Nebraska is a state that values work and values family, but these values aren’t always reflected in our laws. As the 2014 Legislative Session comes to a close, several proposals that would have helped working families failed to cross the finish line. These proposals include: paid family and medical leave,…...
Race for Results
Yesterday, the Annie E. Casey Foundation released the report Race for Results: Building a Path to Opportunity for all Children. The report highlights the ongoing disparities in health, education, development, and family economics by creating an index to compare children of different races’ opportunities. 12 indicators were selected by the…...
Could You Survive on $7.25?
Could you survive on $7.25? That question is particularly pertinent as the Nebraska Legislature prepares to consider LB 943, a bill that would gradually increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to $9.00 an hour by 2017. The statistics clearly indicates the need for a wage increase. As our Family Bottom…...
Federal Child Care Bill Takes an Important Step Forward
Last week, the United States Senate advanced a bill to reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), the primary source of federal funding for child care assistance. CCDBG funds are important because they help ensure that kids are safe so parents can work. If the bill is passed…...
Home Visiting Programs in Nebraska
While the budget debate heats up in Washington, federal funds for the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program (MIECHV) are set to quietly expire this September if Congress fails to reauthorize the program. Since 2010, MIECHV has helped many families in Nebraska by supporting intensive home visiting programs targeted at…...
Raising the Wage: Children and the Wage Gap
Last week, we released findings from our new poll showing that the majority of Nebraskans support increasing the state minimum wage. The poll also found that women overwhelmingly support an increase by a 3:1 ratio—but women in Nebraska aren’t alone. National polling shows that women from both ends of the political spectrum are similarly…...
