We are in the last week of the 2021 legislative session. This Wednesday is reserved for veto override votes and the last official day of session will be on Thursday. It’s been a unique session that introduced many challenges due to the pandemic, but I’m proud of the work that our staff, partners, and supporters have done to fight for justice and opportunity for all Nebraskans.
TAKE ACTION: Call your senator to override Governor’s vetoes
Last evening, the Governor announced that he issued vetoes on two bills that will go a long way to help support Nebraska families, especially those most impacted by the pandemic. The Legislature must act to ensure that these bills become law this session, and the override votes will take place tomorrow afternoon.
Call or email you senator today and ask that they override the Governor’s vetoes on LB108 and LB306:
- LB108, a bill introduced and prioritized by Senator John McCollister, addresses the cliff effect in our SNAP program. The cliff effect occurs when families on SNAP are put in the tough position of passing up raises or better jobs because they would lose more in food benefits than they would gain in pay. LB108 fixes this problem to allow more Nebraskans to advance in the workplace and keep food on the table.
- LB306, Senator Tom Brandt’s priority bill, would expand eligibility for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a critical tool to help with the heating, cooling, and energy needs of vulnerable households across the state.
Both of these bills provide critical support to those who are struggling to get ahead and ensure that working Nebraska families are able to put food on the table. You can call your senator here, and email them here.
Child care support legislation passes on final reading
LB485, introduced by Senator Wendy DeBoer, makes long-needed improvements to expand initial eligibility for the child care subsidy program to Nebraska families whose income is at or under 185% of the federal poverty level, and allow families to continue to receive the subsidy if their income stays below 200% of the federal poverty level. This legislation passed on final reading with 31 votes in favor.
This is a much needed improvement to our child care subsidy program and we would like to thank Senator DeBoer and those who supported the bill for their efforts.
Stay up to date on Appleseed’s issues
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We’ll let you know how you can take action to get involved and make your voice heard throughout the session!
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