This bill requires Nebraska juvenile courts to appoint an attorney for juveniles in specific court cases. It mandates appointment when a petition alleges jurisdiction under certain sections of juvenile law, particularly for juveniles in counties under 150,000 population and for all cases in larger counties. The court must inform juveniles and their parents/guardians about their right to counsel, determine financial ability to pay for an attorney, and appoint one at county expense if they cannot afford one. This applies to all proceedings before the juvenile court, ensuring juveniles have legal representation during legal hearings.
LB 1111 requires data centers (especially large ones over 20 megawatts) and cryptocurrency mining operations (1-20 megawatts) to submit annual reports to Nebraska's Power Review Board detailing their electricity needs, infrastructure costs, and decommissioning plans. Public power suppliers must ensure these facilities pay the full cost of necessary infrastructure upgrades and avoid shifting costs to other customers. The bill mandates that large data centers provide security bonds for decommissioning costs and submit community benefit agreements to address local impacts. It directly affects data center operators, cryptocurrency miners, and public utilities managing electricity services in Nebraska.
LB 900 amends Nebraska law governing how county sheriffs are paid when collecting taxes through distress warrants. It changes the fee structure for issuing warrants ($22 per warrant), levy fees ($1), and mileage reimbursement for sheriffs' travel (based on existing rates in Section 33-117). The bill also updates commission rates for taxes collected: 10 cents per dollar on amounts up to $500, and 8 cents per dollar on amounts over $500. These changes directly affect county sheriffs who enforce tax collections and taxpayers who pay these fees as part of their tax burden. The bill repeals the original section 77-1720 to implement these updated provisions.
LB 721 amends Nebraska's Intergenerational Care Facility Incentive Grant Program to change eligibility rules. It removes the requirement that facilities must own or operate the child care services they receive grants for, allowing them to partner with external child care providers instead. The bill also adds that facilities cited for substandard care during their most recent survey are ineligible for grants. Grants (up to $100,000 per facility) can now be used for structural modifications, equipment, or space changes to support child care within nursing homes or assisted-living facilities certified for Medicare or Medicaid. This directly affects facilities seeking to expand intergenerational care services.
Nebraska's LB 823 amends state rules for open burning permits and the statewide open burning ban. It requires landowners, tenants, or their agents to submit detailed applications - including maps, weather conditions, and firebreak plans - to local fire departments before conducting land-management burning (like controlled debris burns or prescribed burns for land management). The bill specifies that fire chiefs must issue permits containing minimum details like burn location, timing, materials, and responsible parties, and may charge up to $10 per permit. These changes directly affect landowners, fire departments, and those conducting agricultural or land-management burns across Nebraska.
LB 887 updates Nebraska pharmacy regulations by changing pharmacist licensure requirements, modifying supervision rules for pharmacy technicians and interns, and revising how prescriptions can be transferred between pharmacies. It allows pharmacists to supervise up to four pharmacy technicians or interns (with at least one certified), clarifies prescription transfer rules for both controlled and non-controlled drugs (requiring specific record-keeping), and eliminates a reporting requirement under the Parkinson's Disease Registry Act. The bill directly affects pharmacists, pharmacies, and patients needing prescription refills. Key changes include streamlined prescription transfers between pharmacies and updated supervision standards, while removing outdated reporting obligations.
LB 895 amends Nebraska's Grain Warehouse Act to update license requirements and annual fees for grain warehouses. It creates a streamlined process for warehouses already licensed under the U.S. Warehouse Act, reducing their application and oversight needs. The bill also changes fee structures to align with 2025/2026 USDA Agricultural Marketing Service rates, establishing specific fees based on warehouse capacity (e.g., $45 for facilities holding 0-10,000 bushels). These changes directly affect Nebraska grain warehouse operators who must pay updated annual fees based on their storage capacity.
Nebraska's LB 979 amends the Game Law and State Boat Act to update funding rules and clarify enforcement procedures. It creates a "Game Law Investigation Cash Fund" requiring the Game and Parks Commission to submit detailed annual reports on expenditures - including agent salaries, wildlife purchases, and investigative equipment - to the Legislature. The bill specifies that $2 from each resident fishing permit and $2 from combination hunting/fishing permits must fund fish hatchery operations and distribution. These changes directly affect the Game and Parks Commission (which manages the funds), hunters and fishermen (who pay fees), and landowners seeking compensation for wildlife damage. The bill also refines definitions, such as clarifying "wildlife abatement" for managing animal-related threats.
Nebraska's LB 865 exempts sales tax on qualifying child care supplies, clothing, and school supplies during a specific two-day window (the last Friday of July through Sunday of the same weekend). The exemption applies to items priced at $100 or less per item, including baby monitors, diapers, backpacks, notebooks, and basic school materials, but excludes electronics, clothing accessories, and business purchases. Retailers must report these tax-free sales to the Tax Commissioner on their regular returns. This policy directly benefits parents and guardians purchasing essential items for children during that annual sales tax holiday.
LB 817 increases penalties for certain drug offenses involving fentanyl by amending Nebraska's controlled substances laws. It enhances penalties for individuals convicted of distributing or possessing fentanyl, raising the felony classification for these offenses beyond standard penalties. This directly affects people convicted of fentanyl-related drug crimes in Nebraska, particularly those involving distribution near schools or to minors. The bill harmonizes existing penalties and specifically targets fentanyl offenses by applying stricter sentencing under sections 28-416, 28-1354, and 28-1701. The key change is a mandatory penalty enhancement when fentanyl is the controlled substance involved in the offense.
LB 1028 requires large livestock operations (defined by federal standards as of January 1, 2026) to register and annually update nutrient management plans with Nebraska's department, making these plans publicly accessible online. The bill mandates planting cover crops after applying livestock waste or litter (unless perennial cover exists), with costs covered by the operation, and encourages regenerative practices like reduced tillage. It also requires a 30-foot perennial grass buffer along waterways where waste is applied, with the operation paying for buffer establishment/maintenance and annually compensating landowners for lost crop production on those buffered acres. This directly affects large livestock facilities handling waste applications.
Nebraska bill LB 804 creates confidential peer support counseling for law enforcement officers, emergency services personnel (including firefighters and EMTs), and Nebraska National Guard members. It protects communications during these sessions from being disclosed in court, to the public, or used in legal proceedings, while defining "peer support specialists" as trained colleagues who lead sessions after traumatic incidents. The confidentiality does not apply to threats of suicide, criminal acts, or required abuse reports. This bill makes existing peer support programs legally protected without creating new funding or services.
