LB 350 amends Nebraska's Mental Health Commitment Act and Sex Offender Commitment Act to streamline competency restoration processes. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to file treatment plans with courts or tribal officials within 21 days, and mandates regular court hearings every 60 days to review a defendant's progress. The bill also establishes a $100 daily reimbursement rate for counties housing defendants in jail for competency treatment (after 30 days), adjusted annually by the Consumer Price Index. This affects defendants awaiting competency restoration, county courts, tribal officials, and mental health departments handling these cases.
LB 713 amends Nebraska's School Employees Retirement Act by removing the specific definition of "prior service" and harmonizing related provisions. It directly affects current and future Nebraska public school employees covered by this retirement system. The bill updates key definitions for retirement calculations, including how compensation, creditable service, and actuarial equivalency are determined. These changes aim to simplify the system's rules without altering benefit formulas or eligibility for retirees.
LB 340 would require individuals filing asbestos-related lawsuits in Nebraska to submit all available asbestos trust claims and supporting documents (including medical records and exposure history) within 30 days of filing their case. It mandates that defendants can request court orders to compel missing trust claims before trial, and makes all trust-related materials automatically admissible in court without privilege claims. The bill also establishes that defendants can offset damages by amounts already paid or owed by asbestos trusts, with setoffs distributed proportionally among liable parties. This directly affects asbestos plaintiffs, defendants in litigation, and asbestos trusts by standardizing claim transparency and financial accountability. The bill would apply to cases filed after its effective date.
LB 616 allows Nebraska jurisdictions to use automatic license plate reader (ALPR) systems to enforce red light traffic violations, replacing the need for police officers to personally observe such violations. This means cameras would automatically capture license plates of vehicles running red lights, triggering standard traffic citation processes. The bill directly affects drivers who run red lights and local law enforcement agencies managing traffic enforcement. It amends existing statutes to incorporate ALPR technology into the red light enforcement system while maintaining existing requirements for driver safety training programs and traffic point penalties. The key change is the shift from officer-based enforcement to automated detection using license plate readers.
This bill (LB 379) increases the maximum time limit for cash assistance under Nebraska's Welfare Reform Act from 24 months to 60 months (5 years) for families with children. It directly affects low-income families receiving cash assistance, extending their eligibility period while adding specific conditions: assistance may be extended if the state fails to meet self-sufficiency contract terms, if no jobs paying at least the assistance amount are available, or if extreme hardship (inability to cover basic needs like food, housing, or child care) exists. The bill also clarifies that work-related child care assistance remains available after cash assistance ends, with cost-sharing based on income thresholds tied to federal poverty levels.
LB 135 amends Nebraska election statutes to change how school districts and local governments conduct bond and tax levy elections. It allows school bond votes to be held during statewide primaries or general elections (instead of requiring separate special elections), updates notice requirements for these votes, and streamlines ballot counting across county lines. The bill also harmonizes election procedures across multiple statutes (including sections 10-702, 13-519, and 79-1029) and repeals outdated provisions like section 10-703.01. These changes directly affect school districts and local governments managing bond or tax levy votes, making election processes more efficient.
LB 629 would establish a new legal framework allowing Nebraska county voters to directly propose or reject local laws through initiatives and referendums. It grants county residents the power to initiate new ordinances or challenge existing county board decisions (excluding actions under the Nebraska Advantage Tourism Act), with defined rules for gathering signatures and processing petitions. The bill creates specific terms like "circulator" (for signature gatherers) and "measure" (for proposed or challenged county laws), governing how these processes operate. This would shift certain governance decisions from county boards to voters in all Nebraska counties, subject to the bill's provisions. The bill is currently under review by the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee after its January 2025 introduction.
This bill appropriates $12,600 from the General Fund for fiscal year 2025-26 to the Department of Revenue's Program 102. It specifically funds the implementation of Legislative Bill 712 (the parent bill) and prohibits using these funds for state employee salaries or per diems. The bill provides no new policy changes - it only allocates existing funds for administrative support of another bill's requirements. This is a procedural funding measure with no direct impact on residents or businesses.
Nebraska's LB 3 amends state law to require presidential electors to pledge to vote for the candidate who won the most votes statewide (for at-large electors) or in their congressional district (for district electors). The bill mandates that electors sign this pledge before casting ballots, and specifies that ballots not aligned with the pledge will be rejected. It also establishes procedures for filling vacancies among electors and requires the Governor to submit amended certificates if substitutes are appointed. This directly affects Nebraska's 7 presidential electors (5 district-based, 2 at-large) who are selected by political parties.
LB 365 requires Nebraska's Medicaid program (Medical Assistance Act) to cover and reimburse for home blood pressure monitoring devices when prescribed by a healthcare provider. This directly affects Medicaid beneficiaries who need regular blood pressure monitoring for conditions like hypertension. The bill amends existing coverage rules to add these services to the list of covered medical supplies, similar to how continuous glucose monitors were recently added. It mandates the Department of Health and Human Services to provide this coverage without additional cost to eligible patients.
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to ban Nebraska from imposing an inheritance tax. If approved by voters in November 2026, it would add a new section to the state constitution prohibiting both the state government and local political subdivisions (like cities or counties) from levying such taxes. The amendment would take effect immediately upon voter approval, eliminating the legal authority for any Nebraska entity to collect inheritance taxes. It does not create new taxes or affect existing tax structures beyond this specific prohibition.
LB 669 would revise Nebraska's abortion laws by changing consent requirements for patients seeking abortions and modifying civil action rules for abortion-related claims. The bill redefines key terms like "dismemberment abortion" (specifying procedures involving dismembering a living fetus) and "complications associated with abortion" (requiring peer-reviewed statistical evidence). It mandates providers to obtain voluntary, informed consent based on updated standards and allows civil lawsuits against non-physicians performing illegal abortions or encouraging self-abortions. The bill directly affects abortion providers, patients, and healthcare facilities by altering pre-abortion screening protocols and legal accountability. (Note: This is a proposed bill; it has not been enacted as of its 2025 introduction date.)
