Legislation to Watch
Nebraska senators introduced 667 pieces of legislation this session including many that have potential to affect early childhood.
The state's budget shortfall of nearly $900 million is sure to lead the discussion this year and make any new funding very unlikely.
We will monitor Nebraska's current investments in its youngest citizens and any new bills with the potential to impact the earliest years of a child's life.
Of the new bills introduced, we've identified six as priority bills and 90 others as bills to watch, and will continue to testify on bills significant to our work to promote children's healthy development.
These six bills are priorities this session:
- LB22 (Speaker Scheer at Governor's request) Governor's budget bill: Provide, change and eliminate provisions relating to appropriations and reduce appropriations. Read our testimony on LB22.
- LB327 (Speaker Scheer at Governor's request) Governor's budget bill: Appropriate funds for the expenses of Nebraska State Government for the biennium ending June 30, 2019.
- LB484 (Senator Kolowski) Creates 20-member School Financing Review Commission; hearing is March 6.
- LB521 (Senator Walz) Changes provisions related to early childhood education in the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act; hearing is February 28.
- LB645 (Senator Pansing Brooks) Identifies dyslexia as a specific learning disability with respect to providing special education services.
Other bills we've testified on this session:
Follow legislation related to early childhood on our website's Nebraska Legislation page. Bills are searchable on 10 categories: Budget/Taxes, Child Care, Child Safety, Child Welfare, Early Childhood Workforce, Economic Assistance/Public Benefits, Education, Physical & Mental Health, School Funding and Systems/Governance.
Bill information and status is updated and a report is produced daily during the legislative session.
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