LINCOLN- A substantial number of business owners and advocates packed into the Nebraska Capitol on Tuesday to show their support for a new bill, LB531, introduced by Sen. Terrell McKinney, that would allocate around $435 million to those regions of the city. The funds come from the Nebraska Economic Recovery Act that was adopted last year.

However, a portion of the funds will also come from the state's general fund, rather than from the pandemic-related American Rescue Plan Act. That extra funding, according to McKinney, would allow for far more flexibility in how the funds are disbursed and give business owners more time to decide how to spend the money. ARPA dollars must be spent by the end of 2026, so pulling funds from the general fund will allay some concerns, said McKinney.

McKinney, alongside co-sponsors Sen. Wayne and Sen. Vargas, stated that a different bill, LB785, will include the same language as LB531 but will instead be heard before the Appropriations Committee, rather than the Urban Affairs Committee. McKinney's bill specifically recommends the funds be disbursed towards projects like the Malcolm X memorial and federally qualified health centers residing in North and South Omaha.

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