Legislature upholds Pillen's veto of bedbug bill

By Fred Knapp , Senior Reporter/Producer Nebraska Public Media

27 de Mayo de 2025 a las 17:00 ·

Sen. Terrell McKinney during debate Tuesday (Photo by Fred Knapp, Nebraska Public Media News) — Sen. Terrell McKinney during debate Tuesday. (Fred Knapp/Nebraska Public Media News)

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The Nebraska Legislature on Tuesday upheld Gov. Jim Pillen’s veto of a bill aimed at cracking down on bedbugs in Omaha Housing Authority buildings. And senators tweaked requirements for so-called Good Life retail developments.

The bedbug bill, sponsored by the Urban Affairs Committee, would have allowed, but not required, the Omaha City Council to make sure the Omaha Housing Authority complies with city codes and inspections. Gov. Jim Pillen vetoed the bill last week, saying it contains needless duplicative mandates and that the city already has the power to handle the situation.

Sen. Terrell McKinney said tenants have complained for years about bed bug infestations in housing authority buildings, but the city has claimed it has no power to do anything about it.

“For too long, the issues of bed bugs and other related issues related to the Omaha Housing Authority have gone unchecked, unchecked by HUD, unchecked by the city of Omaha, and unchecked by this Legislature,” he said.

The Legislature passed the bill two weeks ago on a vote of 34-15. That’s four more votes than would be needed to override a veto. But as debate progressed, it became clear that a number of senators were going to switch their votes. Among them was Sen. Stan Clouse.

“So what's changed now? We have a whole new administration in Omaha, so I want to give that administration the opportunity to weigh in on it. The mayor appoints the Housing Authority. Give them opportunity to make some changes there,” he said.

Douglas County Treasurer John Ewing defeated Mayor Jean Stothert in this month’s election and takes office June 9.

Pillen’s veto letter also objected to another portion of the bill, which would allow Sanitary Improvement Districts to charge people who live outside of the district for things that benefit them, like road improvements. Sen. Tanya Storer said that violates an important principle.

“That's a problem. Back in the old days we called that -- I think this still applies – ‘taxation without representation,’ when somebody is being given the authority to tax me, and I don't even have the opportunity to vote for them,” she said.

Sen. Rita Sanders sponsored that portion. But Tuesday, Sanders said she had changed her mind after voting for the bill last week.

“That day was a very busy day for all of us, so I knew I had final reading yet to get to, and so I voted yes at the time. Now we have more time to reconsider, and I am going to stand with the governor,” she said.

McKinney argued that problems with the tax portion of the bill could be addressed next year, but bedbugs are a problem for people right now.

“This is about public health, human dignity, and making sure when somebody goes to sleep at night, they're not getting ate up by bed bugs. It's making sure that a housing authority that has lacked accountability for decades, honestly, is held accountable,” he said.

But when senators voted, McKinney lost 10 votes the bill had gotten on final reading. The final tally was 24 in favor, 24 against, and one not voting, meaning Pillen’s veto stands.

Senators then began considering a bill changing requirements for real estate developments in so-called "Good Life" districts, leading Sen. Danielle Conrad to comment on the contrast between the two subjects.

“Today, again on full display in this Legislature, which has been pattern and practice for the entire session, is the Nebraska Legislature figuring out how to use their power to aid the powerful, and the Nebraska Legislature punching down on the working poor and the most vulnerable,” she said.

Good Life districts allow developers to use half the state sales tax they would otherwise owe on sales within the district to pay for improvements like buildings, streets, lighting and landscaping. The law allows up to five districts statewide, and so far, districts have been approved in Gretna, Bellevue, west Omaha and Grand Island, with applications pending for the final spot from Kearney and Papillion.

One change the bill makes is to say that to qualify for the tax break, a business that opens in the district cannot have another similar location within 40 miles. Sen. Brad von Gillern, sponsor of the bill, said that was important to prevent existing business from simply moving for their sales to trigger a tax break.

“It's not right that a developer could have relocated a substantial ongoing business -- I had a couple examples, I'm not going to name the examples -- to capture half of their sales tax revenue. Just imagine some of the biggest businesses in Omaha moving. The state would have given up half of their sales tax revenue,” he said.

Senators adopted von Gillern’s amendment, then gave his bill second-round approval on a voice vote.