NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE

The official site of the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature

Megan Hunt

Sen. Megan Hunt

District 8

The content of these pages is developed and maintained by, and is the sole responsibility of, the individual senator's office and may not reflect the views of the Nebraska Legislature. Questions and comments about the content should be directed to the senator's office at mhunt@leg.ne.gov

2024 Session Begins
January 4th, 2024

Dear friends and neighbors,

As we step into this new legislative session, I am filled with hope and determination to enact positive change for our community. Our unwavering focus remains on championing bills that promote equity, ensure housing stability, and remove discriminatory barriers. Together, our collective efforts will ensure our state thrives by uplifting every individual and family.

Yesterday I prioritized LB307, which would empower local jurisdictions to authorize public health programs to distribute hypodermic needles as part of public health efforts to reduce the spread of infectious diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C.

I also introduced two bills to protect students facing eviction during the school year (LB845) and to reduce the prevalence of bed bugs and evictions (LB846). Today, I introduced LB913, a bill to extend postpartum care to all women and people who need it.

This year, my primary focus is continuing the work on bills I introduced last year, which carry over into this new session. You can view the full list of bills I have introduced since last session here. These bills encapsulate our shared vision for a better state.

I’m looking forward to a legislative session that prioritizes things that improve the lives of all Nebraskans like workforce, housing, and attracting and retaining talent, rather than targeting groups that are already marginalized or struggling. Let’s use these 59 days to do good.

All the best,
Meg

Priority Bill – LB307

As I mentioned, I am designating LB307 as my personal priority bill for this year. It was my priority bill last year but was not scheduled for debate. It remains on General File and is in a good position to see early debate with bipartisan support this year.

LB 307 would allow local jurisdictions to authorize public or behavioral health programs to distribute hypodermic needles as part of public health efforts to reduce the spread of infectious diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C.  Such programs are known as Syringe Service Programs (SSPs). SSPs protect the public and first responders by facilitating the safe use and disposal of syringes; curbing outbreaks of disease; and encouraging intravenous drug users facing addiction to access treatment.

Nebraska’s HIV infection rate has shown an alarming trend in the years since the pandemic: 2021 saw the highest number of new infections in more than a decade, a figure largely driven by an uptick in rural counties’ infection rates. As fentanyl prices drop and more of the drug is trafficked, fentanyl overdose incidents are on the rise. 214 Nebraskans died of overdose in 2021. SSPs can help address each of these issues by providing comprehensive services such as fentanyl test strips, overdose prevention education, and referrals to substance abuse treatment programs. SSPs are proven to reduce the incidence of HIV, hepatitis C, and other bloodborne diseases by as much as 50%, and SSP participants are five times more likely to enter treatment and engage in long-term recovery than users who do not use an SSP.

Under current Nebraska law, a local jurisdiction that wishes to authorize an SSP is prohibited from doing so by the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. With LB 307, the legislature could grant localities a powerful tool to exercise local control and the discretion to meet their community’s needs as they see fit.  In a rural community, there might not be any good option for a brick-and-mortar location that could house an SSP.  In those places, the community could implement the program through their local pharmacy, or do something more innovative like a mobile service unit. With LB 307 we leave that up to the local jurisdiction, who can set the parameters for their particular program. The bill does not require any locality to adopt such a program.

The Committee Amendment (AM381) was suggested by expert physicians with the Nebraska Medical Association, who encouraged us to provide some legal protection for program participants.  If an intravenous drug user is trying to do the right thing by using more safely through an SSP and potentially seeking resources to help overcome their addiction, we do not want to criminalize them. AM 381 shields users from criminal liability related to their use of SSP services, which could be a major deterrent to anyone who would otherwise want to use an SSP. There is no cost to the state associated with LB 307.  When we consider that the average lifetime cost of treating a person living with HIV is somewhere around $420,000, this is a preventive measure that can provide significant cost savings to the State. Additionally, there may be funding available to fund SSPs through the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) or the Opioid Settlement Fund.

This bill came out of committee with 7 yes votes, not a single no vote, and has bipartisan support from the Douglas County Sheriff, Nebraska Medical Association, The R Street Institute (a conservative, free-market think tank), the Nebraska AIDS Project, Centerpointe, the Nebraska Association of Behavioral Health Organizations, and OutNebraska. My office is working to solidify official support from public health directors, the UNMC College of Public Health, NACO, and the League of Municipalities in advance of the debate.

District 8 Events

Christmas Tree Disposal

  • Sites close on Jan. 9th
  • Click here for a full list of locations and requirements

Benson First Friday

  • Jan. 5th, starting at 5pm

Folk House Concerts at the Castle

  • Jan. 12th at Joslyn Castle Carriage House

Art Battle Omaha

  • Jan. 13th at Culxr House at 7pm (tickets $20)

Gender Fluids by Big Canvas Comedy

  • Jan. 19th at Blackstone Theater at 8:30pm (tickets $10)
  • Comics from across the gender spectrum showcase their comedy skills

Flower Festival

  • St. Cecilia Cathedral on Jan. 26th, 27th, and 28th

Benson Days

  • July 27th and 28th

Our Office in the News

Omaha World-Herald – Nebraska Legislature kicks off 2024 with multiple workforce development bills

KETV Omaha – 2024 means $12 minimum wage in Nebraska, but no change for tipped employees

News Channel Nebraska – No shortage of critics for Pillen’s suggested sales tax hike

Lincoln Journal Star – Ernie Chambers, others plead for Pillen to accept summer food aid for Nebraska children

KETV Omaha – Nebraska Legislature focused on property tax relief, and workforce solutions in 2024

Lincoln Journal Star – League of Women Voters of Nebraska files amicus brief in Planned Parenthood case

Dear friends and neighbors,

Today I was informed by the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission (NADC) that because of a complaint filed by David Begley, I am under official investigation for a conflict of interest for having a trans child and voting against LB574. My colleagues stood up offering me their kind words and disapproval of this complaint.

