By Erin Bamer | Reporter
“This was never about protecting Nebraska law, it was about whether a handful of elected officials could use the court to override the will of the people … Today, our state’s highest court stated the obvious: they cannot.” - Crista Eggers, executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, about a Nebraska Supreme Court decision upholding a voter-approved medical cannabis law.
Nebraska advocates for medical cannabis have worked for more than 12 years, and continue to wait, for a safe, regulated system in Nebraska, after winning voter approval in November. Pictured are many longtime advocates for the effort. (Photos courtesy of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana)
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
By Zach Wendling
LINCOLN — The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld Nebraska’s two voter-approved medical cannabis laws following a legal challenge to the 2024 petition effort.
Former State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar leads a news conference for the Fairness for Girls campaign that seeks to constitutionally designate sex-separate athletics for K-12 and collegiate sports on June 30, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Julie Slama/Fairness for Girls)
ELECTION 2026
By Zach Wendling
LINCOLN — A Lincoln voter refiled a challenge this week to a ballot measure seeking to cement limits on public school sports participation to student-athletes’ sex at birth after the Nebraska Supreme Court declined to hear the lawsuit.
From left to right: Lee Williames, MD, director, Office for the Advancement of Military Medicine, UNMC; Christopher Kratochvil, MD, vice chancellor for external relations, UNMC; Gov. Jim Pillen; Mayor John W. Ewing, Jr.; H. Dele Davies, MD, chancellor of UNMC; Sen. Deb Fischer; Col. Elizabeth Schnaubelt, MD, director, Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills-Omaha, USAF; University of Nebraska President Jeffrey P. Gold, MD; Lt. Gen. John J. DeGoes, MD, surgeon general and commander, Medical Command, USAF; Lt. Col. Robert Schafer, JD, regent, University of Nebraska System; Congressman Don Bacon; Jennie Bartholomew, UNMC associate vice chancellor and Nebraska Medicine vice president, facilities management and planning. (Photos by Erin Bamer/Nebraska Examiner)
HEALTH
By Erin Bamer
OMAHA — A collection of officials representing the state and the University of Nebraska broke ground Friday on a new training facility at the southern edge of the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus.
U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., left, and Democrat Chris Backemeyer will face off for Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District in November 2026. (Candidate photos courtesy of respective campaigns | U.S. Capitol photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)
ELECTION 2026
By Juan Salinas II
LINCOLN — Debates for Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District are up in the air after public spats from the candidates.
Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Flood and Democratic challenger Chris Backemeyer pointed fingers at each other after each declined particular dates to debate. Flood’s camp wanted to hold a debate before early voting ballots are mailed out later this month, while Backemeyer offered different dates in October due to scheduling conflicts.
Lancaster County Election Commissioner Todd Wiltgen speaks at a news conference alongside Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and Hall County Election Commissioner Tracy Overstreet, from left, at a news conference in the Nebraska State Capitol on Sept. 3, 2026. (Photo by Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)
ICYMI
By Zach Wendling
LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, Secretary of State Bob Evnen and multiple county election officials are calling for changes to petitioning in the state amid multiple investigations of possibly fraudulent signatures statewide.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments for Louisiana v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday at the federal courthouse in New Orleans. Medication abortion has become the most common form of abortion since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, and telehealth prescriptions have continued to rise. (Photo by Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator)
ABORTION POLICY
By Sofia Resnick
Next week, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals will consider Louisiana’s arguments for tightening federal policy around a common abortion and miscarriage drug. The primary target of Louisiana v. Food and Drug Administration and similar lawsuits against mifepristone is to end a Biden-era policy allowing abortion pills to be prescribed without an in-person visit with a provider.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Regents OK shared governance of Nebraska Medicine with Omaha Community Foundation | Fred Knapp, Nebraska Public Media
COMMENTARY
OPINION: ‘Summery’ check in with voters | George Ayoub
EDITOR'S CHOICE
Thanks for reading Examiner Today. Did you know our daily morning newsletter is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.