LB 31 requires Nebraska school districts to adopt policies governing the use of student monitoring and tracking technology (like digital hall passes, cameras, or anti-vaping devices) by May 2026. It mandates schools to inventory all such tools, disclose vendor details, costs, data practices, and privacy protections, and allow parents to opt their children out. The bill also requires schools to explain data sharing with law enforcement and ensure accommodations for students with disabilities. These policies must be posted online and align with a model policy developed by the State Board of Education by December 2025.
Nebraska's LB 714 changes how motor vehicle taxes are calculated and distributed. It adjusts tax rates based on a vehicle's age (e.g., 100% for new cars, down to 0% for 14+ year vehicles) and value (e.g., $25 for cars under $4,000, up to $1,700 for $90,000+ vehicles). The bill modifies fund allocation, directing 37.6% of tax proceeds to local schools, 22.2% to cities/villages in metro counties, and the remainder to counties. This affects all Nebraska vehicle owners who pay registration taxes, with changes impacting how local governments receive funding for schools, roads, and services.
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harmonizes election procedures across multiple statutes (including sections 10-702, 13-519, and 79-1029) and repeals outdated provisions like section 10-703.01.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 261 is Nebraska's state budget bill for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27, allocating funds for government operations, education, capital projects, and federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. It reappropriates unspent balances from previous years and specifies how federal recovery funds must be used, including restrictions on salary spending. The bill requires agencies to submit detailed budget reports and limits total salary/wage expenditures unless federal funds cover the excess. This directly affects all state agencies, universities, and programs receiving state or federal funds during the 2025-2027 budget period.
LB 645 adjusts retirement contributions for Nebraska's Class V school districts and the State Patrol Retirement System. Starting July 1, 2025, employees will contribute 8.75% to 9.75% of their salary based on the retirement system's funding level, and the state will add a 2% annual contribution of employee compensation to the retirement fund. The bill clarifies that the state's 2% contribution does not shift the district's responsibility for funding the retirement system. It also updates death benefits for State Patrol officers and aligns retirement provisions across systems.
LB 303 creates the School Financing Review Commission, a 18-member group including education officials, school district representatives, and community members. The commission will evaluate Nebraska's school funding formula under the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act, review resource and student need factors, and recommend changes to help prevent property tax increases. It will also analyze how school funding impacts student outcomes like attendance, literacy, and graduation rates. The bill additionally modifies budget rules to allow school districts to exceed general fund budget limits under the act.
LB 306 modifies school residency rules to clarify admission for non-resident students, military families, and students in residential settings. It requires all Nebraska school districts to maintain a centralized financial database and mandates public and private colleges to report funding from "foreign adversarial sources" to the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education. The bill also updates scholarship programs (Nebraska Career Scholarship Act and Door to College Scholarship Act) and adjusts governance for the Nebraska State Colleges Board. These changes aim to increase transparency in school funding and foreign financial influences on higher education.
LB 306A is an appropriations bill that allocates specific state funds to support the implementation of Legislative Bill 306. It provides $2,000 (FY2025-26) and $5,000 (FY2026-27) from the Auditor of Public Accounts Cash Fund, $569,833 (FY2025-26) and $410,981 (FY2026-27) from the General Fund to the State Department of Education, $250,000 annually for state aid programs, and $192,800 (FY2025-26) and $195,000 (FY2026-27) to the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. These funds are designated for specific programs (525, 25, 158, and 781) to carry out Legislative Bill 306’s provisions, with spending limits on salaries and per diems. The bill does not create new policy but provides targeted financial resources for existing legislative priorities.
LB 608A is an appropriations bill that allocates $781,647 for fiscal year 2025-26 and $1,351,495 for fiscal year 2026-27 from Nebraska’s General Fund to the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education (Program 692). The funds are specifically designated to support the implementation of Legislative Bill 608 (related to postsecondary education), with strict limitations requiring the money to be used only for that purpose. The bill prohibits using these funds for state employee salaries or per diems. This measure was indefinitely postponed on May 14, 2025, and never became law.
LB 428 requires Nebraska school districts to notify parents or guardians 15 days before administering surveys asking students about sensitive topics like sexual health, mental health, medical issues, substance use (drugs/vape/alcohol/tobacco), or political/religious views. Parents gain the right to review surveys in person, receive a copy, or opt their child out of participation. The bill specifically prohibits schools from surveying students in kindergarten through sixth grade about sexual health. It applies directly to all public school districts and families with K-12 students in Nebraska.
