LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lawmakers are questioning a proposal that would raise Nebraska’s state sales tax and steer the extra revenue into tax credits for low-income residents and property owners.

The bill drew support from farmers on Wednesday during a Revenue Committee hearing but criticism from conservative groups and some senators who say it won’t address the underlying problem.

Sen. Tom Briese of Albion says he introduced the measure in response to continued pressure from farm and ranch land owners whose property values have soared while commodity prices have slumped.

The bill would increase Nebraska’s sales tax rate from 5.5 percent to 6.5 percent. The revenue would be used to increase the state’s earned income tax credit for low-income residents. It also would provide a tax credit for all property owners.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has announced that its Phi Kappa Psi fraternity will be suspended until December 2018, when it can request a new charter.

UNL first announced the fraternity had been suspended in December, citing concerns about alcohol use. On Wednesday, the university said that it also found evidence of fraternity members’ questionable treatment of its pledges and of members damaging property at other UNL fraternity houses.

The fraternity will not be allowed to occupy the chapter house until at least August 2019, and even then, only upper classmen would be allowed to live there. The soonest freshmen could live at the house would be 2020.

UNL says no current members will be allowed to participate or associate with Phi Kappa Psi’s UNL chapter in the future.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers are again considering a bill that aims to protect gay and transgender employees from workplace discrimination.

Supporters of the measure packed a legislative committee hearing Wednesday. Bill sponsor Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln says the bill is a “common-sense” protection that lawmakers should have passed years ago.

Morfeld says employees shouldn’t be judged by the quality of their work, rather than their sexual orientation.

Several gay, lesbian and transgender residents told senators they were afraid to be themselves at work because they feared they could be fired just for having pictures of their same-sex significant others on their desks.

Social conservative groups have argued the bill would create special rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual people, who aren’t considered a protected class under current state law.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The firm that oversees registrations for the SAT college entrance exam is boosting security around the world following test-stealing and other cheating in recent years.

The College Board tells The Associated Press it’s reducing the number of international testing dates from six per year to four for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years. It says the move will reduce opportunities for test content to be stolen.

In 2015, federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh charged 15 Chinese citizens in a conspiracy to have impostors take the SAT and other college entrance tests.

The New York-based college entrance exam provider also is taking steps to prevent past cheaters from retaking tests. It says it will alert law enforcement agencies about companies and people it suspects of illegally obtaining test content.

An announcement on its plans is scheduled for Wednesday.