The Nebraska Legislature has completed day 35 of its 60-day session and has concluded its public hearings on all 545 bills introduced this session. With all priority bills set, we have a clearer picture of what will be occupying time on the legislative floor for the remainder of the session. Starting Tuesday, the Legislature will have full-floor debate, and the Speaker is scheduling some late nights as the clock ticks.
As the budget begins to take center stage in the Legislature, there was more bad news from the Nebraska Forecasting Advisory Board on Friday. This board plays an important role in reviewing General Fund tax receipts to guide state budgeting and ensure the State is balancing its budget. The board projected an additional $175 million shortfall Friday, creating a total budget deficit of over $300 million. This will undoubtedly make it harder for bills with a fiscal note to get passed this session.
LB304: Efforts to Bring Stability for Working Families Continue
Understanding the budget constraints, First Five Nebraska continues to work with state senators to pass LB304, our top priority for this session and State Senator Wendy DeBoer’s personal priority bill.
As a reminder, this legislation makes current income eligibility levels for child care assistance permanent. Quality child care is a necessity for Nebraska’s working families. By making current income eligibility levels permanent, we’re choosing long-term stability for our families, our kids and our state’s economy.
We still need your help! Check out LB304: Child Care Assistance for Working Families for more information on LB304 and to learn how you can take action, including submitting letters of support.
First Five Nebraska’s Legislation
FFN has several other bills this session that are moving through the legislative process. They include:
- LB721 (Quick): Helps intergenerational care facilities, including for-profit facilities serving Medicaid residents, receive grant funding to help cover expansion costs. LB721 has advanced to Select File, (the second of three rounds of debate). Read FFN’s LB721 Policy Brief
- LB773 (Dungan): Removes the sunset date on the Prenatal Plus program, extends the program to cover 60 days postpartum and ensures that reporting on the efficacy of the program continues until 2034. The Health and Human Services Committee held a hearing on LB773 on February 5, and FFN is working to ensure the bill moves to General File. Read FFN’s LB773 Policy Brief
- LB891 (Hansen): Addresses several administrative burdens identified by child care providers that impact staffing needs and program viability, including delays in processing federally required fingerprint-based background checks. This bill has moved to General File as part of the LB912 Committee priority package. It was amended to LB912 with AM2224. Read FFN’s LB891 Policy Brief
- LB903 (Storer): Allows case managers to consider referring families to home visiting services if they have a child under age 2, and helps ensure home visiting programs are able to draw down federal funding to support young families and sustain programs. A Committee amendment (AM1869) changes the age of the child to under 3. The bill has advanced to Select File, the second round of debate. Read FFN’s LB903 Policy Brief
- LR296 (Hallstrom): This Resolution encourages Congress and the President to reimburse all family child care homes participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program at the higher Tier 1 level and provide additional reimbursement for all meals and supplements. This resolution was heard by the Health and Human Services Committee last week and FFN is working to ensure this LR moves to the floor. Read FFN’s LR296 Hearing Testimony
Track legislation: FFN has released a full list of bills we’re following. To stay current on bills’ status, and to see any requests for support on specific issues, follow FFN on Facebook, LinkedIn or X, and check our website’s Legislative Watchlist. Watch live coverage of debate and hearings on Nebraska Public Media.
Important Dates
March 3 Full-day floor debate begins
March 9 Deadline for Appropriations Committee midbiennium budget bills placed on General File
March 17 Potential start of legislative late-nights through April 8
April 17 Tentative Sine Die adjournment
