Nebraska's LB 1224 prohibits children from transferring to schools that opt out of state accreditation during active child abuse or neglect investigations. It bans individuals convicted of sexual assault (including offenses against children) from monitoring or teaching at such "exempt schools" that choose not to meet standard accreditation requirements. The bill also requires the Department of Health and Human Services and the Commissioner of Education to provide notice and maintain confidentiality regarding these restrictions. These provisions apply directly to vulnerable children in investigations and to schools operating outside state accreditation standards.
Nebraska's LB 1242 allows the Department of Health and Human Services to establish and enforce child support obligations for an unborn child upon the mother's request. The bill enables retroactive support starting from the month of conception (as determined by a physician), which can be collected even if paternity is confirmed after birth. It prohibits paternity testing for an unborn child if it poses any risk to the child's health. The support amount is determined by a court considering the best interests of the mother and child, without requiring paternity verification without the mother's consent.
LB 1233, the Developmental Disabilities Provider Excessive Training and Cost Reduction Act, prohibits Nebraska's Department of Health and Human Services from requiring unnecessarily costly or excessive training for employees of providers serving individuals with developmental disabilities. It specifically limits physical restraint training requirements to only those employees whose job duties reasonably require it, and ensures such training meets federal minimum standards. The bill mandates that if physical restraint training is required, the department must offer at least two cost-competitive training options, including the ability for providers to use in-house programs that meet federal safety standards. This applies to all current and future training requirements for providers, their employees (including part-time and contract staff), and the department.
Nebraska's LB 1166 changes how school employees' retirement contributions are calculated under the School Employees Retirement Act. Instead of a fixed 9.78% contribution rate, it establishes variable rates based on the retirement fund's "funded ratio" (how well-funded the system is): 9.75% if under 96% funded, 8.75% at 96-98%, 8% at 98-100%, and 7.25% if 100% or more funded. These rates apply starting July 1, 2025, with adjustments calculated annually using the previous year's actuarial report. The bill directly affects all public school employees in Nebraska through their payroll deductions for retirement benefits.
LB 1204 adopts the Nameplate Capacity Tax Facility Standards Act to establish statewide maximum standards for regulating renewable energy facilities (like wind farms) and energy storage resources in Nebraska. It directly affects renewable energy developers, landowners (both those leasing land to projects and nonparticipating neighbors), and local governments. The key mechanism sets uniform limits on local permitting and zoning rules - preventing counties from imposing stricter requirements than specified standards (e.g., setback distances for wind turbines) while allowing less restrictive rules. This ensures predictable development, protects nonparticipating landowners from agricultural impacts, and guarantees counties receive nameplate capacity tax revenue from these projects.
Nebraska bill LB 1247 requires public colleges and universities participating in the Nebraska Career Scholarship Act to submit specific workforce and education data to the Nebraska Statewide Workforce and Education Reporting System. This applies directly to institutions receiving Career Scholarship funds, including Nebraska State Colleges and the University of Nebraska. Key provisions mandate annual reporting on scholarship recipient enrollment, retention, graduation rates, and post-graduation employment in related fields. Failure to comply with these data submission requirements would result in the loss of scholarship funding for the institution. The bill amends existing scholarship act sections to enforce this reporting as a condition for funding.
LB 1160 updates Nebraska's estate and inheritance laws to modernize rules for decedents' estates, trusts, and inheritance taxes. It increases homestead allowances for surviving spouses (to $25,000 for deaths after 2027) and adjusts exempt property allowances for household items (to $17,500). The bill also allows a "certification of trust" to establish homestead ownership and clarifies that specific property devises in wills don't cover homestead/exempt claims. These changes directly affect surviving spouses, minor/dependent children, and estate administrators handling probate matters under Nebraska law.
LB 914 repeals a Nebraska law (Section 38-2053) that previously held physicians personally liable for negligence by physician assistants they supervise. The bill directly affects physicians and physician groups who oversee physician assistants, removing their legal responsibility for the assistants' mistakes. This change eliminates a specific requirement in the Medicine and Surgery Practice Act, shifting liability focus solely to the physician assistant for their own negligent actions. The bill makes no other policy changes beyond this repeal of the liability provision.
LB 942 amends Nebraska's Medical Assistance Act to clarify Medicaid reimbursement rules for emergency and inpatient services. It requires Medicaid to reimburse emergency services based solely on a patient's symptoms at the time of care (not final diagnosis), prohibits reducing payments for emergency services based on later diagnoses or screening tools, and mandates reimbursement at the standard fee-for-service rate. For inpatient care, it sets a two-midnight minimum stay requirement based on physician documentation of medical factors like symptoms and risk of adverse events, with exceptions for unexpected circumstances like death or transfer. The bill directly affects Medicaid recipients, hospitals, and emergency care providers by standardizing payment criteria under state Medicaid programs.
LB 1140 amends Nebraska's education budget to allocate $500,000 in General Funds for a pilot program targeting young adults in a metropolitan-class city. The program focuses on multi-trade preapprenticeship training to prepare participants for registered construction apprenticeships and entry-level jobs. This funding is added to the State Department of Education's existing budget line for FY2026-27, specifically designated for this initiative. The bill does not specify a particular city but requires the program to operate within a metropolitan-class municipality.
This bill amends Nebraska's Hospital Quality Assurance and Access Assessment Fund rules to clarify how its funds can be used. It prohibits using the fund to replace existing state hospital payments and specifies exact allocations: up to $15 million annually for administrative costs, $2.5 million for nursing training expansion, and $17.5 million for non-hospital Medicaid providers. The bill also prevents Medicaid managed care organizations and hospitals from adjusting rates based on these directed payments or passing assessment costs to patients. These changes directly affect hospitals, Medicaid managed care organizations, and state agencies managing the fund.
LB 1248 increases funding for Nebraska's Department of Water, Energy, and Environment by over $38 million in fiscal year 2026-27, raising total program appropriations from $94 million to $132 million. It specifically allocates $38 million in General Funds to provide grants to cities of the first class operating wastewater treatment facilities facing capacity challenges due to industrial wastewater from calcium caseinate manufacturing. Additionally, it redirects up to $6 million in unspent cash funds to grant metropolitan utilities districts for replacing lead service lines. The bill directly affects environmental programs, municipal utilities, and cities with specific wastewater treatment issues.
