Nebraska’s state budget is coming together

The Legislature gave secondround approval to the budget bills last week. This effort will allow the budget to be read on Final Reading, meeting the requirement to have it pass by the 80th legislative day. The budget would provide money for capital construction projects such as the Perkins County Canal Project and a new prison facility. Additional funds are appropriated to cover salary increases recently negotiated with the state employee’s union and for staff at correctional facilities and other 24/7 facilities that were experiencing dangerous staffing shortages. Worker shortages and competition also necessitated provider rate increases for nursing homes, behavioral health providers, developmental disability providers, and other Medicaid service providers.