Bill offering assistance for sewer projects bracketed

Lawmakers will delay until next year further consideration of a bill providing state assistance for select sewer projects.

During select file debate April 27, Omaha Sen. Heath Mello offered a motion to bracket LB682 until Jan. 4, 2012.

LB682, introduced by Mello, would offer state assistance to finance the construction, acquisition or improvement of sewer infrastructure to address combined sewer overflows. Assistance would be calculated based on the amount of state sales tax collected from increased fees and charges to complete such projects.

The bill would require cities to dedicate any increased local option sales tax revenues generated from increased sewer fees to the combined sewer overflow project in order to receive state assistance.

The bill was bracketed by unanimous consent.