[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6360771,"mediaKeyId","2173358-cefda5d44a33ca0ee9dc72ea220135d1","parentId",2173358,"title","Treasurer, auditor seek statutory sync on withholding of state aid for noncompliant municipalities","audioSeconds",277,"startMs",4396000,"endMs",4673000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2173358-cefda5d44a33ca0ee9dc72ea220135d1&start=4396&end=4673","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2173358-cefda5d44a33ca0ee9dc72ea220135d1/thumbnail_4396000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6360771/Nebraska/Treasurer-auditor-seek-statutory-sync-on-withholding-of-state-aid-for-noncompliant-municipalities","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6360771-f53ae8463e1fb875472a3fc2e12ddfcb/orig.mp4?Expires=1775484271&Signature=M43~3C8PbYxY5sA1TvRSf5JA7YpDYRKo0oygdDHMUx5Yazc-CmOTKp97XZtDZ3rGsnBePEDxpo-RKjBfHAYH9qFHC3vQyNbUgZAs2YgVSGL0ZfbSa6DHpNd2pb7aCKrYyN41ijQhsAcTdZH6edgHGkWr2DvvZ90ebpEW0GeF5Bpg5KQEQ8S9uZZJVOKs8qN8TWT4wRAc4ZZifkfzLeddTm~~D2qFVD9SwL2UHq-P4U2PMkIc4Qc~V8nQ5dVzvE7uJm2q2A6ztciEJTZDnp-lR3aVvNK5ShI0vbGV9vcNyjgd2m7I3a7--rr7CFabcyCj9uXE3xucPzksM-iiepfcIg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Nebraska Legislature","date","2025-01-29T00:00:00Z","article","Senator Rita Sanders introduced LB 123 on behalf of the State Treasurer's Office and the State Auditor's Office, saying the bill would synchronize withholding and redistribution procedures across statutes that govern state aid when a city or village is out of compliance with audit or budget requirements.

Heidi Wallace, Deputy Director of Treasury Management for the State Treasurer's Office, testified in support and gave the most detailed practical rationale. She explained that under current practice forfeited state aid is sometimes redistributed to every city and village in the state, producing de minimis payments, and that LB 123 would align statutes so that forfeited funds are redistributed only to other cities and villages in the same county (matching the procedure in one statute). Wallace also described a proposal to add a provision across the statutes to remove a city or village from distributions if it remains noncompliant 12 months after receiving notice; the municipality would be added back if it subsequently becomes compliant.

Wallace described a long‑running withholding case involving the Village of South Bend, which has been delinquent for roughly five years; since 2019, the treasurer's office has redistributed an amount totaling just over $81,000 that otherwise would have gone to South Bend. She said the change would reduce repeated withholding/redistribution cycles and administrative burden for the treasurer's office.

Jeff Schreier, an audit manager for the Auditor of Public Accounts, testified in support on behalf of the auditor, calling the bill a \"good clarification, harmonization and clear direction\" for both offices about withholding procedures when audits are not filed or political subdivisions are out of budget compliance. He added that school districts are not encompassed by this bill; municipalities are the primary focus.

