Last week, two of my bills were passed by Legislature; LB831 and LB832. LB831, which was amended into LB944, allows for vehicles to receive a salvage title which were manufactured prior to 1940 if they were previously titled as junk. This bill will allow the Nelson family from Wahoo title their 1930 Ford Model A which has been in their family for decades.

LB832 provides civil and criminal immunity to someone who removes a child that is in imminent danger from a vehicle. According to KidsandCars.org, an average 39 children die due to being trapped in a hot vehicle every year. Temperatures as low as 60 degrees are capable of being fatal for those trapped in a vehicle.

The Legislature also debated LB814 on general file, which would end dismemberment abortion in Nebraska. The legislature proceeded to other items on the agenda without taking a vote on this legislation after it was filibustered. LB814 can still move on to the next round of debate if the introducer can prove they have 33 votes needed to advance the bill. I will continue to support LB814 and other pro-life legislation, and continue to defend the pre-born.

My bill LB1201, which was amended into the Natural Resources Committee Priority Bill LB632, advanced to Select File. LB1201 requires the Department of Natural Resources to form a group to develop a statewide flood mitigation plan which would focus on protecting and reducing flood damage to critical infrastructure such as levies, homes and communities. The group would work to identify any available funding that improves flood mitigation and help with post flood recovery. Upon completion of the plan, it would be integrated into the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency’s overall state hazard mitigation plan.

LB992 also advanced to select file. This bill is the result of the rural broadband task force, which I am a member of. LB992 allows companies access to existing infrastructure to rapidly expand and deploy new broadband to rural areas of Nebraska. I am also encouraged by the new federal support for rural broadband that will favor proposals for fiber optic cable installation.

The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) will commit $20.4 billion over a ten-year period to support the deployment of broadband networks to Rural America that are unserved or underserved which don’t meet the federal standard of 25/3 Mbps. Funding will be allocated using multi-round, reverse, descending clock auctions that favor faster services with lower latency and encourage intermodal competition.

For example, Saunders, Butler, and Colfax Counties have 1,595, 629, and 451 eligible locations respectively. The areas deemed unserved are eligible for the first round of RDOF auctions which will take place in October. Rural areas deserve fiber optic speed similar to what is received by urban customers at a comparable price. Broadband expansion is one of my priorities and I will continue to support this legislation.

I appreciate hearing from constituents on issues affecting District 23 and encourage you to contact my office on legislation at 402-471-2719 or bbostelman@leg.ne.gov.