This bill modifies Nebraska's workers' compensation insurance rules to allow employers to choose deductibles for medical claims or overall policy costs. Employers could select a medical deductible between $500 and $2,500 per claim, or a broader deductible covering up to 40% of their annual premium but no less than $50,000. The law ensures insurers remain responsible for paying medical providers directly and that employees cannot be required to pay deductibles or lose their right to choose doctors. Insurers must assess an employer's financial ability to pay deductibles before offering this option, and employer-paid deductible amounts will count toward experience modification ratings starting in 2027.
LB 879, the "Guest Worker Permit Act," requires undocumented individuals working in Nebraska to obtain a state-issued permit before starting work under a contract or within 30 days of signing one. It directly affects undocumented workers who live or work in Nebraska but are not compliant with federal immigration law. Key provisions include creating a permit system administered by the Department of Labor, requiring employers to provide contact information for workers, and barring individuals with certain serious criminal convictions (like violent felonies or sex offenses) from obtaining permits. The law would take effect by July 1, 2028, pending federal approval of necessary waivers.
LB 1089 amends enforcement rules for Nebraska's Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, directly affecting employers who violate the law and employees seeking redress. It sets fines up to $500 for first violations and $5,000 for repeat offenses, requires employers to contest penalties within 15 days, and bars unpaid violators from state contracts until resolved. The bill also mandates public disclosure of issued citations (excluding those under active contest) and allows employees to use enforcement citations as evidence in lawsuits. These changes streamline penalties, increase transparency, and strengthen enforcement mechanisms without altering the underlying worker protections.
This bill amends Nebraska's Child Care Licensing Act to strengthen safety requirements for child care facilities. It requires background checks for all staff members (including prospective employees) and mandates that volunteers be counted in staff-to-child ratio calculations. The bill also revises the complaint tracking system and adds duties for the Department of Health and Human Services to oversee enforcement. These changes directly affect licensed child care centers, family child care homes, and their staff/volunteers by updating safety protocols and reporting requirements.
This bill establishes new requirements for approving pipelines transporting carbon dioxide in Nebraska. The Nebraska Oil and Gas Commission must approve such pipelines only if they demonstrate a compelling need to reduce emissions, ensure operational safety, avoid taxpayer costs, reduce emissions, protect the environment, and provide economic benefits to Nebraska. It also prohibits using eminent domain to acquire land for pipelines built primarily to transport carbon dioxide. The bill updates related laws about geologic carbon storage, requiring permits to verify safety, environmental protection, and proper storage of carbon dioxide. These changes directly affect pipeline developers, landowners, and the state's regulatory agencies.
LB 1090 requires petition circulators in Nebraska to provide personal details (name, date of birth, address, felony conviction status, and pardon status) via a notarized affidavit before circulating petitions. It directly affects individuals who collect signatures for initiatives, referendums, or candidate petitions. The bill imposes penalties including a Class III felony for falsifying circulator affidavits and a Class IV felony for accepting payment for signatures. These changes aim to verify circulator eligibility and prevent fraud in petition drives.
LB 1045 creates the Nebraska Public Housing Preservation Trust to address deferred maintenance and funding gaps in the state's public housing. The trust, governed by a nine-member board including residents and community representatives, will supplement federal housing funds with dedicated public financing to preserve affordability, prevent displacement, and modernize aging infrastructure. It requires all trust assets to remain permanently dedicated to public housing for low-income residents, with strict rules preventing assets from reverting to the state or transferring to private entities. This bill directly affects local housing agencies managing public housing developments and their residents across Nebraska.
LB 1130, titled "Adopt the Community Improvement District Act," establishes a legal framework for cities and villages in Nebraska to create community improvement districts (CIDs). These districts, formed by a majority of property owners within a defined area, can levy property taxes (up to a specified rate per $100 valuation) and issue bonds or warrants to fund public infrastructure projects like roads, parks, water systems, and sewer improvements. The bill defines key terms including "public infrastructure" (covering facilities such as streets, utilities, and recreational spaces) and sets limits on land ownership by CIDs (max 10 acres unless used for public purposes within three years). It directly affects property owners in participating cities/villages who would pay for these district-funded improvements through special assessments.
This bill amends Nebraska's Mechanical Amusement Device Tax Act to regulate cash devices (like arcade games that pay out cash). It requires manufacturers and distributors to submit applications with testing evidence proving devices are "games of skill" (not chance), including independent lab reports and software details, before operation. The Tax Commissioner must approve these devices within 45 days, with penalties for unlicensed operation or non-compliance. Additionally, the bill creates the Nebraska Child Care Aid Fund, though it does not specify funding mechanisms or allocation. The changes directly affect cash device operators, manufacturers, and distributors.
LB 1142 amends Nebraska's Visitors Development Act to restructure tourism administration and fund distribution. It creates a new Director of Tourism position within the Department of Economic Development and revises the Nebraska Tourism Commission's structure. Key provisions include redirecting 40% of cash device tax revenue to the "Nebraska Tourism Commission Promotional Cash Fund" (previously called the "State Visitors Promotion Cash Fund") and adjusting allocations for other funds like the Charitable Gaming Operations Fund. The bill directly affects tourism promotion efforts, local governments receiving tax distributions, and businesses operating cash devices like slot machines. These changes aim to streamline tourism funding and governance under the Department of Economic Development.
LB 1080 allows individuals to use "unsworn declarations" instead of traditional sworn affidavits in most civil court cases across Nebraska. These declarations require specific penalty-of-perjury language and must state where and when they were signed within the U.S. They can replace affidavits for most purposes, except motions requiring court orders without notice to the other side. The bill also updates perjury laws to treat false unsworn declarations similarly to false sworn statements, maintaining criminal penalties for intentional lies in court documents.
This bill amends Nebraska's Healthy Families and Workplaces Act to clarify how paid sick time carries over between years. It sets a maximum of 40 hours for small business employees (11-19 workers) and 56 hours for other employees to carry over unused sick time annually. Employers can also choose to pay out unused sick time instead of allowing carryover, meeting the annual accrual requirements. The changes directly affect Nebraska employees covered by the sick leave law, including those working for small businesses.
