Greetings from the State Capitol!

The death penalty debate began on Monday and progressed into Tuesday morning with deep convictions, philosophies and fact based arguments for and against the repeal of the death penalty in Nebraska.

I am opposed to LB 543 based on the premise there are some crimes which are so egregious and heinous in nature that they cannot be ignored and digressed to a lighter sentence of life without parole. Crimes that involve torture and the complete degradation of a human being prior to death can only lead to a predator who is completely desensitized and who clearly feels no remorse for such an intolerable action.

The innocent victims’ families have no end to pain, no resolution and no tangible retribution for the tragic loss experienced by the crime. The family can receive no just or satisfactory compensation for the loss in life, and as such no fiscal argument can sway my decision on whether to vote or not vote for the repeal. The family’s irreplaceable loss of a loved one, as well as the sadness and the tragedy that accompanies it is enough to compel me to vote against it.

The fact that our court system is not without error is not a justifiable reason to repeal the death penalty. I believe improvements being made with DNA testing have demonstrated we can have error-free convictions due to more objective examinations of scientific evidence. Retribution is not revenge if the punishment fits the crime.

DNA testing leads to no prejudice with regard to race or income. Our court systems are blind toward social characteristics such as race or income, and our ideals set the precedent in the judicial system. The idea that legal counsels are negligent and not defending clients is an assertion that the majority of cases in Nebraska are conducted with malice. This simply is not true. We have an appeals process that is utilized in high numbers and as such, there are many opportunities to be redeemed in our state.

We have 11 persons on death row in Nebraska. The cost of pursuing a capital punishment case is three million. However, it is rare when Nebraska actually performs an execution. These prisoners may die of natural causes in prison before ever being brought to justice, which is the reason some states in our nation expedite the process.

Nebraska permits a countless number of appeals for inmates on death row, where one inmate for example, initiated 25 appeals. Litigation on appeals is costly to our state and with the advent of DNA testing as evidence, I think we can solidify convictions quickly and remove the litigation cost with future legislation that may reduce the number of opportunities for appeal.

Some people simply do not value human life. They cannot be rehabilitated. These people are dangerous and the punishment is justifiable based on the nature of the crime. We must govern and protect our communities and our children. We must make the hard decisions and remove individuals from our society who have committed the most heinous and atrocious of crimes and that are beyond rehabilitation.

Sometimes, we have to follow our faith, personal beliefs and then sometimes, we must govern. We have to make the hard decisions. We must govern our state. I choose common sense, decency and reason, all the while extending a resolute and firm hand on justice.

LB 543 failed to obtain the 33 votes needed for cloture, and did not advance to Select File.

Greetings from the State Capitol!

The hours flew into the wee hours of eight o’clock and eleven o’clock at night. We debated the budget with amendments being filed that reduce the amount of dollars appropriated to certain programs and within the budget.

Amendments were filed that reduced funds for the Learning Community Council by $75,000, eliminated additional funding for the Department of Natural Resources to contract with the Great Plains Center at the University of Nebraska on collecting weather data, created a replacement fund for state-used airplanes and eliminated funding for nursing home visitations. These amendments were debated at length and were withdrawn or lost.

We spent a week debating the budget with amendments. Amendments were filed by Senator Schilz to create a $15 million reduction on property taxes and by Senator Lautenbaugh to reduce the budget by eliminating common carriers or inspectors for the railroad under the Public Service Commission. Senator Karpisek filed an amendment to reduce University of Nebraska funds by $16 million which may increase tuition. These amendments were lost or withdrawn.

If we spend in one program, we may have to cut programs in education or welfare. The decisions made in the Appropriations Committee are never easy and always require the careful weighing of our priorities in Nebraska. With regard to the property tax provision, $122,500,000 is simply too small. Though well intentioned, it won’t even buy us a cup of coffee. The amendment lost.