The Nebraska Association of County Officials participated in a neutral capacity and pointed out that counties receive a portion of some restricted funds and asked the committee to note that context; Wallace acknowledged an amendment under consideration to address related statutory references.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about which entities are covered and the annual nature of audit obligations; witnesses confirmed audits or waiver requests are annual and that school districts are not part of the proposed withholding provisions. No committee vote was recorded. The hearing record included a small number of online position comments.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee January 29, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Senator Rita Sanders introduced LB 123 on behalf of the State Treasurer's Office and State Auditor's Office to harmonize statutes governing withholding and redistribution of state aid when cities or villages fail to meet audit or budget reporting requirements.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature NE, Nebraska","taxId",77675,"location","Nebraska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6360776,"Bill to prohibit local rent control draws partisan testimony; advocates urge local flexibility",594,2267000,2861000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2173358-cefda5d44a33ca0ee9dc72ea220135d1&start=2267&end=2861","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2173358-cefda5d44a33ca0ee9dc72ea220135d1/thumbnail_2267000.jpg","/articles/6360776/Nebraska/Bill-to-prohibit-local-rent-control-draws-partisan-testimony-advocates-urge-local-flexibility","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6360776-4a8e129455af7049c4b76904a7284bb6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775484271&Signature=nAm~aq63QmWy7Gk66b5IJuyVCEDk-Qwnv2SguzJgt~zz3iIXcg7lKwQDUMCpg1~OycOwl~EuB9aLo7btAK8SXACS6H~qaC3-Lz8pk~bVHu-t0FL2FO8OKxeZlVAGPjt72SwsVxm8gfvE6Dy~ZGb3O7RWlsoWn2rcoCD59rbqVQ27C~g6EOC0Hu~GKwhsbnr9gNtRooML9FIKbGp5WqZdp76slhmWQWOv5caXDvj3jCa4-0hcXj-RS0HbFI3F7YhYD~my~8pgaLLvWli-d52~OHVg3dymUmfcFDBjwT59~Bbt2QvDrgL4fKsfKK~FfFXEUQi5O7rjTxKWpKBkyCmIsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Robert Dover (19th District) opened LB 266 by arguing the state should prevent local rent control ordinances, saying rent control \"can disincentivize developers from building new housing\" and could distort housing markets. Dover told the committee the bill is intended as a preventive measure even though no Nebraska political subdivision has an active rent‑control proposal at the time of the hearing.

Representatives of landlord and property‑owner groups testified in favor of the bill. Doug Kagan of Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom warned of administrative costs and economic distortions he associated with rent control, and Lynn Fisher, president of the Statewide Property Owners Association, described landlords as the primary suppliers of affordable rental housing in the state and urged lawmakers to block local rent‑control ordinances to avoid discouraging investment and new development.

\"When government at any level adds more regulation and chooses winners and losers in the economy, everyone loses,\" Fisher said, citing examples of cities she said experienced reduced new development after rent‑control measures.

Dennis Tierney of the Metropolitan Property Owners Association and other landlord witnesses referenced academic reviews and Federal Reserve research they said show rent control reduces supply and harms housing quality.

Opponents included Erin Feichtinger, policy director for the Women's Fund of Omaha, who testified that LB 266 is a \"solution in search of a problem\" because no Nebraska jurisdiction is currently pursuing rent control. Feichtinger said housing shortages and housing instability vary across communities and should be addressed locally: \"Taking away a tool that may possibly one day exist in the future to address a community's unique needs is unnecessary,\" she told the committee.

Feichtinger also disputed claims that Omaha's Affordable Housing Action Plan recommends rent control, saying the plan only recorded community members mentioning the idea during public engagement and that rent control was not included among formal recommendations submitted to the Omaha City Council.

