LAWMAKERS CONTINUE THE PUSH TO MAKE GOV. PETE RICKETTS APPLY FOR EMERGENCY RENT AID FOR NEBRASKANS

LINCOLN — A bill that attempts to force Gov. Pete Ricketts’ hand in applying for $120 million in emergency federal rental assistance is one step closer to being approved. The Nebraska Legislature advanced the measure to the final vote Wednesday, March 16 on a voice vote.

Ricketts has made it clear that he does not intend to apply for the second round of pandemic-related rent and utility funds, as "the storm has passed." He also said, "We must guard against becoming a welfare state."

Before the bill went to a vote on Wednesday, Ricketts tweeted a message asking his supporters to call their senators and "urge them to vote no."

Legislative Bill 1073 is a priority of Sen. Matt Hansen who commented that Nebraska is one of only two states that haven't applied for the already-earmarked rental and utility funds available under the American Rescue Plan Act. The $120 million would be dispersed to other states if Nebraska does not apply by the end of March. While the bill advanced to final reading with 29 votes of support, the body will need 30 votes to override a governor's veto. 

Hansen said the third vote will be scheduled so the Legislature can respond to a Ricketts veto. If this is necessary, Hansen said, "I feel optimistic."

Earlier in the legislative session, several rural nonprofit groups testified that rental assistance was needed in their areas. A concern among these nonprofit groups is that the application process could be too difficult to navigate and that it could be a reason why the first round of the funds had not yet been distributed. 

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NEBRASKA ABORTION BILLS HIT ROADBLOCK IN LEGISLATURE'S JUDICIARY COMMITTEE; PULL MOITON MEANS DEBATE NEXT WEEK

LINCOLN- Three bills that would heavily restrict or ban abortions in Nebraska hit a roadblock in the Legislature, but the journey isn't over for all of them just yet. Motions to advance all three bills out of the Judiciary Committee stalled Tuesday. Each would require a later vote by the committee or the full Legislature to move to the floor.

Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston quickly filed a pull motion to her bill (LB933), which is likely to be debated next week. If the motion to pull the measure is successful it will be placed on General File and will be eligible for first-round debate. Filibusters are expected during the pull motion and if the measure is considered further. Albrecht said she is confident she can get the 25 votes needed to pull the bill out of committee.

LB933 would ban all abortions in the state if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, or if the U.S. Constitution or federal law is amended to give control over abortions to individual states. Such measures are referred to as trigger bills.

Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha, chair of the Judiciary Committee, said he doubts that Roe v. Wade would be overturned, even with more conservative justices on the court.

"I just don't see that as an outcome," Lathrop said.

Albrecht, who is not on the Judiciary Committee, said she introduced LB933 so the Legislature could avoid a special session in the event that the Supreme Court rules prior to the next regular session. She said this will save Nebraskans money and ensure the ban takes effect instantly.

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TREASURY SHIFTS $377M AMONG STATES AS COVID HOUSING AID DRIES UP

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration has clawed back $377 million in federal emergency housing aid from states and counties, most of them controlled by Republicans, and redirected the cash to states that have been clamoring for more help, including New York, California, and New Jersey.

The $46 billion Emergency Rental Assistance Program, first enacted by Congress in 2020, succeeded in preventing a wave of evictions stemming from the downturn caused by the pandemic. But Treasury Department officials, increasingly concerned that evictions might rise after the program winds down, have tried to ensure that none of the remaining funding goes unspent while pushing states to find other funding sources to assist poor tenants.

In recent months, White House officials have pressured governors in states with unspent funds to turn over the money to local governments within their states. Now they are going one step further, pulling back cash from states with relatively few tenants — like Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming — or localities that failed to efficiently distribute the aid, including Alabama, Arkansas, and several counties in Texas.

The money, in turn, is being diverted to four states that burned through their allotted amounts — with $136 million in additional aid headed to California, $119 million to New York, $47 million to New Jersey, and $15 million to Illinois, according to a spreadsheet provided by a senior administration official. North Carolina, Washington, and other localities will be receiving smaller amounts.

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FOLEY ENDORSING HERBSTER; RICKETTS SAYS HE WOULD BE 'TERRIBLE GOVERNOR'

LINCOLN- A political rift between Gov. Pete Ricketts and Lt. Gov. Mike Foley broke into the open Tuesday after Foley told Ricketts he backs Charles Herbster for governor. 

