Road construction bond bill fails

A bill that would have enabled the state to borrow money to fund road construction failed to advance from final reading April 10.

LB1092, introduced by Fullerton Sen. Annette Dubas, would have authorized the State Highway Commission to issue up to $200 million in bonds for highway construction projects.

Under the bill, at least 25 percent of bond proceeds would have been dedicated to construction of federally designated, high priority corridors and the expressway system through Chadron, Alliance and Scottsbluff.

The bonds would have been repaid with revenue from the State Highway Capital Improvement Fund, which currently receives one-quarter percent of the state sales and use tax. LB1092 also pledged the revenue from all fuel taxes, registration fees and other highway user fees for the purpose of bond repayment.

LB1092 failed on a 27-16 vote, three votes below the number required for passage.