LB 952, a bill that would compel Nebraska to participate in a new federal Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program, will be discussed in today’s Health and Human Services Committee hearing.

So far, 35 states have opted into the program that would provide $120 each summer via EBT to parents whose children participate in the free or reduced-price lunch program during the school year. According to Feeding America, 58,000 children face food insecurity in Nebraska, and existing summer programs only served about 10,000 Nebraska children on a daily basis.

The new Summer EBT program would reach an estimated 150,000 low-income children throughout Nebraska, providing $18 million in benefits that would help hard-working families and be spent in support of local grocers and farmers, contributing an estimated $30.6 million to the Nebraska economy.

The Health and Human Services Committee meets at 1:30 p.m. OpenSky will provide updates on X.

Watch livestream of hearing on Nebraska Public Media

Proposals to broaden sales tax considered

Several bills that would expand the sales tax base to include more services will be discussed in today’s Revenue Committee hearing.

Eight bills proposing to expand the sales tax base are linked to the governor’s plan to reduce property taxes paid to fund services provided by cities, counties and school districts, and each would essentially represent a tax shift where additional sales tax revenue would be designated to reduce property taxes.

The sales tax is already the most regressive form of taxation in the state, with low-wage families in Nebraska paying almost five times more as a share of their income in sales and excise taxes than the best-off families. Expanding the sales tax base without a decrease in the overall rate would only exacerbate regressivity.

The Revenue Committee meets at 1:30 p.m.

Watch livestream of hearing on Nebraska Public Media

U.S. house backs bipartisan tax bill helping children

Roughly 80,000 children in Nebraska families with low incomes would benefit from expansion of the federal Child Tax Credit (CTC), one of the key provisions in a tax bill passed with bipartisan support in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday.

The package would strengthen the federal CTC by extending full benefits to more families and adding benefits for low-wage families with multiple children. The proposal, which now goes to the U.S. Senate, includes dollar-for-dollar corporate tax breaks.