An amendment to eliminate museum renovation funds under the Nebraska State Historical Society lost as well. Also, the Chamber is considering doing a study on purchasing an airplane for the Governor as opposed to an immediate purchase.

We did approve $1.4 million dollars to improve the current state’s law enforcement radio system, one that is in dire need of a better system. These dollars enable three new towers to be built to resolve the dead spots in Nebraska where there is no signal and other equipment.

The budget left room for a compromise amendment on the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunity Support Act introduced by Chairwoman Sullivan of the Education Committee. The amendment includes budget growth at 1.5% for 2013-14 and 2.5% thereafter. However, a 2% budget growth is acceptable if it is approved by 75% of the school board with expenditures included in General Fund Operating Expenditures for 2013-14. The Local Effort Rate begins at $1.03 in 2013-14 and then is subsequently reduced to $1.00 thereafter.

The teacher education allowance is set at $30 million and is distributed based on teacher education points, but 50% of this allowance is paid as teacher education aid. The instructional time allowance is set at $20 million and distributed based on average days in session in excess of 175 days multiplied by formula students, but 50% of this instructional time is paid as instructional time aid.

The compromise amendment eliminates the local choice adjustment as schools can already consolidate without this provision. Allowances such as poverty and limited English proficiency as well as summer school are not to be included with other allowances, and these allowances often determine whether a school district may have a reduction or influx of dollars in the budget.

The budget and school district funding is important to taxpayers, and I contribute to these debates with caution. I vote according to my conscience and reason when placed in a position to choose between competing ideas and funding mechanisms at the state level. I am entrusted by the voters in my district and by the Legislature as Vice Chairman of Appropriations with such an honorable duty.

Greetings from the State Capitol!

LB 517 introduced by Senator Carlson is a bill that creates the Water Sustainability Project Task Force consisting of members appointed by the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission and the Governor in order to promote the maintenance and sustainability of water in Nebraska.

Legislative members’ concerns were presented on General File that centered on the appointment of members by the Governor. It was debated that membership on the task force should not purely be dictated by the Executive Branch or any administrative branch, that we should have some limitations and guidance as to the appointments for experts entrusted with a specific task that directly correlates to the Legislature and our process of passing laws in Nebraska.

The Appropriations Committee expressed concern over the $3 million fiscal note that accompanied the legislation. Senator Carlson consulted and negotiated with concerned Legislators before Select File debate and introduced an amendment that changed the membership of the task force and reduced the fiscal note.

These changes were addressed by Senator Carlson’s AM1048 which required the Executive Board of the Legislature to appoint five members to the task force in addition to the Governor’s ten appointments. The duality of having two branches of government on a single task force can create crucial benefits and potential consequences.

The benefit to appointing Senators on the task force relates to funding which will need to be approved in the Unicameral Chamber by key legislative members. The membership appointed by the Governor are expected to be experts in the field of water and natural resources. This is a distinct benefit since even though legislative members are privy to the state funding process, such officials are not always experts in a specific field.

Senator Lathrop expressed concerns that Senators on the task force are non-voting members. The voting membership may have a common consensus and decide to move in a particular direction regardless of dissenting lawmakers’ approval. If the Senators disagree with that direction, the Senators are bound from any voting action and a report will have to be written. Senator Carlson assured Senator Lathrop that any minority dissent would be written in the report to ensure that these voices are heard in the Legislature.

Under LB 517, the time span existed between June 1, 2013 to January 1, 2014. Under the new amendment AM1048, the time span exists between June 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013. This is a shortened amount of time and the obligations are reduced from in-depth analysis to recommendations on criteria ranking, legislation, funding and statutory changes. The current fiscal cost due to these changes is now $1 million. The Department of Natural Resources is required to notify the Legislature regarding unspent funds, and as a result, these remaining funds must be returned.

Senator Mello introduced AM1176 supplementing the task force with a Metropolitan Utility District member, which in essence appoints an additional or eleventh voting member appointed by the Governor to the task force.

