There has been a lot of movement on legislative bills impacting women and girls this week—but we’re not done yet! Check out three easy action items and make a plan to use your voice!
ACTION ONE:
Contact the governor and ask him to sign LB 451, LB 320, LB 372 and LB 497 into law.
More details about each bill below.
ACTION TWO:
Vote in the upcoming local elections!
Voting isn’t just about choosing who represents us in the White House—it’s about determining who we want to lead our local communities—and every vote counts. Whether you’re mailing in your ballot or heading to the polls to vote in person, plan ahead and vote! Lincoln’s City General Election is May 4 and Omaha’s General Election is May 11.
ACTION THREE:
Sign our petition to support effective K-12 health education in Nebraska.
Effective health education, including inclusive and honest sex education, provides all young people with the skills and information to make informed decisions. It’s past time for schools in Nebraska to update their health standards to reflect the lived realities of all young people, including LGBTQ youth and youth of color. This will create school environments where young people feel seen, heard and respected.
Passed by the Legislature and Awaiting the Governor’s Action
After the Legislature passes a bill, the governor has five days, excluding Sundays, to decide what to do with the bill. The Governor may sign it or take no action at all—both of which result in the bill becoming state law. The Governor may also veto the bill, and then the Legislature may attempt to override the veto. It is our hope that these bills (below) will be enthusiastically signed into law. Help make that happen by reaching out to the governor and encourage his signature on these important pieces of legislation.
- LB 451, introduced by Senator Terrell McKinney, bans natural hair discrimination in the workplace. See how your senator voted and get more info via our fact sheets (English / Spanish).
- LB 320, introduced by Senator John Cavanaugh, supports domestic violence survivors through housing protections. See how your senator voted and get more info via our fact sheets (English / Spanish).
- LB 372, introduced by Senator Jen Day, and LB 497, introduced by Senator Wendy DeBoer, support survivors of sexual and domestic violence in paying for the financial costs that result from their victimization by making the Crime Victim’s Reparations program more accessible. See how your senator voted on LB 372 here and LB 497 here.
Just One More Vote…
A few additional bills have passed the second round of debate (Select File) and have one more vote (Final Reading) before they head to the Governor’s desk. Those bills include:
- LB 108, introduced by Senator John McCollister, increases eligibility for SNAP and directly addresses the cliff effect in food assistance benefits that allows working families to accept raises or small wage increases without losing the financial support they need to put food on the table.
- LB 260, introduced by Senator Megan Hunt, allows workers to be eligible for unemployment benefits if they leave a job to provide care for a family member with a serious health condition.
- LB 485, introduced by Senator DeBoer, increases access to affordable child care for working families through the child care assistance or subsidy program.
Yet to Be Debated…
These bills await their first round of debate (General File), and it would be helpful to reach out to your state senator and express your support:
- LB 241, introduced by Senator Tony Vargas, enacts health and safety protections for meatpacking workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- LB 258, introduced by Senator Vargas and prioritized by Senator Matt Hansen, supports workers with paid sick and safe leave to care for themselves and their families when they are ill or need time off work to seek safety for themselves or their family as a result of domestic or sexual violence. Read more via our fact sheets (English / Spanish).
- LB 298, introduced by Senator Mike McDonnell, closes a loophole in Nebraska’s unemployment insurance program that leaves out work-authorized immigrants.
Continue to check in with us via Facebook or Twitter for how you can get involved in public policy, and download our voting social images today!