The lieutenant governor’s decision appears to have motivated Ricketts to speak out more forcefully against Herbster. He said Herbster would be “a terrible governor.” Ricketts, who has endorsed and campaigned for University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen, said he told Foley that he was making a mistake and that he should rethink his choice. 

“I was very disappointed with the lieutenant governor’s choice,” Ricketts told the Nebraska Examiner. “I think it’s incredibly poor judgment on his part.”

The Herbster campaign plans to announce Foley’s endorsement during a press conference later Tuesday at the Capitol, the Examiner has learned. The campaign has promised a “HUGE announcement.”  Foley’s endorsement could carry added weight with GOP voters who oppose abortion. Some hold Foley in high regard from his work as a state senator. He was elected twice as state auditor. 

Ricketts on Tuesday ramped up his criticisms of Herbster. He reiterated his frustration that the Conklin Co. CEO bases his highest-paying jobs in Missouri and Minnesota. The governor also criticized Herbster’s late payment of property taxes. Herbster paid his personal and business property taxes late nearly 600 times. 

Pillen's campaign responded to the endorsement stating the endorsement was “disappointing but not surprising” since Foley was “pretty unhappy when I turned down his request to be my lieutenant governor."

Herbster was also endorsed by Senator Steve Halloran and former Nebraska State Patrol Superintendent Tom Nesbitt. 

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REPORT CALLS FOR REPLACING OMAHA VA HOSPITAL WITH NEW BUILDING

OMAHA- The city would get a new veterans hospital and Fremont and Council Bluffs would get new veterans clinics under proposals outlined in a Veterans Affairs report that calls for a massive, nationwide overhaul of its facilities.

The main losses for the state under the proposal would be eventual reductions in urgent care hours and nursing home beds at the Grand Island VA Medical Center and the closure of a small outpatient clinic in Sidney.

“It looks good for Nebraska veterans,” said Holden Armstrong, communications director for the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs.

The recommendations are, however, just a first step in what will be a long process, and one subject to change. The recommendations next will be reviewed by an independent commission, which has a year to review them. Members will seek public comment and likely will visit many of the communities listed in the proposals. The panel’s recommendations eventually would go to Congress and President Joe Biden. If they’re approved, it would take a decade or more to implement many of the recommendations.

“That is a long way of saying we are a long way from any action happening,” said Ron Woolery, a regional VA spokesman.

Overall, 35 VA medical centers in 21 states would be closed or rebuilt under the proposal as part of the nearly $2 trillion infrastructure overhaul, according to the Military Times.

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FEDERAL EARMARKS TO FUND PROGRAMS IN LA VISTA, SOUTH SARPY, OMAHA AND SOUTH SIOUX CITY

LA VISTA — Southern Sarpy County will get $3.5 million closer to completing a massive sewer project that opens the less developed part of the county to new housing, businesses, and jobs.

North Omaha and the people who visit, shop, and dine in its historic 24th Street corridor will see $3 million in improvements for new sidewalks, traffic signals, roundabouts, parking, bus stops, and bike lanes. La Vista walkers and cyclists near the site Walmart once occupied near 84th and Harrison Streets will get $5 million for two new trails and a path underneath 84th Street. The tunnel will connect both sides of La Vista Central Park, east and west of 84th Street, to the new $300 million La Vista City Centre redevelopment project. South Sioux City residents should be able to continue to flush toilets with confidence come June 2023 because the city’s planned new wastewater treatment plant is getting a $5 million infusion. And people hospitalized because of gang violence will get counseling from peers about services they might need to find a way out, through $527,000 in funds for a program of the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

These projects represent Nebraska’s $17 million slice of earmarked funds, secured as part of the $1.5 trillion spending bill Congress passed last week to keep the government running.

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NPPD AND ENTERGY AGREE TO END PARTNERSHIP ON NEBRASKA NUCLEAR PLANT

BROWNVILLE- NPPD is taking over full operation of Nebraska's sole nuclear plant, ending a nearly 20-year relationship with an outside company that had helped set the once-struggling reactor on a sound course.

On Monday, the Nebraska Public Power District and Louisiana-based Entergy jointly announced that they would end their collaboration at Cooper Nuclear Station near Brownville. NPPD owns the nuclear plant and Entergy has assisted in its management since 2003. 

At that time, NPPD had been contemplating shutting down Cooper due to costs, and federal regulators had given Cooper the lowest grade a nuclear plant can have while remaining open.