Metropolitan Utilities District is claimed to be more unique than other water utilities in Nebraska if not only for the reason that they are currently conducting a $1 billion sewer separation project. This relates to a large sector of our population regarding water and as such, they should have a voice on the task force. This amendment was adopted.

Water resources are significant and we need to consciously and methodically plan for our future so that we can conserve, promote and cultivate the preservation of our water in Nebraska. I support this legislation and the amendment introduced by Senator Carlson, subsequently adopted by the Unicameral Chamber.

Greetings from the State Capitol!

We debated LB 44 that set a minimum sentence for juveniles establishing a minimum forty years to life with the possibility for parole in twenty years as an option. The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled in Miller v. Alabama that it is unconstitutional as well as cruel and unusual punishment to sentence juveniles to a life sentence without the possibility for parole.

This in part pertains to the widely accepted rationale that juveniles are not able to weigh long term consequences in the same way as adults and are under constant subjugation to peer influence.

It has been scientifically demonstrated that a young person’s mind is not fully developed during these years and factors such as impulsiveness and the inability to remove the self from compromising situations play a role in the offenses committed for example, as accessories to a crime. However, young persons are often more capable of quicker rehabilitation than their adult counterparts.

LB 44 incorporates mitigating factors such as age, community and family environment, intellectual capacity and substance abuse as well as mental health and psychological history. On the possibility for parole, mitigating factors include age, maturity, level of participation in the offense, efforts toward rehabilitation, appreciation of risk and conduct and educational efforts while being incarcerated for the crime.

The U.S. Supreme Court decision is based on the Eighth Amendment that is a prohibition on excessive bail or fines as well as cruel and unusual punishment. LB 44 advanced to Select File on Thursday, April 12.

During this week, we debated LB 407 which reduces the base limitation rate for school districts from 2.5% to 1.5% for 2013-14 and raises it back to 2.5% for 2014-15, 2015-16 and thereafter. The bill increases the local effort rate from $1.00 to $1.03 for 2013-14 and 2014- 2015.

Some of the less numerical changes made in the legislation are to eliminate the teacher education allowance, the instructional time allowance, the averaging adjustment and the local choice adjustment. The instructional time allowance and the teacher education allowance are simply too difficult to measure to be helpful.

The local choice adjustment is eliminated due to the consolidation of schools in rural areas occurring regardless of the provision and as a result, this element may no longer be necessary.

AM1018 proposed by the Education Committee reinstates the teacher education allowance for 2013-14 and 2014-15 and provides for teacher education aid at 50% for 2013-2014 and 2014-15. AM1018 reinstates the exclusion of tuition and transportation fees to general fund operating expenditures, as well as expenditures for voluntary termination agreements. Under this amendment, net option funding total holds at $58,985,386.46 for 2013-14. This amendment is still pending debate.

AM1044 introduced by Senator Sullivan brings the base limitation rate in LB 407 to 2.0% in order to respond to school district concerns that budgets are too tight and that more room is needed for flexibility. I supported and voted for this amendment. However, AM1044 fell short of the 25 needed votes during debate. AM 1047 introduced by Senator Sullivan simply reinstates the averaging adjustment as has been taken out in the original LB 407. This amendment is still pending debate.

LB 407 withstood significant debate on Monday, however there is a line of seven amendments representing various interests from Senators Karpisek, Gloor, Krist, Haar and Kolowski that will need to be discussed in the upcoming days for debate. I plan on supporting the Committee Amendment AM1018 and the original legislation.

Greetings from the State Capitol!

LB 577 is a bill that expands Medicaid in the state of Nebraska due to the federal health care legislation that passed in 2012, the Affordable Care Act. According to a U.S. Supreme Court decision, states currently have the option to choose the Medicaid expansion portion of the law or not, and LB 577 would opt us in to have it in Nebraska. The threshold for expansion is at 138% of the federal poverty level.

