LB 124 changes penalties for drivers who cause the death of an unborn child while operating a vehicle in violation of specific traffic laws. It upgrades the offense from a Class I misdemeanor to a Class IIIA felony for deaths caused by speeding violations under sections 60-6,213 or 60-6,214, and to a Class IIA felony for repeat offenses involving sections 60-6,196 or 60-6,197.06. The bill mandates a court-ordered license revocation for 60 days to 15 years for these violations, separate from any jail sentence. This directly affects drivers convicted of traffic-related deaths of unborn children, particularly those with prior speeding convictions.
LB 43 modifies notice and certification requirements for privately developed renewable energy facilities (like solar or wind projects) and transmission lines located near military installations in Nebraska. It directly affects private renewable energy developers who must now comply with updated notification and certification processes when building projects near designated military sites, including Air Force bases and missile silos. The bill harmonizes existing rules by revising sections of Nebraska law to streamline these requirements, removing redundancies while maintaining security considerations for military operations. The changes became effective upon the governor’s approval on February 25, 2025.
Nebraska bill LB 568 creates "Arbor Day Plates" for vehicle registration and establishes the "Home of Arbor Day Plate Cash Fund" to receive revenue from these specialty plates. The fund will provide grants for projects related to Arbor Day or tree conservation, though specific grant recipients aren't detailed in the bill text. The legislation also eliminates outdated provisions related to other specialty license plates and harmonizes existing plate regulations. This is a procedural change affecting vehicle owners who choose to purchase the Arbor Day plate, with no direct impact on other license plate types beyond the eliminated provisions.
LB 531 exempts certain affordable housing projects from requiring compliance with the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code. Specifically, it prohibits the Department of Economic Development from mandating that new construction or rental conversion projects receiving funding from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund meet the energy efficiency standards in the code. The bill amends existing law to clarify this exception while maintaining the code's requirement for all other state-funded buildings. It does not change energy standards for non-affordable housing projects or other state construction.
LB 230 establishes Nebraska's Kratom Consumer Protection Act, regulating kratom products sold in the state. It prohibits sales to anyone under 21, bans child-attractive packaging (like candy-shaped products), and requires detailed labeling with health warnings, alkaloid content, and serving instructions. Processors must register products with the Department of Revenue, comply with FDA food facility standards, and provide lab-certified alkaloid testing. The law directly affects kratom manufacturers, retailers, and consumers, aiming to protect public health through standardized product safety and transparency. (Note: The bill's title mentions nitrous oxide and controlled substances changes, but the provided text focuses solely on kratom regulations.)
LB 295 requires all Nebraska state and local government employees participating in retirement systems (including county, school, state, and judicial employees) to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence in the United States. It mandates that employers and employees maintain specific documents like driver's licenses, birth certificates, passports, or U.S. immigration cards (e.g., I-551) to verify eligibility, which must be presented upon request by the retirement board. The bill also updates technical provisions across retirement acts, such as mortality tables for benefit calculations, lump sum payment rules, and board meeting procedures. These changes apply to multiple retirement systems, including the State Employees Retirement Act and School Employees Retirement Act.
LB 630 amends Nebraska's Occupational Therapy Practice Act to clarify and update scope-of-practice rules for occupational therapists and assistants. It redefines key terms like "electrotherapeutic agent modalities" (Sec. 38-2507) and "physical agent modalities" (Sec. 38-2513), specifies permitted treatments (e.g., heat/cold therapy, electrical stimulation), and refines temporary license rules (Sec. 38-2517). The bill directly affects licensed therapists, assistants, students in training, and healthcare workers in related fields who may perform overlapping tasks under defined conditions. These changes aim to modernize practice standards while maintaining clear boundaries for who can provide specific treatments.
LB 566 removes an expiration date for Nebraska's refundable income tax credit for qualifying homebuyers. The bill specifically targets Section 77-2715.07(2)(b), which provides a credit equal to 100% of the federal credit for individuals with federal adjusted gross income under $29,000. This change makes the credit permanent for eligible low-to-moderate income residents purchasing residential property in Nebraska. The bill does not alter the credit amount, eligibility requirements, or other provisions of the tax credit.
LB 261 is Nebraska's state budget bill for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27, allocating funds for government operations, education, capital projects, and federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. It reappropriates unspent balances from previous years and specifies how federal recovery funds must be used, including restrictions on salary spending. The bill requires agencies to submit detailed budget reports and limits total salary/wage expenditures unless federal funds cover the excess. This directly affects all state agencies, universities, and programs receiving state or federal funds during the 2025-2027 budget period.
Nebraska's LB 97 changes vehicle license plate requirements, phasing from two plates to one plate per vehicle by 2029. Starting January 1, 2029, all registered vehicles will receive a single rear-mounted plate (except commercial trucks, which will display it front). Vehicle owners can request a single plate with a $50 annual fee plus decal cost, applicable to cars without front plate brackets. The bill also updates display rules, allows mail delivery of plates, and requires decals for single-plate vehicles.
LB 480 amends Nebraska's Water Recreation Enhancement Act to authorize specific recreational infrastructure projects at three state locations: marina construction at Lake McConaughy and Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area, and an event center/lodge at Niobrara State Park. The bill grants the Game and Parks Commission authority to carry out these projects through public-private partnerships, contracts, and stakeholder engagement. It also requires the commission to avoid financial conflicts of interest in project-related property transactions. The legislation directly affects state agencies, local communities near these parks, and private entities partnering on recreational development.
LB 590 creates a program allowing Nebraska's Department of Transportation to establish mitigation banks or in-lieu fee programs to offset habitat loss from transportation projects that unintentionally impact threatened or endangered species. It requires the DOT to use this program for compensatory habitat restoration, creation, or preservation when permitted projects affect protected species, and mandates that counties receive tax payments in lieu of lost property taxes for land used in these mitigation efforts. The bill prioritizes this DOT program for state transportation projects and aims to streamline permitting, reduce delays, and ensure habitat gains exceed losses through standardized mitigation ratios. It directly affects the DOT, counties managing land, and developers needing environmental permits for transportation projects.