Tom Kent, president, and CEO at NPPD said Columbus-based utility plans to continue operating Cooper and can do so skillfully.

"Over the past two decades, we have built up a tremendous amount of experience and skill within our ranks," he said.

NPPD plans to tap outside companies such as Entergy on an as-needed basis, he said.

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L.A. JURY TO DECIDE IF FORTENBERRY LIED TO FEDERAL AGENTS OR WAS 'SET UP' BY THEM

LINCOLN— Until last fall, U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry was expected to easily breeze to re-election in 2022 in his Republican-dominated district spanning eastern Nebraska.

Instead, he’ll be fighting for his political life this week in a federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles.

Fortenberry, who has represented the 1st Congressional District since 2005, is charged with lying about, and then trying to conceal, his knowledge of $30,200 in illegal, “conduit” political campaign contributions.

Fortenberry’s trial begins Wednesday and is expected to continue through March 22. A campaign spokesman said it’s not certain that the 61-year-old congressman will testify in his own defense.

The outcome could be a decisive factor in whether the congressman is re-elected. He faces a formidable challenge in the May primary from State Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk, who has picked up endorsements from Gov. Pete Ricketts and former Gov. Dave Heineman, who said they fear losing the safe GOP seat to a Democrat because of Fortenberry’s legal issues.

How much politics will creep into the trial of a politician from a deeply red state in a blue stronghold remains to be seen. Fortenberry’s attorneys attempted, unsuccessfully, to get the trial moved to Nebraska, a request prosecutors slammed as “venue shopping.” 

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NEBRASKA CONTINUES TO SEE LOWER COVID CASE COUNTS AND HOSPITILIZATIONS

LINCOLN- More Nebraskans are returning to such activities as concerts, movies, and sporting events as the state’s COVID case counts continue their downward trend.

The state reported only 650 new COVID-19 cases last week, the lowest number in nearly eight months. Nebraska continues to have among the nation’s lowest case rates, last week trailing only Louisiana. Cases were down 98% from omicron peak levels seen seven weeks earlier. An average of 180 Nebraskans were hospitalized with the coronavirus last week, down 28% from the previous week. The 152 people hospitalized on Friday represented the lowest number since mid-July.

Dr. Mark Rupp, chief of the infectious diseases division at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said Monday that it’s now OK for residents to enjoy the easing of the pandemic.

“I think we do have this hiatus right now that I’m telling people they should be enjoying,” he said.

Rupp said Nebraskans need to realize that the situation can — and likely will — change. If it does, people will need to adapt to changing public health recommendations and return to such measures as masking and distancing. 

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CANAL, LAKE BILLS GET COMMITTEE APPROVAL; RICKETTS SAY ANY DELAY OF CANAL PROJECT HELPS COLORADO

LINCOLN - State officials, including Gov. Ricketts, have framed the canal as an urgent matter, crucial to protecting Nebraska’s water resources, and, in turn, protecting its economy as Colorado’s Front Range attracts more and more residents.

The project has support from agriculture groups, natural resources districts, the Nebraska Public Power District, and others.Questions over the bill include how and if it would truly affect drinking water in Lincoln and Omaha; whether Nebraska could actually exercise eminent domain in Colorado; how much the project would ultimately cost; and just how long the state could potentially spend in court fighting over it.

While LB 1015 doesn’t include funding, Ricketts proposed paying for it with a $400 million transfer from the state’s cash reserve fund and $100 million in federal COVID-19 relief money from the American Rescue Plan Act. The Appropriations Committee voted unanimously on Friday to allocate a much lower sum — $22.5 million — from the cash reserve.

“I think it’s important we do something to let Colorado know we’re coming,” Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard said. But Erdman, whose district would potentially be affected by the project, also said he wasn’t “overly enthused” about setting aside $500 million.

Sen. John Stinner, chair of Appropriations, has said he can't support earmarking a half-billion dollars in state funds to a project before a study has been done to determine whether it's feasible. Gov. Ricketts, however, has doubled down in his assessment of the canal, saying "Delay only benefits Colorado."

Tom Riley, the director of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, echoed Gov. Ricketts comments and said any delay would just allow Colorado to move forward with more projects that consume Nebraska's allocation.Riley and Ricketts have both claimed the canal, which would begin in northeast Colorado, is the only way Nebraska can claim water from the South Platte. A spokesperson for Colorado Gov. Polis rebuked these statements, saying, "It is increasingly clear that this is an offensive, not defensive, effort by Governor Ricketts to go after Colorado’s rightful water resources, and take the private land of hard-working farmers and ranchers."

