Thank you for making your voice heard this session! Your continued advocacy – through submitting comments, testifying at hearings, and contacting your senator – makes an impactful difference.
This week, the Legislature will continue with morning floor debate, followed by committee hearings every afternoon. All-day floor debate will begin on March 31.
Last Week’s Highlights
We testified or submitted comments on the following bills last week:
✅ LB14, introduced by Senator Machaela Cavanaugh, aka the Hunger-Free Schools Act, offers free school meals for all students in Nebraska, making sure kids get the food they need to learn and thrive.
❌ LB258, introduced by Senator Jane Raybould, would harm workers by severely weakening Nebraska’s minimum wage law – the same law that an overwhelming number of Nebraska voters enacted in 2022. This bill would carve out a subminimum wage for youth workers AND restrict the cost of living increases that Nebraskans voted for.
❌ LB379, introduced by Senator Bob Andersen, would keep Nebraska kids in poverty by restricting the time limit for Nebraska’s Aid to Dependent Children program from 60 months to 24 months. This reduction would result in Nebraska’s most vulnerable children receiving even fewer benefits and resources.
❌ LB656, introduced by Senator Bob Andersen, would make SNAP food benefits less accessible to thousands of Nebraskans. This bill would add harsh work requirements, cut people off from benefits, and increase hunger across our state.
This Week’s Hearings
There are more hearings this week that you can attend in person, stream online, or submit a comment:
✅ LB319 (Senator Victor Rountree) – Change eligibility requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
- Wednesday, March 5 in the afternoon in Room 1510 in front of the Health and Human Services Committee
- This bill helps Nebraskans get the food they need by eliminating the lifetime ban on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for people with past drug convictions.
- TAKE ACTION: Appleseed SUPPORTS this bill – submit a comment here by Wednesday, March 5 at 8:00 AM CT
❌ LB541 (Senator Rick Holdcroft) – Eliminate online voter registration, restrict voter registration by mail, require grounds for early voting, require hand counts of ballots, and change provisions relating to voter registration and voting
- Wednesday, March 5 in the afternoon in Room 1525 in front of the Government, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee
- This bill would make it harder for many Nebraskans with set work schedules and busy family responsibilities to be able to vote.
- TAKE ACTION: Appleseed OPPOSES this bill – submit a comment here by Wednesday, March 5 at 8:00 AM CT
✅ LB586 (Senator Ashlei Spivey) – Provide assistance for voters who are unable to vote in person and who are residents of or housed in certain facilities
- Wednesday, March 5 in the afternoon in Room 1525 in front of the Government, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee
- This bill would improve voting access for eligible Nebraska voters, which is the foundation of a strong democracy.
- TAKE ACTION: Appleseed SUPPORTS this bill – submit a comment here by Wednesday, March 5 at 8:00 AM CT
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Thank you for standing up for justice and opportunity for ALL Nebraskans!
