[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6304089,"mediaKeyId","2469132-18df0cd594413fed82a70f26d67469ae","parentId",2469132,"title","Debate over shortening ADC time limit: sponsors seek 36‑month cap; advocates warn of harm to families","audioSeconds",2596,"startMs",8646000,"endMs",11242000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2469132-18df0cd594413fed82a70f26d67469ae&start=8646&end=11242","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2469132-18df0cd594413fed82a70f26d67469ae/thumbnail_8646000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6304089/Nebraska/Debate-over-shortening-ADC-time-limit-sponsors-seek-36month-cap-advocates-warn-of-harm-to-families","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304089-db21f9af986632f05546eeacfffddf3c/orig.mp4?Expires=1773253112&Signature=DEVKtMJfIReY6Vonwu-kOSQ0kSS2jdIUaV3uuMRVu8Lz3ojIn38k3q-Sbzetr-DRSY7avGpzXnrtOMFk2UMDwcWf3kVL~MOdGcysQx7TnD7rnq4c8aOwavLQTu1Lkx3RPRpzYv2TCmzbatsxEwKgCwNOJkPNHPlCkd7~dkIjL2kTA60tGhfagCGI~5kT6kcWOs0twoRA-RmMwd~glVvSL54490Uu~5JHPgezmB6ADh-x8fRpPogio6svITdQXWecy8Qn-saNugXRchfK-ZDHvTT0OCheRDXW3r7xox25Sas3nk21cw1KCRSlbCMh1010Qs3tl9SClzse7EU2wKG7Yg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Nebraska Legislature","date","2025-02-27T00:00:00Z","article","Sen. Bob Andersen introduced LB379 seeking to reduce the lifetime cap on Aid to Dependent Children (ADC, Nebraska’s TANF cash component) from the current 60 months to 24 months; he later filed an amendment (AM378) to extend the proposed cap to 36 months to align with a separate statutory allowance for vocational training. The sponsor said the change would emphasize work and faster transitions into employment and cited programs that could be completed in 24–36 months.

The committee heard sharply divided testimony. Proponents (including the Foundation for Government Accountability and other reform advocates) argued shorter lifetime limits reinforce the temporary nature of cash assistance and encourage rapid training and employment. They cited examples of states that limit TANF benefits and suggested Nebraska should align eligibility with attainable vocational programs.

Opponents included advocacy groups, legal aid and multiple people who described personal experience with ADC. Witnesses — including a former ADC participant and local social‑service providers — said the program’s current benefit levels are very low (witnesses described typical monthly ADC cash awards in the low hundreds), that users already face multiple administrative barriers and that many families in extreme poverty need more than 24–36 months to stabilize. Testimony highlighted that ADC participation is small relative to need (transcript cited about 2,849 participating families in a recent month) and that sanctions, administrative burdens and lack of affordable child care or transportation frequently interrupt progress toward self‑sufficiency.

Committee members asked about what happens when families exhaust lifetime limits and whether the legislation included grandfathering or transition rules; the sponsor said he would discuss phase‑in and alignment issues and suggested possible grandfathering of families already receiving benefits. Witnesses recommended alternatives such as increasing benefit levels, modernizing the program, ending child support penalties and improving access to training and child care rather than shortening the lifetime cap.