I don’t need their words. I need their vote. My child needs their vote. Children and families from across our state need their votes. Words are meaningless unless you put action behind them. I will continue to advocate for our children – yours, theirs, and mine – no matter what harassment or intimidation comes my way.

All the best,
Meg

This is using the legal system that we have in our state to stop corruption, to increase transparency, and to hold governments accountable and instead use it to harass a member of the Legislature. You can view my comments on this blatant harassment here.

Dear friends and neighbors,

At the start of each biennium, before the Legislature can begin our work to address issues to move our state forward, we must first agree upon internal rules to govern our legislative session. This is a point of contention this year, as the new conservative supermajority has signaled their intentions to alter our rules to sway the balance of power further in their favor and remove the nonpartisan safeguards we have had in place since the inception of the Unicameral. As a defender of our institution, above all else, I am committed to upholding our norms, rules, and procedures – but I need your help.

The public hearing on proposed internal Legislative rule changes has been scheduled for Thursday, at 1:30 pm in Room 1525 of the Capitol. As Nebraska’s Second House, we need to hear from you. If you can, come testify during the rules hearing and ensure lawmakers hear directly from you that you value our unique nonpartisan institution – and that the public deserves more notice and involvement in this process.

There are 52 proposals on the table that have been submitted to the committee. Among them are measures that threaten to eliminate the political balance on the redistricting committee; to make committee executive sessions closed to the media; to change the balance of members on committees; and an arbitrary cap on the amount of bills senators can introduce. One of those measures I’m most concerned about is a proposal that would do away with our 86-year tradition of using “secret ballots” to elect committee leaders. This process has been used since the unicameral was created in order to eliminate partisan pressure on senators and allow them to anonymously make decisions about who is the best person to lead a committee. These efforts are a clear, direct attack on our institution, our unique method of lawmaking, and our long-held traditions.

Don’t be fooled, these attacks won’t stop here. We need your help to protect the nonpartisanship of the Legislature. I hope to see you testifying in room 1525 on Thursday.

All the best,
Meg

 

Come Testify! 

Thursday, January 12th
1:30 pm
Room 1525, State Capitol

 

List of Proposed Rule Changes

The list includes the top line of each of the 52 proposed rule changes that will be discussed this session. A more detailed list, containing exact wording will be released soon.

 

Dear friends and neighbors,

Failed Trump-supported Gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster’s new political action committee is leading the highly partisan effort to scrap a fundamental pillar of our nonpartisan Unicameral: the unique system of electing committee chairs by secret ballot. Secret ballots allow lawmakers to base their votes on their own convictions and the needs of their districts, rather than taking orders from a political party. George Norris, who first advocated for the unicameral system, said that such a body would allow senators to concentrate on local interests without being influenced by national party lines. National party lines, he argued, often have little to do with local government.

Our legislature is not partisan. But it is personal. And that is what makes it unique and effective. There are 49 of us, each of us can introduce as many bills as we want, and each of us can designate our own personal priority bill. Any of us can speak on a bill and offer whatever motion or amendment we would like to on that bill or topic. This arrangement provides for meaningful representation of our constituents in government. We need not filter things through parties or outside forces like egotistical billionaires who are unable to get elected.

We also elect our leadership on a personal basis, in order to maintain some sense of civility. A function of the secret ballot is that if a candidate for a committee chair is not elected, that person need not brood and dwell on it and retaliate against their colleagues throughout the session by looking at the vote score. In other words, the secret ballot is a very pragmatic, yet important feature of our system of electing leadership. There’s always a way to forgive a colleague, move on and continue with the business of the state, instead of in-fighting, partisan or otherwise, within the body.

This is probably news to Charles W. Herbster and his lobbyist, longtime GOP staffer Rod Edwards, but even a casual observer of the legislature would know that most of the committee chairs were not even contested last session.

This proposed change is not about transparency. It’s about dismantling our Unicameral. Legislators are elected as chairs of committees not because of loyalty to a party or their political pedigree. They are elected because of their expertise and familiarity with the committee’s subject matter, the legislative rules, or both. They are elected because they have the ability to facilitate a public body in a meaningful way that lets all sides of various issues be heard and weigh in on policy. They are elected because they are leaders among their colleagues, even those of differing political viewpoints. They should not be elected because Charles Herbster says that they are a ‘good senator.’

If the legislature considers rule changes, tradition, prerogative, and the historical authority of the legislative branch provides that the legislature should actually weigh its merits. And perhaps other elected officials’ opinions may be considered, but the shortsighted and selfish motivations of a perennial self-funded candidate should not be. After all, no one has thought it wise to actually elect Charles W. Herbster to any office, ever. And since he has never been elected to anything, he’s never been elected to serve in the legislature. Of course, he has no understanding or appreciation for our rules, procedures, traditions, or the way that we do things there.

While I suppose money can buy you things like presidential appointments to show committees, along with staff and lawyers to defend yourself against sexual battery lawsuits, they should not be able to buy rule changes in our very unique unicameral government. This is not to say that the legislature should not consider the peoples’ opinions of who we represent when deciding what our rules should be. But, I for one, am not going to be bullied by political hitmen with an arbitrary late September deadline to sign onto some silly pledge.

I encourage my colleagues to reject that effort for what it is: an effort by Charles W. Herbster to try to be politically relevant. He’s never been in the legislature, to my knowledge he’s never even appeared and testified before a committee of the legislature. I don’t think he has any kind of knowledge of our legislative rules, procedures, or traditions. He is simply trying to heckle his way onto the stage of politics in the state.

Voting to eliminate secret ballots means voting to change our legislature into something partisan. Voting to change our system to majority and minority. This rule change does not promote the public interest and it does not promote transparency in the furtherance of the public interest. I took an oath to represent the people of my district, not to represent a party. I am proud to be for this nonpartisan institution and I am committed to protecting it.

