The 2024 Legislative Session began Wednesday, January 3
and reached Day 60 on April 18. The Special Session began July 25 and concluded August 20.

The 2025 Legislative Session is set to begin Wednesday, January 8.

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Advocacy Handbook / Delegate Handout
Your Advocacy Handbook featuring NASB's legislative and leadership objectives for the 2025 session and a guide for effective advocacy will be posted following approval of the Delegate Handout at the November 2024 Delegate Assembly. This will include what your role is in the legislative process can be, tips for advocacy and engagement, your 2025-26 State Senators, your 2025 NASB Legislation Committee, and NASB's Standing Positions.

Call for Proposals
If there is anything you'd like to see added, amended or removed from the handbook in future years, submit your proposal at https://members.nasbonline.org/government-relations/legislative-proposals

Legislative Links

• NASB Bills Page
• Nebraska Legislature's Home Page
• Legislative Calendar
• Senator List/Contacts
• Glossary of Legislative Terms

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What is Your Role?

In the past few years, the Legislature has increasingly inserted itself into both the boardroom and the classroom. Decisions that have traditionally been left to local boards or the State Board of Education have been centralized at the State Capitol. In addition, the past years have seen an increase in efforts to divide public K-12 education and foster distrust between local boards and their constituents. There are things you can do:

• Advocate for Local Control: Talk to lawmakers about impactful decisions and how important it is that decisions remain local. Continue advocating for local control over local decisions. Let us help you! 
• Build Trust: Share your decisions with your constituents. Celebrate your successes! Show lawmakers and constituents your commitment to transparency.  Use your meetings to educate your public on the decisions you are making.
• Tell Your Story: No one is more qualified to talk about your school district, your community, and your needs related to providing a quality education than you!
  

DID YOU KNOW: #weLIVEhere

79% of Nebraska’s 1,700 locally elected school board members serve at or within 100 miles of where they graduated ... with 51% serving in the district they graduated from. 

As a school board member and community leader, you are in an excellent position to educate and influence the legislative process and are seen as a key resource on education policy for your district.  

We encourage all boards to include a legislative update at their meetings and to discuss/share key legislative information within your community. Advocacy is year-round, not just during the session. 

Bookmark NASB’s Government Relations page for continual updates and information. Be sure to utilize NASB’s Legislative Notes, videos, bills page and more, which summarizes all pertinent items related to public education in Nebraska.

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What Can NASB Do for you?

Assist you in preparing testimony, talking points, emails, or Op-Eds; facilitate Senator introductions and meetings in your district or the Capitol; feature your district visits with Senators; brief your board at a meeting in your community; and more ... Just ASK!

Your NASB Legislative Team

Colby Coash - ccoash@NASBonline.org
Associate Executive Director, Director of Government Relations

Matt Belka - mbelka@NASBonline.org  
Director of Marketing, Communications & Advocacy

John Spatz - jspatz@NASBonline.org
Executive Director

Lindsey Wooton - lwooton@NASBonline.org  
Administrative Specialist

     

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 *NASB does not endorse candidates and does not make recommendations to members, or anyone, on whom to support for election. NASB may, from time to time, provide opportunities for candidates for elected office to meet with or communicate with its membership. Any NASB event allowing candidates for office to meet or communicate with its membership should not be considered a direct or passive endorsement of any candidate.