Nebraska Lawmakers Fail to Override Governor’s Denial of Rental Aid

LINCOLN–(AP April 5)–Nebraska lawmakers have failed to overrule Gov. Pete Ricketts’ veto of a bill that would have forced him to apply for $120 million in federal pandemic rental assistance, leaving the state as the only one to flat-out refuse the aid.

Supporters in the one-house Legislature fell one vote short Tuesday of the 30 they needed to overcome the Republican governor’s rejection of the money. Lawmakers who pushed for Nebraska to seek the extra aid say it makes no sense to turn away the money.

Ricketts and other critics argue that Nebraska still has $30 million in unspent money from an earlier round of federal aid.