Tony Vargas

This amendment to Nebraska’s First Freedom Act, the likes of which legislators passed this past session to protect religious institutions from unfair discrimination by the government, would have removed a provision applying the bill to all state and local laws, regardless of when they were passed. CPAC opposes this sneaky attempt to undermine the integrity of LD 43 and opposed this amendment. The Senate defeated this amendment on March 4, 2024 by a vote of 12-30.

This bill requires the state bureaucracy to provide coverage for all translation and interpretation services for medical recipients utilizing the government’s medical assistance program services. CPAC opposes this expansion of the role of the government in providing healthcare services and opposed this bill. The Senate passed this bill on April 11, 2024 by a vote of 34-6.

This bill allows inland port authorities to create innovation hubs and provides for the creation of grant programs to support Nebraska’s workforce. For example, it creates the Child Care Capacity Building and Workforce Grant Program to help fund child care for favored groups of people. CPAC opposes the expansion of programs like these and opposed this bill. The Senate passed this bill on April 11, 2024 by a vote of 37-6.

This amendment provides that “voter agents” may not drop off ballots for more than two voters. CPAC supports measures that protect election security and supported this amendment. The Senate passed this amendment on February 5, 2024 by a vote of 25-14.

This bill enacts the Poverty Elimination Action Plan Act, the likes of which will requires cities to develop plans to reduce poverty in their area. These plans must include a blueprint for increasing “equity and inclusivity,” expanding access to social services, and implementing strategies to increase affordable housing options. CPAC believes that the state government should not be requiring local governments to plan to promote DEI or expand their welfare nets and opposed this bill. The Senate passed this bill on April 11, 2024 by a vote of 28-19 and the bill later became law.

This bill adds a provision to the Prenatal Plus Program such that it terminates in 2028. While CPAC would prefer that the government not authorize this program to begin with and meddle in affairs that are not its business, it supports efforts to make it temporary and supported this amendment. The Senate passed this amendment on February 14, 2024 by a vote of 25-15.

This amendment attempted to insert a doctored version of the Nebraska Pregnancy Help Act to allow its provisions to apply to pregnancy help centers that, though they may not conduct abortions, refer for or recommend abortions. CPAC believes abortion is always a human tragedy, opposed this inferior version of the bill that was friendlier to abortion, and supported the version of the act with improved language governing abortion that was inserted immediately after the downfall of this amendment. The Senate defeated this amendment on March 28, 2024 by a vote of 17-24.

This motion attempts to bracket a bill that would prohibit certain websites with adult content from allowing people to use their services without performing a reasonable verification of their age. CPAC supports efforts to protect minors from pornography, recognizes that this motion intended to help kill or “indefinitely postpone” the bill, and opposed this motion. The Senate defeated this motion on March 26, 2024 by a vote of 5-29.

This bill prevents individuals affiliated with foreign countries of concern from acquiring major stakes in Nebraska’s land. CPAC supports appropriate efforts to preserve the US’ security interests and supported this bill. The Senate passed this bill on April 11, 2024 by a vote of 46-0 and the bill later became law.

This bill establishes the Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Program, the likes of which will provide incentives to farmers to encourage more sustainable farming practices. CPAC opposes the growth of government incentive programs and opposed this bill. The Senate passed this bill on April 11, 2024 by a vote of 42-0 and the bill later became law.

This bill updates provisions regarding education scholarship accounts that allow parents to send their children to the school that best suits their academic needs. CPAC supports school choice and supported this bill. The Senate passed this bill on April 18, 2024 by a vote of 32-14 and the bill was signed into law.

This motion calls for the reconsideration of an amendment that greatly increases the amount of funds apportioned to Nebraska’s bureaucracy for the purpose of administering mental health services and behavioral health aid. CPAC opposes this attempted increase in funding toward the bureaucracy and opposed this motion. The Senate defeated this motion on March 19, 2024 by a vote of 18-24.