Best,
Meg

Rally at Omaha City Hall on May 3 in support of abortion rights organized by ACLU of Nebraska, Planned Parenthood, I Be Black Girl and the Women’s Fund. Photo credit: Lyndsay Dunn NOISE

BY. SEN. MEGAN HUNT, LD-8

On May 2, in a truly unprecedented event, a draft decision on the Dobbs v. Jackson U.S. Supreme Court case was leaked to the public. If that opinion becomes final, it will strike down Roe v. Wade and set back fundamental rights in this country by half a century. It’s important to note this is not yet an official ruling—but in Nebraska, we should prepare for the worst.

If this leaked opinion becomes official and Roe is overturned, it will be up to each individual state to determine whether women have the right to an abortion. Under our current law in Nebraska, abortion will remain legal until 20 weeks, with exceptions for life endangerment or severely compromised health.

However, that could change very quickly. Soon after the Supreme Court ruling becomes official, the Nebraska Legislature will convene for a special session and once again, try to pass a total ban on abortion in our state. Though the legislature successfully blocked a bill to ban abortion this year, we didn’t protect the right to abortion in our state for good. We only bought more time for Nebraskans to organize, unite, and strategize for a future in Nebraska without legal abortion care.

“If the Nebraska Legislature does convene a special session to ban abortion, I can promise that anti-choice politicians will have an uphill battle, because they will have to go through me. ”

— SEN. MEGAN HUNT, LD-8

While the leak of Justice Alito’s opinion was unexpected, the decision to overturn Roe is not. Far right extremists have been intent on eviscerating federal civil rights protections and regressing the country to an era of forced birth for decades. This outcome is no surprise to the people who have long been working for abortion justice outside the realm of electoral politics, because they never counted on the courts or the Democratic Party to save them.

Of course, voting matters. The ideological balance in the Nebraska Legislature is the only reason Nebraska will not immediately have an abortion ban if Roe is overturned. However, repeated calls to simply vote the problem away—which totally disregard voter suppression laws, those who live and pay taxes in Nebraska but do not have the right to vote, and our current cultural hostility to democracy—ignore how effectively the far right has captured the power of so many institutions outside of the electoral process.

There are many things we must do in addition to voting to change our culture and move the needle toward justice. World Health Organization guidance states that individuals in the first trimester of pregnancy can self-manage a medication for an abortion without direct supervision of a health-care provider. We can expect self-managed abortion to grow more prevalent in years to come, and there are a growing number of resources to learn about the research and efficacy of these methods. In addition to increased education around self-managed abortion and legal protections for those who choose this type of care, local funds for abortion services, including legal defense funds, will play a greater role in our public health landscape. This is infrastructure that abortion justice advocates have been building for decades to protect the right to abortion even when legislators fail to.

Abortion is a right. Abortion is health care.

SEN. MEGAN HUNT “And the decision about whether and when to become a parent does not belong to the government.”

And the decision about whether and when to become a parent does not belong to the government. However we personally feel about abortion, individuals should have the option to make these decisions without political interference. If the Nebraska Legislature does convene a special session to ban abortion, I can promise that anti-choice politicians will have an uphill battle, because they will have to go through me. Whatever the outcome is, we must remember that the power is not in the legislature, in Congress, or even in the courts. The power is with us, our communities, and in our commitment to an ethic of compassion and trust in each other.

We urged reproductive rights supporters to wear pink at the Nebraska State Capitol while lawmakers debated a bill that bans abortion. I am proud to stand with advocates and my colleagues to support Nebraskans’ rights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VICTORY!

Yesterday April 6th, Nebraska Legislature took a historic vote to block LB 993, a total abortion ban. The bill failed in a 31 to 15 vote. Nebraska managed to defeat a bill that would have totally banned abortion in the state, and the filibuster took over 8 hours!

I want to thank all the advocates, volunteers, and colleagues who worked tirelessly to stop this injustice from passing. Issues like these are what motivated me and got me into politics in the first place. In the future, I’ll continue to be a champion for reproductive rights and make sure abortion remains safe and legal in Nebraska.

If you emailed your senator, came to support in person, or reposted information on social media. You are helping the voices of Nebraska be heard. Remember, every election is vital for protecting Nebraskan’s reproductive rights.

Reproductive rights ARE personal rights. You can listen to my remarks about LB 933 here.

How They Voted: 

Yes (31): Aguilar, Albrecht, Arch, Bostelman, Brandt, Brewer, Briese, Clements, Dorn, Erdman, Flood, Friesen, Geist, Gragert, Halloran, B. Hansen, Hilgers, Hilkemann, Hughes, Jacobson, Kolterman, Lindstrom, Linehan, Lowe, McDonnell, Moser, Murman, Sanders, Slama, Stinner, Williams

No (15): Blood, Bostar, J. Cavanaugh, M. Cavanaugh, Day, DeBoer, M. Hansen, Hunt, McCollister, McKinney, Morfeld, Pansing-Brooks, Vargas, Walz, Wishart

Excused (3): Lathrop, Pahls, Wayne

 

LB 121 Advances to Select File

On Tuesday, March 22nd, during floor debate my priority bill LB121 advanced from General File to Select File with 25 yes votes, 17 no votes, and 3 present not voting. Select File is the second stage of debate where a bill is considered by the full legislature. To advance from Select File, a bill must receive 25 yes votes.

LB121 would remove the lifetime Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) ban that denies food assistance to Nebraskans that have had certain drug-related convictions. Under current statute, an individual with a drug-related conviction is ineligible to receive SNAP benefits for life. This ban is counterproductive to the reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals.

