LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have once again rejected a push to elect all legislative committee leaders in a publicly recorded vote.

Lawmakers on Wednesday voted 25-22 against a proposed legislative rule that would have changed the current practice of choosing leaders by a secret ballot.

Sen. Mike Groene, of North Platte, says he introduced the measure because it promotes transparency. Groene argues that the secret vote runs afoul of the state constitution.

Opponents say making the votes public would increase outside partisan pressure in the officially nonpartisan Legislature. The Legislature is dominated by registered Republicans, but Democrats have still been able to win some chairmanships in recent years.

Conservative state senators have raised the issue several times in recent years to force a vote that shows where all state lawmakers stand.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s new Secretary of State is looking to replace outdated voting equipment with new machines in all 93 counties.

Secretary of State Bob Evnen said Wednesday that the current vote-counting machines are still accurate and secure, but replacement parts to fix them have become scarce and better equipment is now available.

The secretary of state’s office requested funding for the machines in a budget proposal to Gov. Pete Ricketts, who in turn recommended it to the Legislature earlier this month.

Evnen says the machines will help ensure that Nebraska’s elections remain secure, reliable and accurate. If lawmakers approve funding, county officials will receive new equipment and training prior to the May 2020 statewide primary election.

Evnen’s comments echo concerns raised by his predecessor, former Secretary of State John Gale.

A North Platte man is facing multiple felony charges after a deputy investigated a suspicious vehicle at Dodge Hill and found him in the company of two juveniles.

On January 23, 2019, at 2:10 a.m., a deputy checked a suspicious vehicle parked in the area of Dodge Hill, just south of North Platte.

The Deputy met with the three occupants of the vehicle and found two were young juveniles. The adult male was identified as 23-year-old Tristyn Jefferson and he was partially disrobed.

Jefferson was detained while the Deputy questioned the juveniles about being at the location with an adult male.

Jefferson was eventually arrested and taken to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office for further questioning.

The Juveniles were placed into emergency protective custody.

During the evening hours of Friday, January 18, Investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) conducted alcohol inspections in Keith County.

This project was supported in whole or part by grant #93.959 under the SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Region II Human Services, and DHHS Division of Behavioral Health.

In total, 15 businesses were checked. One of the businesses, Fat Dogs in Ogallala, sold alcohol to a minor for a non-compliance rate of 7 percent. All of the businesses checked the minor’s ID.

The businesses include liquor stores, convenience stores, restaurants, and bars. Businesses that fail the inspections are referred to the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission. Clerks who sell alcohol to a minor are cited for procuring alcohol for a minor.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — LinkedIn Corp. is building a new complex in Omaha, which could lead the company to increase its workforce by more than 500 workers in the next few years.

The professional networking site, owned by Microsoft Corp., plans to open a new 200,000-square-foot, two building complex in Omaha by 2021, The Omaha World-Herald reported. The expansion could allow the company to more than double its Omaha workforce from 450 to 1,000.

The company employed 11 people at the Omaha branch when it first launched in 2007. The city has since become the company’s main center for customer support, said Kelli Pilgrim, a senior director at the company and the firm’s top executive in Omaha.

“Omaha is definitely what we consider the heart of our service operation,” she said.

Most of the expansion will be for global customer and global sales operations, Pilgrim said.

The facility will also emphasize a “work-and-play” attitude that’s exhibited at the company’s current offices, which feature shuffleboard and pingpong tables, scooters and snacks, Pilgrim said. Having the new space appealing to potential employees adds to LinkedIn’s culture and benefits package that make the company a desirable employer, she said.

The company has been happy with the talent in the area, she said.

“The work ethic has been very, very good and our attrition tends to be lower than we would expect in other parts of the country,” Pilgrim said.

The company didn’t receive any state or city incentives for the project, though Gov. Pete Ricketts’ enthusiasm and support were key in securing the expansion, Pilgrim said.

Ricketts said he’s thankful for the company’s commitment to the state.

“Time and again, we were told that Nebraska’s quality workforce was one of the major reasons LinkedIn enjoyed doing business in Omaha,” he said.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers aren’t likely to make any changes this year to rules that determine how long senators can mount a filibuster to block bills they oppose.

A proposal to change the legislative rule was withdrawn Tuesday after lawmakers debated the issue. The proposal would have guaranteed a collective 10 ½ hours of extended debate during three rounds of consideration on each bill.

Some senators say legislative speakers need the flexibility to determine the length of debate, a practice that’s been in place for decades.

The number of filibusters has surged in recent years, raising concerns that Nebraska lawmakers aren’t using their time efficiently even though many senators say they’re critical to protect minority rights.

Some senators note that Nebraska’s one-house Legislature doesn’t have a second chamber to counter its actions.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A judge has sentenced a Lincoln man to prison for burglarizing the Lincoln home of Nebraska football coach Scott Frost.

Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong on Tuesday sentenced 21-year-old Andrew M. Williams to three to five years in prison. He could be eligible for parole in just over a year.

In December, Williams pleaded guilty to burglarizing Frost’s home on July 29 as well as possession of methamphetamine in a separate case.

At the hearing, Williams apologized to Frost.

Two 17-year-olds also were arrested in connection with the burglary. They are awaiting trial in adult court.