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NEBRASKA SANDHILLS NAMED LARGEST INTACT TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS ON PLANET

LINCOLN- Work by UNL researchers Dirac Twidwell and Rheinhardt Scholtz has concluded that the Sandhills are Earth’s largest remaining intact, temperate grassland.

That’s probably a surprise to some because the Sandhills aren’t well-known outside the state, Twidwell said.

“While the Sandhills are recognized here, they haven’t gained the recognition internationally of other grasslands,” he said.

The duo’s research found that the Sandhills are among seven large-scale grasslands of any type that remain mostly intact. Another is in the Wyoming Basin, two others in Asia, and one each in Africa, South America, and Australia.

Of these, the Sandhills are the only region that doesn’t have an internationally focused conservation strategy, he said. That may be because the region lies wholly within one state and one country and doesn’t straddle borders requiring international cooperation.

The Sandhills, located in the northwest and north-central Nebraska, cover about a quarter of the state, and more than 90% of the land is privately owned.

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SENATORS DECRY THE LACK OF MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT OPTIONS IN THE STATE

LINCOLN — A person with mental illness goes off prescribed medications, gets unruly, and law enforcement is called. Maybe the person takes a swing at the responding cop, resulting in a trip to jail and maybe a conviction that leads to prison.

Due to the state's lack of resources and facilities to treat patients with mental illness, State Sen. Steve Lathrop said he's watched the above scenario unfold over and over. County jails and Nebraska prisons have instead become de facto mental health institutions; both of which are ill-equipped to treat them, Lathrop said.

“This is the moral issue of the day,” the veteran senator told his colleagues Tuesday.

Lathrop advocated for the increased capacity at the Lincoln Regional Center, especially for those who have been deemed incompetent to stand trial and are awaiting treatment. The average wait time for somebody to move from the county jail to the regional center is 128 days. One person in the Lancaster County Jail has been on the waitlist for 365 days.

“(Families) are begging the jail to send their loved ones to the Regional Center for treatment,” Lancaster County Commissioner Deb Schorr testified at a public hearing last week.

Schorr was one of many witnesses testifying in favor of Legislative Bill 1223 that would require the state to pay $100 a day if someone deemed incompetent had to wait more than 30 days. Sen. Matt Hansen introduced the bill which would also require that state hospitals have at least 200 beds for such individuals.

“It’s not right,” Lathrop said of the lack of beds and waitlists. “Mental health is probably the No. 1 issue for this body.”

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NEBRASKA BUDGET PLAN ADVANCED TO FULL LEGISLATURE WITHOUT SEX ED LANGUAGE

LINCOLN- The Appropriations Committee signed off on a budget plan Tuesday that would boost pay to providers caring for the most vulnerable Nebraskans and fund nearly $500 million worth of building and infrastructure projects.

But two sentences left out of the three-bill package could prove to be its most controversial feature.

The sentences would have barred the State Department of Education from using any of its appropriation to “research, adopt or implement state sex education standards for Nebraska schools.”

Gov. Pete Ricketts had included that language in his budget recommendations to the Legislature, specifying that the prohibition was to apply whether the sex education standards were mandatory or voluntary for schools.

The Appropriations Committee plan makes changes to the two-year budget passed last year. Under the plan, state spending would hit $9.8 billion during the two years ending June 30, 2023.

But, based on new, more optimistic projections of state revenue, it would leave $453.6 million of state general funds available for tax cuts or other spending priorities.

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MEASURE TO PROVIDE VIDEO ARCHIVE OF LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS AND FLOOR DEBATE ADVANCES

LINCOLN — The Nebraska Legislature would maintain a video archive of legislative debate and hearings under a bill advanced Thursday to debate.

Legislative Bill 777 was introduced with the goal of increasing transparency and following the procedure of 46 other states that already keep a library of legislative proceedings. Making legislative proceedings more accessible to the public has gained the support of Sen. Julie Slama and Sen. Suzanne Geist, who said that many entities already record the proceedings.

Under an amendment to LB777, AM2131, the recordings "shall not be used for political or commercial purposes" and are intended for "educational and informational purposes."