* vote count from General File, the first stage of debate *

Voting NO: Albrecht, Brewer, Briese, Clements, Erdman, Flood, Halloran, Hansen B., Hilgers, Hughes, Jacobson, Lindstrom, Lowe, Moser, Murman, Sanders, Slama

Present – Not Voting: Aguilar, Arch, Linehan

Voting YES: Blood, Bostar, Brandt, Cavanaugh J., Cavanaugh M., Day, DeBoer, Dorn, Geist, Gragert, Hansen M., Hunt, Kolterman, Lathrop, McCollister, McDonnell, McKinney, Morfeld, Pansing Brooks, Stinner, Vargas, Walz, Wayne, Williams, Wishart

Why LB121 is so important

The intent of this bill is to remove a major barrier to successful reintegration for formerly incarcerated people, while also reducing hunger for affected people and their families. This is my priority bill this year because this bill is very personal to me and I know the effects will be so important for Nebraskans today and for Nebraskans in the future. The population utilizing SNAP is very diverse. I relied on SNAP benefits when I was struggling after a divorce as a young mother. I turned to public assistance for a temporary hand-up, just as thousands of other parents have done in Nebraska for a variety of reasons not in their control. So I’m very personally familiar with the process of applying and qualifying for SNAP and what the requirements are to receive it.

This ban is not in place for any other felony convictions in Nebraska. Currently, 43 states have opted out or modified food stamp access bans, 18 of which have eliminated their ban entirely. These states include our neighboring states of Iowa, Kansas, and South Dakota. Providing SNAP access for people reintegrating back in society reduces recidivism rates. Many of the individuals affected by this ban have children that are negatively impacted. In Nebraska, 17.4% of children are considered food insecure. We could reduce this rate by removing barriers to receiving SNAP benefits. These people have served their time and their families should not continue to be punished.

Often individuals impacted by this ban offended decades ago and have worked hard to change their lives. To even be eligible for snap, recipients must submit to drug testing and workforce training. Even if some people are still actively struggling with addiction, they should not starve. Successful reentry into society from the criminal justice system requires being able to meet basic needs such as food, health care, and housing as well as access to employment and training services. Lack of access to these essential needs have been exasperated by Covid-19. Passing LB121 costs nothing to the state of Nebraska, as the program is federally funded. LB 121 has broad support from Omaha Police, Nebraska Catholic Conference, Appleseed, ACLU, OpenSky, NSEA, Center for People in Need, Food Bank of Lincoln, and RISE. We must pass LB121 to help struggling Nebraskans and their families.

Here are some real stories from Nebraskan’s that would greatly benefit from the passage of this bill:

Ronald, Lincoln NE: Ronald is a formerly homeless veteran who became addicted to morphine after a spinal injury related to a car accident. He received a distribution conviction when he let a friend, who he knew used the same doctor and had the same prescription, take one of his morphine tablets because he had missed his appointment that day. He served 3 years for the conviction. Ronald is on a fixed income, receiving SSI, has an apartment, pays his bills, and would get a job except for his disability. He has been clean for 12 years and is still ineligible for SNAP due to the ban. Ronald feels like he served his time and says he wouldn’t eat if not for the Food Bank of Lincoln.

Melinda, Lincoln NE: Melinda is an expecting mother who moved to Nebraska to start a new life. She is 5 years sober and has recently moved to Lincoln to start a job at Signia as a telemarketer. She lives with her daughter who receives SNAP but since she’s not counted in her SNAP household, it’s often hard to buy enough food, especially during her pregnancy. Melinda believes that people have the power to change their stories and she is living proof. She’s passionate about getting rid of the SNAP ban for drug felonies because she’s seen a lot of folks go back to their old behaviors out of desperation and she wants people to get the help they need to make a new start in life.

Derrick, Omaha NE: Derrick, who now works for the Food Bank of Lincoln, served time for a distribution conviction from 2009 and was released in 2012, his first and only conviction. After being homeless for a time, showering twice a week and eating bananas and water for meals, Derrick got a job in construction. He slowly earned enough to get his own place. During visitations with his daughter he would go without meals to provide for her. In recent years, Derrick’s health has deteriorated with cancer and other issues. He’s been put on a Mediterranean diet that he can’t afford. He currently works at the Food Bank of Lincoln in the operations and child services department. He also serves on nonprofit boards whose causes he believes in. Derrick would like to see LB121 pass because it could help people like him all across the state.

Unfortunately these stories are not few and far between. Real Nebraskans are struggling to feed themselves and their families due to the current statute. Nebraskans deserve better. Banning people from food assistance for life is counterproductive.

Articles about LB121 in the News 

Omaha World-Herald: Bill to increase food assistance for Nebraska drug offenders advances
Times Union: Nebraska advances bill to lift SNAP ban for drug offenders
KLKN-TV: New bill would allow those with prior drug charges to receive SNAP benefits
Unicameral Update: SNAP eligibility expansion advanced
US News and World Report: Nebraska Advances Bill to Lift SNAP Ban for Drug Offenders

Connect with Me

  • Please follow me on FacebookTwitterYoutube, or Instagram to stay up to date with my latest activities.
  • I invite you to visit my office in Lincoln at Nebraska State Capitol. Call my office to coordinate. (402) 471-2722
  • You can watch the Legislature live on NET TV or find NET’s live stream here.
March Legislative Update
March 17th, 2022

Note from Meg

Dear friends and neighbors,

On March 3rd, after weeks of passionate hearings and testimony, the committee hearings came to a close. The legislature has now moved to all-day floor debate – beginning with priority bill selections. I hope you continue to stay in touch with me on any issue that is of importance to you throughout this process.

Each Senator is allowed to designate one bill as a personal priority bill and each committee can designate two committee priority bills. In addition, the Speaker designates another 25 priority bills. This session I have prioritized LB121 – a bill that would remove the lifetime ban on SNAP eligibility for people with certain drug convictions. I requested LB932 as a priority bill from Speaker Hilgers. This bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services to notify foster youth and their guardians of their social security benefits. Unfortunately, Speaker Hilgers did not select this bill as one of his priority bills.