Ending: The hearing revealed starkly different perspectives: supporters emphasized program efficiency and stronger work incentives; opponents emphasized real‑world barriers to employment and urged improvements to benefit levels and services rather than a shorter time limit.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Health and Human Services Committee - 2/27/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Sen. Bob Andersen introduced LB379 to shorten Nebraska’s ADC (cash assistance/TANF) lifetime limit from 60 months to 24 months; he later offered an amendment to set the cap at 36 months.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature NE, Nebraska","taxId",77675,"location","Nebraska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6304098,"Bill to codify access to maternal and child health data draws wide support from researchers and quality‑improvement groups",4694,2506000,7200000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2469132-18df0cd594413fed82a70f26d67469ae&start=2506&end=7200","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2469132-18df0cd594413fed82a70f26d67469ae/thumbnail_2506000.jpg","/articles/6304098/Nebraska/Bill-to-codify-access-to-maternal-and-child-health-data-draws-wide-support-from-researchers-and-qualityimprovement-groups","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304098-82d6ee24b567ccafd76bc5627d1ba967/orig.mp4?Expires=1773253112&Signature=XSVXcWYNbGJjY8kopC~PlfgVPqbtK~U8PegoXwkNXOJvuGGpJzwB70cXolCQSyoQdqkh3ZFf-GqAKzwma-Lq6Qzn~O5Mc9VzjUTPATPKZcnf4HD3BfoYfSDbKpOvVTiyvxb1vANaJ-l7lEqz3G3mUS3coctomRbS4kZ~ZzEZysmHtid4sRMZhVyWRkn7r2UgNutj2dtxCXXbtq5k98njyFf3xgLDiCUpHBNoV5UtZAHy1a50Zex9VsfTc5lPSfVK8fs8pciP2x5of9GD2q~tC51kmHR9wFLuBIGYRrjQwJi4v0-Lj9hz24ERvYGxIkOBcXxRYs0bosfh9RM~gp99MA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sen. Dung Guareca (District 70) introduced LB446 with an explanation that Nebraska’s vital statistics statute lacks clarity about who may request state maternal and child health data and how quality improvement organizations access it. The bill would codify an annual update requirement for an existing data dashboard, formalize an application process for researchers who want access to de‑identified aggregate records, and explicitly permit the statewide perinatal quality improvement collaborative to receive that aggregate data for quality improvement work.

Researchers and clinical quality leaders gave the committee consistent testimony on the bill’s goals. Chad Abresch of the University of Nebraska Medical Center told senators researchers often must use CDC public files, which lag by years, and that a statutory process would let local scientists and clinicians act on more current trends. Dr. Anna Anderson Berry, medical director for the Nebraska Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative (NPIC), said timely county‑ and facility‑level data are essential for building protocols, targeting interventions for critical‑access and urban hospitals, and measuring whether an initiative reduces harms such as pregnancy‑associated hypertension, hemorrhage or congenital syphilis. NPIC and other proponents argued the dashboard already exists (DHHS published a dashboard in late 2023) but that codifying the dashboard and a researcher application process in statute would ensure continuity and faster access for quality improvement work.

Witnesses described state practice as uneven: they said DHHS can and does provide some data but that legal or administrative steps sometimes delay or block release. Abresch and Dr. Anderson Berry said the bill does not require new data collection or extra reporting; instead it would clarify and speed release of data the department already compiles and sends to the CDC, removing a three‑year lag for local researchers.

Committee members asked about privacy protections and small‑cell suppression. Witnesses said requests would be for de‑identified aggregate data, and they endorsed standard suppressions for small cell counts (e.g., not reporting cells below 10) and other confidentiality protections; those details would be handled as part of HHS’s process and rulemaking. Nebraska organizations including NPIC, UNMC researchers, First 5 Nebraska and several county public‑health leaders testified in favor; DHHS appeared in the neutral column and asked clarifying questions about definitions and workload.

