Heath Mello

Heath Mello (born August 2, 1979) is an American politician and a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature.<ref =legis>Nebraska State Legislature, accessed March 10, 2010.</ref> He was born in and resides in Omaha, Nebraska.

Background

Mello received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2002.<ref =bio>District 05 Blog, accessed March 10, 2010.</ref> He currently works as a Community Affairs and Development Specialist at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, NE.<ref =bio>District 05 Blog, accessed March 10, 2010.</ref> He is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.<ref =bio>District 05 Blog, accessed March 10, 2010.</ref>

Prior to his election to the Nebraska Legislature, Mello worked as a senior aide to U.S. Senator Ben Nelson and as an Assistant Coordinator to the Nebraska Community Improvement Program.<ref =bio>District 05 Blog, accessed July 9, 2010.</ref>

Mello, a Roman Catholic, is a member of St. Thomas More Parish in Omaha, NE and a member of the Knights of Columbus. Mello and his wife, Catherine, were married on May 22, 2010.<ref =bio>District 05 Blog, accessed July 8, 2010.</ref>

State legislature

Mello is a Nebraska state senator who was elected to represent the 5th Legislative District in the Nebraska Legislature on November 4, 2008. Legislative District 5 consists of the South Omaha and North Bellevue portions of the Omaha Metropolitan area. Mello is currently serving his second term in office, and was re-elected November 6, 2012.

Legislative committees and organizations

He was elected to the Legislature in 2008 and currently serves on the Appropriations^[1] and Nebraska Retirement Systems Committees^[2] in the Nebraska Legislature, as well as the Legislature’s State Planning Committee,^[3] Homeland Security Policy Group and the Healthcare Reform Task Force.

Mello is an active member in national state legislative organizations; serving on the Economic Development^[4] and Energy^[5] Committees within the Midwestern Legislative Conference of the Council of State Governments, as well as, the Budgets & Revenue^[6] and Labor & Economic Development Committees^[7] within the National Conference of State Legislators. Mello is also a member of CLEAN (Coalition of Legislators for Energy Action Now),^[8] the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators^[9] and the Specialty Equipment Market Association State Automotive Enthusiast Leadership Caucus.^[10]

Community organizations

As of March 10, 2010 Mello served on the Board of Directors for One World Health Center,^[11] Bellevue Community Police Foundation,^[12] South Omaha Business Association,^[13] the South Omaha Neighborhood Alliance^[14] and the Q Street Merchants Association. He also served as a member of South Omaha Optimists, South Omaha Development Project, South Omaha Environmental Task Force, South Omaha Weed & Seed, Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce, and Omaha Chamber of Commerce.^[15]

Bills introduced/passed

101st Legislature, 1st Session …

• LB 277 – Prohibit the purchase of spray paint and industrial- strength marking pens by minors
• LB 278 – Passed in 2009, this bill permits municipalities to allow pedestrians to solicit in roadways.
• LB 281 – Change education service unit board membership provisions
• LB 282 – Adopt the Nebraska Advantage Film Production Incentive Act
• LB 368 – Change point system violation regarding reckless driving and willful reckless driving
• LB 608 – Appropriate funds to the Supreme Court for a salary increase for county court employees
• LB 609 – Provide for child-care contracts as prescribed and provide duties for the Department of Health and Human Services
• LB 610 – Change Medicaid limitation provisions relating to services for persons with disabilities
• LB 632 – Adopt the Nebraska Green Building Advantage Act and authorize a sales tax refund
• LB 633 – Create the Neighborhood Development Act
• LB 634 – Redefine household income for homestead exemption purposes
• LB 635 – Change reporting requirements for political party committees under the Nebraska Political Accountability and Disclosure Act
• LB 636 – Appropriate funds to the Department of Economic Development
• LB 637 – Require disclosure of information by certain group health carriers
• LB 644 – Adopt the Electronics Recycling Acts
• LB 645 – Change provisions relating to public contracts for services

101st Legislature, 2nd Session

• LB 763 –Adopt the Successor Asbestos-Related Liability Act.
• LB 977 – Require new state buildings and renovations to comply with energy efficiency standards.
• LB 978 – Provide requirements relating to energy star certified appliances in the state’s competitive bidding process.
• LB 997 – Require cities’ comprehensive plans to include an energy element
• LB 1073 – Adopt the Building Nebraska's Creative Economy Act and provide income tax credits
• LB 1074 – Provide for job training grants to film production companies
• LB 1098 – Authorize the creation of sustainable energy financing districts by municipalities, enabling municipalities to establish Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)programs.
• LB 1099 – Authorize the establishment of an expanded, voluntary recycling program in cities of the metropolitan class
• LB 1100 – Allow operation of low-speed vehicles on highways as prescribed

Source: Nebraska Legislature^[16]

See also

• Nebraska Legislature

References

External links

• Campaign Contributions: 2008, 2010