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.
LB 633 creates the Nebraska Option Enrollment Tuition Account Program for families whose children's applications for the enrollment option program are rejected by school districts. It requires school districts to provide written reasons for rejections - including specific disability-related service gaps - and establishes a process for parents to decline appeals and request tuition funds. The program provides eligible families with funds equal to the adjusted average per-pupil cost (plus disability-specific supplements for students with qualifying disabilities) to cover private school expenses at accredited institutions. Parents must agree to not enroll the child in public school and use funds only for approved education costs, with access to funds lost if the child reenrolls in public school or fails to comply with program rules. The bill also mandates annual reporting by school districts on rejected applications to the State Board of Education.
LB 307 allocates specific state funds to Nebraska's public colleges and universities for existing tuition waiver programs benefiting first responders and their dependents. It sets aside designated amounts from the General Fund for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 for Nebraska State Colleges (Program 48) and the University of Nebraska (Program 781), funding waivers under the First Responders Recruitment Act, In the Line of Duty Dependent Education Act, and related statutes. The bill declares an emergency, meaning it takes effect immediately upon approval. This is a funding measure for established programs, not a new policy change.
LB 417 establishes the Nebraska Promise Program, providing tuition waivers for eligible Nebraska residents attending University of Nebraska campuses or Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. It covers up to 15 credit hours per semester after federal grants and scholarships are applied, targeting students with family incomes under $65,000 annually and requiring a 2.5 GPA. The bill also extends similar tuition waivers to community colleges (up to 2 years) and state colleges (up to 4 years) for qualifying low-income students. Funding for these waivers comes from a new College Promise Fund, with reimbursements distributed monthly from the General Fund to institutions after annual certification. The program requires institutions to verify eligibility and maintain a standardized appeals process through the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education.
LB 119 establishes the Rural Health Opportunity Program to encourage Nebraska students from rural areas to pursue healthcare careers. It requires the University of Nebraska and Nebraska State Colleges to create a joint agreement for selecting eligible students and provides a 100% tuition and fee waiver for up to four years at state colleges while completing coursework needed to transfer to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. To qualify, students must be Nebraska high school graduates or equivalent residents of designated rural areas. The bill states legislative intent to fund the program annually but was indefinitely postponed on May 30, 2025.
This bill allocates $130,893 for fiscal year 2025-26 and $179,795 for 2026-27 from the General Fund to four Nebraska education entities (State Department of Education, Nebraska State Colleges, University of Nebraska, and community colleges via the Coordinating Commission) to support the existing Nebraska Statewide Workforce and Education Reporting System. It provides specific funding for these programs without creating new requirements or policies. The funds will be used to maintain and operate the reporting system that tracks workforce and education data across the state. This is a straightforward funding measure, not a substantive policy change.
This bill creates the Nebraska Council on Economic Education Cash Fund to support economic education programs at the University of Nebraska. It requires a $2.5 million transfer from the State Settlement Cash Fund to this new fund by July 1, 2025, for use by the University of Nebraska's Board of Regents. The bill specifies that these funds are intended for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27, with $300,000 allocated annually for economic education expenses. It repeals the original section of law it amends and declares an emergency to expedite the transfer. The bill does not change public policy but establishes a dedicated funding mechanism for university-based economic education.
Legislative Resolution 228 proposes an interim study by Nebraska's Education Committee to examine compensation for faculty who primarily teach in the state's public colleges and universities. The study will review current pay scales, compare salaries with neighboring states, analyze disparities across academic disciplines, and assess how faculty pay affects student retention and graduation rates. It will also explore potential funding solutions and alternative compensation models like cost-of-living adjustments. The committee will report findings and recommendations to the Legislature, but the resolution itself does not change current pay policies.
This bill appropriates $13.06 million for fiscal year 2025-26 and $14.06 million for fiscal year 2026-27 from the General Fund to support dual enrollment programs at Nebraska community colleges. Funds must be distributed based on each college's reported dual-credit course enrollment data, with the goal of reducing tuition costs for high school students taking college courses. The legislation explicitly states these funds may only be used to discount tuition for dual-enrollment courses that count toward both high school graduation and college credit. It directly affects community colleges and high school students participating in dual-credit programs across Nebraska.
