On July 13, the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), announced a new proposed rule to amend the current Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) regulations. The changes outlined in this new proposed rule will...
Posts by: Elizabeth Everett, Deputy Director
LB319 will help families, strengthen child care in Nebraska
Despite the critical need for child care, there are very few supports that make owning and operating a child care program a viable career for educators and entrepreneurs. High employee turnover, low profit margins and burdensome operating costs represent a serious...
LB318 eases financial burden for parents, child care providers
UPDATE: LB318 has been incorporated into LB754 as AM906. Now more than ever, we know how heavily our state relies upon high-quality, affordable and accessible child care. Working parents depend upon it for the financial stability of their families. Employers depend...
Early childhood bills to watch in the Nebraska Legislature
State senators introduced 812 bills in the first 10 days of this year’s legislative session, the highest number since 2001. First Five Nebraska has nine priority bills this year, and is following nearly 70 other Nebraska early childhood bills that could impact young...
First Five Nebraska’s 2023 legislative priorities
Bill introduction in the Nebraska Legislature has concluded, and state senators introduced 812 bills during this first session of the two-year biennium. Each bill will be referred to a committee and receive a public hearing, and then may be advanced for debate by the...
108th Nebraska Legislature convenes
The 90-day first session of the 108th Nebraska Legislature convened January 4 with 15 newly elected state senators, 10 re-elected and 1 appointed senator.
First Five Nebraska’s 2022 legislative priorities
The work of the 2022 Nebraska Legislature is well underway, with state senators meeting for floor debate in the mornings and hearings in the afternoons. Full-day debate is scheduled to begin March 8. Senators are in the process of selecting their priority bills—each...
Nebraska Legislature to convene in early January 2022
Nebraska State Senators will convene the 60-day session of the 107th Legislature Jan, 5, 2022. It will be the second session of the two-year biennium.
LB531: Incentivizing child care quality, capacity through private investment
The Legislature’s Revenue Committee heard testimony this week on LB531: Adopt the Nebraska Child Care Tax Credit Act. Introduced by Senator Tom Briese, District 41, the legislation would offer financial incentives to taxpayers—including businesses and individuals—to...
State looks at strengthening early childhood system amid pandemic
During the past legislative session, Chairman of the Nebraska Legislature’s Appropriations Committee Senator John Stinner introduced LR390, an interim study to examine the fiscal and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Nebraska’s early childhood workforce and...