A big focus of mine this session has been opposing bills that do not represent the values Nebraskans hold dear. These bills include- LB939LB1023LB1015 among others. LB939 would reduce taxes for Nebraska’s highest individual earners while doing nothing for the majority of Nebraskans; LB1023 would appropriate $200 million of federal pandemic recovery funds to build a lake between Omaha and Lincoln when this money should be used for the services Nebraskans are asking us for such as rental assistance, mental healthcare, etc.; and LB1015 would use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to build a canal that would divert South Platte River water from Colorado to Nebraska. This bill is in search of a problem as Colorado has not violated the water compact agreement between them and Nebraska. The canal will cost $500 million dollars with $100 million coming from ARPA funds. LB1023 and LB1015 would both use relief funds irresponsibly. We need your support in defeating these four bills.

As all-day floor debate continues, your voice matters. To learn how to submit online comments, click here. Since committee hearings have ceased this session, online comments will not be included on the official record. However, feedback is still relevant and important as bills progress.

All the best,
Meg

Legislative Update

Committee hearings have drawn to a close, below is an update on bills I have introduced. You can get more information on each bill by clicking on the bill number.

  • LB121: Lift SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) ban for people with drug convictions
    • This ban only applies to individuals with drug-related felonies.
    • Many people did not find out that they were banned from receiving SNAP until they were in desperate need of the service during the pandemic.
    • These individuals have served their time and should not be deprived of essential services. Everyone deserves access to food.
    • Nebraska is the only state with this ban.
    • Placed on General File
    • My priority bill
  • AM2200: Require DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services) to inform foster youth and their guardians of social security benefits
    • After an interim study this past session, we discovered that DHHS in Nebraska does not inform foster youth or their guardians of possible social security benefits they are entitled to.
    • DHHS often was using these funds that were meant for the foster youth to pay for the cost of their care.
    • My bill would require that the foster youth and their guardian(s) are notified of their benefits.
    • AM 2200 to LB1173
    • Advanced to Final Reading
  • LB1137: Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) update for the Fair Pay to Play Act
    • College athletes deserve to be compensated for their name, image, and likeness. This would be a technical update to the Fair Pay to Play Act that was passed into law in 2020.
    • Placed on Select File
  • LB357: Youth in Care Bill of Rights
    • Foster youth are already required to be informed of their basic rights, however foster youth and advocates have expressed that the rights that are currently enumerated are not broad enough nor are they communicated in a way that the youth can retain or fully understand.
    • This bill would provide the foster youth with a more comprehensive list of rights and an avenue for them to file a complaint if they feel as though their rights have been violated.
    • Placed on General File
  • LB250: Adopt the Interior Design Voluntary Registration Act
    • Currently in Nebraska, interior designers are required to hire an architect or an engineer to stamp their design plans; thus, causing unnecessary fees and delays in their project.
    • This is a bill to create a voluntary registration to be administered to the Nebraska State Treasurer for those qualified interior designers in Nebraska to use the title “Registered Interior Designer”. Those registered would have the ability to stamp and seal their interior design construction documents.
    • Placed on General File with AM471

Bills to Watch

Bills I Support

  • LB920 (Lathrop): Create the Justice Reinvestment Oversight Task Force
    • The task force would enact a series of evidence-based strategies to reduce inmate population and lower recidivism rates.
  • LB872 (Brewer): Allows Native American students to proudly wear their tribal regalia
    • Requires that Native American students shall not be forced to remove items of tribal regalia at school or school-sanctioned events.
  • AM1969 (Hansen, M.): Require the Governor to apply for emergency rental assistance under ARPA
    • Nebraska is one of two states who have not yet applied for emergency rental assistance from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.
    • This amendment would require Governor Ricketts to apply for this emergency rental assistance.

Bills I Oppose

  • LB939 (Linehan): A tax break for wealthy Nebraskans
    • Cuts taxes for wealthy Nebraskans, but fails to provide any significant relief for middle to lower-class Nebraskans.
  • LB773 (Brewer): Concealed Carry without a permit
    • Removes the requirement for one to receive a permit to conceal carry a handgun which in turn means people will not have to take a safety class before doing so.
  • LB730 (Lindstrom): Tax credit bill amended to include Opportunity Scholarship tax credit
    • Puts in place a tax incentive that would match dollar-for-dollar donations to private schools.
  • LB1213 (Albrecht): Provides requirements for access to digital and online materials for public schools. Restricts access to “obscene” materials.
    • This is a bill in search of a problem. Obscene is never defined in the bill leaving it up to interpretation which could restrict academic freedom for students. It also takes control away from the library commission and educators who are already filtering online content.
  • LB933 (Albrecht): Bans abortions entirely if SCOTUS overturns Roe
    • Makes it so that if the Supreme Court of the United States overturns all or part of Roe, Nebraska law will reflect that decision immediately.
  • LB1086 (Geist): Put unnecessary restrictions on medication abortions
    • Requires the patient who is taking the medication abortion to partake in pre and post appointments which are not medically unnecessary. This bill also shortens the window you can take the medication down from 11 weeks to 10 weeks. Both of these requirements go against the standard of care of abortion services.
All of the bills listed above are priority bills. To see a full list of Senator, Committee, and Speaker priority bills, click here

February/March in Review

February 24th was a big day for abortion rights at the Unicameral. Three draconian bills, LB933LB781, and LB1086, were being discussed in the Judiciary Committee that day. LB933 would ban abortions entirely if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe. This bill also criminalizes physicians for providing the standard of care.  LB781 would ban abortions at about six weeks, which is well before many people even know they are pregnant. LB1086 would put unnecessary restrictions on medication abortion. These bills attack Nebraskan’s vital reproduction rights. None of these bills take into consideration the standard of care for abortions and they are based on false evidence. Nebraskans showed up in droves to voice their opinions on each bill. Proponents of these bills did not use up all of their allotted two hours of testimony, while opponents of these bills still had people waiting inside and outside of the room to testify after their two hours were up. Anyone who was in the Capitol that day knows that it was an important day. Research shows us that most Nebraskans are in favor of reproductive healthcare. On February 24th, Nebraskans proved this by showing up in astonishing numbers.
On March 1st, I had the privilege of speaking to Thespians from across the state for the first annual Theatre In Our Schools Advocacy Day. I was able to speak about the importance of keeping theater in our schools and how important the arts are in general for students.
The League of Women Voters held a panel on March 3rd to discuss the minimum wage and medical marijuana ballot initiatives. I was able to discuss the various bills I have introduced throughout my time on the legislature addressing the need for a living wage and how I strongly support this initiative.