Senators not yet in support of LB777 have concerns that the recordings will be used for political purposes, to "gotcha" a senator. There are other concerns that the recordings will be used for interest groups to urge people to call out senators about a particular vote.In response to Sen. Lathrop's question, "Is that political?", the Legislature's Executive Board proposed putting a "watermark" on the video that states the recording cannot be used politically.

LB777 advanced from the Executive Board on a 6-1 vote with Lathrop being the singular "no" vote. Sen. Pansing Brooks and Sen. Vargas were present and not voting. The bill, introduced by Sen. Brewer, was declared a speaker priority bill. Of the groups advocating for the bill, the Platte Institute, an Omaha-based think tank, says it is a way to keep the public more informed.

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FACT CHECK: HERBSTER, PILLEN CRT SQUABBLE SHORT ON SUBSTANCE

LINCOLN- Charles W. Herbster has used Jim Pillen’s record on critical race theory as ammunition in attacks against his chief rival in the Republican primary for Nebraska governor. But the critiques of Pillen, a University of Nebraska regent since 2013, aren’t backed by much substance.

Herbster, a Falls City businessman, launched an ad last month asserting “Pillen approved a whole new department focused on CRT” — an apparent reference to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion was created in 2018, Herbster campaign spokesperson Emily Novotny said in an email, with the chancellor position created that December. Regents voted 7-0 on Dec. 4, with Hal Daub abstaining, to approve the chancellor’s recommendation to hire Marco Barker as vice-chancellor of diversity and inclusion and as an associate professor, according to meeting minutes.

The Herbster ad also asserts that Pillen chose a leader for that office who “praised violent race riots on university letterhead.” It uses the name and photo of Barker, who is Black. Barker declined The World-Herald’s request for an interview.Barker wrote about the calls for change and offered resources on campus for those seeking out conversations, counseling or information. He did not reference “violent race riots.”

The ad also claims that Pillen tripled the office’s budget. But regents don’t vote on department-level spending. According to spokesperson Melissa Lee, they approve an overall operating budget for the university system and every chancellor has authority over their campus budget.

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BILL REQUIRING GOV. TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL RENTAL AID ADVANCES; RICKETTS SEES NO JUSTIFICATION TO APPLY

LINCOLN- Despite his resistance, Gov. Pete Ricketts could be required to apply for $120 million of federal rent and utility assistance money under a bill that advanced in the Legislature Wednesday.Legislative Bill 1073 would call on the governor to apply for all federal funds available to Nebraska for emergency rental assistance under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The bill advanced to the second of three rounds of debate following a 29-7 vote Wednesday.

The bill was amended to include the requirement after Ricketts announced he would not seek the $120 million. The state has until March 30 to apply before the funding is earmarked to go to other states, according to State Sen. Matt Hansen of Lincoln. Nebraska is one of only two states to ignore the funding opportunity, he said.

Lawmakers have repeatedly requested Ricketts seek out aid. Last week, all nine members of the Appropriations Committee signed a letter asking the governor to reconsider his decision.

Despite this, Ricketts doubled down on his stance that Nebraska did not need the money in a column published Tuesday. In the column, Ricketts argued that the COVID-19 pandemic was over, and compared the assistance to “applying for emergency disaster aid without a flood or tornado.”

“Nebraska is not a welfare state,” Ricketts said in the column. “It’s not who we are. But if we take these funds, it will be.”

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BIG LAKE, WITH $500M-$1B PRICETAG GETS LOTS OF LOVE FROM LAWMAKERS

LINCOLN — The proposal for a 4,000-acre sandpit lake between Omaha and Lincoln got a lot of love Wednesday from state legislators but also plenty of questions about how much public access would be allowed.

State Sens. John Cavanagh and Steve Lathrop, both of Omaha, led the questioning.Cavanaugh told the Nebraska Examiner he was concerned that the public could be barred from a portion of the big lake.

“If we’re going to make this a state asset, we need to enshrine that we guarantee public access,” he said.

Lincoln Sen. Mike Hilgers, a main proponent of the lake, said an amendment is being drafted to ensure that “public access” to the lake.

He said the lake would probably have marinas and hotels that are privately owned, but that public access to them would be assured.

“I would never come in for a dime of public money if it was closed off to public access,” said Hilgers, who is Speaker of the Legislature.

On Wednesday, after a morning debate, state legislators advanced the bill containing the big lake proposal on a 29-4 vote.

