Mornings in the Nebraska legislature have been dedicated to full-floor debate on bills that have advanced out of committees, while hearings have been scheduled in the afternoons. Legislative hearings will continue through the end of March, with full-day debates beginning on March 31.
The Center for Rural Affairs testified on two priority bills last week. On Tuesday, Legislative Bill (LB) 375, introduced by Sen. Teresa Ibach, was heard by the Agriculture Committee. LB 375 would create a grant program to help independent grocers in rural communities address their long-term business sustainability. The Center was joined by four other testifiers in support of LB 375, and 13 comments were submitted online.
The Center also provided in-person testimony in support of LB 192, introduced by Sen. Dan Quick. This legislation would maintain the current income eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at 165% of the federal poverty level. Maintaining the current income eligibility is critical for people in rural communities facing food insecurity as well as for local economies. If LB 192 does not pass, more than 4,000 families in Nebraska will lose all SNAP benefits by the end of this year.
We value your input as we engage with the legislative process. If you would like to share your support, concerns, insights, or opposition via phone call or email, or by visiting with your senator, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or 402.687.2100.
Economic development
LB 81 (Hardin) – Monitor: During the 2024 special legislative session, senators passed a bill that alterated how and when 2023 property tax credits are applied, resulting in the majority of Nebraska property owners missing out on dollars they otherwise would have had refunded. This bill is a cleanup measure for the affected property owners, but it will have to move through the legislative process very swiftly to be effective. Referred to the Revenue Committee.
LB 151 (Cavanaugh, J.) – Support: Creates the First-Time Homebuyers Savings Account to allow tax-deductible contributions to be made into savings accounts up to $4,000 for married couples who file taxes jointly, or $2,000 for other individuals opening a new account. Referred to the Revenue Committee.
LB 201 (Kauth) – Oppose: This legislation establishes a 10% fee on any money transferred from Nebraska to an individual who lives outside of the U.S. LB 201 targets immigrants, especially migrant farm workers, who frequently send portions of their earnings to support their families. The proposed 10% is an extremely high fee, and it would be charged on top of the average 3 to 5% bank or money transfer service fees. If passed, this legislation will make Nebraska a less desirable place for immigrants to choose to settle and negatively impact our state’s agricultural economy. A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 18 before the Banking, Commerce, and Insurance Committee.
LB 254 (Hallstrom) – Support: Appropriates funds for the Rural Workforce Housing Fund (RWHF). Quality, affordable housing is in short supply throughout rural Nebraska. RWHF is a grant program administered by the Department of Economic Development to construct or rehabilitate housing to retain and attract residents in Nebraska’s rural communities. A hearing is scheduled for March 5 before the Appropriations Committee.
Community well-being
LB 71 (DeBoer) – Support: The Step Up to Quality Care program provides support and resources for child care providers to make measurable quality improvements to their businesses. The “step up” between levels 2 and 3 of the program requires significant investments from providers. This bill would support program participants and incentivize higher-quality care for children in our state. A hearing was held Jan. 23 before the Health and Human Services Committee.
LB 95 (Fredrickson) – Support: Creates a three-year pilot program to allow child care workers whose income is 85% or below the state median income and who are employed at least 20 hours per week in the child care industry to participate in the federal child care subsidy program. This pilot program follows up on last year’s LB 856, also introduced by Sen. Fredrickson in response to the child care workforce shortage in Nebraska. A hearing was held Feb. 12 before the Health and Human Services Committee. The Center submitted a comment in support.
LB 192 (Quick) – Support: Maintains current SNAP income eligibility, which will decrease from 165% of the federal poverty level (FPL) to 130% of the FPL on Oct. 1. The cost of groceries has only continued to rise, and food insecurity in Nebraska is higher than the national average. SNAP provides critical support for feeding Nebraskans and contributes to local economies where program dollars are spent. If the bill does not pass this year, an estimated 10,000 Nebraskans will lose access to SNAP benefits. A hearing was held Feb. 6 before the Health and Human Services Committee. The Center provided testimony in support.
LB 304 (DeBoer) – Support: This legislation eliminates the sunset provision on eligibility for the federal child care subsidy. In 2021, the Legislature increased the income eligibility for the child care subsidy from 130% of the federal poverty level to 185%. Increasing access to child care subsidies enabled thousands of Nebraska families to enroll their children in quality care programs and remain in the workforce. If this provision is allowed to sunset on Oct. 1, 2026, Nebraska will rank 50th in the nation for subsidy access. A hearing was held Feb. 6 before the Health and Human Services Committee. The Center submitted a comment in support.
LB 375 (Ibach) – Support: This Center priority legislation creates a grant program to invest in the long-term sustainability of independently owned grocery stores. Many small stores struggle to remain open, but they are a crucial part of food access in rural communities. Local grocery stores provide a social hub, job opportunities, and a vital main street business. Passing this bill means supporting rural communities by investing in their future. A hearing was held Feb. 4 before the Agriculture Committee. The Center provided testimony in support.
LB 299 (Ibach) – Support: This legislation gives certain immigrants, such as DACA recipients and those with Temporary Protected Status, access to public benefits, including unemployment insurance. Currently, Nebraska is one of the only states in the country that does not provide access to these benefits. A hearing was held Feb. 10 before the Business and Labor Committee. The Center submitted a comment in support.
Education
Agriculture and conservation
LB 145 (Ibach) – Support: Requires the Department of Agriculture to administer a grant program to mitigate invasive weeds growing in waterways and increases funding from $3 million to $6 million. Controlling the spread of invasive wetland plants benefits the health of waterways both in state and downstream. A hearing was held on Jan. 28 before the Agriculture Committee. The Center submitted a comment of support.
Energy development
LB 20 (Cavanaugh, J.) – Support: This bill allows agricultural producers to use small renewable energy systems, like wind and solar, up to 100 kW in size. These systems cannot send electricity back to the grid, meaning they are not eligible for net metering benefits. However, utilities are required to provide service to these systems while recovering any related costs. By supporting on-site renewable energy use, this legislation helps farmers lower energy expenses and increase sustainability without requiring integration into the broader grid system. A hearing was held on Jan. 22 before the Natural Resources Committee. The Center submitted a comment of support. The bill was placed on Final Reading on Feb. 13.
LB 349 (Prokop) – Support: LB 349 ensures energy storage projects are included in Nebraska’s electricity regulations by requiring approval from the Nebraska Power Review Board before construction or acquisition. Since private developers can already build and own renewable energy facilities, this bill provides a clear process for adding storage, which helps improve the reliability and efficiency of clean energy. These updates create a more consistent framework for integrating energy storage with Nebraska’s growing renewable energy sector. Referred to the Natural Resources Committee.
LB 450 (Fredrickson) – Support: This legislation adds grid resiliency projects to the Property Assessed Clean Energy Act (PACE). PACE provides financing for property owners to invest in clean energy projects and energy-efficient buildings. Grid resiliency is particularly important for rural communities, where power outages can disrupt agricultural operations, businesses, and essential services. While the Center supports this legislation, we believe that PACE financing for backup generation should be limited only to renewable energy resources. The Center recommends that PACE financing be directed exclusively to grid resiliency and backup generation powered by clean energy. A hearing was held Feb. 11 before the Urban Affairs Committee. The Center submitted a comment in support.
LB 503 (Bosn) – Support: This bill establishes “American energy-friendly counties” in Nebraska, allowing counties to apply for the designation and voluntarily adopt zoning standards for renewable energy projects. Participating counties would benefit from increased nameplate capacity tax revenue from renewable energy facilities, creating additional local funding and promoting clean energy growth. A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 19 before the Revenue Committee.
