Yesterday morning, the Legislature passed the finalized budget and it’s now with the Governor awaiting his signature. It’s unprecedented for senators to pass a budget this early, but it will allow senators to continue to focus on their priority bills for the remainder of the session. There have been a few Appleseed priorities that have had time on the floor… Read more →
The budget was the primary focus of floor debate last week. Legislators will continue to move the budget through the process this week, along with priority bills. While we are two-thirds of the way through this session, there are still several Appleseed legislative priorities that are pending before the body. SNAP cliff effect bill up for debate today The Legislature… Read more →
As I shared last week, LB108, the bill that would eliminate the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Cliff Effect in Nebraska, will be debated by the full legislature as soon as tomorrow! This bill would help SNAP participants avoid the cliff effect, where taking a raise at work causes a much bigger loss of the food benefits they rely on.… Read more →
Features from this month’s Nebraska Appleseed newsletter: Celebrating House passage of the Dream & Promise Act 25 Days of Action to celebrate Appleseed’s 25th Anniversary How the American Rescue Plan makes Health Care more Affordable Take Action: Together We Stand with Meatpacking Workers Your Story Matters: Share your experiences with SNAP Cliff Effect Join us for Volunteer Appreciation Week! COVID-19… Read more →
Today marks the second day of our 25 days of action, commemorating the 25th anniversary of Nebraska Appleseed. This week, there are two priority bills that you can support by reaching out to your state senator. Your voice can make a difference! SNAP cliff effect bill up for debate The Legislature could debate LB108, Senator John McCollister’s priority bill, as… Read more →
The Legislature continues to discuss and advance legislation as all-day floor debate is underway for the rest of session. As a reminder, priority bills from senators and committees will be the focus of debate and you can view those finalized priorities here. A number of important issues have been designated as priorities by senators and we will keep you updated… Read more →
Last year you signed our petition encouraging Nebraska to adopt Pandemic-EBT (PEBT), a program that offers benefits to students participating in Free or Reduced Price meals who missed out on meals because of school closures. Today, we wanted to share some exciting news about the program. Last week, DHHS released a press statement announcing PEBT adjustments for the months of… Read more →
I am very excited to share that Sen. McCollister has prioritized the SNAP Cliff Effect bill (LB108)! This bill would address the SNAP cliff effect, where families of 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… Read more →
As economic uncertainty from the COVID-19 pandemic continues, food insecurity remains unacceptably high. Hardship is particularly sharp among Black, Latinx, and Indigenous people, and families with children are especially impacted. New federal legislation signed into law by President Biden brings much needed relief to millions including in Nebraska. These are the provisions in the recently enacted American Rescue Plan Act… Read more →
Today, the House took a significant step by passing the American Rescue Plan and providing urgent relief to millions of U.S. households. This legislation will now go to the President for his signature. The bill not only extends crucial support such as increased food assistance and unemployment benefits, but also temporarily expands other programs and benefits, having the potential to… Read more →
We have reached the end of all-day committee hearings for the session. There are only a few more hearings left this week before the legislature moves to the floor debate phase. We want to thank all of you who took the time to contribute to the hearing process by testifying or submitting testimony online to ensure that we are building… Read more →
We are nearly done with all-day hearings! Except for the Judiciary committee, which will wrap up hearings on Friday, March 12th, this will be the last week of all-day committee hearings. Priority bills from senators and committees will be known by March 11th. We are working hard to try to get a number of bills that would support Nebraska families… Read more →
Each semester, Appleseed is fortunate to work with bright, talented, and dedicated interns and law clerks who are passionate about fighting for justice and opportunity for all Nebraskans. We’re excited to have interns and clerks join our team from across the nation virtually! Meet the outstanding Nebraskans who dedicate their time to positive change in our communities. We’re also excited… Read more →
We are in the final weeks of all-day hearings. Every committee but Judiciary will wrap up hearings on Thursday, March 4th, while the Judiciary committee’s hearing schedule will end on Friday, March 12th. All-day floor debate begins the week of March 15th, focusing primarily on senators’ priority bills for the session. Learn more about Appleseed’s priority bills on our blog.… Read more →
The Nebraska Legislature’s Business and Labor Committee recently held a hearing on LB258, which would ensure Nebraskans have access to basic, earned paid sick leave – promoting healthier and stronger families, especially working parents with young children. Contact the committee members to ensure this important bill moves forward. Access to basic paid sick leave consistently emerges as a priority for… Read more →
2021 priority bills for Nebraska families, communities, and racial justice Each legislative session presents an opportunity to bring long-lasting positive change for our communities. Your voice is important in ensuring that we are building a vibrant, diverse, and inclusive Nebraska. Here is how you can safely advocate during hearings, and you can always call or email your senator to share… Read more →
We continued to testify on several bills during hearings last week, including those on paid leave, child care subsidies, and more equitable access for young adults in the Bridge to Independence program. As we noted last week, we are inching closer to the end of all-day hearings. Every committee but Judiciary will wrap up hearings on Thursday, March 4th, while… Read more →
Over the past few weeks, I’ve received a lot of questions from folks wondering what they can do to improve food access in Nebraska. There are a lot of ways we can do this, but one big way is by making your voice heard in the Nebraska Legislature! Appleseed’s food advocates are watching four bills in particular: LB108, LB117, LB121,… Read more →
This session, the Nebraska Legislature is considering a number of bills to improve food security for our neighbors across Nebraska. Join us in advocating for these Nebraska Appleseed priority bills below! SNAP “Cliff Effect” Bill (LB108, Senator John McCollister) Nebraska should be rewarding work, not discouraging it. Right now, Nebraska’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is structured in a way… Read more →
We asked the City Council for leadership…Now we’re awaiting their response. I spoke to the City Council on Monday evening, with the backing of more than 40 community members who sent messages and placed calls, to urge them to enact a moratorium themselves or call on the Mayor to do it by executive action. This isn’t a new request…While state… Read more →
The Legislature continued its intense pace of hearings last week and Appleseed testified on a number of meaningful bills related to housing, child welfare, and immigration. Speaker Hilgers provided a snapshot of the next month, noting that all-day hearings for all committees except Judiciary will end on Thursday, March 4th. The Judiciary Committee will wrap up hearings on Friday, March… Read more →
Thank you to everyone who sent messages to our leaders to stop evictions the past two weeks. Due to the snowstorm, the postponements have only delayed the worsening crisis, and it still desperately needs local intervention. We at Collective Impact Lincoln believe our city leaders have the power and responsibility to enact a limited eviction moratorium to close the gaps… Read more →
How School Meal Service has Changed During COVID-19 This is a guest blog post by Libby Israel, Nebraska Appleseed’s Youth Ambassador for Food and Nutrition Access. It has been nearly a full year since child nutrition programs across the country were turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic. Facing safety-related closures, added risk, and remote learning models, nutrition directors have… Read more →
Last week, Appleseed testified in support of a number of bills that will make positive impacts across our state. There are several more hearings up this week that Appleseed and others will be participating in too. All-day hearings will continue through at least the end of February and floor debate will resume once hearings wrap up. Your voice is vital… Read more →
Despite various attempts at implementing state and federal eviction moratoria, evictions have never fully stopped in Lincoln. We at Collective Impact Lincoln believe our city leaders have the power and responsibility to enact a limited eviction moratorium to close the gaps left by federal and state protections. Evictions are still happening. There are 29 hearings next week. There are a… Read more →
