2026 Nebraska Legislative Priorities

2026 Nebraska Legislative Priorities
Victory in the fight against cancer requires bold new public policies that promote cancer prevention, early detection of cancer, and expand access to quality, affordable health care. Lawmakers make many decisions that impact the lives of Nebraskans impacted by cancer and their leadership is vital to defeating this disease. In 2026 the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) will work with the Nebraska unicameral on legislative and regulatory efforts that provide affordable, adequate access to health insurance including Medicaid, ensure adequate funding for lifesaving cancer screening and prevention programs, and enact prevention policies to protect kids from tobacco products and help support those who are trying to quit.

Reducing the Toll of Tobacco
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable cancer death and disease in the United States. Effective tobacco control policies are necessary to reduce tobacco use in the state and prevent young people from becoming addicted.

Tobacco Taxes
As Nebraska works to identify funding strategies to reduce the budget deficit, ACS CAN will advocate to increase the cigarette tax by $2.00 per pack with a parallel tax on all other tobacco products including e-cigarettes. Increasing the price of cigarettes and all other tobacco products through regular and significant tobacco tax increases helps prevent kids from starting to use tobacco and helps support people who are trying to quit. Diverting a significant portion of new revenue generated from all tobacco taxes to fact-based, statewide tobacco prevention and cessation programs, ensures a sustainable strategy to reducing the cancer burden caused by commercial tobacco use for all Nebraskans including kids.

Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Funding
ACS CAN will advocate to restore FY 2025 funding for fact-based, statewide tobacco prevention and cessation programs.

Access to quality, affordable health care
More than 300,000 people in the United States die from cancer each year because they lack access to affordable, adequate, quality care and treatment, and millions of others are forced to skip lifesaving care or spend their savings to pay for it. ACS CAN supports policies that remove barriers for Nebraskans so that everyone has a fair chance to be screened, treated and survive cancer.

Medicaid Coverage
ACS CAN will work to ensure current Medicaid enrollees have adequate access and coverage and will oppose proposals that create barriers or reduce access to care for cancer patients, survivors, and those who could be diagnosed with cancer.

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection
Cancer screenings significantly impact cancer diagnosis by enabling early detection of cancers in individuals without symptoms, leading to better treatment outcomes and increased survival rates when cancers are caught at earlier stages.
Breast and Cervical Cancer: ACS CAN will advocate to maintain current funding for the Every Woman Matters Program, the state breast and cervical cancer screening and treatment program for low-income uninsured and underinsured women administered by the Department of Health and Senior Services.

For more information, contact: Megan Word, Government Relations Director ACS CAN
[email protected]