Support

LB429 - Provide requirements and restrictions for school boards relating to professional employees’ organizations

The Stated Intent: LB 429 seeks to ensure school districts provide equal access to any professional employees' organization if the same access is given to one professional employees' organization. 

So what is LB429 all about?

LB429 is about equal access. Said another way, LB429 prevents School Boards from picking winners and losers when it comes to professional organizations. It would give equal access to professional employees' organizations. As stated in the bill:

"A school board shall not grant access by a professional employees' organization to the physical or electronic mailbox of any school employee without giving equal access to any other professional employees' organization which requests such access."

What is a monopoly?

Collins Dictionary defines a monopoly as

1. exclusive control of a commodity or service in a given market, or control that makes possible the fixing of prices and the virtual elimination of free competition
2. an exclusive privilege of engaging in a particular business or providing a service, granted by a ruler or by the state

Would an entity that has almost exclusive access to teachers' work emails, addresses, school presentations, and district bulletins have a monopoly? The answer may be "yes".

According Cornell Law School "In essence, the term monopoly may be used any time that a market for a good is controlled by a limited number of actors."

They go on to say, "In the United States, monopolies and monopolistic behavior are highly frowned upon. Monopolies remove consumer choice, and often lead to higher prices for lower quality goods and services."

What is the issue?

The Nebraska State Education Association - NSEA is routinely the only organization allowed the benefits mentioned above. Other professional associations, like the Associations of American Educators - AAE, are severely restricted, in many cases being denied the same access as the NSEA.

By limiting or flat out excluding professional organizations, school boards are in many ways picking which organizations school employees belong to. School employees may not be aware of their options for organizations they belong to. They may also feel pressured to sign up for the organizations being brought in.

We've all seen the harms of censorship. When someone is censored to only one bit of information, it limits their ability to make the best choice for themselves. In this case, it could be costing educators tens of thousands of dollars over the coarse of their career.

In a time when teacher retention is high on everyone's priority list, putting a little more money in the teacher's pockets without affecting taxpayers is a win for everyone.

Let YOUR senator(s) know:

• In the United States monopolies have been managed and controlled by our governing bodies. Policy makers need to step in and open up a free market place, letting capitalism flourish.

• We have seen how online censorship limited public discourse and led people into decisions they wouldn't have made otherwise. Censorship exists in other spaces as well. By limiting educators to one option, it hampers their ability to make informed decisions.

• A free marketplace reduces favoritism of one organization over another. This is what our Founders had in mind from the beginning.

Your voice is powerful, make it heard on LB429. The committee hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, February 18, 2025. NFFV recommends you "Support" this bill.

How to be heard? Here are three ways:

• Most Effective: Testify in person. Going to the Committee hearing and sharing YOUR story with committee member Senators is very impactful. For first time in person testifier here are some helpful hints. 
• Effective: Submit written testimony. If you can't be there in person then submit written testimony. Not sure how to do that, click here. Note: The deadline to submit and verify a comment for the hearing record for LB429 is Tuesday, February 18, 2025 at 8:00 AM Central Time.
• Least Effective: Email your position letter to the Committee Senators and CC your own Senator. For a listing of the Health and Human Services Committee Senators click here. Note: emails should be sent by noon, the business day before the committee hearing. It's not likely these emails will be included in official hearing minutes, however, there is a better chance Committee Senators will see your comments. You can request they be added to meeting minutes in your email to Committee Senators.

If you liked the content provided in this Minuteman, consider donating to NFFV. You can donate by clicking the button below or by mailing a check made to Nebraska for Founders' Values.

Nebraskans for Founders' Values

PO Box 255

Walton, NE 68461

NEBRASKANS FOR FOUNDERS' VALUES

Board of Directors Team

www.nffv.org