Nebraska Appleseed Response to the Governor’s State of the State
Nebraska Appleseed Response to the Governor’s State of the State
LINCOLN, NE – Today, Nebraska Appleseed Executive Director Becky Gould issued the following statement in response to the Governor’s State of the State address delivered this morning:
"This morning, Governor Pillen shared his reflections on the state of the state and his priorities for the 2024 legislative session. We know that when Nebraskans have the opportunity to come together and make policy decisions for our state, we do choose common sense policies that help build thriving communities.
In order to truly secure promise and opportunity for our state, it’s urgent that our government officials prioritize policies that would deliver direct and lasting economic support to hardworking Nebraskans and their families. Two pieces of legislation – one that would support feeding 150,000 Nebraska kids through implementing the Summer EBT program and another that helps families fight inflation through the adoption of a child tax credit – would provide such support to our communities. We should invest our state’s resources into ensuring that all Nebraskans can access affordable housing, child care, food, and jobs that pay enough to make ends meet.
Nebraskans value leaders who bring us together to solve problems, rather than divide us. Everyone who is a part of our communities should be able to be who they are and live a life free from government overreach. We are discouraged to hear Governor Pillen urge the Nebraska Legislature to pass LB575, a bill that would prohibit schools from allowing young people to access the restroom, locker room, or teams designated for a gender different than their gender assigned at birth. Trans and gender diverse young people deserve access to safe and normal school activities and spaces, authentic to their identity.
We are optimistic about Nebraskans’ ability to find common ground. We look forward to working with Governor Pillen, the Legislature, and community members to advance common-sense policies to support Nebraskans and strengthen our communities across the state."