Advocates for the expansion to uninsured and low income adults claim that the high cost of emergency room care and uncompensated costs to the hospital as well as the effect on health insurance premiums due to the silent or hidden tax, are all excellent reasons to opt in for the expansion. The federal government compensates us at 100% for the first three years and then dips to 90%.

If we do not take advantage of the 100% match, it is possible we’ll end up paying the bill for other states that have chosen the expansion. As a result, the federal government will pay a much higher price for those states that chose to opt in to the expansion. The estimated loss of healthcare dollars or savings to Nebraska is 2.3 billion dollars.

According to a representative with the University of Nebraska Medical Center, in 2014 the average individual will save $81 per year and the average family would save $225 per year. This would increase to $120 for an individual and $335 for a family by 2020. It is also believed to create 10,000 jobs with an economic return of more than 700 million over the next six years to the state.

Patients without health insurance cannot practice preventative care and as a result, more last chance runs to the emergency room will occur in our state, which may produce serious consequences to health that can be costly. Uninsured individuals are admitted to the emergency room 86% of the time, while 36% come from the commercial market and 62% from the Medicaid market. It is believed that 86% of the uninsured can be reduced to 62% as a result of the expansion.

More importantly, those persons without health insurance have a 25% higher mortality rate and are three to five times more likely not to seek immediate treatment or skip preventative care. Clearly, it seems we can benefit from this expansion.

The strongest opposing argument to this expansion perhaps, is the question that asks, is it sustainable? Participation rates will increase up to 75% in the 3rd year. When federal funding is no longer available, will the states be able to financially sustain themselves?

If programs in the future are cut due to the expansion, will there be a potential loss in school aid? Will there be a battle between K-12, higher education and health care? Additionally, opposition to the expansion favors more choices in the health insurance market in order to enhance competition and reduce the price, thereby giving citizens more diverse opportunities with insurance companies in Nebraska.

The federal government may not be reliable to fully fund the states as promised due to the uncanny and unstable nature of federal politics in Washington. I believe a safety net is needed in this legislation, one that permits us to re-evaluate and opt out of the expansion if necessary in the future.

Greetings from the State Capitol!

LB 57 is a bill introduced by Senator Tyson Larson, District 40 that requires more oversight of grant funds utilized by recipients and administered by the Executive Director of the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund Board. The legislation provides more oversight on grant money used to purchase property or in conjunction with revolving funds. Put more simply, it intends to allow counties to recoup the loss in property taxes when property is sold or transferred to federal land management agencies.

When sold, the amount equal to what property was valued at for tax purposes before the purchase, would be given to the county as a trust fund and then the county can use the interest. The counties are not permitted, however, to use the principal.

Senator Larson argues this legislation ensures more property is not removed from the tax rolls in the counties, especially rural counties where the property value is usually high. With less property subjected to the property tax, either the tax may increase and create a burden on the people, or what little is left may go to school aid, which may in turn reduce state aid in rural communities.

Here is the rub. In the fiscal note, this would only affect 500 acres with the average being around 226 acres, and six counties with one in particular being affected, that being Clay County. As Senators, this legislation does not affect us statewide and the impact is small at best. It is simply another out of the box idea for counties to retain more revenue due to loss in state aid and high property values in rural Nebraska.

We also have to consider that we would be stipulating in statute the oversight of funds when the board already conducts that oversight through a contract, usually administered by the Executive Director of the Board. So, currently we have contracts and under this legislation we would see similar oversight except through state statute. I believe this is an unnecessary interference and an impediment on the movement of funding regarding the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund.

The use of gaming funds to create an investment account to pay county real estate taxes seems to be a sharp diversion of funds under no vote by the people in Nebraska. This breaks up the public trust and confidence, since the people in Nebraska voted on LR24CA in 1992 and LR209CA in 2004 into the Constitution. I believe this change in allocation should be voted on by the people in Nebraska.