Cavanaugh was among seven senators who were present but not voting on Legislative Bill 1023. He said he was reserving judgment until he saw the amendment ensuring public access, which will be debated during second-round consideration of the bill.

The bill would devote $20 million in state funds to study the feasibility of building the lake, which is roughly estimated to cost $500 million to $1 billion to dredge to a depth of 30 feet. Another $26 million, as proposed in the bill, would be set aside for the construction costs.

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CASINO BILL ADVANCES WITH ON NEW 'RACINOS'

LINCOLN- Nebraska gambling enthusiasts would have to make do with only six casinos at existing horse racing tracks, at least initially, under a bill advanced Tuesday to debate by the full Legislature.

Legislative Bill 876 was advanced by the Legislature’s General Affairs Committee on a 7-0 vote, with one member not voting, after weeks of wrangling over several issues, including how many casinos to allow, given voter approval of expanded gambling in November.

Proponents of locating new racinos in Bellevue, Norfolk, North Platte, Gering and Ogallala would be required to do an extensive study to answer several questions, including whether new locations would help or hurt the existing casinos and whether they would help or hurt the horse racing industry.

Briese said it would be up to the State Racing Commission to decide whether new racinos should be added. Under LB 876, the commission would have to conduct a “statewide market analysis” on horse racing and complete its work “as soon as practicable” but not later than Jan. 1, 2025.

Briese called that a “de facto moratorium” on new racinos because it would take some time — he wouldn’t predict how long — before the commission and an applicant for a new racino could complete the required studies.

The Nebraska Chamber of Commerce had called for no limit on the number of racinos allowed. State horse racing officials, meanwhile, had recommended that casinos be allowed only existing racetracks in Omaha, Lincoln, Columbus, Grand Island, South Sioux City and Hastings.

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PERKINS COUNTY CANAL PROJECT MOVES FORWARD AMID QUESTIONS ABOUT FINAL COST

LINCOLN — After an afternoon-long debate, state lawmakers advanced a controversial proposal to begin designing a $500-million canal to divert water from the South Platte River. Legislative Bill 1015, introduced on behalf of Gov. Pete Ricketts, advanced from the first round of debate on a 36-3 vote.The canal, which was originally proposed in the 1920s, has drawn questions from state senators regarding the sudden urgency of the project.

"This thing's one hundred years old. All of a sudden, we have this urgency," said State Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha.

Ricketts and the supporters of the canal project argue that unless it is built, Colorado will suck up the flows of the South Platte River that were granted to Nebraska in the water compact made in 1923. Supporters claim the canal is the only way to capture the off-season flows that Colorado will instead use for development projects on the Front Range.

The Appropriations Committee, which writes the state budget, has instead recommended about $53 million to do design work on the canal project. The chairman of the committee, State Sen. John Stinner, said it would be fiscally irresponsible to allocate $500 million to the canal without more study.

Lathrop questioned whether $500 million would even be enough to complete the project. Regardless of whether it is or not, he is also concerned about the possibility of the Legislature abandoning other state priorities in favor of the canal. Defendants of the bill, such as Sen. Mike Flood, argue the canal would signal to Colorado "how serious we are about water."

State Sen. Dan Hughes said, "If we don't build this canal, that water will go away. It will be lost to use forever." He also claimed that the Front Range is projected to double in population in the next 30 years.

The bill still has two rounds of debate to endure and will likely be brought up when the Legislature debates the state budget.

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RICKETTS TOUTS PROGRESS IN REDUCING STAFF SHORTAGES IN NEBRASKA PRISONS

LINCOLN- Hefty pay increases for state corrections workers have already reduced staff vacancies by half and should soon cut into forced overtime for prison guards and required weekend lockdowns for many prisoners, state officials said Monday.

Overall, the raises of up to 40% announced in November have helped the state attract more than 1,000 new applicants and make 267 new hires, said Nebraska Department of Correctional Services Director Scott Frakes. The new pay is so attractive, he said, that 50 of the new hires are staffers who previously left and are now returning to the agency, and 118 are coming from out of state.

“We are very pleased with that agreement and the impact it has had on our staffing,” said Gov. Pete Ricketts, who joined Frakes at a press conference Monday.

The State Corrections Department has been dogged by chronic staffing shortages for years. Late last year, about a third of the agency’s "protective services" positions — corrections corporals, sergeants, and caseworkers — were vacant.

The sparse staffing has spurred myriad problems, including record overtime costs, limits on inmates' activities and safety issues.

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