LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Members of a key legislative panel said Thursday that they don’t want lawmakers to rehash a debate over the disputed decision to move a Nebraska veterans’ home to Kearney.
The committee declined to vote on a bill originally designed to keep the Central Nebraska Veterans Home in Grand Island, where it’s been located for the last 127 years. The bill would require lawmakers to approve any relocation of a state building or service valued at more than $15 million.
Members have since revised the proposal so it would apply only to future projects, but some said they wanted assurances that no one would try to change it back during debate in the Legislature. Others said they were concerned that an ongoing dispute would jeopardize federal funding for the new facility.
“I fear that if we continue to talk about this, (the funding) could slip away,” said Sen. Dave Bloomfield, of Hoskins.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Mike Gloor of Grand Island, has said the current state process is divisive for smaller Nebraska cities, which already compete with Omaha and Lincoln for resources.
Gloor said Thursday that he had no plans to try to change the bill so that it could apply to the veterans’ home.
“Apparently, I’m going to have to do what I can to provide reassurances,” he said. “I’ve not gotten a sense that any other senator has any interest at all in wading into this issue.”
Sen. Jim Scheer of Norfolk said he was open to a discussion about changing the process, but not the location of the veterans’ home. Gov. Dave Heineman announced in July that the state would build a $121 million, 225-bed Central Nebraska Veterans Home in Kearney. Kearney won the project in competitive bidding with Hastings, Grand Island and North Platte. The decision set off a public dispute between local elected officials in Grand Island and Kearney.
“I don’t want to reopen this wound,” said Sen. Tommy Garrett, of Bellevue.
The committee chairman, Sen. Bill Avery of Lincoln, said he doubted the full Legislature would support a bill that could block the veterans’ home project in Kearney.
The Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee initially declined to advance the measure, but agreed to reconsider its vote at Gloor’s request. The committee will revisit the bill Tuesday.
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The bill is LB935
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