Committee hears LB129 to preserve consumer access to legally regulated fuels; amendment discussed

Senator Dan McKeon introduced LB129 and a white-copy amendment, AM76, describing the bill as intended to "ensure access to the fuels that are legally sold and regulated by the state of Nebraska" and to protect consumers against local bans on specific fuel types. McKeon said the amendment removes language referencing charging stations at the request of public power stakeholders and adds an explicit exemption for not-for-profit public power entities such as municipal utilities, public power districts and electric cooperatives. "With these changes, they all have no objections to the bill as amended," McKeon said.

Proponents said the measure preserves consumer choice and protects industries that produce legally regulated liquid fuels in Nebraska. Craig Schoenfeld of Valero, which operates an ethanol facility in Albion, described Nebraska as a leading…