District 3 Nebraska Senator, Carol Blood, Announces Bold 2018 Military Families Initiative

  LINCOLN, NE - 12/05/2017 (PRESS RELEASE JET)

District 3 Nebraska Senator Carol Blood announced today that she will present a very bold military families initiative in the upcoming session that begins on January 3, 2018. After the 2017 legislative success of LB 88, which removed hurdles in over 30 areas of employment for military spouses and included other supportive legislation for our military community, Blood has been motivated to create new legislation to continue to remove barriers to employment and create policy that supports the well-being of service members and their families.

"It is important to highlight the base's estimated 1.7 billion local economic impact on our surrounding communities and why we must work hard to keep this base here in Nebraska," stated Senator Blood. "As we look to make Nebraska one of the most military-friendly states, we must also continue to enact and revise legislation covering licensure and employment protection, consumer protection, family law, child care and protection, voting, education, healthcare, state judicial systems and disposition of human remains.Some of these issues do not require legislation, but need active partnerships with outside organizations to make it happen." "This is a bipartisan issue that we should all be able to support and move through the process without hesitation."

This initiative includes the following:

1. Military Civil Relief Consumer Protection Act
2. Physical Therapists Interstate Compact
3. Psychologists Interstate Compact
4. Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Compact
5. Military Spouse Realtors Licensing Accommodation
6. Military Medicaid Waiver (for transitioning special needs military family members not covered by TRICARE)
7. Military Spouse Attorneys Licensing Accommodation (Initiated process with Nebraska Supreme Court-See OWH Midlands Voices 11/29/17)
8. Pro bono legal representation for service members and families (Working with Nebraska Non-Profit to provide these services)
9. Military Representation on Certain State Boards and Councils that pertain to mental health and early childhood development councils (Working with Nebraska organizations to encourage Military presence on these types of boards/councils)

"I know this is a very bold initiative, but it is only the tip of the iceberg of what we can and need to do here in Nebraska," Blood explains. "We talk a LOT about the next round of BRAC and we need to remember that part of that formula is not just about the runway and missions, although a paramount factor, but also about how we embrace and protect our service members and their families." "I have a fire in my belly and will continue to push for these types of policies over the course of my tenure in the legislature."

Senator Blood has been working closely with the USA4Military Families Department of Defense State Liaison Office since June 2017 to insure that Nebraska Legislation is competitive with other states and to craft the most effective legislation possible. Learn more about this DOD program at: http://usa4families.militaryonesource.mil

For Additional Information:

Senator Carol Blood, Dist. 3

Nebraska Legislature

402-471-2627 office

402-571-1446 cell

cblood@leg.ne.gov