LR24CA was voted on approval by Nebraska citizens so that the Legislature may establish a lottery to be operated and regulated by the state of Nebraska and that the proceeds of the lottery be appropriated by the Legislature, as well as proceeds be used for industrial loan and investment companies who filed for bankruptcy after 1983. LR209CA in 2004 was voted on by the state of Nebraska that such proceeds shall be distributed to the Nebraska Environmental Trust Act, as well as other funds such as the Education Innovation Fund, the Nebraska State Fair Board and the Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Fund.

This legislation advanced to Select File. However, I still have concerns regarding the diversion of funds without a vote by the people, and state interference where it is not absolutely justified, in so much that only six counties across 1,100 acres may be impacted within the realm of possibility. Fiscally speaking, only 500 acres are impacted due to this legislation. I look forward to debate on this bill and receiving resolutions to the concerns aforementioned.

Greetings from the State Capitol!

LB 528 provides expedited partner therapy and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, more specifically oral antibiotics for chlamydia and gonorrhea.

The intent of LB 528 is to ensure that when a patient visits a physician and is diagnosed with either chlamydia or gonorrhea, the necessary treatment be given to the partner of the patient without ever having set foot in the office. The purpose of the legislation is to ensure that the cycle of reinfection stops in its tracks, and with this expedited therapy, the problem be resolved quickly.

Senator McCoy introduced AM764 requiring the physician to provide written information on chlamydia and gonorrhea to the patient and the partner. The reason for this is to promote awareness about the disease and attempt to prevent further infections in the future.

This amendment was adopted in good faith to improve the legislation and contribute to the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases in Nebraska. Currently, there are 32 states that have laws permitting expedited partner therapy.

A few concerns regarding this legislation lead to the lack of parental notification and the treatment of a minor without such notification. If a partner is underage and being prescribed medication without a physician’s knowledge about the partner’s family medical history, in addition to prescribing medication to a minor without parental approval, then this raises concerns on liability for the physician.

Senator McCoy introduced AM809 removing civil liability for physicians relating to the prescription of oral antibiotics to the partner of the patient. This amendment sought to create a discussion and continue our dialogue on liability.

The amendment relays the need for physicians to treat the disease and prevent the cycle of infection without the risk of liability. This amendment was also used as an instrument to have dialogue on the concern for gaps on liability in this legislation. This amendment was not adopted.

Senator Kintner introduced AM767 requiring a physician to ask the age of the partner in question and to provide parental notification under the context of treating or prescribing to a minor. This amendment was not adopted due to the fact that a patient can simply lie in response to the question on age, and also due to the fact that parental notification follows the prescription as opposed to preceding it.

Aside from these concerns, the true intent of the legislation is to treat and immediately stop the cycle of reinfection, as well as to protect babies from being born with these diseases. In the end, this legislation endured the first round of debate and advanced to Select File based on the premise that this is good public policy for every person regardless of age, in addition to the fact that the medical community and Nebraska pharmacists were consulted in formulating this piece of legislation.

Health and safety took precedence during the debate while refuting the idea on liability and parental notification. I firmly believe the parent should be notified if a minor is to be treated or given a prescription. I look forward to the second round of debate where hopefully, we will address that issue in this legislation.

Scotts Bluff County as well as Douglas, Sarpy and Lancaster County have the highest cases of chlamydia in Nebraska. Scotts Bluff County has the second highest rate of gonorrhea along with Sarpy County, second to Douglas and Lancaster County. There are no signs or symptoms that indicate the presence of an STD and without proper treatment, the risk of infection to newborn children as well as individuals is dangerous in our communities.

Health and safety must take precedence.

Greetings from the State Capitol!

Speaker and Senator priority requests for 2013 were due last week. As I weighed the long term impact of legislation I have introduced in the past as well as the present, I decided that my work on the Welfare Reform Act in providing a legitimate means to a proper education, or GED for low income individuals in Nebraska takes precedent. This is LB 240, my Senator Priority, as explained in my previous newsletter.

