Another full week of the Nebraska Legislature is complete!
Last week’s highlights
Last week, we testified in front of the Judiciary Committee to support housing bills that will support Nebraska renters, including:
✅ LB101 (Senator George Dungan), which 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.
✅ LB223 (Senator Dunixi Guereca), which 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.
Our communities are more stable when Nebraskans have access to safe, affordable housing. As more people turn to renting to meet their housing needs, it is critical to ensure that renters’ rights are upheld and protected by the law.
This Week’s Hearings
Yesterday, we testified in front of the Business and Labor Committee in opposition to ❌ LB698 (Senator Paul Strommen), which 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 seasonal and temporary agricultural workers, and workers under the age of 16. Thank you for making your voice heard on LB698! The Committee heard several testimonies and received 294 comments in opposition of this harmful bill.
There are several more hearings this week where you can attend in person, stream online, or submit a comment:
✅ LB192 (Quick) – Eliminate a sunset date under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
- Thursday, February 6 in the afternoon in Room 1023 in front of the Health and Human Services Committee
- This bill preserves access to food for thousands of Nebraska families by maintaining the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)’s income eligibility level, which will decrease in October unless the legislature acts now.
- TAKE ACTION: Appleseed SUPPORTS this bill – submit a comment here by Thursday, February 6 at 8:00 AM CT
✅ LB304 (DeBoer) – Eliminate a sunset date for the federal Child Care Subsidy program
- Thursday, February 6 in the afternoon in Room 1023 in front of the Health and Human Services Committee
- This bill helps parents afford the child care they need by maintaining the child care subsidy’s income eligibility level, which is otherwise set to decrease in 2026.
- TAKE ACTION: Appleseed SUPPORTS this bill – submit a comment here by Thursday, February 6 at 8:00 AM CT
✅ LB102 (Spivey) – Change requirements relating to the standard of need under the aid to dependent children program
- Thursday, February 6 in the afternoon in Room 1023 in front of the Health and Human Services Committee
- This bill puts money in the pockets of families who need it by annually adjusting the eligibility limit for Aid to Dependent Children (ADC), the direct cash assistance program funded by the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant. This bill would also adjust the ADC eligibility and benefit level calculation to a level that actually helps families achieve economic mobility and self-sufficiency.
- TAKE ACTION: Appleseed SUPPORTS this bill – submit a comment here by Thursday, February 6 at 8:00 AM CT
✅ LB462 (McKinney) – Change reporting requirements relating to child abuse or neglect, parental rights, and juvenile court jurisdiction
- Friday, February 7 in the afternoon in Room 1507 in front of the Judiciary Committee
- This bill 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.
- TAKE ACTION: Appleseed SUPPORTS this bill – submit a comment here by Friday, February 7 at 8:00 AM CT
❌ LB89 (Kauth) – Adopt the Stand With Women Act (Anti-Trans Legislation)
- Friday, February 7 in the afternoon in Room 1525 in front of the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee
- This bill is an expansion of the school bathroom and sports bill that was defeated last year and would create definitions of “male” and “female” that K-12 schools, postsecondary institutions, and ALL state agencies would be required to follow. This bill is not only harmful to Nebraskans – it has serious implications for our state’s fiscal health and budget.
- TAKE ACTION: Appleseed OPPOSES this bill – submit a comment here by Friday, February 7 at 8:00 AM CT
Thanks for your ongoing advocacy!
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