Committee discussion focused on whether preempting local action is appropriate when no city or county has proposed rent control and on evidence from other localities. Several proponents cited experiences in other states and cities as precedents; opponents emphasized local discretion and differences among Nebraska communities. The committee did not take a vote; the online hearing record listed 37 proponents and 22 opponents at the time the hearing record was summarized.","LB 266, a proposal to bar local governments from imposing rent control on private residential contracts, drew extensive proponent testimony from landlord and property‑owner groups and opposition from tenant advocates who said the ban preempts local solutions to housing instability.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6360780,"Bill would clarify that section lines are not required public roads and simplify road‑vacation process",714,1218000,1932000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2173358-cefda5d44a33ca0ee9dc72ea220135d1&start=1218&end=1932","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2173358-cefda5d44a33ca0ee9dc72ea220135d1/thumbnail_1218000.jpg","/articles/6360780/Nebraska/Bill-would-clarify-that-section-lines-are-not-required-public-roads-and-simplify-roadvacation-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6360780-fde2e628c14a5d51d932b45466528d7d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775484271&Signature=WYnpT7MuiQCpQSLHO-jR0PpfNj6rWA8QnOmLQkQzWWoh70iCbrN2h2pJuOwG07C7mbC492bvs5UNwmVQM0Qor3fAdRHxAe4AqoSlb~2dA2GV8DUMv7uskPLZxorVJFYOfFSfVZDJ5aGUtmIdxwyCnsAKc9APE6-kuAh~oaJ2NmVt8jDzBC1TZsbRD1-SWxOZnKRhvwW1H6c0AYt~Dm2Mf2Sgbn1PqJW9BSl44TbBHPlZCg0loFZRuEgJPcDuX2P3GCbhv~vT0Pq8DFyFluY9kMsIniAscci8s9wGQR2rlEDaFhSZQUFIAr0WyBbhh59q6kK9X7k71sTUN~g8DpfIAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Ben Hansen (16th District) told the committee LB 373 aims to clarify an apparent inconsistency in state statute by making clear that section lines are declared but not required to be public roads and by updating the process for vacating public roads that are unused.

\"LB 373 clears up this confusion. It would make state statute read the section lines are hereby declared, but not required to be public roads,\" Hansen said, adding the bill updates the process for removing public roads and preserves protections for government survey monuments.

Senator Hansen said county officials have told him they feel current statute has been interpreted to require maintenance of roads along every square mile even when those roads are unused, creating budgetary pressure in small counties that spend a large share of budgets on roads. The bill would allow counties to vacate unused section‑line roads through a resolution, public hearing and a two‑thirds vote of the county board; notice would be mailed to adjacent landowners and published in the local newspaper, and townships or cities would have to consent where applicable.

Beth Ferrell of the Nebraska Association of County Officials testified in a neutral capacity. She said county boards consider current uses, future uses, emergency access and whether vacating a road would create isolated parcels; because the bill leaves the decision optional and local, NACO's position is neutral. \"Ultimately, that decision is local. It's based on local factors,\" she said.

Casey Sherlock, Nebraska State Surveyor, also testified in a neutral role and recommended technical changes to ensure survey procedures and corner perpetuation requirements remain clear. Sherlock suggested deleting the phrase \"without preliminary survey\" and rely on public‑road construction regulations; he also recommended referring to the statutes that govern restoration of lost or obliterated section corners rather than to the BLM manual by name.

Committee members asked whether removing roads could affect state funding formulas. Ferrell said there is a formula that involves road miles in funding allocations and offered to share Department of Transportation materials with the committee. Senator Hunt and others asked practical questions about what happens to vacated roads; witnesses said land ownership and local agreements typically determine subsequent maintenance and ownership, and that some roads are designated \"minimum maintenance\" roads rather than fully closed.

Senator Hansen said the language was substantially the same as a prior year's bill (LB 1174) with clarifications suggested by state surveyors to protect section corners and monuments. He asked the committee for support; no committee vote was recorded during the hearing. The hearing record listed one neutral organization (Nebraska Association of County Officials) and the State Surveyor's office participation in the neutral capacity.","LB 373 would amend state statute to clarify that federal‑survey section lines are \"declared\" but not required to be public roads, and would update procedures allowing counties to vacate unused section‑line roads with a simplified process; the bill drew neutral and technical feedback from county and surveying officials.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6360784,"Committee hears bill to let small counties award larger visitor-improvement grants",293,281000,574000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2173358-cefda5d44a33ca0ee9dc72ea220135d1&start=281&end=574","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2173358-cefda5d44a33ca0ee9dc72ea220135d1/thumbnail_281000.jpg","/articles/6360784/Nebraska/Committee-hears-bill-to-let-small-counties-award-larger-visitor-improvement-grants","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6360784-d097efdcb7af5e79dcfefe45e2ce464e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775484271&Signature=R~Wm9WjkVBOmwZ5G6ufLI3wObtBAvR9UF9CUGaPOBgneWE4eeZvHt0VV98z4szzZBeCypICJDhXhbLb4ApvT9DnuKDX9Jh6bQnc-BWkNvGdykbQN0H0VTZTY2nCn~2E4VuT6rI1kLRDDOC-9Vr8DAjRsI-r3~xXTmU8vlsZbQCiwXpjgYSnuxRhT7dO9-UlxYoOHDuf4i~p~a-i3kUJbPr8QhfXu1goGXDY175GLo~L~uZSws49l9pjtDmiA4JJyfO10vMVoG8FYLBhiveIjNmBtPbWZTOMyzSeSPwu3Rvp8uVpVxGN3XxKJlmWwRuLj5zRONnPn6-1OnM29NDLC6w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Tanya Stoehr, who represents the 43rd District, introduced LB 294 on the committee floor, saying the bill would increase flexibility in the county visitors improvement fund and allow counties to award annual grants \"up to the greater of 1% or $5,000,\" as amended.

