LINCOLN — Nebraska teens, under a 2019 state law, must clear a civics requirement to graduate. Immigrants must pass a test on civics and U.S. history to gain U.S. citizenship.

Now a bipartisan group of Nebraska state senators wants to write into law that new members of the officially nonpartisan Legislature take a 20-question civics test — and publicly post the scores.

LINCOLN — With a projected $471 million budget deficit on the horizon, Gov. Jim Pillen looked to the state Department of Health and Human Services for the largest chunk of his proposed budget cuts.

Pillen previewed his preferred mid-cycle adjustments to the state’s biennial budget Thursday during his annual State of the State Address. Overall, the governor’s changes would reduce state spending by 0.4% in the current fiscal year and by 1.8% in fiscal year 2027.