fair…it’s just not right, it’s not common sense, it’s as simple as that.”
Aside from the signing, Senator Kauth eluded to the future added, “We were only able to get the athletic portion on, but I will be back next year bringing you the bathrooms and the locker rooms…the work is not done.”
OutNebraska Executive Director Abbi Swatsworth issued a statement in response to Gov. Pillen signing LB 89 into law, saying “We are disappointed by the signing of LB 89, a transgender youth sports ban, into law today. Our hearts break for the young children and families who are celebrating Pride this month while also grappling with the reality of this harmful legislation.”
MITCHELL AND WORTHING REMAIN IN THE RUNNING FOR NEW STATE PRISON FACILITY
PIERRE, S.D. (South Dakota Serachlight) – After years of political upheaval, court battles and legislative tugs-of-war, the plan to build a new men’s prison in Lincoln County south of Harrisburg is dead.
Members of the Project Prison Reset work group spent more than eight hours at the Capitol on Tuesday running through possible site locations, building designs, budget needs and public comments before voting unanimously to scratch the original site from its list of replacement options for the aging state penitentiary in Sioux Falls.
Also gone? The former Citibank site in Sioux Falls, a patch of land outside of Huron, a former cheese plant in Grant County – and more than $50 million in cash, spent to prepare the Lincoln County site for a prison that now won’t be built.
The members set a $600 million cap on a penitentiary replacement, budgeting for between 1,500 and 1,700 beds – about the same capacity as the original Lincoln County site, but $125 million under that version’s guaranteed maximum price.
The legislature spent three years dumping money into an incarceration construction fund in the run up to February, the month lawmakers balked at the Lincoln County project’s location and price tag. The project needed but couldn’t secure two-thirds majority support. The failure spurred the creation of the prison reset group by Gov. Larry Rhoden, who’d pushed for the Lincoln County prison.
Now, the task force has asked the state’s contractor, JE Dunn, to study a site in Mitchell, another near Worthing, and state-owned land on the grounds of the Mike Durfee Prison in Springfield and at the penitentiary in Sioux Falls.
House Speaker and task force member Jon Hansen, R-Dell Rapids, said the new parameters are a “departure” from the original plan, but a “necessary step” to find consensus.
“The Legislature has already said we don’t need that big of a prison, we don’t want to spend that much money all in one big shot,” Hansen said.
‘You need to build beds now’
In a report presented to the group Tuesday, consultants with Phoenix-based Arrington Watkins Architects projected that the state’s total prison population will grow by 31.7% by 2036 — from 3,926 in 2025 to 5,172 in 2036. That’s largely driven by the state’s truth in sentencing law, which requires people convicted of violent offenses to serve between 85% and 100% of their sentences, depending on the category of their crime.
Even without considering projected growth in prison population, the consultants said, every correctional facility in South Dakota is beyond its capacity now. The state needs more than 1,500 beds to deal with current capacity issues at Durfee and the penitentiary are needed immediately.
“You need to build beds now,” said Mike Quinn, managing principal at Arrington Watkins.
The parameters set Tuesday significantly restrict the project’s scope, said Vance McMillan, senior vice president of JE Dunn. That includes additions to existing facilities or building cheaper, steel-celled options that’ll last 50 years. The original campus-style prison was meant to stand for 100 years.
“A hundred years is out the door with the new budget challenge, in my opinion,” McMillan said.
That “not really” a responsible use of taxpayer funds, Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff, R-Pierre, told South Dakota Searchlight. But it’s politically necessary.
The $600 million cap is more “palatable,” he said, since it’s roughly the amount of money the state has on hand to fund the project already.
“We have nearly 800 inmates living in a medieval setting,” Mehlhaff said, referencing the penitentiary in Sioux Falls, which opened in 1881 and predates statehood. “We have to do something to correct that as soon as possible.”
Lawmakers prefer building on existing Corrections land
The state engineer and contractors are expected to present designs that meet the new parameters by the task force’s July 8 meeting. Legislators will convene for a special session at the state Capitol on July 22.
JE Dunn will present options, but McMillan said they might not be able to pull together many details in five weeks.
