UNICAMERAL UPDATE News published daily at Update.Legislature.ne.gov Vol. 44, Issue 6 / Feb. 8 - 11, 2021 Bill would continue Grant funding proposed for child care reimbursement broadband expansion changes bill that would make perma- nent a temporary change in A the way Nebraska child care providers are reimbursed through a federal program was considered Feb. 10 by the Health and Human Services Committee. Under LB68, introduced by Omaha Sen. Jen Day, providers in the federal Child Care Subsidy pro- gram would be re- Sen. Jen Day imbursed based on enrollment. Sen. Curt Friesen said LB388 would help close the state’s “digital divide.” The program reimbursed providers embers of the Transporta- The bill would appropriate $20 based on attendance until Gov. Pete tion and Telecommunica- million annually beginning in fiscal Ricketts issued an executive order last Mtions Committee heard year 2021-22 to the commission to April to reimburse based on enrollment testimony Feb. 8 on a bill meant to fund the grants. Priority would be instead due to the pandemic, Day said. encourage increased broadband avail- given to grants to unserved areas that The bill would make that change — ability throughout the state. previously have not been targeted for which otherwise will end 30 days after Under LB388, introduced by such a project, unserved areas that are the governor lifts the current COVID-19 Henderson Sen. Curt Friesen at the receiving federal support for construc- state of emergency — permanent. request of the governor, the Public Ser- tion that would not be completed Day said the state is on the verge vice Commission would administer within 24 months and underserved of a child care crisis with people leav- grants to providers, cooperatives and areas that have developed a broadband ing the workforce because of the high political subdivisions to fund qualify- and digital inclusion plan. cost of child care. Continuing the ing broadband development projects. Eligibility would be restricted to reimbursement based on enrollment Friesen said broadband expansion projects providing broadband internet would allow child care providers to is one of the most important issues fac- service scalable to 100 Mbps for down- reduce their costs, she said. ing the state, especially in rural areas. loading and 100 Mbps for uploading, “This policy has been successful,” “Households rely on internet for or greater. Each project would have Day said. “This policy is strengthening education, telehealth and, in many a completion deadline of 18 months our child care system by stabilizing cases, employment,” he said. “Bridging from the date the grant is awarded payments to providers and providing the digital divide between urban and and be eligible for one extension of six access to care for working parents.” rural is the key to helping all Nebras- months, to be approved by the PSC. Adam Feser of child advocacy kans stay connected, productive and Gov. Pete Ricketts testified in sup- prosperous.” (continued page 2) (continued page 3) INSIDE: Teaching certification sought for military spouses • Meet Sen. Pahls • Hearing schedule February 8 - 11, 2021 Bill would continue child care reimbursement changes (continued from front page) group First Five Nebraska testified Stephanie Beasley, director of the the pandemic, DHHS does not want in support of LB68. He said the bill Division of Children and Family its provisions to be extended. The bill would create steady revenue for child Services at the state Department of would cost Nebraska an estimated $26 care providers and encourage them Health and Human Services, testified million next fiscal year, Beasley said, to accept the children of families who in opposition to the bill. and the fiscal impact to the state would receive the federal subsidy. She said that although the gover- be too great. “Private-pay families must commit nor’s executive order has helped keep The committee took no immediate to paying their weekly tuition regard- child care providers in business during action on LB68. n less of attendance. The current model of only reimbursing subsidy providers for attendance makes it risky for pro- Find Legislative Documents viders to enroll children who use it,” Committee hearing schedules, daily agendas and more can be viewed Feser said. “Their enrollment occupies using the calendar on www.NebraskaLegislature.gov. a full slot of capacity while often not returning a full slot of tuition.” Clicking the “Calendar” link on the left side of the website’s home page Quentin Brown of early childhood will open a calendar that is constantly updated with new information. education group Educare Lincoln also spoke in support. Brown said organiza- tions like his don’t stop working just because a child isn’t in attendance. “Whether it’s reaching out to try to understand why a child is absent for a day or a few days, sending home a care package or learning activity, or any number of other contacts that we routinely make, our team is still work- ing