Last week, bill introduction ended with the Nebraska Legislature introducing 715 bills and 18 proposed constitutional amendments this session. Committee hearings also began last week.
Last week’s highlights
Last Friday, we testified in front of the Judiciary Committee to support ✅ LB174 (Senator Jason Prokop), which would protect Nebraskans and their paychecks by limiting wage garnishment to repay medical debt.
Medical debt can have significant consequences on the lives and wellbeing of Nebraskans. Many folks choose to delay or forego necessary health care due to the burden of cost. However, people cannot control the health complications that may lead them to need significant medical care and saddle them with debts. Limiting wage garnishments can ensure that Nebraska families can still afford their bills and living expenses while repaying medical debts.
A few more Appleseed 2025 priority bills were also introduced last week:
✅ LB462, introduced by Senator Terrell McKinney, clarifies that certain reasonable childhood independence activities do not constitute neglect, and narrows who is required to report suspected child abuse and neglect to only include certain trained professionals.
✅ LB522, introduced by Senator Dunixi Guereca, supports Nebraskans injured on the job by reducing Nebraska’s longest-in-the-nation waiting periods for workers’ compensation – the system that helps people recover from workplace injuries. The bill also protects workers compensation support by adding a cost of living adjustments that guard against inflation.
✅ LB710, introduced by Senator Eliot Bostar, helps Nebraska families meet their basic needs by increasing Nebraska’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), from 10% to 20% of the federal EITC.
This Week’s Hearings
There are two important hearings this week that you can attend in person, stream online, or submit a comment:
✅ LB101 (Dungan) Provide a right to trial by jury under the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Thursday, January 30 in the afternoon in Room 1525 in front of the Judiciary Committee
- This bill recognizes Nebraskans’ Constitutional right to a trial by jury in eviction cases. It also ensures that tenants are informed of their right to a trial by jury and protects against leases that would require tenants to waive that right.
- TAKE ACTION: Appleseed supports this bill – submit a comment here by Thursday, January 30 at 8:00 AM CT
✅ LB223 (Guereca) Prohibit discrimination based on lawful source of income under the Nebraska Fair Housing Act
- Thursday, January 30 in the afternoon in Room 1525 in front of the Judiciary Committee
- This bill protects Nebraskans’ ability to access housing, regardless of how they would pay their rent, by prohibiting discrimination based on lawful Source of Income (SOI) under the Nebraska Fair Housing Act.
- TAKE ACTION: Appleseed supports this bill – submit a comment here by Thursday, January 30 at 8:00 AM CT
Tell Your Senator to OPPOSE LB698
❌ LB698, introduced by Senator Paul Strommen, would harm workers by severely weakening Nebraska’s paid sick leave law – the same law that nearly 75% of Nebraska voters overwhelmingly approved just last November. This bill would exempt several groups of workers from receiving earned sick leave, including agricultural workers, seasonal and temporary employees, and workers under the age of 16.
LB698 also exempts businesses with 10 or less employees from having to provide paid sick leave. This bill also removes important protections for workers who face retaliation from their employers for using paid sick leave.
TAKE ACTION: The hearing for this bill is scheduled for next week:
- Monday, February 3 in the afternoon in Room 2102 in front of the Business and Labor Committee
- Appleseed OPPOSES ❌ LB698 – submit a comment here by Monday, February 3 at 8:00 AM CT