LB 519 Legislature · 109th Legislature (2025-2026)

Require independent confirmatory testing of potential items of contraband or drugs in prisons

LB 519 requires Nebraska prisons to provide independent confirmatory testing for inmates who test positive for drugs via initial screening (urinalysis or field tests on suspected contraband items) before disciplinary action is taken. This applies directly to incarcerated individuals facing drug-related allegations, ensuring their results are verified by a separate lab. The bill mandates that correctional departments must arrange this testing upon inmate request, though inmates may be required to cover the cost if the confirmatory test remains positive. The legislation amends Nebraska's correctional statutes to establish this verification step, replacing the prior standard for handling drug-related disciplinary cases.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
Legislature Passage
May 2025
Legislature Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Signed May 13, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Final Reading · 2 edits
MINOR
This bill modifies the requirements for inmates facing drug or alcohol disciplinary actions in Nebraska. The most significant change is that the language was corrected from 'may be required' to 'shall be required', making the payment of confirmation testing costs mandatory rather than optional for the department. This ensures that inmates must pay for confirmation testing when their initial positive tests are confirmed, rather than leaving it to the department's discretion.
Scope change
The bill applies to all inmates in Nebraska facing disciplinary measures for drug or alcohol violations, with no change to the overall scope of applicability.
REQUIREMENT

Changed the requirement for inmates to pay confirmation testing costs from discretionary ('may be required') to mandatory ('shall be required').

TECHNICAL

Corrected grammatical phrasing from 'the inmate may request and the department shall provide' to 'the inmate may request and the department shall provide' for clarity.

Floor votes · Legislature Apr 25, 2025

How they voted

400
Passed · 9 other
Total votes 49
Apr 25, 2025
N Nonpartisan49
40 Yea 9
81% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
14
Key actions
5
Committee
2
May 13, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor on May 13, 2025
executive
May 9, 2025
Legislature · Passed
President/Speaker signed
legislature
May 9, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Passed on Final Reading 46-1*-2
legislature
Apr 25, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Judiciary AM761 adopted
legislature
Mar 31, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Placed on General File with AM761
legislature
Jan 23, 2025
Committee
Referred to Judiciary Committee
legislature
Jan 21, 2025
Introduced
Date of introduction
legislature
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Margo Juarez
Margo Juarez
NNonpartisan
NE
5