Ending: Proponents urged the committee to advance LB446 so that clinicians, researchers and statewide quality collaboratives can use timely state data to detect problems earlier and measure the effect of local interventions; senators indicated follow‑up questions for DHHS about implementation.","Sen. Dung Guareca (District 70) introduced LB446 to clarify who can access maternal and child vital‑statistics data and to require an annually updated data dashboard and a formal researcher application process.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6304084,"Heated hearing on SNAP work‑requirement waivers: sponsor urges ending broad exemptions; opponents warn of rural harm",3024,12576000,15600000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2469132-18df0cd594413fed82a70f26d67469ae&start=12576&end=15600","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2469132-18df0cd594413fed82a70f26d67469ae/thumbnail_12576000.jpg","/articles/6304084/Nebraska/Heated-hearing-on-SNAP-workrequirement-waivers-sponsor-urges-ending-broad-exemptions-opponents-warn-of-rural-harm","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304084-66c388e09a64a010ebf02817075de565/orig.mp4?Expires=1773253112&Signature=YN3pCVxLaeBwHcoHX4R26Z~UES5fmEqhEZ927vTn8dmE2idxY-U55bbMVtP2ULR0XbTkr~f2cNV1I~HfIFdGwQ0XBGY7rmMu0qNs9nYBkF8HAGusNRYpYQKkeyJIe18qNcA-Z46CJ4jlozOlNeanj8voIJx0rsMG9dMXD5HdSSuKBCyKYTTFJMyGbGP1TIB6f4lro8DaNmiWMtVCgyEayVKx5mQx6EJZmgEZwYyAg3QVMn9WrPcRsamFGQdwhFIrAJkekEYoXHFKkoNyPApBC157fsmUYEIiA-58eRgJnoebDLLVIFg0MmjNPVpMSAkf7JzORDAU7CdUD5h0fVpfag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sen. Bob Anderson introduced LB656 to remove state language that allows broad exemptions or local waivers from federal SNAP work requirements (for able‑bodied adults without dependents, commonly called ABAWDs). The sponsor said Nebraska currently reports about 23,200 ABAWDs exempted from work requirements and that the state’s voluntary Employment & Training (E&T) program reaches only a few hundred participants. He argued that waivers and permissive exemptions have functionally weakened the federal work requirement and that Nebraska should instead invest in mandatory E&T programming that helps people gain skills and join the workforce.

Proponents (policy reform groups) argued the legislation would close what they called a “loophole” in statute that permits discretionary waivers and “no‑good‑cause” exemptions to be banked up and used in ways that reduce participation in work‑oriented programming. Proponents cited other states (Kansas, Idaho, Arkansas, Utah) that are using more active work or E&T programs and said mandatory E&T, virtual training options and stronger third‑party partnerships could scale at relatively modest per‑participant costs when carefully implemented.

Opponents urged caution and strongly opposed removing waiver discretion. DHHS‑neutral testimony, tribal leaders (Winnebago), local officials and anti‑hunger advocates argued that waivers exist to respond to local labor markets, high rural unemployment, lack of transportation, childcare shortages and sparsely distributed jobs. Tribal leaders said reservation economies still lack sufficient jobs and that removing waiver flexibility would disproportionately harm Indigenous and rural households; Winnebago testimony described a fragile local labor market and said SNAP spending circulates in local economies. Multiple opponents also said federal proposals to change SNAP funding or block grants could change fiscal calculations and make an expensive mandated E&T rollout riskier. DHHS and policy advocates urged that mandatory E&T would require tens of staff and significant program investment; the department’s fiscal discussion included a multi‑million dollar figure in testimony (opponents cited an estimate of about $5.2M to scale E&T statewide) and said the agency was not prepared to operationalize mandatory statewide E&T without a phased plan.

Ending: The committee heard sharply divided views. Sponsors push for tighter rules and greater E&T participation; opponents argued that waivers are an essential tool to respond to local labor market realities and that a mandatory statewide E&T program would be costly and could reduce food access if underfunded.","Sen. Bob Anderson introduced LB656 to remove state exemptions and discretionary waivers from federal SNAP 'ABAWD' work requirements and to make E&T participation more broadly required.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6304102,"Sen. Quick and home‑care providers urge standard pay rates for Aged and Disabled waiver services",2201,263000,2464000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2469132-18df0cd594413fed82a70f26d67469ae&start=263&end=2464","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2469132-18df0cd594413fed82a70f26d67469ae/thumbnail_263000.jpg","/articles/6304102/Nebraska/Sen-Quick-and-homecare-providers-urge-standard-pay-rates-for-Aged-and-Disabled-waiver-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304102-01191e237fc0b1c24bec4855aa2d792a/orig.mp4?Expires=1773253112&Signature=ZwYvDIr2orkLWtVqUrhyttseKXGXm4q4T3ZUCvhVDwc663farBtT6q4tdrqRyNjkAFBDLLyjxpU4BACEURThFLVxs72qQtmTb6MUT4V0d5~rF2~izaMnh6okygWr3xdo4Lx0~CvgHwqbnbYjCNEcZsMBzlRXWm3Wr-Ciu7ziQn4KwIH3fvukHyH-MdUkUCdBK~4l4r1VnKQlGTl6sz0jWzp1L0kSBpP2m4kAlTH8OJkovSz0I6OsUV8JH4Z7ZabYxlYW2AIp5ppvVIUPCXnGbZ7ndqwabPuT5NZLwMZ1OaYvMorXvfogsMDHZ-LRLL6bLo-iArZh9dpd8qZWGUaW3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sen. Dan Quick (District 35) opened the hearing on LB486 by saying the bill would end case‑by‑case rate negotiations and require the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt a standardized reimbursement schedule for personal‑care services under the Aged and Disabled (A&D) Medicaid waiver.

