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Committee hears proposal to create paid youth conservation apprenticeship program
Summary
Supporters told the Natural Resources Committee LB1141 would create a six-week paid conservation apprenticeship for opportunity youth administered by Nebraska Game and Parks, with an earmarked cash fund and expanded local partnership authority in pending amendment AM2137.
Senator Ashley Spivey’s office introduced LB1141 to the Natural Resources Committee as a proposal to reestablish and modernize a youth conservation apprenticeship program.
Sofia Wybould, administrative assistant to Senator Ashley Spivey, said the bill “creates the Nebraska Youth Apprenticeship Conservation Program, which is NYACP, to be administered by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission” and described it as a paid six-week summer program for opportunity youth ages 16 to 21 that pairs hands-on conservation work with environmental education. Wybould said the bill aims to prioritize youth who have experienced trauma, had negative contact with law enforcement, or are at risk of not completing school and that an initial cash-fund earmark was identified at $250,000 in the bill packet.
Proponents framed the measure as a relatively small, targeted investment that can deliver workforce training and conservation outcomes. Bill Hawkins, a lifelong Nebraskan who works with youth programs, said the bill would help young people connect with Nebraska’s outdoors. Al Davis of the Nebraska Sierra Club said the bill’s focus on opportunity youth and outdoor activity is supported by research and urged the committee to advance the bill.
No opponents spoke during the in-room hearing; committee staff reported online comments included four proponents, seven opponents and one neutral. The committee closed the LB1141 hearing with no vote taken and moved on to other items on the agenda.
The next procedural step is for committee members to consider amendments and whether to advance LB1141 to general file. The committee record includes written and online comments filed for the hearing.