Additionally, LB 331 has been designated as priorities by the Speaker of Legislature, Senator Greg Adams of York. LB 332 may be placed on our Consent Calendar.

LB 331 relates to the Nebraska Opportunity Grant Act.

Without this legislation, we cannot appropriately serve the most in-need low income students in Nebraska. We need to ensure that based on the Expected Family Contribution, which is a number used to identify eligibility assistance for the Nebraska Opportunity Grant Act, that this number is in proportion with the Expected Family Contribution to qualify for the Federal Pell Grant.

A federal freeze and then a subsequent reduction on the Expected Family Contribution to qualify for the Federal Pell Grant took place in 2012-2013, so it is important that we adjust the Nebraska Opportunity Grant rate to 110% of the Expected Family Income to qualify for the Federal Pell Grant.

Currently, some students above the $40,000 family salary range are utilizing these grants due to the current precentage in comparison with the Federal Pell Grant, so it is imperative that we make the necessary adjustment.

LB 332 relates to the Access College Early Scholarship Program Act (ACE), which is a financial aid program that helps low income high school students take college courses while still attending high school.

The intent of the Access College Early Scholarship program is to provide opportunities for low income students to attend college level courses with those students who can already afford them. It gives low income students the chance to demonstrate a higher level of thinking and ability, as well as to encourage them to envision a life beyond their economic circumstances.

Students in High School who do not have the resources and support or even the exposure to that level of education, can vastly benefit from this experience. These scholarships provide that exposure, as well as that opportunity.

LB 332 permits a designated and qualified school official in addition to a high school guidance counselor, to review the ACE application and facilitate the application process for the student. In order to ensure compliance for schools with students who do not work closely with a high school counselor, this legislation is absolutely necessary.

As President of a Community College in my years before the Legislature, I learned that education for low income students is the key to removing them from poverty and improving their social-economic circumstances, so that they can have the same basic opportunities as everyone else to succeed in life.

This success will be marked by those individuals who will impact the work force in Nebraska, those individuals who will have children and be role models for those children, and those individuals who will contribute to a healthier community in the reduction of crime, welfare and recidivism, all the while promoting a higher standard in life.

There is no question in my mind that education for low income students will provide the pathway to a more significant and meaningful existence. And so, my own path in leading and mentoring and providing opportunities for children remains and always will remain my mission, and these pieces of legislation reflect that legacy.

Greetings from the State Capitol!

LB 240 is the end of a series of legislation that I have enacted since 2009, relating to provisions on educational development opportunities in the Welfare Reform Act as a segue out of poverty and welfare or public assistance. LB 240 is scheduled for introduction in front of the Health and Human Services Committee on Thursday, March 14.

This idea on education as a tool in the Welfare Reform Act began in 2009 with LB 458.

LB 458 provided vocational training under public assistance, which specifically permitted studies leading toward an Associates degree, diploma or certificate to be counted as a work requirement activity under the requisite 20 hours a week for 36 months. This legislation was set to sunset on September 30, 2012.

In 2011, LB 507 permitted individuals under the age of 24 to pursue a High School diploma or General Education Diploma as a work activity requirement under Aid to Dependent Children compensation and compliance, also requiring 20 requisite hours a week for the month.

This legislation required an annual report to measure impact and track the number of persons engaged in an Associate Degree program, a vocational education program that does not necessarily lead to an associate degree, a post secondary education program, an Adult Basic Education, English as a Second Language and a General Education Development Program. Included in the report are the number of persons who have maintained employment for six month intervals up to 24 months after not being eligible for cash assistance anymore.

LB 507 stipulated that when Nebraska reaches a 55% threshold near the 50% work participation rate federally required for Nebraska, the Department can set a limit on the number of applicants engaged in education related employment as a work activity. This provides a mandatory review and safety threshold under the act.

