Economic Opportunity

Nebraska is stronger when policies are designed to level the playing field, ensuring that the economy works for everyone.

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One Big “Beautiful” Bill, One Year Later

On July 4, 2025, fireworks lit up the sky, hot dogs cooked on the grill, households across the country displayed their American flags and the President signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA, also known as H.R. 1). Fast forward one year, and the fireworks, hot dogs and flags

OpenSkyLIGHTS: Focus on Nebraska fiscal policy (6/26/26)

$177 million General Fund tax receipts for the month of May fell short of revenue forecasts by about 7.8%, according to new data released by the Nebraska Department of Revenue. This marks the third consecutive month that receipts have come in below forecast, with cumulative receipts now lagging the revenue

OpenSkyLIGHTS: Focus on Nebraska fiscal policy (6/5/26)

$31.27 Trillion The sum of public debt reached $31.27 trillion at the end of April, eclipsing the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the United States for the first time since World War II. During that time period, government spending on the war effort drove the increase in national debt, but

OpenSkyLIGHTS: Focus on Nebraska fiscal policy (5/22/26)

8.2% The Nebraska Department of Revenue recently released April General Fund tax receipts, showing a gap of 8.2% between actual collections and the amount forecasted by the Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board (NEFAB). April is typically the highest month for tax refunds, due to the state and federal income tax

OpenSkyLIGHTS: Focus on Nebraska fiscal policy (4/17/26)

88 According to analysis from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), 88 of the nation’s largest and most profitable corporations paid zero federal corporate income taxes for 2025. Collectively, the organizations across a variety of industries made more than $105 billion in taxable income last year. Had they

6 Cool Things You Might Not Know Your State Tax Dollars Support

Today is the deadline for filing federal and state income taxes. At OpenSky Policy Institute, we have spent 15 years studying the impact of tax and budget policy decisions on Nebraska families. As United States Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. famously stated, “Taxes are the price we pay

OpenSkyLIGHTS: Focus on Nebraska fiscal policy (4/10/26)

-9.14% According to analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, from December 2024 to December 2025, the number of Nebraskans receiving benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) declined by 9.14%, largely credited to changes in eligibility implemented by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) signed

OpenSkyLIGHTS: Focus on Nebraska fiscal policy (4/3/26)

$10.76 billion The Legislature sent mid-biennium General Fund budget adjustments to Governor Jim Pillen’s desk for signature this week, with a total of $10.76 billion in spending for the biennium, representing a reduction of $243 million over the biennium, or less than one percent over the previous budget. If all

OpenSkyLIGHTS: Focus on Nebraska fiscal policy (3/27/26)

34 LB 1071, the mainline budget bill advanced to final reading this week with 34 legislators voting in support. The advancement comes after considerable debate and multiple failed cloture motions. As OpenSky reported last week, the impasse in the Legislature largely centered around a $3.65 million appropriation included in the

OpenSkyLIGHTS: Focus on Nebraska fiscal policy (3/20/26)

$140 million The Legislature rejected an amendment on Select File yesterday that would have narrowed a $140 million shortfall down to about $37 million, after failing to get the 33 votes needed for cloture. AM 2748 to LB 1071 would have cut an additional $4.5 million in FY 2026 and

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Economic Opportunity

Economic Opportunity Nebraska is stronger when policies are designed to level the playing field, ensuring that the economy works for everyone. Key Resources Medicaid Overview “A Healthy Nebraska,” updated in 2023, provides an overview of Medicaid and CHIP funding in Nebraska. Learn More State Budget Overview “Taking Ownership,” released in