Lawmakers passed over the measure without a vote after roughly three hours of debate, as they’ve done with other bills facing a legislative filibuster.

Sen. Jim Smith, of Papillion, the bill’s sponsor, now has to show support from a 33-vote supermajority of senators before the speaker of the Legislature will return it to the agenda. The bill has to win first-round approval by Friday to have a shot at passing in the final days of this year’s session.

“I would not continue this fight if I did not think there was a path” to overcoming the filibuster, Smith said after the debate.

In a statement, Ricketts said lawmakers should work together on a tax-cut package.

“It is unacceptable for senators to fail to deliver property tax relief for the second year in a row,” he said, citing a stalled effort from the 2017 session.

Smith touted the legislation as the only realistic option to address property and income taxes in this year’s session.

Even so, the bill opened a sharp divide among lawmakers, including some who have pitched their own plans to lower property taxes. None have passed.

“This is one of the most ridiculous pieces of legislation that I’ve ever seen,” said Sen. Steve Erdman, of Bayard, a fellow Republican who is pushing for a much more aggressive statewide property tax ballot measure — an approach Ricketts opposes.

One measure by Sen. Tom Briese of Albion would ease pressure on property taxes by increasing the state sales and cigarette taxes and eliminating more than two dozen sales tax exemptions. Another bill would guarantee a minimum amount of state aid for Nebraska’s public K-12 schools, the main driver of property taxes.

The governor’s proposal would offer income tax credits to reimburse a portion of the property taxes paid by agricultural landowners and homeowners. Commercial property wouldn’t see any new benefits, but the bill would lower Nebraska’s top corporate income tax rate and pump $5 million a year into job training programs.

Homeowners would get a tax credit equal to 1 percent of their total property taxes in 2018, capped at $25. Agricultural landowners would get a credit totaling 2 percent of their property tax bill, with no cap. The credits would increase over time, but opponents said they wouldn’t keep pace with inflation.

Sen. Curt Friesen, a farmer from Henderson, said the bill doesn’t provide a substantial amount of benefits and fails to address the core problem of state financing for schools, which forces districts to compensate with local property taxes.

Others raised concerns that the bill would create long-term budget problems for the state. Supporters haven’t specified how they’ll pay for the tax package after the first year.

“It places us in a situation where we’re not able to respond to urgent needs,” said Sen. Kate Bolz, of Lincoln, a member of the budget-crafting Appropriations Committee.

The latest version of the proposal would cover the first-year cost by drawing approximately $40 million from the cash reserve, a fund intended for emergencies and one-time expenses. Lawmakers have repeatedly tapped it the last few years to balance the state budget and invest in projects such as road construction.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new report says there are more doctors in Nebraska than there were 10 years ago, but 13 counties still don’t have a primary care physician.

The Status of the Healthcare Workforce report issued Wednesday says data from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the state show the number of doctors has risen 11 percent.

The report says nearly a fifth of physicians in Nebraska are more than 60 years old and likely to retire in the near future. It also says 18 of 93 Nebraska counties have no pharmacist.

The report recommended more state support for programs and educational initiatives that provide incentives for health care professionals to practice in rural communities.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Petitions are now ready for a ballot measure that would let voters decide whether to expand Medicaid coverage to an estimated 90,000 low-income people in Nebraska.

The Insure the Good Life campaign announced Monday that the Nebraska secretary of state’s office has finalized language for the ballot petition.

The campaign needs to gather approximately 85,000 signatures by July 6 to place the measure on the November general-election ballot. Organizers say they’re seeking volunteers to help gather signatures.

Nebraska is seeking to join 32 other states and the District of Columbia in expanding Medicaid as part of the Affordable Care Act. Idaho, Montana, and Utah are currently in the midst of similar ballot initiatives, and Maine passed one last year.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska at Omaha will be hosting a 48-hour cybersecurity “hackathon.”

Participants will form teams to create and pitch proposals about enhancing the cybersecurity of physical systems to a panel of judges, including military officials from U.S. Strategic Command.

Teams will compete for $15,000 in prizes and the opportunity to pursue their plan with mentorship from MD5, a technology accelerator program launched by the Department of Defense and several universities.

The event will also take place at the University of Colorado in Boulder. About 100 people are expected to attend at the two campuses Friday through Sunday.

“We hope to have a variety of individuals,” said Robin Gandhi, an associate professor of cybersecurity at the University of Nebraska who’s helping coordinate the hackathon. “Even if you don’t have experience in the topic, you can bring a fresh perspective.”

Private-sector workers with an interest in technology are invited to participate, along with people with backgrounds in finance, engineering and computer science, Gandhi said.

Cybersecurity of physical systems is a growing field now that computers have linked up systems originally designed to stand alone, according to Gandhi. He said companies and military installations face issues with networks vulnerable to hacking. Such a network could be a mobile app that controls a home’s lights, burglar alarms and kitchen appliances, though companies and military groups face these problems on a larger scale.

John Pyrovolakis is founder and director of the UNO-based Innovation Accelerator Foundation. He hopes the hackathon draws enough interest and funding to turn it into an annual event, which could persuade students to pursue post-college careers with the military.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Pete Ricketts says he has voiced concerns to the Trump administration about the potential effects of tariffs on Nebraska farmers.

Ricketts said Monday he spoke with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross last week after President Donald Trump moved to impose numerous trade restrictions against China. China responded with tariffs on 128 U.S. products, including pork and certain fruits.

Ricketts says it’s important not to disrupt any of the trade relationships established with China and other foreign nations. He says it’s also important to have a level playing field for trade.

The Nebraska Farm Bureau says the tariffs will hurt the state’s farm economy, particularly in Platte and Holt counties. Both counties rely heavily on pork exports.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska has adopted federal guidelines on avoiding opioids as painkillers.

The guidelines were released in March 2016 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and include avoiding opioids as the first or second painkiller option.

The Nebraska insurer’s chief medical officer, Dr. Debra Esser, said opioid alternatives include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy and chiropractic treatments.

Guidance from the Nebraska Medical Association and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services also mirrors the federal guidelines.