On March 4th I had the pleasure of speaking at the National Art Education Foundation’s National Conference Panel about my help with defeating LB364, the opportunity tax credit bill. I discussed how this bill is an effort to undermine public schools and chip away at public schools to move towards privatization.

The Nebraska Civic Leaders Program (NCLP) held a Senator panel on March 10th. This program is a partnership between Omaha Public Schools and the University of Nebraska Omaha to give high schoolers hands-on experiences on how government works at all levels. I had the opportunity to speak on my experience as a State Senator in Nebraska.

Our Office in the News

1011 Now: Nebraska bill proposed would help schools discontinue use of Native American mascots
KMTV Omaha: Women of Nebraska Legislature demanding change in wake of Groene resignation
Omaha World Herald: Future of legal abortion at stake in Nebraska legislative hearing
Lincoln Journal Star: State income tax rate reduction advanced for further consideration
Unicameral Update: Bill would expand authorized abortion practitioners
Omaha World-Herald: Nebraska moves to end privatized management of child welfare cases after troubled history
North Platte Post: Bill to end lifetime ban on food assistance before Nebraska lawmakers
KLKN TV: New bill would allow insurance companies to cover abortions in Nebraska 
Omaha World-Herald: Nebraska lawmakers push Ricketts to seek additional federal rental aid
News Channel Nebraska: Big Metro lake brings big questions
KLIN: Lawmakers debate no permit conceal carry

District 8 Events, News, and Resources

Dundee- Memorial Park Neighborhood Meeting: April 11th from 7-8pm at Brownell Talbot click here for more information on the event.
Annual Spring DMPA Garage Sale Weekend: The annual Dundee-Memorial Park garage sale weekend will take place on May 12th-15th, to sign up to sell your cool stuff click here! A list of all the addresses selling items will be available soon.
Benson Community Garden: Benson’s Community Garden is located at 1302 N 60th st. You can sign up to garden or donate through their website. More info here.
BFF: Benson First Friday’s aka BFF has opened a new art gallery in Benson located at 5901 Maple st! Come check it out on Saturdays from 10am-6pm.
Benson Days: The annual Benson Days will take place on July 30th-31st. This event takes place in historic Benson. For more info, click here
17th Annual Omaha Film Festival: Virtual events will take place March 13th-April 2nd. Limited in person screenings will take place March 11th and 12th at the Brownell Talbot Theater. For more info, click here
Food Bank: Benson Baptist Church in conjunction with Food Bank of the Heartland has a food pantry open to the public from 9am-12pm on the last Saturday of every month. The church is located at 6319 Maple St. For more info, click here
Omaha Parks and Rec: Omaha Parks and Rec is looking for employees this summer. Click here or reference the photo below for more information.

Connect with Me

  • Please follow me on FacebookTwitterYoutube, or Instagram to stay up to date with my latest activities.
  • I invite you to visit my office in Lincoln at Nebraska State Capitol. Call my office to coordinate. (402) 471-2722
  • You can watch the Legislature live on NET TV or find NET’s live stream here.
January Newsletter
January 25th, 2022

Dear friends and neighbors,

The Unicameral is back in session! Bill introduction is officially over and below you can find a brief overview of my 2022 legislative agenda, testifying procedure updates, bills I support, and dangerous proposals that have been introduced this session.

We are beginning our 60-day session with nearly 700 bills introduced and the added task of allocating over 1 billion in federal funding. This is our chance to make generational investments with the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding by prioritizing affordable housing, racial and gender equity, education, infrastructure, economic justice, and environmental protections.

A handful of my colleagues have continued their relentless attack on abortion rights by introducing roughly six bills to ban or restrict access to reproductive healthcare and comprehensive sex education. We must remember that abortion is a right. Abortion is health care. The decision about whether and when to become a parent belongs to Nebraskans and their medical providers, not the government. Above all, politicians have no place interfering with personal health care decisions. We aren’t medical experts, and we don’t know better than doctors or the patient themselves. However we personally feel about abortion, individuals, not lawmakers, should have the option to make these decisions without political interference. As long as I am in the Nebraska Legislature, and beyond, I am committed to doing everything I can to protect the rights of patients, families, doctors, and ensure that any policy we advance is motivated by evidence, research, and the well-being of all Nebraskans.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office with your thoughts on any upcoming legislation. Your feedback and input are always important to me.

All the best,
Meg

2022 Legislative Agenda

LB 715 – Lift the ban on insurance coverage for abortion care

  • Nebraska is one of 11 states that prohibit abortion coverage from being included in private and public plans. Current restrictive laws serve to “punish” people who have made the difficult decision to end a pregnancy.  Many of these people may already be struggling financially, and the burden of medical bills incurred from abortion care may contribute to keeping them in a cycle of poverty.

LB 716 – Expand the list of providers qualified to provide abortion care to include Certified Nurse Midwives, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, and physician assistants

  • Health care providers are overworked and in short supply. Many duties that are currently performed by physicians can also be safely done by skilled, licensed nurses and physician assistants. This is a simple, effective way to help our health care workers and patients alike.

LB 834 – Eliminate the disability subminimum wage

  • The current practice of setting disability wages based on a worker’s efficiency and ability is exploitive, discriminatory, and dehumanizing, resulting in these workers being paid cents on the dollar due to a little-known 80-year old federal law.

