Don Walton: As coronavirus threat intensifies, former senator foots bill to stream games for free | Nebraska Legislature

Meanwhile, quiet and skilled maneuvering is underway by one senator to try to address the concerns of the strongest opponents of the committee bill.

That opposition essentially translates into senators who represent Lincoln and metropolitan Omaha and their big-city school districts. Those would largely be Democratic members of the nonpartisan Legislature.  

Bottom line: There is no path to the 33 votes required to end a filibuster waged by opponents without some big-city votes.

Caught up in all of this has been legislation to create a new business investment tax incentives program to succeed the current act that expires at the end of the year and, more recently, a proposal to commit $300 million in state funding to help finance a game-changing $2.6 billion project at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

That blockbuster proposal, which would depend on designated federal funding, would create a center that would respond to national health threats and crises.

It’s hard to imagine denying the Med Center support for that project in view of its recent achievements and performance. 

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking and the virus could disrupt everything.

Mike Flood made it possible for Nebraskans to watch boys state basketball tournament games live for free on his NewsChannel Nebraska state TV network and online through the nationwide NFHS Network.