The bill’s supporters — including executives from AmaniCare and Caretech and representatives of LeadingAge Nebraska, The Arc of Nebraska and the Nebraska Home Care Association — told the committee that the department’s current approach lets resource directors negotiate different hourly rates with individual providers, producing “vastly different” pay for the same service in the same community. Tim Martens, chief operating officer at AmaniCare, said providers in identical markets are being reimbursed between roughly $26 and $48 per hour; he testified that new or out‑of‑state agencies have recently received rates $5–$6 an hour higher than long‑tenured Nebraska providers serving the same clients. Karen Zuger of Caretech said Nebraska is one of the few states without a standardized fee schedule and argued that a uniform schedule would allow agencies to compete on quality rather than rate bargaining.

Proponents tied the reimbursement issue to workforce problems. Martens and Zuger told senators that turnover among caregivers is high and that agencies cannot reliably plan raises or retain staff without consistent rates. They urged the committee to require the department to adopt a fee schedule based on a rate study (the bill references a 2022 CBIZ Optimus study) and to include a rebasing mechanism so rates are adjusted periodically for inflation and business‑cost changes.

Several testifiers warned the committee that the department’s fiscal note — which estimates roughly $86 million the first year and $88 million the next — is overstated because it assumes LB486 would apply to all A&D waiver services and to certain chore services that the bill does not cover. Providers said they had been told previously the impact would be in the single‑digit millions and asked DHHS to reexamine the assumptions behind its estimate.

Committee members pressed proponents about program scope, audit and quality controls. Witnesses described existing provider audits (annual reviews of caregiving files) and said the A&D waiver serves beneficiaries who would otherwise require nursing‑facility level care; they emphasized that keeping people in home‑and‑community‑based settings saves the state money overall. Multiple proponents pointed to a 2022 department rate study as the basis for a standard schedule; LeadingAge Nebraska cited a specific figure from that study (approximately $43.63 per hour) as a reasonable benchmark, while noting the study is now a few years old.

No formal action was recorded at the hearing. At the close of LB486 testimony the committee reported 3 proponents and no opponents on the record and moved on to the next item on the agenda.

