The Second Session of the 108th Nebraska Legislature convened January 3 for a 60-day session. In his State of the State address to lawmakers, Governor Pillen prioritized property taxes, regulatory barriers and affordable housing, and also emphasized the importance of child care and early childhood education. First Five Nebraska commends the Governor for his interest in the issue, and we look forward to working with his administration on legislation this session.
First Five Nebraska collaborated with several senators to introduce a record number of early childhood bills this year that will support the child care workforce, extend postpartum health coverage for qualifying mothers and increase our state’s supply of child care. Because this is the short session of the legislative biennium with less time for floor debate, we thank State Senator John Fredrickson prioritizing LB856, which puts child care subsidy within reach of more providers for their own families’ needs, and State Senator George Dungan for prioritizing LB857 to create the Nebraska Prenatal Plus Program.
Senators will have floor debate in the mornings and public hearings in the afternoons through February. Full-day floor debate is expected to begin March 4.
First Five Nebraska will continue to conduct policy calls every month to provide updates on early childhood bills. Follow FFN on Facebook, X (Twitter) or LinkedIn to see when calls are scheduled.
The following bills are FFN’s priorities for this legislative session.
FFN Priority Legislation
The following bills are FFN’s priorities for this legislative session.
LB856 Change eligibility requirements for the federal child care subsidy program
Qualified child care providers will be income eligible for the child care subsidy program by excluding all earned and unearned household income
LB857 Create the Nebraska Prenatal Plus Program
Provide additional prenatal services to mothers in the Medicaid program who are at risk of an adverse birth outcome
LB874 Change requirements relating to child care licensing and child care facilities
Streamline state licensing, standardizes local regulations governing child care
LB898 Adopt the National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact
Enter Nebraska into a compact that facilitates background check information sharing, including child care
LB904 Change duties of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services regarding child care reimbursement rates
Allow NDHHS to assess both market rates and costs in determining child care subsidy reimbursements
LB913 Require a state plan amendment for postpartum coverage under the Children’s Health Insurance Program
Extend coverage for mothers covered under the unborn child option of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
LB946 Change requirements for payments to Child Care Subsidy program providers
Require the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to allow providers to bill for child care subsidy based on enrollment rather than attendance
LB997 Require the State Department of Education to establish criteria for salary supplements for child care and early education providers
Appropriate $2 million in salary supplements for child care and early education providers
LB1054 Adopt the Child Care Safety and Security Act
Create a fund to help communities establish safety and reunification procedures for child care providers
LB1005 Require development of a reading instruction system and programming for adults and children, create a steering committee, and provide for a literacy coordinator
Create a professional learning system to provide professional learning in high-quality instruction for teachers and early childhood educator teaching children birth through 5th grade
LB1124 State intent to appropriate funds to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Appropriate funds for home visiting programs
LB1125 State intent to appropriate funds to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Appropriate funds for nurse home visitation programs
LB1178 Create the Intergenerational Care Facility Incentive Grant Program
Create a program to provide grants to nursing homes and assisted living organizations to co-locate child care on-site
LB1252 Provide for a professional learning system and regional coaches for teaching students to read
Appropriate funds for learning system for training in teaching reading to students kindergarten through 3rd grade and early childhood educators
LB1254 Provide for a professional learning system and regional coaches for teaching students to read
Appropriate funds for a learning system for teachers and early childhood educators
LB1410 Change provisions relating to tax incentives under the ImagiNE Nebraska Act
Allows employers to pay for up to 50% of child care costs for employees with a tax credit
LB1416 Adopt the Child Care Capacity Building and Workforce Act
Create two programs to support the child care workforce, child care programs and working families
