He was born in Nebraska, graduated from Gretna High School and resides in Omaha, Nebraska. Mello received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2002. He currently works as a Community Affairs and Development Specialist at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, NE. He is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. 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. 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.
State legislature
Mello was 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 was re-elected November 6, 2012. He was opposed by NARAL Pro-Choice America due to earlier introduction of anti-abortion legislation, and support of legislation introduced by others. Pro-choice advocates also assailed Senator Bernie Sanders and Democratic Party Chairman Tom Perez for their support of Mello. Huffington Post reported Mello was a sponsor of the final version of a 20-week abortion ban approved by the governor in 2010, and cast anti-abortion votes in favor of requiring physicians to be physically present for an abortion in order to impede access to telemedicine abortion care, supported a law banning insurance plans in the state from covering abortions. He was endorsed in 2010 by anti-abortion group Nebraska Right to Life.
Legislative committees and organizations
Mello was elected to the Legislature in 2008 and reelected in 2012. In his final term in the legislature, Mello served as chairman of the Appropriations Committee and on the Nebraska Retirement Systems Committee in the Nebraska Legislature, as well as the Legislature's State Planning Committee, 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 and Energy Committees within the Midwestern Legislative Conference of the Council of State Governments, as well as, the Budgets & Revenue and Labor & Economic Development Committees within the National Conference of State Legislators. Mello is also a member of CLEAN, the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators and the Specialty Equipment Market Association State Automotive Enthusiast Leadership Caucus.
Community organizations
As of March 10, 2010 Mello served on the Board of Directors for One World Health Center, Bellevue Community Police Foundation, South Omaha Business Association, the South Omaha Neighborhood Alliance 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.
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 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 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
