LINCOLN- Despite his resistance, Gov. Pete Ricketts could be required to apply for $120 million of federal rent and utility assistance money under a bill that advanced in the Legislature Wednesday.Legislative Bill 1073 would call on the governor to apply for all federal funds available to Nebraska for emergency rental assistance under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The bill advanced to the second of three rounds of debate following a 29-7 vote Wednesday.

The bill was amended to include the requirement after Ricketts announced he would not seek the $120 million. The state has until March 30 to apply before the funding is earmarked to go to other states, according to State Sen. Matt Hansen of Lincoln. Nebraska is one of only two states to ignore the funding opportunity, he said.

Lawmakers have repeatedly requested Ricketts seek out aid. Last week, all nine members of the Appropriations Committee signed a letter asking the governor to reconsider his decision.

Despite this, Ricketts doubled down on his stance that Nebraska did not need the money in a column published Tuesday. In the column, Ricketts argued that the COVID-19 pandemic was over, and compared the assistance to “applying for emergency disaster aid without a flood or tornado.”

“Nebraska is not a welfare state,” Ricketts said in the column. “It’s not who we are. But if we take these funds, it will be.”

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