The measure would change how counties may spend proceeds from local lodging taxes. \"These are dollars that are generated within that county. That is the purpose of the improvement fund,\" Stoehr said in her opening remarks, describing the proposal as a way to enable small counties to use collected lodging-tax dollars to complete larger, one‑time projects.

Stoehr told the committee the bill was initially drafted to increase the ability of Loop County to pay for engineering on a new hiking and biking trail. She said Loop County trail promoters had obtained an 80% construction grant from the Nebraska Department of Transportation but were limited by current law to awarding about $1,000 in improvement‑fund grants in that year. Stoehr said the amendment raises the per‑project cap from the originally proposed higher figure to \"1% or $5,000, whichever of the two is greater,\" to help additional small counties use funds in a meaningful way.

Steve Molly, president of the Nebraska Travel Association, testified in favor of the bill, saying rural counties with strong ecotourism opportunities often collect only small lodging‑tax amounts and therefore cannot make impactful grants under the current 1% cap. \"Passing LB 294 will ensure that Nebraska remains very competitive with improving their tourism opportunities, and gives our smaller counties the opportunity to punch above their weight,\" Molly said.

Richard Brown, representing the Loop County visitors committee and participants in the trail project, described the local need. He told the committee the project has incurred about $11,000 in design and consulting costs to date and that Loop County had been capped at roughly $1,000 under current statute. Brown said Loop County's improvement fund holds about $30,000 and that lodging tax revenues should bring in another $15,000–$20,000 a year going forward; he said raising the per‑project cap to $5,000 would meaningfully cover engineering costs before construction begins later this year.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about how the cap would be applied. Senator Gorecki asked whether the new threshold would be for individual grants or total annual awards; a county proponent answered that it would be \"what they could grant for one given project in one given year.\" Committee members also asked about the potential for spending all funds on a single project; proponents said local boards would manage award decisions.

No committee vote was recorded during the hearing. Senator Stoehr closed by asking the committee to advance LB 294, as amended, with an emergency clause attached. The hearing record shows seven in‑person proponents and no opponents or neutral testifiers listed at the time of adjournment.

The bill would not change county lodging‑tax rates or total lodging‑tax collections; it only changes the per‑project award limit under the county visitors improvement fund.

Proponents' testimony and submitted letters will be part of the official hearing record as the committee considers next steps.","A bill to let counties award larger single grants from lodging-tax-funded county visitors improvement funds drew support at a Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee hearing, with proponents saying the change would help very small counties fund meaningful projects such as a three‑mile trail in the Sandhills.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Treasurer, auditor seek statutory sync on withholding of state aid for noncompliant municipalities

Bill to prohibit local rent control draws partisan testimony; advocates urge local flexibility

Bill would clarify that section lines are not required public roads and simplify road‑vacation process

Committee hears bill to let small counties award larger visitor-improvement grants