The following is a list of Voices for Children priority legislation for the 105th Legislature.

To view the 2016 Sine Die Legislative Update, click here.

To contact your state senator click here.

Child Welfare

LB 746: Implements the federal Strengthening Families Act
Introducer: Senator Kathy Campbell
Status: Signed by Governor on April 18, 2016
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s LB746 Testimony

LB 975: Adopts the Child Welfare Services Preservation Act
Introducer: Senator Mark Kolterman
Status: Indefinitely Postponed
Voices for Children position: OPPOSE
Click here for Voices for Children’s LB975 Testimony

Economic Stability

LB 147: Change provisions relating to asset limitations for public assistance
Introducer: Senator Sue Crawford
Status: Indefinitely Postponed
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s LB 147 Testimony

LB 690: Amends eligibility requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by striking provisions that prohibit those with certain controlled substance-related felony convictions
Introducer: Senator Adam Morfeld
Status: Indefinitely Postponed
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s LB690 Testimony

LB 701: Eliminates a termination date for ADC work activity requirements to be fulfilled by vocational training
Introducer: Senator Heath Mello
Status: Provisions of LB 701 were amended into LB 1081 and signed by Governor on March 30, 2016
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s LB701 Testimony

LB 947: State intent relating to professional or commercial licenses for DACA recipients
Introducer: Senator Heath Mello
Status: Passed notwithstanding the objections of the Governor on April 20, 2016
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s Letter of Support

LB 951: Adopt the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Act
Introducer: Senator Burke Harr
Status: Indefinitely Postponed
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s Testimony

LB 958: Change provisions relating to budgets, the valuation of agricultural land, and levy limitations
Introducer: Senator Mike Gloor
Status: Signed by Governor on April 19, 2016
Voices for Children Position: NEUTRAL
Click here for Voices for Children’s Testimony

LB 1036: Change provisions of the Credit Services Organization Act, the Delayed Deposit Services Licensing Act, and the Nebraska Installment Loan Act
Introducer: Senator Kathy Campbell
Status: Indefinitely Postponed
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s Letter of Support

LB 1089: Change the minimum wage for persons compensated by way of gratuities
Introducer: Senator Matt Hansen
Status: Indefinitely Postponed
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s LB 1089 Letter of Support

Department of Revenue – Agency Budget Request
Request state appropriations for VITA site funding
Click here for Voices for Children’s Testimony

Department of Health and Human Services – Agency Budget Request
Appropriations for Medicaid and CHIP
Click here for Voices for Children’s Testimony

Education/Early Childhood

LB 889: Adopt the School Readiness Tax Credit Act
Introducer: Senator Heath Mello
Status: Signed by Governor on April 18, 2016
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s LB 889 Letter of Support

LB 939: Adopt the Nebraska Early Childhood Advantage Act
Introducer: Senator Heath Mello
Status: Indefinitely Postponed
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s Letter of Support

LB 1004: Change provisions relating to the Community Eligibility Provision
Introducer: Senator Tanya Cook
Status: Provisions of LB 1004 were amended into LB 1066 and approved by Governor on April 13, 2016
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s Testimony

LB 1065: Change school provisions relating to the Community Eligibility Provision
Introducer: Senator Kate Sullivan
Status: Provisions of LB 1004 were amended into LB 1066 and approved by Governor on April 13, 2016
Voices for Children Position: NEUTRAL
Click here for Voices for Children’s Testimony

Health

LB 850: Adopt the Paid Family Medical Leave Insurance Act
Introducer: Senator Sue Crawford
Status: Indefinitely Postponed
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s LB 850 Testimony

LB 945: Adopt the Nebraska Healthy Food Financing Initiative Act
Introducer: Senator Matt Hansen
Status: Indefinitely Postponed
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s Testimony

LB 1032: Adopt the Transitional Health Insurance Program Act
Introducer: Senator John McCollister
Status: Indefinitely Postponed
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s Testimony

Juvenile Justice

LB 675: Aligns the juvenile code with best practice by removing risk of harm to self and risk of harm to property as permissible rationales for detention
Introducer: Senator Bob Krist
Status: Indefinitely Postponed
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s LB675 Testimony

LB 697: Provide for a Medicaid state plan amendment application relating to Functional Family Therapy
Introducer: Senator Sara Howard
Status: Indefinitely postponed: at the public hearing, the sponsoring senator and HHS officials testified that the Department was already pursuing the waiver, Functional Family Therapy services were expected to be covered beginning in January 2017, and this legislation was thus unnecessary.
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s Letter of Support

LB 709: Defines and clarifies important terms in the juvenile code, including “alternative to detention”
Introducer: Senator Sara Howard
Status: Provisions of LB 709 were amended into LB 894 and approved by Governor on April 7, 2016
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s LB709 Testimony

LB 845: Establishes reporting requirements for the use of extended solitary confinement of minors in residential facilities.
Introducer: Senator Patty Pansing Brooks
Status: Approved by Governor on April 7, 2016
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s LB845 Testimony

LB 866: Establishes the Transition to Adult Living Success program to assist youth aging out of the juvenile justice system in out-of-home placements navigate the transition to adulthood.
Introducer: Senator Kate Bolz
Status: Indefinitely Postponed
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s LB866 Testimony

LB 893: Sets a minimum age of 11 for charging children in the juvenile court
Introducer: Senator Patty Pansing Brooks
Status: Approved by Governor on April 7, 2016
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s LB893 Testimony

LB 894: Requires the appointment of counsel upon filing of the petition for all delinquency and status charges, and sets limits on waiver to ensure juveniles are not pressured by parents or courts to waive
Introducer: Senator Patty Pansing Brooks
Status: Approved by Governor on April 7, 2016
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s LB894 Testimony

LB 954: Enacts a compromise reached between the Legislature and Judiciary on external oversight of juvenile probation
Introducer: Senator Bob Krist
Status: Approved by Governor on March 7, 2016
Voices for Children Position: SUPPORT
Click here for Voices for Children’s LB954 Testimony