We kick things off with labor rallies in Omaha and Lincoln Tues. evening. On Mar. 16 there are some important hearings at the Unicameral and a critical meeting regarding the state implementation of the health care law and state insurance exchanges. Then on Mar. 19, the Nebraska Bioneers will host a great event and Jane Goodall is in the Neb!
Labor Rallies
Organized labor’s been taking a beat down lately, and we’re tired of it. Join us standing up for teachers, firefighters, corrections officers and your garbageman by rallying in Lincoln and Omaha. Just grab that homemade, pro-labor sign you keep handy at all times, pack the kids in the van and throw your umbrella in the back (there’s a 30% of rain).
March 15, 5:30pm
Omaha: Lewis and Clark Landing, 515 N Riverfront Dr. (Map)
Lincoln: The Federal Building on O Street, 100 Centennial Mall (Map)
Unicameral Hearings
Some “hot” bills are being debated on March 16th in our Unicameral. The redistricting committee also gets underway talking about criteria that will be used in the process. You can read more about the prenatal bill and the campaign finance bill here.
There is also a hearing on our state income tax and sales tax rates. Sen. Cornett is leading the charge on these bills and we have plenty of questions on why she would advance a bill that would exempt tanning salons from sales tax at the expense to our state of $885,000. So, maybe we will get a fuller picture of where she is headed during the hearings.
If you can not be there in person, you can watch the hearings online. You need to know the hearing room to watch it, so we list those below.
Redistricting: noon, Room 1525
Prenatal Bill: 1:30pm, Room 1510
Campaign Finance Bill: 1:30pm, Room 1507
Tax Bills:1:30pm, Room 1524
Implementing the Health Care Law Meeting
The Nebraska Department of Insurance is holding public stakeholder events to solicit input on planning and developing Nebraska’s Health Insurance Exchanges.
March 16, 6-9pm
UNL Student Union Ballroom (2nd Floor), 1400 R St.
Nebraska has not yet decided if they will implement a state exchange, a regional exchange or they could even say Nebraskans should just go into the federal exchange and that we will not have a state exchange. Gov. Heineman requested and got $1 million from the federal government in order to hold these meetings and get input. So, your input is needed and wanted and alot is riding on these meetings. We need to make sure consumer voices are heard while Nebraska decides on next steps. They set up a Facebook page for input also (but only about 12 people are on it).
Meetings are held in each Congressional District — the 3rd’s are complete, those happened last month. The one in Omaha is on March 22nd.
Bioneers and Jane Goodall
On March 19th, come hear from two Janes at Nebraska Wesleyan University in one day. The first “Jane” is me, I will be one of the keynote speakers at the Nebraska Bioneers Creating Community Day. The Bioneers are social and environmental justice leaders, and this conference will launch them into the greater community. For a full schedule of the day’s events, check out the Bioneers’ website.
Stick around campus until 7:30 for the amazing and legendary Jane Goodall’s speech on global changes and their impact on the environment over the last 50 years. Then she’ll look forward discuss the role we must all play in the next 50 years to ensure a better world for future generations. Buy your tickets here before they’re gone!
We do our best to keep you updated on events happening in Nebraska that deal with politics, civic engagement and issues we all care about. You can always take a look at our Events Page and even suggest events we add to the page.
