This bill creates two key provisions to enhance firearm safety around minors in Nebraska. First, it establishes a civil cause of action against parents, guardians, or spouses who knowingly allow a child under 14 to possess a handgun or ammunition, making them strictly liable for all damages if the minor causes injury. Second, it creates a new criminal offense for leaving a loaded firearm in an unsecured location accessible to a minor. The bill amends existing statutes to define "child" (under 14) and "handgun," and clarifies that these provisions apply to handguns only - not other firearms. It directly affects adults responsible for minors' safety, imposing legal consequences for negligent firearm access.
LB 1051 amends Nebraska Revised Statutes section 85-179.02 to redefine "physicians' assistant or physicians' associate" as a person qualified by training and experience to act as an assistant to a licensed physician. The bill repeals the original definition in that section, updating the statutory language for clarity. This change directly affects healthcare providers, legal frameworks for physician assistant roles, and regulations governing their practice across Nebraska. Introduced by the Education Committee on January 14, 2026, the bill focuses solely on revising a technical definition without altering other provisions.
LB 770 authorizes county treasurers to collect a 2% fee for collecting taxes and assessments from reclamation districts (water management districts) and county agricultural societies. It also revises how revenue from Nebraska's renewable energy "nameplate capacity tax" is distributed: 5% goes to community colleges near renewable energy facilities, while the rest is allocated to local governments that previously received tax revenue from those facilities. The bill modifies existing tax collection rules in Section 33-114 and updates the revenue distribution formula in Section 77-6204. These changes directly affect county treasurers, reclamation districts, agricultural societies, and local taxing entities receiving renewable energy tax funds.
LB 1040 amends Nebraska's Mental Health Commitment Act to allow family members, close friends, or guardians (defined as "interested parties") to file petitions seeking civil commitment for individuals they believe are mentally ill and dangerous. The bill updates the definition of "mentally ill and dangerous" to explicitly include risks of harm to self (e.g., recent suicide threats), harm to others (e.g., violent acts), or property damage, requiring petitions to detail specific behaviors. It adds a penalty for filing petitions in bad faith and clarifies procedures for mental health boards and county attorneys handling these cases. This change expands who can initiate commitment proceedings while setting clearer standards for when civil commitment is warranted.
Nebraska Legislative Bill LB 733 renames the "Division of Developmental Disabilities" to the "Division of Disability and Aging" within the Department of Health and Human Services. This administrative change updates the division's name in state statutes to better reflect its expanded scope, which includes services for both people with disabilities and older adults. The bill amends multiple sections of Nebraska law (including 43-4413 and 68-1530) to replace the old name with the new one and removes obsolete references. It does not alter service delivery, funding, or eligibility for programs - only the division's official title and related statutory language.
Nebraska's LB 876 creates the "Immediate Protection from Abuse Act," allowing law enforcement officers to issue protective orders immediately after arresting someone for domestic or sexual assault if they believe the restrained person poses an immediate threat. These orders prohibit contact, threats, firearm possession, and require the restrained person to stay away from the victim's residence or specified locations, including protections for household pets. The orders expire at 11:59 p.m. on the third day after issuance (or next court day if non-business day), and the bill eliminates the need for additional service of the order after the respondent's presence at a hearing. This directly affects victims of domestic/sexual assault and individuals arrested for such offenses.
Nebraska's LB 761 creates a new fund and adjusts water well registration fees for different well types. It changes fee amounts for industrial wells, geothermal installations, monitoring wells, and irrigation systems, requiring specific registration fees based on use. The bill redirects $1.384 million annually from the Integrated Solid Waste Management Fund to the Superfund Cost Share Fund, as specified in existing law. These changes affect well owners who pay registration fees and the Department of Water, Energy, and Environment, which manages the funds and fee collection.
Nebraska bill LB 1012 amends state law to explicitly grant physical therapists the same right as doctors and nurses to place a lien for unpaid services on injury-related settlements. It allows physical therapists to claim payment for their services from any settlement or judgment awarded to an injured person, excluding cases covered by Nebraska Workers' Compensation. The bill specifies that for patients with private insurance, the lien amount must reflect standard rates, not discounted insurance rates. This change directly affects physical therapists providing care for injury victims and the injured persons seeking compensation.
LB 759 updates Nebraska's water well licensing and management systems. It adds a new representative category for municipal/industrial water well contractors to the Water Well Standards Board and adjusts board composition requirements. The bill also clarifies the Department of Water, Energy, and Environment's authority to manage the Perkins County Canal Project, including land acquisition and dispute resolution. Additionally, it changes how funds from the Nebraska Litter Reduction and Recycling Fund are allocated and distributed. These changes directly affect water well contractors, the Department, and recipients of litter reduction funds.
LB 1052 changes the name of Nebraska's "Student Discipline Act" to "School Discipline Act" throughout state law, specifically amending Section 79-257 of the Revised Statutes. This technical update replaces all references to "Student Discipline Act" with "School Discipline Act" in the statute governing school discipline procedures. The bill directly affects school boards and administrators who implement discipline policies under this law. It makes no substantive changes to discipline procedures or student protections, only updating the law's name for consistency.
LB 760 amends Nebraska's Environmental Safety Act to transfer regulatory authority for swimming pools, recreation camps, and mobile home parks from the state Department of Water, Energy, and Environment to local governments (counties, cities, and villages). The bill eliminates requirements for private water supply and sewage disposal facilities, removes the Environmental Safety Cash Fund, and repeals multiple outdated sections of the law. These changes streamline state regulations by shifting oversight to local jurisdictions and removing redundant provisions. The bill directly affects local governments, businesses operating in the specified facilities, and residents using those services.
This bill amends Nebraska's Massage Therapy Practice Act to change the licensing requirements for massage therapy establishments. It modifies the existing rules (previously in section 38-1716) that required establishments to be licensed by the department before operating. The bill repeals the original section, meaning the previous licensing standards are being replaced with new ones. The direct effect is on massage therapy businesses seeking or renewing their licenses in Nebraska. The specific nature of the changed requirements is not detailed in the provided text.
