Policy Priorities
Count on us to help keep you informed about policies that affect our youngest Nebraskans.
Nebraska Early Childhood Legislation
Informed citizens and advocates play an important role in Nebraska’s political process. First Five Nebraska monitors and reports on legislation in the Unicameral related to the care and education of young children. This includes policy developments affecting child care, the early childhood workforce, economic development, maternal and child health, prenatal-to-age-3, K-3 education and a wide range of related issues.
Policy Priorities
The first session of the 108th Nebraska Legislature convened January 4. In the months ahead, First Five Nebraska’s priorities will focus on bills intended to strengthen the quality and accountability of our state’s early childhood systems, ease burdens on the early childhood professional workforce, incentivize private investments in child care and improve the health outcomes of expectant mothers and children.
LB35 | Change provisions relating to child care assistance
Introducer: Senator Wendy DeBoer
Summary: Extends eligibility of child care subsidy for families up to 185% of the Federal Poverty Level until October 1, 2026
LB64 | Require the Department of Health and Human Services to provide notice in certain cases of child abuse and neglect
- Introducer: Senator Jen Day
- Summary: Requires NDHHS to notify parents of children at a licensed child care facility when an instance of child abuse or neglect is substantiated.
- FFN hearing testimony
- LB64 / LB65 FFN Policy Brief
LB65 | Change provisions relating to the complaint tracking system and disciplinary action under the Child Care Licensing Act
- Introducer: Senator Jen Day
- Summary: Requires NDHHS to identify child care licensing violations which are self-reported and those which are the result of a complaint. Also requires NDHHS to notify parents of disciplinary actions against a child care license holder.
- FFN hearing testimony
- LB64 / LB65 FFN Policy Brief
LB75 | Provide for review of incidents of severe maternal morbidity
- Introducer: Senator Tony Vargas
- Summary: Authorizes the State Maternal Death Review Team to study incidents of severe maternal morbidity for the purpose of developing recommendations for prevention.
- FFN hearing testimony
- Guest blog by Chad Abresch, CityMatCH : LB75 will yield data to help reduce health crises during childbirth
- Guest blog by Nyomi Thompson, I Be Black Girl: LB75 data collection needed to address maternal health disparities in Nebraska
LB114 | Appropriate funds for evidence-based early intervention home visitation programs
Introducer: Senator Tony Vargas
Summary: Increase the General Fund appropriation for evidence-based early intervention home visitation programs to $2 million per year.
- Committee Hearing: Appropriations Committee – Friday, March 24, 2023, 1:30 PM | Watch it live on Nebraska Public Media
- Submit comments online about LB114 for the public record before noon on Thursday, March 23, 2023.
- FFN Policy Brief
- FFN hearing testimony
LB115 | Adopt the Family Home Visitation Act
- Introducer: Senator Jane Raybould
- Summary: Defines in statute what home visiting is, asks the Department of Health and Human Services to create a pamphlet and a website that includes all home visitng programs that meet the definition, and requires an annual report to the Legislature on home visiting.
- FFN hearing testimony
LB318 | Adopt the Child Care Tax Credit Act and reauthorize tax credits under the School Readiness Tax Credit Act
Introducer: Senator Eliot Bostar
Summary: LB318 has been amended into LB754 under AM906. This legislation has three components:
- Creates a refundable tax credit for an individual with a dependent who receives child care services from a licenses provider or a license-exempt provider who participates in the child care subsidy program. Parents or guardians with household income at 100% or less of the Federal Poverty Level may also quality for the refundable credit.
- Creates a nonrefundable tax credit to taxpaying individuals, businesses and other entities that make a qualifying contribution to promote or enhance early childhood education.
- Reauthorizes the School Readiness Tax Credit, offering tiered refundable credits to qualifying child care professionals and nonrefundable credits to qualifying providers serving children through the child care subsidy.
Status: As AM906 to LB754, this bill has advanced to General File.
- FFN hearing testimony
- FFN Policy Brief on the Child Care Tax Credit Act and School Readiness Tax Credit Act (updated)
- Guest blog by Diane Temme Stinton: LB318 helps preserve Nebraska’s workforce advantage
LB319 | Create funds, transfer funds and provide for child care funding
Introducer: Senator Eliot Bostar
Summary: Provides a one-time cash reserve transfer of $50 million for the Nebraska Early Learning Endowment Fund (Sixpence), $10 million for Nebraska NAEYC WAGE$ and $40 million for capacity-building grants for child care providers.
- Appropriations Committee Hearing: March 15, 2023, 1:30 p.m.
- LB319 FFN Policy Brief
- FFN hearing testimony
LB419 | Require submission of a Medicaid state plan amendment to extend postpartum coverage
Introducer: Senator Anna Wishart
Summary: Expands Medicaid coverage for postpartum women in Nebraska from 60 days after giving birth to one year.

Elizabeth Lopez Everett
Deputy Director, Public Policy Manager