Senator moves to protect Broadband Bridge contracts after planned sweep of lapsed funds

Senator DeBoer on the floor of the Nebraska Legislature urged colleagues to adopt an amendment, AM 14‑10, to adjust a planned sweep of lapsed funds from the Broadband Bridge program so that existing broadband build contracts would not be canceled. DeBoer said the item is “a kind of complex question” and explained that the budget “murder sheet” listed a $5 million lapse but the Public Service Commission could only provide $4 million because about $2.2 million of earlier carryover lapses automatically on June 20.

“Because it's an automatic lapse, it will show up on the green sheet after select file as 4,000,000 even though we're saying the words 1.8 here,” DeBoer said in her opening remarks, urging colleagues to treat the $1.8 million in the amendment as effectively part of a $4 million lapse that must not cancel contracted projects.

Senator Clements, who supported a revised approach in committee, explained the change reduces the amount actually swept from $5 million to $1.8 million on the amendment while acknowledging that $2.2 million will lapse automatically, yielding a net $4 million effect on the budget. He said the adjustment avoids forcing the Public Service Commission to cancel obligations already in place.

Other senators asked for more detail about the source of the funds and how projects are matched and executed. Senator Conrad noted the state has received federal BEAD funding and a new broadband office with larger sums available; DeBoer said the program matches state funds with provider contributions to extend service in areas that lack a private business case.

Supporters called the amendment a way to preserve contracted broadband builds in rural and unserved areas. Debate continued on the floor and the amendment remained pending at the time the transcript segment ends; the record shows discussion but no final roll‑call result for AM 14‑10 in the provided transcript.