LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The state wants the Nebraska Supreme Court to let the Nebraska Judicial Branch keep confidential the documents that state judges get in training sessions.

A Lincoln man requested the records in May but was told by the state court administrator the records aren’t available under the state public records law. He sued for their release and won, but the judge delayed imposition of her ruling pending state appeal.

The Lincoln Journal Star reports (http://bit.ly/2hjuZYX) that in a hearing before the high court Wednesday, Assistant Nebraska Attorney General David Lopez argued that the court has inherent authority to govern the disclosure of judicial branch education records.

He conceded under questioning that the state Supreme Court has no rule on such confidentiality.

The court will rule on the matter later.

LEXINGTON, Neb. (AP) — Officials have charged an 18-year-old Elwood woman with felony vehicular homicide for a fatal crash they say was caused because she was distracted by a text.

Police believe Hailey Boutin read a text message on her cellphone Sept. 19 moments before running a stop sign about 10 miles south of Cozad and slamming into another vehicle. The impact caused the other vehicle to roll several times, killing a passenger, 59-year-old Mary Robertson. The crash seriously injured Robertson’s husband, 64-year-old Monte Robertson, who was driving.

Boutin faces up to three years in prison if convicted. Her bond was set Wednesday at $1,500. Her preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 16.

The Dawson County public defender did not immediately return a call left late Wednesday afternoon.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska lawmaker says he’s disappointed by a new state auditor’s report about the state’s failed attempt last year to purchase execution drugs from overseas.

The report released Monday details efforts by the Department of Correctional Services to buy more than $54,000 worth of drugs from a provider in India. The state never received the drugs because federal agencies blocked the import.

Sen. Ernie Chambers, an independent, says the audit “does not really shed light on the issue.” He suggested the report amounted to Republicans closing ranks.

State Auditor Charlie Janssen defended the report, saying everything his office does is nonpartisan.

Democratic Sen. Burke Harr says he was pleased with the report. He says it demonstrates the benefits of openness and transparency about executions.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln chancellor has told the faculty that the state’s projected revenue shortfall could require the Lincoln campus to cut $6 million from its budget next spring.

Last month university system President Hank Bounds ordered a hiring freeze and travel restrictions as the system prepared for fallout from a nearly $1 billion budget gap forecast for state government. Last week Gov. Pete Ricketts said he would propose a flat two-year budget to state lawmakers in January.

Chancellor Ronnie Green informed the Faculty Senate on Tuesday that administrators were told to plan for a 4 percent cut to the university at a minimum. He says the governor’s proposal could result in broad cuts across the university.

A disturbance on Monday night led to a North Platte woman being arrested, accused of threatening her mother and adult brother with a knife.

At around 8:30 p.m., officers responded to the report of a disturbance at a residence in the 400 block of West 1st Street.

Officer arrived and learned that 46-year-old Teresa Marshall had allegedly threatened her mother and adult brother with a knife.  It was reported that Teresa had two knives and had threatened her relatives on more than one occasion.

Police made contact with Marshall, who was intoxicated and uncooperative.  According to Lt. Steve Reeves, officers located two knives and determined that there was probable cause to arrest Marshall.

She was transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center, where Reeves says she continued to be uncooperative, and charged with terroristic threats and use of a weapon to commit a felony, both felony charges.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska officials are taking steps to eliminate some of the factors that can drive up a property’s value and tax liability.

The directive announced Tuesday targets premiums that are paid on land due to special circumstances, such as tax advantages or agricultural land that’s used for recreational purchases. Because values are set based on comparable sales of nearby property, the premiums can affect how surrounding land is valued and the taxes owed.

Gov. Pete Ricketts says the directive from the Department of Revenue will clarify how county assessors should handle such property to ensure the market isn’t distorted.

State officials say it’s difficult to know how exactly the directive will affect assessments, but it’s designed to prevent improper increases caused by quirks in the marketplace.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A Lexington man is scheduled to be sentenced in January for the crash death of a man riding a lawn mower in Buffalo County.

Online court records say 65-year-old Fredrick Hongsermeier pleaded no contest to misdemeanor vehicular homicide. His sentencing is set for Jan. 17.

Prosecutors say Hongsermeier was headed east on U.S. Highway 30 on the west side of Kearney April 5 when his truck drifted off the roadway and struck the riding mower. Fifty-six-year-old Larry Timmons was killed. He lived in rural Kearney.