This bill amends Nebraska's School District Property Tax Relief Act by changing how state tax revenue is distributed between two funds. It establishes a formula to determine whether excess tax revenue goes to the Cash Reserve Fund or the School District Property Tax Relief Credit Fund, based on comparisons between actual and estimated state tax collections. The bill specifically mandates increasing annual transfers from the General Fund to the School District Property Tax Relief Credit Fund, starting with $750 million in 2024-25 and growing to $902 million by 2029-30, with future years increasing by 3% annually. These transfers directly fund property tax credits for homeowners in school districts, reducing their annual tax burden.
Nebraska's LB 464 creates a new criminal offense for "organized retail crime," defined as stealing retail merchandise with intent to resell, distribute, or transfer it for value. It prohibits actions like removing anti-theft devices, conspiring to steal, or knowingly purchasing stolen items, with penalties based on the total value of stolen goods: a serious felony for $5,000+ stolen, a lesser felony for $1,500-$5,000, and a misdemeanor for $500-$1,500. The law directly affects individuals committing organized theft schemes, not retailers or the general public. It requires prosecutors to prove the total value of stolen items in court and eliminates defenses if stolen items were misrepresented as stolen.
LB 698 amends Nebraska's Healthy Families and Workplaces Act to update definitions and enforcement. It expands employee coverage by removing exclusions for agricultural workers and those working fewer than 80 hours yearly, while clarifying "small business" as employers with 11-19 employees. The bill increases penalties for violations (up to $5,000 for repeat offenses), requires public posting of citations (excluding contested cases), and strengthens employee lawsuit rights by allowing recovery of attorney fees. These changes directly affect small employers (11-19 workers) and their employees regarding paid sick leave and enforcement.
LB 555 creates a new "assistant funeral director" role under Nebraska's Funeral Directing and Embalming Practice Act. To qualify, individuals must pass a Nebraska law exam and work under a licensed funeral director through a formal written agreement. Assistants may help with funeral arrangements, family consultations, and daily operations but cannot perform embalming. The bill updates licensing rules to include this role, repeals outdated sections, and adds disciplinary measures for violations like unauthorized embalming.
LB 626 amends Nebraska's Community Development Law to streamline how cities declare areas as "extremely blighted" for redevelopment projects involving affordable housing. It requires cities to conduct studies, hold public hearings, and get planning commission recommendations before declaring an area blighted - ensuring transparency and community input. The bill also sets a 25-year minimum validity for such designations, linking them to tax benefits and affordable housing incentives under existing laws (like tax credits in §77-2715.07). This procedural change directly affects Nebraska cities planning affordable housing projects, though the bill was amended into LB288 and did not advance further.
LB 580 reallocates remaining funds from the Lead Service Line Cash Fund to the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy for FY2025-26. It directs these funds toward replacing lead service lines in public water systems, specifically providing grants to metropolitan utilities districts for this purpose. The bill uses leftover money not previously allocated for labor training programs. It declares an emergency, meaning it takes effect immediately upon approval. This bill directly affects water utilities in Nebraska's metropolitan areas by funding lead pipe replacement projects.
This bill authorizes the University of Nebraska Board of Regents to design and build residential facilities for nursing and allied health students in Norfolk, Nebraska, at a total cost of $23 million. It directs annual state appropriations of $1.15 million for 20 years to fund the project, with provisions allowing long-term financing contracts (without pledging state credit) and requiring unused funds to transfer to the General Fund by 2045. The bill also allocates $250,000 for educational technology at the Norfolk facilities. The project directly affects UNO students in health programs and Norfolk residents through new campus infrastructure.
Nebraska's LB 553 expands eligibility under the Rural Health Systems and Professional Incentive Act to include dietitian nutritionist students and professionals in loan programs. It adds "dietitian nutritionist program" to qualifying education pathways for student loans and includes dietitian nutritionists in the loan repayment program, with a $15,000 annual cap and $45,000 lifetime maximum for full-time practice in designated health shortage areas. The bill also requires the commission to designate shortage areas specifically for dietitian nutritionist practice and mandates that recipients agree to practice in these areas and accept Medicaid patients. This change harmonizes dietitian nutritionist provisions with existing categories like physicians and mental health practitioners. The bill was amended into LB 312 before passing.
Nebraska's LB 656 modifies the state's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility rules by temporarily raising the gross income limit to 165% of the federal poverty guideline (from the prior level), effective October 1, 2025. This change directly affects low-income Nebraska residents who may qualify for SNAP benefits under the updated threshold. The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to report annually on the impact of this policy change, including administrative costs and participation rates. The increased eligibility limit expires on October 1, 2025, reverting to the previous standard.
LB 662 requires Nebraska state agencies receiving federal funds to submit detailed annual reports to the Department of Administrative Services by September 15 each even-numbered year. The reports must include the total federal funding received, state match requirements, contingency plans for funding cuts, and specific details about each federal agreement. The bill also prohibits state agencies from agreeing to federal "maintenance-of-effort" requirements (like mandatory state spending matches) without prior legislative approval. This directly affects all state agencies that accept federal grants or contracts, aiming to increase transparency and prevent automatic state spending commitments.
LB 664 requires Nebraska state agencies to actively seek public input on proposed rules and regulations through accessible methods like email or mail, without forcing people to travel to a specific location. It directly affects residents, businesses, and advocacy groups interacting with state agencies by expanding opportunities to provide feedback on new regulations. The bill also changes where lawsuits challenging agency rules can be filed, allowing cases to be heard in the petitioner’s home county, business location, Lancaster County, or the agency’s headquarters county. These changes aim to increase transparency in rulemaking and make legal challenges more accessible. The bill amends sections 84-906.02 and 84-911 of Nebraska’s Administrative Procedure Act.
Nebraska's LB 532 requires private employers with 25+ employees to use E-Verify to confirm new hires' work authorization within federal timeframes. It prohibits knowingly hiring unauthorized immigrants and imposes penalties, including license probation (1 year) or suspension (10-30 days for first violations) for noncompliance, with longer suspensions for repeat offenses. The bill excludes government agencies, political subdivisions, and bona fide independent contractors from these requirements. Violations trigger license discipline by the issuing agency, with reinstatement requiring termination of unauthorized workers and payment of fees.