LB 930 – Allow for the use of campaign funds for a child’s travel and childcare related to the office holder’s official duties

  • Being a parent with little to no disposable income should not be a factor in whether or not someone is able to run for office. The aim of this bill is to make it easier for low-income and single parents to fulfill the public service duties they were elected to do.

LB 931 – Counting vacation payouts fairly for unemployment eligibility

  • This bill removes the statute that currently requires lump sum vacation paid out upon separation to be prorated to an amount reasonably attributable to that week and the amount the employee would be entitled to for the weeks thereafter. If a contract employee chooses to save up vacation days rather than take time off in order to get paid out for those days later on,  it is their prerogative to do so; and their unemployment eligibility should not be adversely affected. The employee earned those vacation benefit dollars during the course of employment and is now no longer working, so they should be eligible for unemployment without the lump-sum payment counting against them.
  • Hearing set for Jan. 24th

LB 932 – Establish protections for foster youth’s social security benefits  

  • Establishes notification requirements and transparency measures, requires the state to provide financial literacy training to older youth, and requires the state to establish a savings account for social security benefits for youth starting at age 14.
  • Comes after interim study LR 198 which investigated the state’s practice of interception social security benefits that belong to foster youth under the guise of reimbursing itself for the youth’s care (2.7mil a year) without the youths’ or their guardian’s knowledge.
  • Nebraska is one of at least 10 states that has hired a for-profit contractor to screen youth for eligibility for this money and to apply for it on the state’s behalf, taking the most vulnerable of our vulnerable children and asking them to foot the bill for their own care.
  • Hearing set for Jan. 28th

LB 1027 – Provide grants to schools that discontinue the use of Native American mascots  

  • Incentivizes schools to discontinue the use of Native mascots by allowing them to apply for a grant from the State Department of Education for up to $200,000 to assist with the cost of changing mascots. Currently

LB 1028 – Tipped wage enforcement

  • We know from reports and testimony from hundreds of workers across the state that some employers are not following the current law, but due to the vagueness of the statute, it is difficult to track and enforce
  • The bill makes it explicitly clear it is the employer’s responsibility to make up the difference between a tipped employee’s wage + tips and the regular minimum wage of $9/hr,
    establishes a simplified process to submit complaints, and expands protections for employees.

LB 1029 – Provide employee harassment protections for small businesses

  • Creates harassment and discrimination protections that apply to businesses with 14 or fewer employees
  • The Fair Employment Practice Act (NFEPA) includes protections for employees from harassment, discrimination, and employer retaliation for employers with at least 15 employees. This means there is a giant hole in the Act – employers with 14 employees or less have no protections under this Act or federal law. There is no good reason that small employers should be free to discriminate against and harass their employees without penalty.

LB 1136 – Prohibit senior care living facilities from discriminating against LGBTQ+ individuals 

  • Under current statute, these facilities can deny applications, evict residents, refuse to assign a room in accordance with one’s gender identity, and bully and harasses LGBTQ+ individuals for simply being themselves. This bill will provide vital housing protections for our LGBTQ+ senior Nebraskans.

LR 269CA – Establish an independent redistricting commission 

  • Establishes a politically balanced 9 member independent citizens commission to set district lines for the Legislature’s approval to remove partisan games and restore transparency in the redistricting process.
  • Hearing set for Jan. 27th

Carryover Legislation 

  • LB 121 (General File) – Removes the lifetime SNAP ban for individuals with prior drug convictions
  • LB 205 (in committee)– Places a cap on rental late fees
    • Bringing a new amendment to simplify the math
  • LB 250 (General File) – Establishes the Interior Design Voluntary Registration Act
  • LB 276 (in committee) – Permit telemedicine abortions
  • LB 357 (General File) – Create the Youth in Care Bill of Rights

Testifying Update! 

New this year, the Legislature has updated its procedures for submitting a written position letter. Formally, Nebraskans could submit a written statement on a bill, to be included in the record, by emailing it to committee staff by noon the day prior to the bill’s committee hearing. This process has been discontinued.

To streamline the process, it has been moved online. Nebraskans can now submit comments on the Legislature’s website (www.NebraskaLegislature.gov). Simply search the bill number and click on the submit comments button. If you would like your comments to be part of the formal record, they must be submitted by noon the day before the hearing and you must select the ‘include in hearing record’ button. Comments may be submitted on any bill, at any stage of debate, for all legislative staff and senators to view.

Sponsored Legislation

Racial Justice 

  • LB 814 (McKinney) – Require racial impact statements for legislative bills
  • LB 842 (Brewer) – Include tribal governments to be able to receive Civic and Community Center assistance grants
  • LB 872 (Brewer) – Ensure Native American students can proudly wear their tribal regalia in Nebraska schools
  • LB 1191 (Brewer) – Use federal funds to improve tribal-owned drinking water

Healthcare

  • LB 929 (Wishart) – Extends postpartum insurance coverage
  • LB 1129 (Morfeld) – Provide free birth control
  • LB 1133 (Morfeld) – Allow health workers to qualify for mental health benefits under workers’ compensation
  • LB 1066 & 1067 (Stinner) – Direct federal funds to behavioral health care services
  • LB 1075 (Stinner) – Direct federal funds to youth mental health services

Gender Equity

  • LB 745 (Cavanaugh, M.) – Update marriage language to “spouses” to make it more inclusive
  • LB 881 (McKinney) – Provide for a sale tax exemption for feminine hygiene products and require detention facilities to provide such products

Housing

  • LB 940 (Hansen, M.) – Direct federal funds for housing
  • LB 1002 (McDonnell) – Direct funds to low-income home energy assistance
  • LB 1142 (Vargas) – Direct federal funds to affordable housing
  • LB 1052 (Cavanaugh, J.) – Direct federal funds to a homeless assistance program
  • LB 1070 & 1071 (Williams) – Direct federal funds to rural affordable housing
  • LB 1073 (Wayne) – Create the Department of Housing and Urban Development to address affordable housing needs
  • LB 1252 (Vargas) – Direct federal funds to middle-income housing

