LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A bill designed to expedite work on Nebraska road and bridge projects has won first-round approval from lawmakers.

The measure that advanced Tuesday on a 43-0 vote would withdraw $50 million from the state’s cash reserve for an “infrastructure bank” fund.

The Nebraska Department of Roads would pull money from the fund for highway projects, a grant program to pay for county bridge repairs, and road improvements that are deemed likely to attract new businesses.

The proposal is one of Gov. Pete Ricketts’ top priorities. Revenue from last year’s fuel tax increase would add to the fund, generating an estimated $400 million between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2033.

Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion says the bill will help the state economy.

Today, Governor Pete Ricketts encouraged Nebraskans over the age of 50 to receive a colon cancer screening. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for Nebraskans.

“Preventive screenings play a key role in creating a healthier Nebraska and we know colon cancer screening saves lives,” said Governor Ricketts. “I encourage Nebraskans over 50 to get screened if they haven’t already and to keep up with their recommended follow-up screening schedule.”

“Colon cancer screening is the best cancer screening we have in terms of prevention, early detection, and intervention,” said Dr. Alan Thorson, a Colon and Rectal Surgeon and member of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services’ Women’s and Men’s Health Advisory Committee. “Colon cancer screening can find precancerous growths which can be removed before they turn into cancer, making screening an important step we can all take in preventing colon cancer. Screening can also find colon cancer in its earliest stage when it’s treatable. Bottom line: colon cancer screenings save lives.”

10 fast facts about colon cancer and colon cancer screening in Nebraska:

1. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in Nebraska.

2. Colon cancer occurs more often in Nebraska than the rest of the nation. The national incidence rate for colon cancer is currently 38.9 per 100,000 people. Nebraska’s rate is 41.1 per 100,000.

3. Colon cancer death rates are about 30-40 percent higher among men compared to women both in Nebraska and throughout the U.S.

4. Colon cancer death rates in Nebraska have declined by more than 20 percent (18.8 to 15.0 per 100,000 people) during the last decade.

5. Nebraska averages more than 900 new cases of colon cancer a year and about 350 colon cancer deaths a year.

6. Nebraska ranks 37th out of 50 states in screening for colon cancer.

7. Getting screened can save your life. In the early stages, there are no symptoms of colon cancer.

8. Finding precancerous growths can help prevent colon cancer.

9. When colon cancer is found early and treated, the five-year survival rate is 90 percent.

10. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of Nebraska adults over 50 reported being up-to-date on their colon cancer screening.

Risk factors for men and women:

Being over 50.
Personal or family history of colon cancer or colon polyps.
Being a smoker, overweight, or inactive.

When and how should a person get screened?

Men and women 50 years and older should be screened for colorectal cancer.
The best screening is the one that gets done.
The following screening tests are appropriate for colorectal cancer screening:
FOBT/ FIT — in home stool testing kits. These should be done every year. These detects polyps or lesions that are bleeding.
Sigmoidoscopy — Scope done of the lower two thirds of the colon to look for polyps and remove them. Done every five years.
Colonoscopy — Scope of the entire colon to look for polyps and remove them. Done every 10 years.
Frequency of testing may be changed by healthcare provider based on personal and family history.

DHHS’ Colon Cancer Screening Program helps provide screenings across the state to Nebraska men and women.

“Colon cancer is preventable, beatable and treatable,” said Courtney Phillips, DHHS CEO. “Nebraska is one of a handful of states fortunate to have state funding to support colon cancer screening initiatives. Along with earlier treatment of colon cancer, screening also means that fewer people are dying from colon cancer in Nebraska.”

For people over 50, in home stool testing kits are offered free of charge at various distribution sites across the state. A list of locations is below.

For people who are uninsured, the Nebraska Colon Cancer Screening Program offers in home stool testing kits and financial assistance for a colonoscopy through a medical provider if needed.

Program guidelines include:

Must be 50-74 years of age without health insurance that would pay for preventive services.
Must be a citizen or legal resident of Nebraska.
Must be at or below 225% of Federal Poverty Guidelines (i.e. a family of four can make up to $54,562).

Over the last 10 years, the program provided over 18,000 screenings with in home kits and 2,024 screening colonoscopies in which 691 precancerous polyps were removed. Fifteen cases of colon cancer were also diagnosed.

Besides screening, there are other steps people can take to reduce the risk of colon cancer: Be active, eat healthy foods and quit smoking.

DHHS continues to work with statewide partners to increase screening for colon cancer. Multiple organizations are moving forward with initiatives to increase screening across the state and have come together with a common goal of reaching 80 percent screened by 2018. The following organizations have invested time and resources into provider initiatives to increase screening: UNMC College of Public Health, American Cancer Society, Nebraska Cancer Coalition, Nebraska Comprehensive Cancer Control, Federally Qualified Health Centers, Local Health Departments, and provider groups.

Additional information on eligibility and colon cancer along with enrollment forms can be found by visiting www.dhhs.ne.gov/crc or by calling the Nebraska Colon Cancer Screening Program at 1-800-532-2227.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Farmers are rallying at the Nebraska Capitol to push for property tax relief amid concerns that time is running out in this year’s legislative session.

The Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation’s president and board urged lawmakers on Tuesday to focus on property taxes and cast aside “distractions,” including a proposed “right to farm” constitutional amendment.

Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson says the Legislature needs to take some action this year to ease the burden on producers, but still has a ways to go.

Lawmakers have 19 working days left in the session, yet property tax reforms have not yet advanced out of the Revenue Committee. Committee members are expected to meet again Tuesday afternoon.

Nelson says lawmakers should look at ways to soften the sharp increases in the value of farmland.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — After six hours of delays over three days, Nebraska lawmakers gave overwhelming first-round approval to a bill giving a state commission the ability to increase hunting and fishing permit fees.

Lawmakers voted 39-3 Tuesday to advance the bill after rejecting dozens of measures to kill, change and delay it by Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers.

Supporters say the fees were last adjusted in 2003 and increases would help the Game and Parks Commission pay rising operational costs to maintain picnic tables and roads in state parks.

Chambers refused to back down until senators supported the revival of his failed bill to eliminate Nebraska’s mountain lion hunting season.

The bill will face two more votes, and Chambers says he will continue to fight it.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — A North Platte man has been given 360 days in jail and a year of probation for his involvement in a pipe bomb blast last year.

Online court records say Daniel Smith was sentenced Monday in Lincoln County District Court. He’d pleaded no contest to attempted assault after prosecutors dropped a related explosives charge. He was credited for 136 days already served in jail.

Police say Smith was driving in North Platte on Sept. 15 when he handed a lit, homemade explosive to a 24-year-old passenger to throw out one of the vehicle’s windows. The explosive went off in one of the man’s hands.

Police say Smith drove the injured man to a hospital and then left.