Whiteclay bill advances

LINCOLN — State lawmakers advanced a plan Monday to help address alcohol-related woes associated with Whiteclay, Neb., but only after the bill’s sponsor promised to strip out its $250,000 cost.

The plan, a melding of proposals by State Sens. LeRoy Louden and Russ Karpisek, ran into opposition from senators who said it was “feel-good money” that wouldn’t dent the rampant alcoholism blamed on Whiteclay.

The unincorporated northwest Nebraska village has gained national notoriety for its four beer-only liquor stores, which sell 3.2 million cans of beer a year, mostly to residents of the officially dry Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, where alcohol-related problems are commonplace.

Kearney Sen. Galen Hadley and Hastings Sen. Dennis Utter were among those who questioned how effective the plan would be if the State of South Dakota and the Oglala Sioux Indian Tribe — two legs of a “three-legged stool” — weren’t involved.

“Is this Nebraska’s problem alone?” Hadley asked. “I don’t think a one-legged stool will solve the problem.”

He and other senators also questioned whether the state could afford to spend $250,000 with funds so short.

As proposed, Legislative Bill 1002 would allocate $250,000 a year for grants. They could be used for economic development, law enforcement or health-care facilities, such as a detoxification center, in the Whiteclay area.

But Louden said he would strip out the $250,000 during second-round debate, leaving a measure to hire an employee for the state Indian Commission to seek federal and private grants for Whiteclay.

Louden said state funding could be sought next year.

Supporters of LB 1002 said that Whiteclay is an embarrassment and that the bill would at least be a start toward addressing the problems.

“It’s probably the worst living environment anywhere,” said Scottsbluff Sen. John Harms. “We wouldn’t tolerate this if it wasn’t close to a reservation.”

LB 1002 was advanced from first-round debate, 27-13.

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