Members of the task force, especially the lawmakers, want to build on or expand upon existing prison sites. Increasing capacity on land the state already uses for prisons avoids the public’s general distaste for a new location, said Rep. Karla Lems, R-Canton. Lems was an outspoken opponent of the original Lincoln County site.
“You take some of the heartburn away,” she said. “Then you just deal with the money.”
JE Dunn representatives said the state could expand capacity at Springfield with new dorms or barracks facilities for around $55 million. A barracks would fit another 420 minimum security beds in an open space filled with bunkbeds.
Members also considered building a compact facility on unused acres at the state penitentiary and adding a second floor to the Jameson Annex in Sioux Falls.
Options to build on existing DOC land is limited and more costly, because it would limit a construction workforce to non-felons, take more time to get in and out of the site, and impact operational hours, said Sen. Ernie Otten, R-Tea. JE Dunn representatives estimated it’d cost more than $130 million to build 192 beds on top of the facility.
“Modifying Jameson is a no-go,” Otten said.
Mitchell leaders pitch site as leading contender
Business and local government leaders from Mitchell enthusiastically pitched their site to the task force. The city brought letters and resolutions of support and said a prison would drive economic growth.
The site got a tepid recommendation from consultants because it’s about an hour’s drive from Sioux Falls. It’s also located next to several possible escape routes: the interstate, the James River and a railroad.
The Mitchell City Council unanimously approved a resolution supporting the prison being built in Davison County.
But division is already surfacing in the community. Mitchell residents voiced concerns at its Monday city council meeting. According to reporting from the Mitchell Republic, some residents are concerned about the prison’s location, parolees released in the city, property taxes and a lack of a citywide vote on the matter.
Sen. Joy Hohn, R-Hartford, said she listened to the city council meeting and said residents are “just becoming aware of the proposal.”
City officials plan to hold community forums to increase awareness, educate residents about the impacts, and listen to concerns from community members.
The DOC plans to survey its staff to determine if they’re willing to commute to Mitchell or Worthing.
The Worthing site in Lincoln County received a slightly more positive response from consultants, but the only speaker during public testimony who spoke to the location raised concerns about drainage and flooding at the site.
Members remain skeptical of budget restraints, administrative oversight
Several members said they’d vote for the budget restrictions and new plan, but added they might not be able to support a decision next month.
Rep. Tim Reisch, R-Howard, is a former Department of Corrections secretary. He aired “serious operational concerns” about the current administration’s handling of the prison in recent months and years due to recent suicides, overdoses, attacks on correctional officers and gang activity.
Reisch recalled walking through the minimum custody unit during a penitentiary tour and observing that of 230 inmates in the unit, “only nine of them had jobs, and the rest of them were sitting around watching Oprah Winfrey every day.”
“These are inmates that are getting ready to go out and rejoin society,” Reisch said, “and we are failing them.”
Venhuizen told reporters after the meeting he believes it would be easier to manage such issues in a more modern facility.
Sioux Falls Democrats Sen. Jamie Smith and Erin Healy both expressed hesitancy. The budget could limit space needed for rehabilitation and education efforts, they both said.
Healy emphasized that her “number one goal” is to build a safe prison with proper rehabilitation space.
“We absolutely need to ensure that our responsibility for taking care of people is of our greatest concern,” Healy said.
NEBRASKA STATE AUDITOR SAYS EIGHT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE COMMITTED FINANCIAL MISCONDUCT
LINCOLN, NE (KOLN) – Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley is sounding the alarm after his audit team uncovered alleged financial misconduct in eight local governments, ranging from missing public funds and personal use of county resources to questionable reimbursements and unreported income.
Foley released a letter on Tuesday with brief summaries of each case recently investigated by his audit team.
“There appears to be a disturbing uptick in improper financial practices in local government across the State. When evidence of potential wrongdoing comes to my attention, we prioritize the case,” he said.
Decatur Housing Authority in Burt County
In Foley’s letter to Decatur Housing Authority, he accused the executive director of the housing authority of processing over $18,000 in excessive compensation and unsupported reimbursements to herself.
