Blog | First Five Nebraska

Nebraska Legislature: 2018 Early Childhood Policy Highlights

The 105th Nebraska Legislature, Second Session, adjourned sine die April 18. To balance the state budget, Governor Ricketts introduced across-the-board cuts resulting in early childhood programs receiving a 2% cut for FY2018-2019 and a 4% cut the following year. Here's our session-end report detailing specific bills impacting early childhood this session. Read More

April 26, 2018 | Posted in Legislation

Cuts to Quality Early Childhood Funding Pose a Risk-vs.-Gain Problem for Taxpayers

Nebraska’s Corrections system has been the subject of urgent discussion in the Legislature given its insufficient facilities, prison rioting and workforce instability. Reducing state funding for Sixpence and other quality early childhood programs represents a very small savings to taxpayers in the larger scheme of things. If even a few young children at risk eventually drift into the Corrections system, it will be too late to ask ourselves if those savings were worth it. Read More

March 29, 2018 | Posted in Legislation

2018 Nebraska Legislature Convenes

Senators open the short, 60-day session of the 105th Nebraska Legislature facing a $200 million budget shortfall. Read More

January 04, 2018 | Posted in Legislation

Nebraska Legislators Adjourn Sine Die

The first session of Nebraska's 105th Legislature adjourned Sine Die on May 23, Senators tackled many important issues and introduced nearly 700 bills, but the session was dominated by efforts to achieve a balanced budget despite significant revenue shortfalls. See our report on bills we identified as high-priority during this legislative session.

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May 24, 2017 | Posted in Legislation

Nebraska Legislation to Watch

Nebraska senators introduced nearly 700 bills in the first 10 days of the current legislative session. Of those, we’ve identified six as priority bills and 90 others that have the potential to impact the earliest years of a child’s life. Read More

February 16, 2017 | Posted in Legislation