In 2012, LB 842 simply extended the sunset clause established in LB 458 from September 30, 2012 to December 31, 2016. This simply allowed for the continuation of the Welfare Reform Act.

Currently, LB 240 permits individuals over the age of 24 to pursue a High School diploma or General Education Diploma under Aid to Dependent Children compensation and compliance. The purpose is to provide those individuals who are just over the 24 year age mark, the needed opportunities to establish a basic education in order to bring themselves and their families out of poverty.

An individual under the Welfare Reform Act is enabled though comprehensive assessments, goals, benchmarks and accountability standards under a required self sufficiency contract. However, education is key.

We all know that providing an education for the parent is just as significant as providing an education for the child, in so much as the child often follows the role model of the parent. If a parent is able to establish stable footing with a basic level of education, it will pave the path to a higher education, a higher income and ultimately a higher social-economic standard and quality of living.

That, in turn, affects the child because the child sees the positive impact.

Education is the tool to achieving self sufficiency and empowerment. If we give families the tools and the opportunity to make it happen, these families will undoubtedly work to improve their own conditions, not only through the establishment of goals and measured results, but also with significant meaning and purpose in life.

Education is not just a means to a practical end, it leads to self respect, dignity and empowerment. And with that, who knows how far a person can go!

Greetings from the Capitol!

Early childhood education has been a passion of mine since I began in the Legislature. I simply believe that by improving the educational environment for children, we can open up new doors to the future.

I introduced LB 190 on Monday, March 4 in front of the Appropriations Committee, which is a bill that takes ten million dollars from our general funds and invests them in early childhood education in Nebraska.

The Sixpence program will match state funding with ten million in private dollars. Private businesses know that by investing in a child’s early education, that businesses are investing in our future work force and economy in Nebraska. Hence, the reason for the private match.

Sixpence serves children from zero to age three. However, the Sixpence program is currently only able to reach 1% of 30,000 infants and toddlers who are at risk of failing in school. With this funding, Sixpence is expected to reach a higher percentage of children in Nebraska.

Nearly 60,000 children from birth to age five are at risk of failing in school, and that number is growing at a rapid pace in our state. According to the U.S. Census, in the last ten years, this population segment has increased by about 13,602 children. Unfortunately, with that 13,602 increase, the number of children who are at-risk of failing in school has risen nearly 11,663. According to that increase, it isn’t difficult to figure out that the population growth is not going to benefit us if we can’t properly develop these children.

Once again, this is an investment in our future, yielding high returns in Nebraska. Our cost savings in terms of reduction in crime, remediation and welfare costs to the state will be significant. This will work towards the betterment of our communities, as well as enhancing the family unit.

The family unit has been disintegrating in past decades across our nation. Sixpence focuses on parental involvement in the child’s early education years, and the program works with parents and their children on building relationships, promoting language and supporting confidence.

Again, I want to emphasize that the early years between zero and five are the most significant in terms of brain development. If the child is already struggling upon reaching kindergarten, our education system is not always able to raise them to the appropriate level, which puts a considerable amount of time, resources and strain on our system.

These children are continually behind in school until the drop out point. And let’s face it, these children will not likely acquire the skills to pursue a college education. We need to fund effective programs that can properly develop that segment of the at risk population growth.

Child development will enable student achievement, help children remember and follow multi-step instructions, avoid distractions, control rash responses, adjust when rules change, persist at problem solving and manage long-term assignments. In the first three years, our brains form the framework for decision-making, teamwork, leadership, working towards goals, adaptability and the critical thinking process in our lifetime.

The consequences of no action toward development is that children will not be able to acquire a worthy education, trade or career and our economy in the long run will be stagnant by vacant jobs due to a lack of development and skills in the workforce.

It’s important to invest at the front end of education at a time when we can successfully prevent obstructions in early growth and development, rather than attempting to fix it midstream when it is too late, or more importantly, when it is too costly.