Focusing on important things

Thursday, March 26, 2020

The Legislature was called back to reconvene earlier this week by the Governor in order to pass emergency funding for the state of Nebraska. The Governor will use these funds for the COVID-19 pandemic here in Nebraska. He has asked for $83.6 million to be transferred from our cash reserve funds to the emergency fund. The largest portion, $38.1 million to go toward local response efforts. This will provide funding for a variety of needs like Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), other supplies for local jurisdictions, support to local health departments for staffing, and call centers. Another area that would receive funding is information technology which includes funds for additional laptops, servers, and other essential expenditures that will need to be made. Of the other funds, $13 million is for additional staffing and overtime needs for our veterans’ homes and DHHS care facilities including nursing, administrative, and other health care professionals. Overtime and surge staffing for DHHS due to the size of the response areas and the need to cover them will receive $4 million. The immediate need is for staffing in epidemiology and interpreters to meet the increased demands of the Division of Public Health. University of Nebraska Medical Center will receive approximately $3.4 million for lab equipment, software programming, personnel, COVID-19 lab testing, UV light boxes, and a Knowledge Center. UNMC has been nationally recognized as a go-to place for events like COVID-19, Ebola, and others. We are very fortunate to have such a facility in our state. The final $25 million is for “just in case” use by the Governor. If Governor Ricketts does not see a special circumstance where this money is needed I am confident he will not spend it and will return it to our cash reserves.

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