Canal, Lake, Urban Revitalization Among Nearly 100 Bills Passed

The Nebraska Legislature passed nearly 100 bills Tuesday, on subjects ranging from canals and lakes to urban revitalization and improved contracts, while leaving other subjects hanging for possible future action.

The ringing of a bell telling senators it was time to vote was a familiar sound Tuesday. And vote they did, their names called out and the tally announced every few minutes.

So it went for much of the day, as lawmakers took final action without debate on nearly 100 bills on the third-to-last day of their 2022 regular session.

Bills passed included permission for the Department of Natural Resources to build a canal to bring water from the South Platte River in Colorado to Nebraska. Funding for actual construction on that more than half-billion-dollar project awaits the outcome of a feasibility study.

Also approved were marina construction at Lake McConnaughy near Ogallala and Lewis and Clark Lake along the Missouri River in northern Nebraska, as well as a lodge at the nearby Niobrara State Park. And the Department of Natural Resources got permission to build at least a 3,600-acre lake between Lincoln and Omaha, although that, too, awaits a study on whether it would have a negative effect on either city’s water supply.

Senators also gave final approval to a bill that authorizes spending about $335 million, primarily to revitalize impoverished North Omaha, with provisions for projects in South Omaha, Lincoln, and rural areas of Nebraska as well. The bill also envisions spending almost $130 million in separate federal funds for projects including broadband, digital connectivity devices, and community facilities in all three congressional districts.

Other significant measures passed included an increase in death benefits for public safety workers, like police and firefighters, from $50,000 to $250,000 for deaths in the line of duty. Lawmakers approved a study of how to improve state contracting procedures in the wake of several failed contracts, including one with Saint Francis Ministries of Kansas for child welfare case management. And bonuses of between $750 and $3,000 to attract and retain law enforcement personnel were also approved.

The harmony of the day stood in contrast to the sometimes divisive debate Monday night. One dispute came on a bill by Sen. Jen Day requiring Nebraska schools to teach about the Holocaust and other acts of genocide.

Last week during the second round of debate, Sen. Justin Wayne succeeded in amending the bill to also require teaching about slavery, lynching, and racial massacres in America. But Monday, Speaker of the Legislature Mike Hilgers said that amendment jeopardized the bill.

“It’s really not about the specific matter of the amendment. I want to be really clear about that. I did announce earlier in the session, consistent with historical practice, that a speaker priority that adds new material typically, historically does not get rescheduled on debate,” Hilgers said.

Day moved to delete the references to slavery, lynching, and racial massacres. Wayne objected.

“To me it doesn’t make sense to learn about massacres in other countries, and not talk about our own massacres here – everything from Wounded Knee to slavery…If we’re going to require anything, we should at least make sure we’re talking about our own history,” Wayne said.

Wayne also said Gov. Pete Ricketts’ Policy Research Office had objected to his amendment requiring teaching about slavery, lynching and racial massacres as an example of critical race theory. The governor’s office declined to comment on that claim.

Day said she would work with Wayne to get those topics discussed in future legislation.

“I still support him in his efforts to get slavery, lynching, and racial massacres into our social studies curriculum for the entire state. And I would be happy to work with him on a bill to do just that next session. But please do not forget that this is a bill about Holocaust education. It is a bill that is in direct response to anti-Semitism that people have suffered, and the rise of white supremacy in the last several years,” Day said.

Senators voted 27-13 to delete Wayne’s amendment, then readvanced the bill on second round on a voice vote.

Also derailed Monday was a proposal by Sen. Megan Hunt to end the state’s ban on letting people convicted of three or more felony crimes of drug possession or use qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP benefits, if they had completed their sentence or were serving a term of parole, probation, or post-release supervision. Hunt said giving people the federally funded benefits would cost the state nothing and help those who needed them to reenter society. Opponents, led by Sen. Julie Slama, objected, saying two chances were enough. The bill had received 25 votes on the first round, but would have needed 33 votes to overcome a filibuster, so shortly after 9:30, Hilgers moved to adjourn.

Sen. Carol Blood later objected Hilgers’ move also derailed her proposed constitutional amendment prohibiting the Legislature from passing unfunded mandates down to local governments.

Blood suggested that was because she is running as a Democratic candidate for governor.

Hilgers, a Republican candidate for attorney general, denied that. He pointed out he had not been able to schedule several bills named as priorities by Republicans in the officially nonpartisan Legislature, adding that there had simply not been enough time for Blood’s proposal to be debated and advanced.