This is the legislative update for April 11, 2022. View all updates here.
- Nebraska Senators have approved the budget adjustment package.
- Behavioral health providers, nursing homes, child welfare, and developmental disability-focused programs will see a 15% increase in funds.
- The University of Nebraska Medical Center received an increase in funding for the Nebraska Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative
- Upcoming primary election: Don’t forget to register to vote!
The April 11, 2022, legislative update includes highlights from the state legislature.
State Updates
Nebraska Legislature
Last Tuesday, Nebraska Senators gave their final approval to the Appropriations Committee’s mid-biennium budget adjustment package. (Translation: A biennium is a period of two years.)
These adjustments include:
- LB1013: Introduced by Speaker Hilgers, LB1013 changes provisions relating to the state’s rainy-day fund.
- The bill uses $513 million from the cash reserve for a variety of transfers outlined in other bills introduced this session.
- The bill also sets aside $175 million for the Nebraska Capital Construction Fund for a potential new state penitentiary — but does not authorize the spending of the funds to build. Prison sentencing reform has largely focused on mental health needs and support for an overcrowded prison population.
- LB1011: Adjusts appropriations for state operations, aid, and construction programs in the current and next fiscal year. Among its many provisions, this budget bill includes:
- A 15% rate increase for behavioral health providers, nursing homes, child welfare, and developmental disability-focused programs..
- An increase in funds to the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) from $100,000 annually to $200,000 for the Nebraska Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative (LB782)
- A transfer of $400,000 from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Cash Fund by August 1, 2022 (LB722)
- $15 million for the Youth Treatment and Rehabilitation Center at Kearney renovation to be used for the construction of two new housing units and necessary equipment (LB792)
- $26.5 million from the General Fund for FY-22-23 to DHHS Program 424 Developmental Disability Aid and $41.3 million from federal funds to DHHS Program 348 for Medical Assistance (B893).
2022 Midterm Elections
Nebraska’s Primary Election is coming up quickly on May 10, so don’t forget to register to vote!
The deadline to register is April 22. Keep in mind that your Primary Election ballot choices will reflect your party designation on your Voter ID. (Translation: If you are registered with a political party, you will receive the primary ballot for that political party. If you are not registered with a political party, you can not vote for candidates who are running for partisan offices other than Congressional representatives, unless a ballot has been opened to nonpartisan voters.)
(Sources: CHA, AHA, NHA, Nebraska Chamber, Congress.gov, Nebraska Legislature, World Herald, Peetz & Co.)
