LINCOLN -- The Nebraska Legislature is winding down the Second Regular Session of the 100th Legislature with only three legislative days left in the short 60-day session. Much has transpired this year in 2008, so next week I plan to do a session in review, hitting on the major issues of 2008. This week I want to give you an update on the status of Legislative Bill 1094. LB1094 provides funds for the Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) to pay farmers who leased their water right for 2007 in good faith to help streamflow.

LB1094, which Sen. Carlson and I worked on together, laid out a 15-day timeframe from the effective date of the act for NRDs to receive the assistance they requested to pay the farmers. The bill became law and also went into effect on April 1, the day the Governor signed it, because of the emergency clause that was attached.

The first deadline came five days after the effective date requiring the NRDs to request and apply for the assistance from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The NRDs have fulfilled this requirement accordingly. The second deadline came seven days after the signing of LB1094 requiring the State Treasurer to transfer $9 million from the Cash Reserve Fund to the Water Contingency Cash Fund under the direction of DNR. Finally, the DNR is required within 15 days after the effective date of this act to expend the funds from the Water Contingency Cash Fund to the NRDs in the amount requested by them.

The DNR is expected to send the funds from the Water Contingency Cash Fund to the NRDs by the beginning of the week of the 14th. From the NRDs, the assistance will then be transferred to the Republican River Basin Coalition, and then to the irrigation districts that leased their water to the NRDs. So, by the time most of you read this article the irrigators will probably have been paid. I am glad we were able to work through this problem and arrive at a solution.

As always, if you have a question, concern, or comment, please do not hesitate to contact me.