Legislative Update

Nebraska Food Access Bill Overview 2023

Hunger is a policy decision, and we need to make sure policymakers know they can make change.

This year, the Nebraska Legislature will be taking up over 800 bills that will impact the lives of Nebraskans. We wanted to share the food access bills that Nebraska Appleseed is prioritizing so that you can be better prepared to reach out to your elected officials when they need to hear your voices!

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Bills

  • LB84 Sen. Jen Day – SNAP Cliff Effect Sunset Elimination Bill: This bill would eliminate the September 30, 2023 “sunset” (or planned end date) of the 2021 LB108 law that increased Nebraska’s SNAP gross income eligibility level from 130% to 165% of the Federal Poverty Level. Without this change, the benefits cliff, when a small increase in income results in a major drop in SNAP benefits, will return in full force and 4500 households will lose benefits.
  • LB88 Sen. Megan Hunt – SNAP Reentry Bill: This bill would end Nebraska’s lifetime SNAP ban for people with certain drug felony convictions. Currently, people cannot access SNAP if they have 3 or more possession/use convictions or were convicted of distribution. This bill would end the double punishment of incarceration and loss of SNAP benefits and ensure more people have their basic needs met.

Child Nutrition Bills

  • LB285 Sen. Lynn Walz – Community Eligibility Provision Maximization Act Bill: This bill would require schools that are eligible for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a program that makes school lunch and breakfast free for all students, with a 50% eligibility level to participate in that program.
  • LB99 Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh – Hunger Free Schools Act / LB627 Sen. Eliot Bostar – Free Student Meals Act: These bills would make breakfast and lunch served in schools across Nebraska free to all students.

Commit now to contacting your state senator’s office at least once during this session on a bill that you care about. Hearings start this week and floor debate is just around the corner. We need to make sure our voices are heard!

If you have questions, please reach out to Eric at esavaiano@neappleseed.org.

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