■ Same sex marriage case: Family First was able to link the Nebraska Attorney General’s office with experts in the area of marriage law (i.e. the Alliance Defense Fund, the American Center for Law and Justice, etc.). Family First was the liaison between these groups and the AG’s office. We helped in the strategic planning of the case, including the presentation of evidence in the trial court, the formation of key legal arguments, and various other aspects of the case.

■Preventing the equalization of homosexuality in state policy: Over the past ten years, Family First has thwarted several attempts to include sexual orientation as a protected class under Nebraska law.

■Preventing the inclusion of gay adoption in Nebraska: Family First wrote a key amicus brief (friend of the court brief supporting the State’s position against gay adoption) in a crucial case in the Nebraska Supreme Court. We also provided testimony and research in opposition to a bill authorizing gay adoption in the Nebraska Unicameral.  This bill was defeated in committee.

■Tougher laws on sex offenders: Family First provided key research to senators aiding the passage of a law providing more tools for law enforcement and prosecutors in sex offender cases.

■Promoting sexual purity:  Family First hosted nationally known speaker Dannah Gresh, who spoke to students at Lincoln Christian, Lincoln Lutherans, Lincoln Pius and to homeschool groups about the issues of sexual purity and holiness.

■Abstinence and relationship training:  Family First received a grant to promote abstinence and train students about healthy relationships at the University of Nebraska.

TREA (Training in Relationships and Education in Abstinence) brought this much needed message to the UNL campus, and reached over 1000 students during the duration of the grant.

■Promoting sound tax policies for Nebraska families:  Family First provided testimony and research on bills relieving the burden of the state inheritance tax and marriage penalty.

■Fighting indecency and pornography: Family First directed several efforts to fight the expansion of pornography and indecency. We led an effort to have Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie and Fitch move explicit advertising from their front window displays at Lincoln’s Southpoint Pavilions. We were also part of a coalition which helped remove pornographic magazines from Lincoln convenience stores.

■Opposition to expanding and regulating strip-clubs: In 2009, Family First helped draft LB 443, a bill to place statewide restrictions on strip clubs and sexually oriented businesses. Senator Mark Christensen made LB 443 his priority bill. Though this bill did not pass, we believe that it has paved the way for future legislation. In 2011, Family First was instrumental in letting the citizens of Lincoln know that The Viper Room intended on moving from its rural location to a new downtown location. Due to the diligent efforts of Family First and its supporters this strip-club was not able to make its move!

■Federal Marriage Amendment Campaign: Family First launched a campaign to inform Nebraska citizens and lawmakers about the need for a federal marriage amendment. We conducted a seven- city media tour and helped generate thousands of calls to get Senators Hagel and Nelson to vote for the amendment.

■Promoting fairness in the evolution/creation debate: There was a longstanding misconception that Nebraska science standards prohibited teachers from pointing out scientifically- based evidence against Darwinian evolution. Family First met with members of the Nebraska Board of Education and provided testimony and research on this topic. The State Board clarified that science teachers were allowed to point out, from a scientific perspective, problems with evolution.

■Opposition to expanded gambling: Family First is a part of the coalition opposing the introduction of casino gambling in Nebraska. In addition to opposing the casino ballot initiatives, we have worked in the Unicameral to oppose various expanded gambling proposals, including video keno and other forms of electronic gambling.

■Nebraska Cultural Indicators: In 2000, Family First authored a study of data reviewing Nebraska statistics on key cultural factors such as abortion, out-of-wedlock births, crime, and marriage and divorce.

■Fatherhood project and Road of Life public service commercial: Family First’s initial campaign, the fatherhood project was a public service campaign highlighting the benefits of a father’s impact on the lives of their children. Our commercial, the Road of Life, was played for nearly two years as a public service announcement on stations throughout the state. The spot won an award for the outstanding public service commercial.

■Part-time enrollment in public school: Family First worked for several years to pass legislation which would mandate that school districts allow home school and private school students to enroll part-time in public schools. In 2005, the Unicameral passed a bill to mandate that school districts adopt policies to allow for such enrollment for academic courses. Family First will continue to push for a law which broadens this policy for extra-curricular activities.

■Passing the same-sex marriage/civil unions ban in 2000: Family First was the lead group in the Nebraska Coalition for the Protection of Marriage, which was formed to urge the passage of Nebraska’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage and civil unions.

■Marriage Matters in Nebraska Project: The Marriage Matters in Nebraska Project is an initiative Family First introduced in February 2001 to strengthen the institution of marriage by providing research and analysis that informs public policy makers and educates the Nebraska public on issues facing Nebraska’s marriages.

■Nebraska Physicians Resource Council (NPRC): More than ever, physicians across Nebraska and across the nation are faced with the task of treating the casualties of broken families. In response, Family First has organized the NPRC; a working group of physicians dedicated to their profession and their families. Family First provides an avenue for physicians to lend their expertise in areas of policy such as abstinence and bioethics issues.

■Nebraska’s Bathroom Bill: Family First wasable to provide the Omaha City Council with the needed information to vote down a city ordinance that would have made “sexual orientation, gender identity and expression” a special protected class. This ordinance would have been the first of its kind in Nebraska and if passed would have allowed men into women’s public restrooms – putting our children at risk of all kinds of abuse.