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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
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
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.

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:

  1. 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.
  2. Creates a nonrefundable tax credit to taxpaying individuals, businesses and other entities that make a qualifying contribution to promote or enhance early childhood education.
  3. 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.

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.

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
Elizabeth Lopez Everett

Deputy Director, Public Policy Manager