3rd time not the charm

State lawmakers are simply not getting the message when it comes to asking Nebraska taxpayers to help fund students and their families who choose to attend a private school.
Back on the agenda this session is a resurrected bill that would encourage donations to private school scholarship funds, just months after voters rejected that concept in the November election. It’s the third year in a row this idea has been debated, and though proposals have varied some in detail the concept remains very much the same.
LB 509, introduced this year by Omaha area Sen. Tony Sorrentino, would appropriate $25 million per year to establish a dollar-for-dollar tax credit of up to $100,000 for individuals or entities who donate to organizations that issue scholarships for K-12 students looking to enroll in private schools. The bill is similar to a measure brought by former Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, who supported a tax credit program and fought hard through various legal maneuvers in 2024 to make it happen before being term-limited out of office.
The troubling aspect of this year’s bill is that it fails to recognize citizen input and concerns on the subject. After LB 435 was passed into law in 2022, an effort to gather signatures and put that measure on the ballot was successful, though lawmakers made that petition drive null and void by passing LB 1402. Ultimately, 1402 was repealed by voters in November through a separate referendum effort, which passed by just over 14 percentage points. 
The people have spoken, more than once if you count the initial voter referendum, and yet lawmakers seem to be saying that they know better, and therefore should have the final say.
Historically, Nebraska has been one of the few states to uphold a strong separation between public school funding and private institutions, recognizing the crucial role public education plays in creating an inclusive, accessible learning environment for all students, regardless of their background or financial situation. LB 509 threatens to erode that foundation, much like its predecessor proposals.
The fact of the matter is that families already have a choice when it comes to where they want their kids to go to school. Option enrollment is available now and long has been to families who prefer to attend a school district other than the one in which they live. However, for those who prefer not to attend a public school, for whatever reason, that decision has come at a cost and should continue to bear a financial burden on that family, not all Nebraska taxpayers.
Another concern with the renewed effort in 2025 is that it comes at a time when the state’s financial resources are limited. LB 509 would increase state spending during an already tight budget year. Add to that the concern the fact that private schools do not have to follow the same standards as public schools ensuring accountability, transparency and non-discrimination protections, and you should logically come to the same conclusion voters did in November.
Passing a law which in effect is asking taxpayers to fund private schools is not a good idea.
-- Kurt Johnson