Gov. Ricketts speaks to legislature, says no to mask mandate

Gov. Ricketts speaks to legislature, says no to mask mandate

PETE RICKETTS SPOKETO THE UNICAMERAL IN ASPEECH THAT COVEREDHOW THE STATE ISHANDLING THECORONAVIRUS AND HISTOP PRIORITIESREPORTER JON KIPPERTELLS US MORE THATSPEECH, AND WHAT THEGOVERNOR SAYS ABOUTMASK MANDATES.JON LL OPEN"FRIDAY MORNING INLINCOLN WE SAWSOMETHING A BITABNORMAL, THEGOVERNOR OFNEBRASKA DELIVERING ASPEECH TO THELEGISLATURE IN THEMIDDLE, TO THE END OFTHE SESSION.GOVERNOR RICKETTSSAYS HE DOESN'TREMEMBER THE LASTTIME IT HAPPENED BUTHE THOUGHT IT WASNECESSARY THAT THELEGISLATURE KNEWWHAT HE WANTED THEMTO GET DONE OVER THELAST FEW WEEKS."GOVERNOR PETERICKETTS GAVE HISSECOND SPEECH TO THENEBRASKA LEGISLATURETHIS YEAR - GIVING THEUNICAMERAL THE FOURBILLS HE WANTS PASSED...INCLUDING BILLS THATWOULD LOWERPROPERTY TAXES, GIVEPUBLIC FUNDING TO AMASSIVE UNMCRENOVATION PROJECT,GIVE TAX BREAKS TOVETERANS ANDINCENTIVIZE BUSINESSESTO COME TO NEBRASKA."WE'LL BE VITAL TORENEW SO WE CANREMAIN COMPETITIVEWITH OTHER STATES ANDCONTINUE TO CREATETHOSE JOBS."FOLLOWING THESPEECH, HE SPOKE WITHTHE PRESS.WHEN I SPOKE WITHRICKETTS AT THEBEGINNING OF THESESSION, HE SAIDPROPERTY TAX RELIEFAND THE BUSINESSINCENTIVE BILL DON'TNECESSARILY HAVE TOGO HAND IN HAND...BUTAFTER BOTH BILLSFAILED TO ADVANCE...HEWANTS TO COMPROMISEAND COMBINE THEM."I BELIEVE TIME IS NOWFOR SENATORS TO COMETOGETHER AND MAKEMODIFICATIONS TOTHOSE PLANS.BUT TO PUT THEMTOGETHER INTO ONEPACKAGE." FINALLYRICKETTS SAYS HE'SSTILL PURSUING ALAWSUIT AGAINSTLINCOLN ON MASKS.HE SAYS NEBRASKANSTEND TO DO THE RIGHTTHING."I WANT TO REALLY USETHE MODEL WE USEDFOR EXAMPLE THE STAYAT HOME ORDER, WEDIDN'T, WE WERE ONEOF THE SEVEN STATESTHAT DIDN'T DO THAT.WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO ISEDUCATE NEBRASKANSON WHY IT'S IMPORTANT."WHILE MULTIPLE PUBLICHEALTH DIRECTORS ANDUNMC EPIDEMIOLOGISTDOCTOR ALI KHANRECOMMEND A MASKMANDATE...RICKETTSDOESN'T WANT TOCRIMINALIZE THEBEHAVIOR."THE BETTER PATH ISGETTING PEOPLE TOUNDERSTAND WHYTHEY'RE DOING IT ANDDOING IT VOLUNTARILYBECAUSE WE DON'THAVE ENOUGH POLICEOFFICERS TO GO ANDENFORCE THIS." INLINCOLN JON KIPPER3NN.BACK TO THE 90S FOR