on behalf of that child, or children, even when they are not physically pres- ent,” Brown said. UNICAMERAL UPDATE The Unicameral Update is a free, weekly newsletter published during the legislative session. It is produced by the Clerk of the Legislature’s Office through the Unicameral Information Office. For print subscriptions, call 402-471-2788 or email [email protected]. Visit us online at Update.Legislature.ne.gov, twitter.com/UnicamUpdate and facebook.com/UnicameralUpdate. Clerk of the Legislature: Patrick J. O’Donnell Editor: Kate Heltzel; Writers: Kyle Harpster, Ami Johnson, Mike Malloy; Photographer: Bess Ghormley Printed copies of bills, resolutions and the Legislative Journal are available at the State Capitol room 1104, or by calling 402-471-2709 or 800-742-7456. Status of bills and resolutions can be requested at that number or can be found on NebraskaLegislature.gov. Live video of hearings and floor debate can be viewed on NET2 and at NetNebraska.org/capitol. Senators may be contacted by mail at this address: Senator Name, District #, State Capitol, P.O. Box 94604, Lincoln, NE 68509-4604 Assistance provided by the Clerk of the Legislature’s Office, the Legislative Technology Center, committee clerks, legal counsels, journal clerks, pages, transcribers, mail room and bill room staff and the State Print Shop. THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE’S OFFICIAL NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1977 PAGE 2 • UNICAMERAL UPDATE • 107TH LEGISLATURE February 8 - 11, 2021 Grant funding proposed for broadband expansion (continued from front page) port of LB388. Nebraska is a leader grant would be repaid for each month significant step forward in bringing in roads infrastructure, he said, and that the project is not complete, up to broadband to unserved and under- must become a leader in broadband 100 percent of the original funding. served areas,” McHargue said. “It will infrastructure for the state to continue LB388 would require all grant re- increase equity in broadband access growing. Ricketts acknowledged that cipients to conduct randomized speed and bring economic development to the bill includes ambitious goals for tests and submit the results to the PSC. counties across the state.” internet speed, but said those speeds If speeds fail to meet the bill’s require- Representing AARP Nebraska, are necessary to compete in 2021. ments, the provider would be required Jina Ragland also spoke in support of “If we’re going to invest public to repay the grant. LB388. The broadband platform is es- taxpayer dollars in creating infrastruc- Finally, the bill would require the sential to ensuring access to telehealth, ture, we ought to invest in quality in- PSC to publish all grant applicants on civic engagement, entertainment and frastructure,” he said. “Infrastructure its website within three days of the ap- online learning, she said, as well as that is not going to get us to where plication deadline. Any service provider other internet-based applications that we ought to have been before, but to could, within 30 days, challenge an address isolation and other health where we need to be to allow students, applicant’s eligibility for funding if the challenges. businesses and health care providers to applicant already provides broadband “Availability, affordability and reli- be able to operate in the 21st century.” or has begun construction in or near ability of broadband access services are Grant applications must be submit- the proposed area. essential to the health and quality of ted on or before Oct. 1, 2021, for FY Mark McHargue, Nebraska Farm life of Nebraska’s older citizens,” Rag- 2021-2022, and on or before July 1 for Bureau President, supported the land said. “It helps older Nebraskans subsequent fiscal years. Political sub- bill. Rural broadband is an issue of to age in place productively and safely divisions would be required to form equity and necessity, he said, adding with a higher quality of life than would a public-private partnership with a that rural areas of the state should otherwise exist.” service provider to qualify for funding have the same access to broadband as No one testified in opposition to under LB388 and include matching urban areas. the bill and the committee took no funds equal to 50 percent of the total “This would help our state take a immediate action on it. n development costs. Dan Watermeier, PSC chairman, spoke in support of the bill. The PSC can target funding effectively to align Find Your Senator with the bill’s objectives, he said, and further leverage support because of the NebraskaLegislature.gov provides an commission’s familiarity with other easy tool for locating your district and funding sources. senator. “This bill appropriately balances the funding priorities, has practical Enter your full address into the “Find Your Senator” timelines and has reasonable op- search field located on the right side of the portunities for due process for the home page.