Nebraska bill LB 778 amends the Civic and Community Center Financing Act to change grant eligibility rules. It prohibits municipalities from receiving state funding for community centers if they previously received grants for sports arenas (Sports Arena Facility Financing Act) or convention centers (Convention Center Facility Financing Act). For the 2023-2024 grant cycle, municipalities must partner with a certified creative district to qualify, with grants starting at $100,000 and coordinated with the Nebraska Arts Council. This temporary rule expires June 30, 2024. The bill directly affects cities seeking community center funding and certified creative districts.
This bill renames Nebraska's Police Officers Retirement Act to the "Cities of the First Class Police Officers Retirement Act" to clarify it applies only to police officers in Nebraska's largest cities (those designated as "first class"). It updates definitions throughout the law, such as specifying "city" means a first-class city employing police officers, and removes outdated provisions. The changes harmonize terminology and streamline the act without altering retirement benefit calculations or eligibility. The bill directly affects police officers in Nebraska's 13 first-class cities (e.g., Omaha, Lincoln).
This bill requires Nebraska state employers to provide paid maternity leave to employees who give birth or adopt a child. Full-time state employees would receive six weeks of paid leave, while part-time employees would receive leave proportional to their regular work schedule. The leave must be taken within six months of the child's birth or adoption, and employees must return to their original position or an equivalent role after leave. The bill also prohibits retaliation against employees who use this leave and ensures continued benefits during the leave period.
LB 912, the Community Health Worker Training Endorsement Act, establishes a state system to recognize community health worker (CHW) training programs that meet minimum quality standards. It directly affects CHW training programs and the workers they prepare, enabling these programs to qualify for reimbursement by Medicaid and private insurers. The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to develop rules by December 2026 defining core competencies, application processes, fees, and oversight for program endorsement. Crucially, it clarifies that this endorsement does not create licensure or certification for CHWs, nor does it expand the scope of practice for licensed health professionals. The key change is creating a standardized pathway for CHW services to be covered by insurance, improving access to community-based health support.
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 bill LB 954 amends the Nebraska Advantage Act to require the Department of Revenue to recalculate a business's base-year employee count if the business sells part of its operations covered under an Advantage Act agreement and the sold operations continue operating under a separate entity. The recalculation subtracts employees from the sold operations from the original count, but only if the sold operations remain active for at least 24 months and the sale wasn't primarily to close a location. Existing tax credits or incentives from before the sale remain unchanged. This applies to Advantage Act agreements entered into after December 31, 2016, directly affecting businesses participating in Nebraska's job creation and investment incentive program.
Nebraska Legislative Bill LB 722 amends the Behavioral Health Services Fund to explicitly include services for individuals with substance use disorder. The bill clarifies that funds can now be used for behavioral health services specifically for people with substance use disorder, aligning with existing provisions for serious mental illness. This change, which references the definition in Section 71-430, ensures the fund’s resources directly support treatment and housing-related assistance for this population without creating new funding. The bill affects Nebraskans seeking behavioral health services, particularly those with substance use disorder who qualify under the fund’s existing eligibility criteria.
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 743 amends the Police Officers Retirement Act to clarify how retiring officers can receive pension benefits. It specifically updates the process for calculating lump-sum payments, requiring the retirement system to use the average of three annuity contracts (one chosen by the officer, one by the committee, and one by the city) to determine the actuarial equivalent value. This change directly affects police officers eligible for minimum pension benefits under existing rules (e.g., 40-50% of pay after 25 years of service). The bill takes effect October 1, 2026, and repeals the original section it amends.
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.
