Nebraska Bills

LB 1100 updates Nebraska's civil court procedures by removing outdated legal distinctions between "actions at law" and "suits in equity." It replaces these terms with a single unified process called a "civil action" for all non-criminal court cases. This change directly affects Nebraska courts, lawyers, and anyone involved in filing or defending civil lawsuits. The bill modernizes court language without altering substantive legal rights or procedures, simply streamlining terminology to reflect current practice.

Nebraska's LB 1161 would lower the age of majority from 19 to 18, granting 18-year-olds the legal rights and responsibilities of adults. The bill specifically allows 18-year-olds to enter binding contracts, sign leases and property deeds, and make their own health care decisions - including mental health services and pregnancy-related care - without parental consent. It also removes the previous exception allowing minors under 19 to end minority through marriage. The change applies to all Nebraska residents turning 18, except those under juvenile court custody in Department of Health and Human Services care.

Nebraska bill LB 1199 amends the Legal Education for Public Service and Rural Practice Loan Repayment Assistance Act to expand eligibility for loan repayment assistance. It changes the definition of "designated legal profession shortage area" to include rural counties with populations under 15,000 (down from 75,000), making more rural areas qualify for the program. The bill authorizes a $125,000 transfer from the State Settlement Cash Fund to the Legal Education for Public Service and Rural Practice Loan Repayment Assistance Fund, effective upon the bill's passage. This directly benefits lawyers working in underserved rural Nebraska communities who qualify for loan repayment assistance under the revised criteria.

Nebraska's LB 866 amends the state's opioid recovery fund to redirect specific annual transfers to address the opioid crisis. It allocates $1.125 million to first responder behavioral health training, $400,000 to overdose review teams, and $3 million to opioid prevention and treatment programs. The bill also creates a new Drug Detection and Prevention Cash Fund (administered by the Attorney General) to support law enforcement efforts targeting fentanyl, including detection technology, task forces, and public education. Funds must be used strictly for these purposes, with 25% going to prevention/treatment and 75% to infrastructure. The bill directly affects first responders, health services, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives across Nebraska.

Nebraska's LB 1148 establishes legal rules for parentage of children conceived through assisted reproduction (like IVF or donor gametes). It clarifies that donors are not parents, while intended parents who consent in writing to the birth mother are legally recognized as parents. The bill requires written consent for intended parents to establish legal parentage, but allows courts to recognize parentage without it if clear evidence shows an agreement existed before conception or if the parties cohabited with the child for two years. It also includes specific provisions for cases involving divorce, death of an intended parent, or failure to document consent. The law creates a clear legal process for courts to adjudicate parentage disputes under Nebraska law.

LB 860 requires Nebraska's Department of Health and Human Services to create a program by January 1, 2027, providing behavioral health services to individuals under 21 with complex needs. The program must include services like mobile response, intensive home-based treatment, inpatient care, substance use disorder treatment, and developmental disability care. It aims to support families in community settings and prevent institutionalization or out-of-home placements. Care coordination will occur through behavioral health regions or a statewide managed care plan to ensure access to a full continuum of services.

LB 992 is an appropriations bill that allocates specific funds from Nebraska's General Fund for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 to a program referred to as "Program XXX" in the bill text. It specifies that a portion of the funding must be used exclusively for state aid. The bill declares an emergency to take effect immediately upon approval. Note: The bill text contains placeholders (e.g., "$XXXX", "Program XXX"), so specific funding amounts and program details are not disclosed in the provided context.

LB 1182 establishes a $50,000 annual minimum base salary for all full-time certified teachers in Nebraska public schools starting in the 2027-28 school year, applying equally regardless of experience or education level. Beginning in 2029-30, this minimum salary will adjust annually based on changes in Nebraska’s state General Fund receipts (with a minimum 0% increase), and the salary cannot decrease from the previous year. The bill also directs the state to transition to a block grant funding system for public education, replacing the current foundation aid structure, with quarterly payments to school districts starting July 2027 based on enrollment and the new teacher salary minimum. This affects all Nebraska public school districts and their certified teaching staff through direct salary requirements and funding changes.

Nebraska LB 934 changes how members of the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission are selected, shifting from appointment to election. Starting in 2028, members from public service commissioner districts 1, 3, and 5 will be elected every four years, while districts 2 and 4 will have elections in 2028 and 2030, then every four years thereafter. All commission members will be elected on a nonpartisan ballot during statewide general elections. This bill modifies existing statutes to establish this election process and harmonizes related provisions.

LB 861 requires local governments (cities, counties, or state agencies) to use only "authorized inspectors" (credentialed by the state, county, city, or a licensed third party) for building permit inspections. It mandates that inspection records - showing pass/fail results and reasons for failure - must be publicly accessible if the building still stands when a request is made. This applies to all inspections tied to building permits, structural projects, or warranty requirements. The bill aims to increase transparency in building safety checks while ensuring inspectors meet state standards.

LB 1105 allocates specific funding from Nebraska's General Fund for two fiscal years ($XXXX for 2025-26 and $XXXX for 2026-27) to a program designated as "XXX." It explicitly reserves portions of these funds ($XXX each year) solely for state aid, prohibiting their use for other purposes. The bill declares an emergency to take effect immediately upon passage, bypassing standard waiting periods. This is a procedural appropriations bill focused on funding allocation, not policy change, and does not specify which entities or programs are directly affected beyond the generic "Program XXX" reference.

Nebraska's LB 1173 establishes an annual $250 filing fee for employers with over $100,000 in annual payroll who submit quarterly wage reports under the state's Employment Security Law. The bill renames the "Contractor and Professional Employer Organization Registration Cash Fund" to "Contractor, Business, and Professional Employer Organization Registration Cash Fund" and specifies that fees collected will fund this renamed account. Employers with lower payrolls ($100,000 or less) and those qualifying for exemptions (e.g., self-employed contractors under $3,000 annual payroll) are not subject to this fee. The bill also modifies existing fee structures for contractor and professional employer organization registrations but does not change eligibility for unemployment benefits or employer tax obligations.