This session, the Nebraska Legislature is considering a number of bills to improve food security for our neighbors across Nebraska. Join us in advocating for these Nebraska Appleseed priority bills below!
SNAP “Cliff Effect” Bill (LB108, Senator John McCollister)
Nebraska should be rewarding work, not discouraging it. Right now, Nebraska’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is structured in a way wherein a small increase in income results in a much larger loss of SNAP benefits. This is called the SNAP “cliff effect.” LB108 addresses this problem and makes it so Nebraskans no longer have to turn down economic opportunities and can continue to feed their families.
SNAP Re-entry Bill (LB121, Senator Megan Hunt)
Nebraskans need to meet their basic needs to thrive. LB121 eliminates Nebraska’s arbitrary and counterproductive lifetime ban on SNAP benefits for people with certain drug offenses. This bill not only ensures that Nebraskans have greater access to resources they need to find stability, but also helps reduce rates of recidivism and its financial burden on the state.
SNAP Comparable Disqualification (LB356, Senator Megan Hunt)
During a global pandemic, it should be easier for people to get the help they need from safety net programs, not harder. However, Nebraska uses an option called SNAP comparable disqualifications to punish people in one program for noncompliance with another. LB356 eliminates this excessive penalty and ask programs to judge individuals independently.
What you can do to support these bills
Tell senators why you care about these bills! There are several new ways to advocate this session, many of which you can do from the comfort of your home:
- Comment on the bill: You can submit a comment anytime by clicking the bill links above and selecting the “submit comment” option on the bill’s page.
- Call you Senator: Call or email your Senator’s office directly to share your support for these bills! Senators love to hear from their constituents so this is a great way to make your voice heard and help them understand why these bills matter.
Share your story
Nebraska Appleseed works with many people who rely on SNAP to support themselves and their families. If you have a personal story you’d like to share related to any of these bills, we would love to hear it!
Questions or stories may be directed to me, Megan Hamman, at mhamann@neappleseed.org.
Stay up to date on Appleseed’s issues
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