NAPE 2023-2025 Legislative Priorities
NAPE’s legislative priorities for the 2023-2025 biennium were adopted by delegates to the NAPE Delegate Assembly in August 2023. Our legislative priorities can be viewed below. [Download PDF]
NAPE strongly supports legislation that reinforces the rights of unions to organize and advocate for employees of the State of Nebraska.
NAPE WILL…
- Support legislation strengthening the State Employees Collective Bargaining Act
- Create a fair impasse procedure
- Ensure accurate and fair comparability
- Fight any effort to weaken or diminish the collective bargaining rights provided to employees in the State Employees Collective Bargaining Act
NAPE supports state budget and tax policies that ensure adequate funding for the vital services provided by state agencies.
NAPE WILL…
- Ensure state employees’ salary and benefits are fully funded
- Oppose any cutback to vital state services or layoff of state employees
- Advocate for measures that move Nebraska towards a fair tax system where corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share
NAPE will advocate for legislation that ensures a safe working environment for all state employees.
NAPE WILL…
- Ensure all state employees are provided with necessary safety equipment, personal protective equipment, and health screening
- Advocate for legislation that protects employees from workplace risks
- Ensure that those who are responsible for workplace safety violations are held accountable
NAPE strongly opposes the outsourcing of State of Nebraska jobs currently provided by public employees.
NAPE WILL…
- Support legislation that returns work to state employees that has been previously outsourced
- Oppose legislation that results in the outsourcing of any jobs that should be performed by state employees
- Oppose the use of artificial intelligence to replace the important work of state employees
NAPE believes that rights granted to state employees should be protected and strengthened.
NAPE WILL…
- Oppose any efforts to diminish workers’ compensation or unemployment insurance benefits
- Support efforts to raise the minimum wage in Nebraska
- Support legislation requiring paid family leave for all employees
- Support anti-discrimination legislation, and oppose discriminatory legislation.
Government Affairs Committee
The NAPE/AFSCME Government Affairs Committee (GAC) is a bipartisan committee comprised of members appointed by the NAPE/AFSCME President to monitor pending legislation, advocate on behalf of members, and make endorsement recommendations for political candidates. Current committee members are:
Brandon Brown
Revenue, Lincoln (Chair)
Brianne Bushlow
DHHS, Fremont
Daniel Buchanan
Corrections, Lincoln
Michael Henry
DHHS, Lincoln
Avery Hulse
DHHS, Lincoln
Adam Johnson
DHHS, Fremont
Anissa Rasmussen
Economic Development, Lincoln
Kris Rossman
DHHS, Scottsbluff
Ashlie Thompson
DHHS, Lincoln
Sharon Waters
Game & Parks, Lincoln
Melissa Haynes
DHHS, Fremont (Ex-officio)
Justin Hubly
Executive Director, Lincoln
People PAC
NAPE/AFSCME has its own Political Action Committee (PAC) called the NAPE/AFSCME PEOPLE PAC. PEOPLE stands for Public Employees Organized to Promote Legislative Equality. The PEOPLE PAC makes donations to candidates, committees, and ballot initiatives that support working families. Funds in the PEOPLE PAC are voluntary donations from union members. Members who do not wish to make a voluntary donation of $4.41 for 2025 can request a refund by sending a letter to NAPE/AFSCME PEOPLE PAC, 1230 O Street, Suite 120, Lincoln, NE 68508. 2025 refund requests must be postmarked by June 30, 2025.
2025 Legislative session
The legislature convened on January 8, 2025. The NAPE/AFSCME Government Affairs Committee (GAC) reviewed proposed legislation and took positions on bills after bill filing was completed in January. The GAC uses the NAPE/AFSCME Legislative Platform as a guide to take positions on bills. A list of bills and our positions are as follows:
Bills in Support
LB 30 (Conrad) – Exempts overtime income from state income tax
LB 189 (Cavanaugh, M) – Adopts the paid FMLA leave insurance act
LB 224 (Guereca) – Would require 12 weeks of paid maternity leave for state employees
LB 233 (Conrad) – Would require optional in vitro fertilization coverage under state employees health insurance
LB 361 (Conrad) – Prohibits retaliation and discrimination based on the filing of a workers comp claim
LB 400 (Wordekemper) – Firefighters experiencing certain cancers eligible for workers comp
LB 577 (Fredrickson) – Prohibits tracking and surveillance of employees by electronic device
LB 522 (Guereca) – Provides a COLA for workers comp claims paid for greater than 12 months
LB 535 (Kauth) – Prohibits assault on frontline behavioral heath staff at regional centers
Bills in Opposition
LB 258 (Raybould) – Changes minimum wage provisions, including a subminimum wage
LB 397 (Moser) – Eliminates workplace safety inspections and safety committee requirements
LB 668 (Storer) – Allows for the outsourcing of some DHHS case management duties
Neutral
LB 578 (Cavanaugh, M.) – Requires minimum wage to paid to state employees (neutral because this bill is dealing with wages paid to inmates at correctional institutions for which we have no position).
Workers Comp & Unemployment Insurance Bills to Monitor
LB 313 (Ibach) – Subrogation of 3rd party workers comp claims
LB 455 (Hallstrom) – Confidentiality of workers comp injury reports
LB 456 (Hallstrom) – Waive confidentiality of medical records during workers comp claims
LB 544 (Dover) – Disqualification of unemployment benefits if failing to respond to a job interview within 48 hours or failing to show for an interview that was accepted.
To find your State Senator, visit the Nebraska Legislature site where you can search by your home address to locate your senator.