Foley’s audit team believes she may have misrepresented certain financial documentation submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by listing checks as “void” when they had cleared the housing authority’s bank account.
The letter shows that the executive director also allegedly mishandled cash rental payments, resulting in over $8,000 in missing money.
Her accounting lapses also resulted in the IRS notifying the housing authority of over $5,600 in unpaid Federal tax withholdings, including penalties and interests, according to Foley’s audit team.
The executive director was terminated, and the letter alleges she responded by unsuccessfully attempting to delete 400 files from the housing authority’s computer.
Foley’s audit team also believes she is connected to over $14,000 in suspected fraud at the Barber’s Sunrise Villa Apartments, which are owned and operated by the Bancroft Betterment Corporation in Cuming County.
Cedar County
Foley’s audit team said a former Cedar County commissioner was observed on multiple occasions using a county pickup truck for alleged personal business.
Based on their findings, they believe the commissioner allowed citizens to pay for county services with gift cards, which were largely unaccounted for and may have been converted to personal use.
Additionally, the county awarded nearly $1 million in contracts for road-building equipment and materials without allegedly following the competitive bidding procedures mandated by State law.
Village of Pleasanton in Buffalo County
According to Foley’s audit team, municipal employees made more than $20,000 in village expenditures at Menard’s over a two-year period and then one of those employees used the resulting 11% rebate coupons – which totaled over $2,000 – as well as several hundred dollars in store credit vouchers, for personal purchases.
In separate, unrelated transactions, alleged poor accounting and administrative procedures resulted in the village paying thousands of dollars of claims that were either described improperly during the approval process or never approved at all.
Village of Farnam in Dawson County
The former Farnam Village clerk, who currently serves on the Farnam Village Board, was responsible for processing all utility invoices and payments for municipal water, sewer, and garbage services.
Foley’s audit team identified 22 months of service – costing an estimated $2,700 – for which she appears to not have billed herself. Her utility account is alleged to have been improperly credited as either paid or simply written off.
The matter was referred to local law enforcement. Criminal charges were filed against her, and she was found guilty of official misconduct on May 13. That same day, she paid $3,151.53 in restitution, which was held in trust by the Dawson County Court as of May 20.
Her sentencing is set for July 3.
Nemaha County and Nemaha Rural Fire District 4
Nemaha County owns six fuel pumps, two of which can be accessed after hours by personnel with insider knowledgeable of how to do so.
Foley’s audit team said one Nemaha County commissioner was photographed using that county gas pump to fuel his personal truck after midnight on March 24, 2025.
Dundy County
The former deputy county clerk resigned from her position effective October 17, 2024.
At the request of the Dundy County Board, however, she continued to work beyond her resignation date and was paid full-time wages despite a significant reduction in her official responsibilities, according to Foley’s audit team.
Custer County
Custer County uses a timekeeping program that enables employees to clock in and out of work daily using their mobile devices, such as a cell phone or laptop computer.
Foley’s audit team believes a former employee at the Custer County Highway Department recorded hours while she was actually at home, her children’s school or at sporting events. The auditors are questioning more than $1,100 in payroll expenses for hours that she appears not to have been working.
She resigned from her position before she could be questioned.
Village of Litchfield in Sherman County
Prior to resigning, the former Litchfield Village clerk, who had oversight and control of that political subdivision’s financial processes, paid herself at least $2,200 more than allowed under her approved rate of pay and allowable hours, according to Foley’s audit team. She also allegedly received $763 in suspicious expense reimbursements for which there was no documentation.
His team said another serious financial problem was the village’s failure to withhold Federal, State, Social Security, or Medicare taxes from municipal employee paychecks, making the village potentially liable for the retroactive payment of those taxes and any accompanying penalties.
“Unfortunately, these more recent eight examples of both accounting incompetence and apparent financial malfeasance at political subdivisions are not unusual,” said Foley. “Based upon my office’s ongoing work, especially over the past year or so, they seem increasingly commonplace – making heightened vigilance, by public servants and citizens alike, ever more crucial.”
All of the audit letters referenced above are available online through the Auditor of Public Accounts’ website.