Economic Development 

  • LB 991 (Morfeld) – Direct funds to conduct a feasibility study for a high-speed commuter rail between Omaha and Lincoln
  • LB 1024 (Wayne) – Adopt the North Omaha Recovery Act and state intent regarding appropriation of federal funds
  • LB 1114 (McKinney)LB 1116 & 1117 (Wayne) – Encourage business/development in areas of high poverty and/or unemployment
  • LB 1141 (Vargas) – Direct federal funds to legal civil representation for financially struggling clients
  • LB 1201 (Deboer) – Use federal funds on expanded food assistance
  • LB 1203 (Briese) – Use federal funds on child care assistance
  • LB 1238 (Vargas) – Use federal funds on South Omaha Recovery Grant Program

Criminal Justice Reform 

  • LB 920 (Lathrop) – Create the Justice Reinvestment Oversight Task Force
  • LB 946 (Wayne) – Prohibit state agencies from prescribing off-label medications to certain juveniles
  • LB 952 (Cavanaugh, J.) – Provide Medicaid enrollment assistance to inmates prior to release
  • LB 1111 (McKinney) – Designate funding for reentry and restorative justice programming
  • LB 1154 (McKinney) – Smart justice reform to support reentry and rehabilitation
  • LB 1155 (Cavanaugh, J.) – Smart justice assessment of pretrial release, supporting bond reform
  • LB 1276 (McKinney) – Allow for civil actions against police officers who commit misconduct

Voting 

  • LB 793 (McCollister) – Provide for ranked-choice voting

Opposed Legislation

  • LB 768 (Albrecht) – Ban health and sex education in public schools
  • LB 781 (Slama) – Ban abortion at six weeks, before many Nebraskans even know they’re pregnant
  • LB 785 (Groene) – Shortens the window of when ballots can be mailed out to voters
  • LB 859 (Clements) – Prohibit health departments from implementing directed health measures without approval from DHHS
  • LB 933 (Albrecht) – Ban abortion entirely if the Supreme Court overturns Row vs. Wade
  • LB 938 (Linehan) – Reduces corporate income tax rates
  • LB 963 (Murman) – Allows for healthcare workers to deny almost any kind of care based on personal beliefs, creating a sweeping license to discriminate
  • LB 1011 (Budget proposal) – Continued push for a $240+ million new prison, instead of investing in smart justice solutions
  • LB 1077 (Hansen, B.) – Classroom censorship bill to restrict discussions of race and gender in K-12 classrooms, higher education, and government agencies’ professional development training
  • LB 1078 (Hansen, B.) – Prohibit students from having cell phones in classrooms
  • LB 1181 (Groene) – Adds new mail voting restrictions
  • LB 1086 (Geist) – Further restricts medication abortion, a safe, effective, and FDA-approved method of care
  • LB 1179 (Groene) – Allow for teachers to use physical intervention in classrooms
  • LB 1213 (Albrecht) – Digital censorship in schools
  • LR 282CA (Slama) – Undoes the nonpartisan nature of our unique Unicameral elections
  • LR 278CA (Linehan) – Eliminate the State Board of Education

District 8 Events

COVID-19 Vaccinations

Benson First Friday Art Walk

  • Supporting the emerging artistic community in Omaha and our surrounding areas starting Friday, February 4th.

Hand Up Food Pantry

  • January 27 at 3:30 pm – 5:15 pm at First Presbyterian Church’s on 216 S 34th St, Omaha. This is a recurring event every Thursday.

Season of Lights

  • Experience a winter’s night and stroll in the glow of a cherished holiday tradition – tens of thousands of white LED lights strung throughout Turner Park and along Farnam Street. Happening now through February 14, 2022.

Valentine’s Day Pop-Up Events with Mauve Moon Florals 

  • February 6th embrace your inner goddess pop-up at Bellevue Social Center
  • February 12th Galentine’s Day Pop-Up at Shop Five Nine (Benson)

Our Office in the News

Lincoln Journal Star – Sen. Megan Hunt proposes expanded access to abortion care as Legislature returns

Omaha World-Herald editorial – Midlands Voices It’s vital for Nebraska leaders to stand up for all women by Megan Hunt

3 News Now – School choice bill fails in Nebraska Legislature despite unlikely political alliances

ACLU of Nebraska – Advocates announce new bills to protect abortion rights

KETV Omaha – Abortion stakes high in upcoming legislative session

Lincoln Journal Star – Social Security tax repeal bill delayed by fiscal uncertainty

Connect with Me

  • Please follow me on FacebookTwitterInstagram, or Youtube to stay up to date with my latest activities.
  • I invite you to visit my office in Lincoln at the Nebraska State Capitol. Call my office to coordinate. (402) 471-2722
  • You can watch the Legislature live on NET TV or find NET’s live stream here.
Intern With My Office!
September 28th, 2021

Apply here!

Interns will gain a unique, first-hand understanding of the Nebraska Unicameral operations and the legislative process in a fast-paced environment. Internship applications are due Friday, November 19, 2021, by midnight. The selected applicants will begin their internship concurrently with the 2022 legislative session on January 5th.

Responsibilities may include:
– Attending committee hearings
– Drafting correspondence
– Conducting legislative research
– Event coordinating
– Bill proposal research
– General office management
– Social media engagement
– Basic photography and videography

Requirements:
– Current undergraduate student
– Good verbal and written communication skills
– Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
– Self-motivated
– Ability to work ~10 hours/week (flexible)

Sen. Megan Hunt

District 8
Room 2107
P.O. Box 94604
Lincoln, NE 68509
(402) 471-2722
Email: mhunt@leg.ne.gov
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