Nebraska Bishops Commend Nebraska Legislature for Transformational School Choice Bill
Media Contact:Paige BrownCommunications & Outreach Specialist
Nebraska Catholic Conferencepbrown@necatholic.org
For Immediate Release:May 24, 2023
Nebraska Bishops Commend Nebraska Legislature for Transformational School Choice Bill
Lincoln, Nebraska – Archbishop of Omaha George Lucas, Bishop of Lincoln James Conley, and Bishop of Grand Island Joseph Hanefeldt issued the following statement on the passage of LB753, the Opportunity Scholarships Act:
“The Catholic Bishops of Nebraska celebrate the passage of LB753, the Opportunity Scholarships Act, by the Nebraska Legislature. As the first and primary educators of their child, parents are uniquely suited to tend to their child’s educational needs. Parents have the privilege, right, and duty to choose the best educational setting for their child.
The passage of LB753 represents a profound affirmation of this fundamental principle that parents are the primary educators of their children. By providing scholarship opportunities to low-income families, LB753 will enable parents to exercise greater freedom in choosing the educational environment that best meets their children’s unique needs and aspirations.
Every child deserves an education that nurtures their intellectual, spiritual, and moral growth, and LB753 makes a transformative education more accessible to all children.
We thank all the State Senators who voted to support the passage of LB753. In a very special way, we are grateful to Senator Lou Ann Linehan for her years of dedication to school choice and education policy. We also thank Governor Jim Pillen for his leadership in prioritizing school choice for Nebraska’s families, and we look forward to his signing LB753 into law.”***
The Nebraska Catholic Conference (NCC) is a statewide association operated jointly by the Archdiocese of Omaha, Diocese of Grand Island, and Diocese of Lincoln. Located in Lincoln, the NCC represents the public policy interests of Nebraska’s three Roman Catholic bishops before the Nebraska legislature, the Nebraska delegation in Congress, and state agencies. The public policy issues addressed by the NCC include institutional concerns of the Catholic Church and issues related to Catholic moral and social teaching, human dignity, and the common good.