Senate advances housing and inland-port package after stripping contentious bonding language
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Summary
Lawmakers adopted AM28-38 to add housing oversight and inland port authority clarifications but removed the disputed bonding provision (section 74) after floor reconsideration; the package (LB11-14) was advanced to engrossing.
Senators debated and ultimately adopted a multi-part amendment to LB11-14 that strengthens accountability for housing authorities and clarifies inland port authority provisions, while removing a contested bonding provision after floor objections.
Senator McKinney opened AM28-38 as a committee-priority package that would, among other changes, require metropolitan-class housing authorities to submit annual reports to the Urban Affairs Committee including eviction data, pest-control mitigation, tenant complaints and occupancy rates. The amendment also clarified inland port authority authorities to use community revenue bonds and to facilitate local investment.
Concerns focused on section 74, which some senators said altered bonding authority and had not had a standalone hearing. Senator Boson and others urged withholding that language until it had full committee review. During a recorded floor vote under call, an earlier version of the amendment failed to carry the body’s support on the bonding language. Senator McKinney then moved to reconsider and offered a floor amendment (FA11-78) to remove or strike the section that had drawn opposition; FA11-78 was adopted overwhelmingly (44 ayes) and AM28-38 was passed in its revised form.
Supporters described the final package as increased transparency and local accountability for public housing and as clarifying municipal enforcement tools; they also said clarifying inland-port language was aimed at economic development in non-eastern Nebraska communities. Critics cautioned against expanding the number of inland ports before demonstrating returns on substantial prior state investments and objected to any bonding changes without a distinct hearing record.
The package also accepted additional floor changes including AM29-13 (a Taxpayer Recruitment Grant Act provision derived from LB11-52) to help local governments recruit skilled workers; the maximum grant per applicant was cited as $250,000 with a required local match of at least 20 percent. After amendments were resolved, LB11-14 was advanced to E & R for engrossing.
Next steps: LB11-14, as amended, proceeds to engrossing and final-reading calendars; stakeholders including housing authorities and municipalities were noted as needing to implement new reporting requirements if the bill becomes law.