Ending: Supporters urged the committee to advance LB486 to create a predictable, statewide fee schedule for A&D personal‑care services while asking DHHS to rework its fiscal calculations; senators indicated follow‑up questions about the fiscal note and rate study would be needed.","Supporters of LB486 told the Health and Human Services Committee that Nebraska’s current individually negotiated personal‑care reimbursement process produces wide pay disparities, makes workforce planning difficult and weakens rural access; testifiers also questioned DHHS’s fiscal note estimating tens of millions in new costs.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6304093,"Sen. Ballard’s bill to require school cardiac emergency plans and grants draws strong emotional testimony after local save",3384,5076000,8460000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2469132-18df0cd594413fed82a70f26d67469ae&start=5076&end=8460","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2469132-18df0cd594413fed82a70f26d67469ae/thumbnail_5076000.jpg","/articles/6304093/Nebraska/Sen-Ballards-bill-to-require-school-cardiac-emergency-plans-and-grants-draws-strong-emotional-testimony-after-local-save","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304093-99477d2c215efe19eced577d4ac5604d/orig.mp4?Expires=1773253112&Signature=PaqwmSEc~hf9FEEkgWSq0fafWYKkPn1-r40q79Xkab2y1yW3Z2ml8MTVLYQC8caynFl1~QO1dhVIBGKlfxwzL-xvlg29XqIG9z-5naTOOwXEdx-Jq4zjNeidkw35nJep~Iz8VBibDwYHJGZao-Jah6-vqJhWXJe3ydUJrFpwYoftF9ScKSivxKB59qQCSsWOigAuSJisP5zTD~SZAnwJnegK6Cuge5KzHlWzUv~CPgwzcWRSqxZqQU19J4zztxQYIoqX9b-8Q0mH7WtVltur0FqCf8ifxybu0x80EKkAknu56P61qccc5KR-fVyTrfNvg5DKx0nCMioxlyDESAX-HA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sen. Beau Ballard (District 21) introduced LB463, which would require state school safety directors to develop a standardized cardiac emergency response plan for schools to adopt, require accessible AEDs at school sites and set up grants through the Department of Education to help districts pay implementation costs. The bill proposes using the Medicaid Managed Care Excess Profit Fund as the state grant source with a $1,500,000 authorization stated by the introducer.

The hearing featured emotional survivor testimony and broad institutional support. Erin Zavawa described her son Memphis’s out‑of‑school cardiac arrest at a cross‑country meet and credited immediate bystander CPR and rapid access to an AED for his survival. Multiple medical witnesses — including Dr. Matthew Sorensen (pediatric cardiology, electrophysiology, Project ADAM) and Dr. Karla Lester (pediatrician, American Heart Association volunteer) — told the committee that rapid AED access and practiced emergency response plans sharply improve survival for sudden cardiac arrest; they cited a roughly 10% drop in survival for each minute without defibrillation and examples of school saves in Nebraska after plan implementation.

Project ADAM and Children’s Nebraska testified that an organized school plan, regular drills, AED maintenance and basic training for staff and regular volunteers can raise survival rates substantially. Project ADAM and other partners have helped about 225 Nebraska schools reach a “Heart Safe” designation; testifiers said the program has led to at least three documented student saves in recent years. Lincoln Public Schools described its districtwide plan — which requires at least one cardiac response drill annually, AED maintenance and designated response teams — and said every LPS site has Heart Safe recognition.

School governance groups and the Nebraska State Athletic Trainers Association expressed support while noting implementation details and costs. The Nebraska Association of School Boards testified in neutral posture, noting many districts already meet requirements in state rules and NDE guidance; the association asked the committee to consider how the bill overlaps with existing regulations and urged sustainable funding for maintenance/ongoing training, not just initial purchases. Several witnesses recommended clarifying time‑to‑AED language (the bill includes a 3‑minute accessibility target) because some venues (cross‑country courses, remote events) make a strict 3‑minute rule infeasible.

Ending: The committee heard broad support and moving survivor testimony; senators signaled willingness to work on funding and clarifying language (especially the 3‑minute accessibility requirement and overlap with existing rules) while noting Lincoln Public Schools’ model as a state example.","LB463 would require school districts to adopt a standardized cardiac emergency response plan, make AEDs readily accessible and create a grant program (proposed $1.5M) administered by the Department of Education to offset costs; testimony included multiple survivor stories, clinical evidence and a broad coalition of health and school groups.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Debate over shortening ADC time limit: sponsors seek 36‑month cap; advocates warn of harm to families

Bill to codify access to maternal and child health data draws wide support from researchers and quality‑improvement groups

Heated hearing on SNAP work‑requirement waivers: sponsor urges ending broad exemptions; opponents warn of rural harm

Sen. Quick and home‑care providers urge standard pay rates for Aged and Disabled waiver services

Sen. Ballard’s bill to require school cardiac emergency plans and grants draws strong emotional testimony after local save