Nebraska's LB 1197 amends rules for limited landowner hunting permits, primarily affecting landowners with qualifying agricultural property. It sets specific acreage thresholds: Nebraska residents with 80+ acres of farm/ranch land (or family members) can apply for deer, antelope, or turkey permits at half the regular fee, while non-residents need 320+ acres. The bill adds a new provision allowing up to eight special deer permits per landowner for the three days before the main season, with a $5 fee and limits of six permits for those under 19 and two for 19+ years. It also clarifies permit eligibility for partnerships, corporations, and trusts owning qualifying land, while maintaining existing rules for family definitions and species-specific allocations.
This bill prohibits private owners from shutting down, retiring, closing, or altering operations of certain privately developed renewable energy facilities, specifically those using solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, landfill gas, or biogas. It directly affects private electric suppliers who operate these facilities, such as standalone solar or wind power plants not owned by public entities like municipalities or cooperatives. The law requires these facilities to maintain operations without authorization changes, amending existing energy regulations to enforce this prohibition. It does not apply to facilities owned by public power districts or government entities.
LB 745 changes Nebraska's high school equivalency diploma requirements by removing a 30-day Nebraska residency requirement for applicants. It directly affects residents seeking a high school equivalency diploma who previously needed to prove 30 days of residency before applying. The bill keeps other key requirements intact, including passing approved tests, meeting educational standards equivalent to a high school graduate, being at least 18 years old, and being unable to obtain a diploma from their last school or having left more than a year ago. The amendment updates the state law to streamline access while maintaining academic standards for the diploma.
This bill requires Nebraska cities to include their unincorporated areas beyond city limits (up to three miles) in city election districts. It ensures residents living in these areas can vote in city elections as full city voters. The bill amends existing laws to mandate this inclusion for both metropolitan and primary-class cities. It does not change cities' zoning authority over these areas, only their electoral representation.
LB 940 prohibits Nebraska public elementary and secondary schools from serving school meals containing six specific artificial color additives (Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2, Green No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, and Yellow No. 6) starting August 1, 2026. The bill applies only to meals served under federal school lunch programs (as defined by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and Child Nutrition Act of 1966) and does not cover other food items offered to students. It bases the banned additives on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's list as of January 1, 2026, using federal definitions for "color additive" and "school meal." The policy change directly affects school meal providers and students receiving these meals in Nebraska.
LB 1261 prohibits Nebraska consumer-owned utilities (like public power districts and cooperatives) from using eminent domain to acquire privately owned electric generation facilities serving large industrial customers. It specifically applies to facilities over 1,000 megawatts that are co-located with the industrial site, have grid interconnection approval, and operate under long-term contracts with the utility. These contracts must include a waiver of eminent domain rights, prohibit resale of electricity, and require the industrial customer to cover all related utility costs. The bill repeals a previous law that allowed such acquisitions, focusing on protecting private industrial energy projects under defined conditions.
LB 1022 would eliminate the human relations training requirement for educators seeking teaching certificates, special services permits, or administrative credentials in Nebraska schools. Currently, applicants must complete training covering topics like recognizing biases, promoting inclusivity, and understanding diverse cultures. The bill amends state education laws (sections 79-807, 79-808, and others) to remove this requirement and the associated definition of "human relations training." This directly affects educators pursuing or renewing their certification under Nebraska's current system.
LB 1027 eliminates specific exemptions that previously allowed privately developed renewable energy facilities to avoid certain construction approvals under Nebraska law. The bill removes exemptions for facilities replacing older plants (under 25,000 kW), those within municipal service areas, and military-proximity rules. As a result, private renewable energy developers will now need standard board approval for new facilities, aligning their requirements with other electric generation projects. This change applies directly to companies building solar, wind, or other privately owned renewable energy facilities in Nebraska.
LB 830 requires state salaries for Supreme Court judges, legislators, and certain commission members to be paid in equal monthly installments. It updates salary amounts for Supreme Court judges (effective 2024-2026), allows deferred maintenance funds to be used for federal facilities under the Military Department, and eliminates the requirement for counties to make payments toward state institutions. The bill harmonizes related statutes and repeals specific outdated sections, including section 83-380 of Nebraska law. These changes directly affect state employees, county governments, and state institutions.
LB 973 requires all state-owned and leased facilities in Nebraska to provide free off-street parking for every state employee starting July 1, 2028. This bill directly affects all state employees who park at government buildings or facilities. The key provision amends state law to eliminate parking fees for employees, replacing any existing paid parking charges with free access at state facilities. The policy change applies uniformly across all state agencies and locations without cost to employees.
LB 1228 establishes new state docket fees for court filings in Nebraska: $116 for civil cases in district court, $111 for dissolution cases, $61 for traffic offenses, and $38 for small claims. The fees fund two new court-specific accounts: $10 from each fee goes to the JUSTICE Software Cash Fund (for court software costs), and the remainder funds the Supreme Court Operations Cash Fund (to support court administrative operations). The bill also clarifies that counties, cities, or villages are not liable for uncollectible fees, directing uncollectible costs to local general funds instead. These changes harmonize existing court fee provisions under Nebraska law.
Nebraska's LB 883 amends the Civic and Community Center Financing Act and Revitalize Rural Nebraska Grant Program to adjust grant eligibility and funding limits. The bill sets population-based maximum grant amounts: up to $2.25 million for larger cities or tribal governments, $1.125 million for cities of 40,000-100,000 residents, $750,000 for 20,000-40,000, and $600,000 for 10,000-20,000 residents. It clarifies definitions for terms like "civic center," "historic building," and "recreation center" to ensure consistent application. These changes directly affect cities, tribal governments, and other political subdivisions seeking funding for community facilities, historic preservation, or public space improvements under existing programs. The bill modifies sections 13-2703, 13-2704.01, and 13-2705 of Nebraska law without creating new programs.
