Nebraska's LB 855, the Youth Early Intervention and Support Act, creates a state-supported system for schools to identify and assist students showing early signs of distress. It requires all public school districts to form teams - including school staff, community health workers, and family advocates - to monitor specific indicators like chronic absenteeism, declining grades, behavior changes, or hygiene concerns, and connect students to support services instead of punishment. The system uses existing school and community resources to coordinate trauma-informed care, mental health referrals, and basic needs assistance while complying with federal privacy laws (FERPA/HIPAA). The bill directly affects Nebraska students in public schools and school districts, aiming to reduce juvenile justice and child welfare involvement through early, collaborative intervention.
LB 1164, the Prior Learning Act, requires Nebraska's public colleges and universities to allow students to earn college credit for prior learning - such as military training, work experience, or professional certifications - by passing approved exams. The state education commission must approve a list of these exams and set minimum passing scores (cut scores) by September 2026. Institutions must develop and publish policies for awarding credit, prioritizing it for general education or major requirements over electives, and report annually on student usage and credit awarded. This directly affects students seeking to accelerate degree completion and public institutions administering credit.
LB 1207 requires Nebraska school districts to provide full-time school employees with five paid mental health leave days each school fiscal year, at their regular salary. Employees cannot be asked for medical documentation to use this leave, and the days do not reduce other accrued leave (like vacation or sick time). The bill takes immediate effect upon approval due to an emergency declaration, directly impacting school employees across the state.
Nebraska's LB 1054 appropriates $250,000 from the General Fund for Fiscal Year 2026-27 to the State Department of Education. This funding creates a grant program to help school districts, educational service units, and approved private or parochial schools purchase cybersecurity products and services. The bill directly affects K-12 schools across Nebraska by providing financial support for cybersecurity measures. The key provision is the allocation of specific funds for grants, not general funding, to address cybersecurity needs in educational institutions.
Nebraska's LB 924 changes how learning communities (groups of school districts collaborating on shared programs) can use property tax levies. It reduces the maximum allowable levy from 95 cents to just half a cent per $100 of taxable property valuation for specific purposes. The new levy funds elementary learning center facility leases, remodeling, and up to 50% of approved capital projects for focus schools or programs. This directly affects learning communities and their member school districts by restricting and redirecting their funding authority. The bill repeals the previous 95-cent levy provision and aligns with updated funding mechanisms under Section 79-2111.
LB 970 requires Nebraska's Department of Health and Human Services to submit a state plan amendment seeking federal approval to add early literacy promotion and intervention services to well-child visits under the existing Medicaid Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) program. This change would directly affect children under 21 covered by Nebraska Medicaid who receive routine well-child checkups. The bill mandates that these visits include screenings and interventions for early literacy development, integrating this service into the current EPSDT framework. The key mechanism is the submission of a state plan amendment to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for approval. This policy change would expand the scope of preventive services provided during standard pediatric visits for Medicaid-eligible children.
LB 1201 creates a grant program for Nebraska elementary school classrooms to provide high-quality, age-appropriate books and monthly parent engagement materials. It prioritizes schools with high poverty rates (40%+ students), low academic performance, or significant reading deficiencies among K-5 students. The program, funded with up to $1 million annually from the Education Future Fund, requires book distribution in English and Spanish, classroom tracking of book usage, and monthly materials for caregivers. Schools must report on outcomes by December 2028 using reading assessment data. This directly affects participating elementary schools and their students, focusing on literacy support through classroom resources and family engagement.
Nebraska's LB 1241 requires school boards and private school authorities to verify employment histories for applicants in roles involving regular student contact. Schools must obtain written authorization from applicants to contact their past employers (over the last 20 years) and confirm whether applicants faced allegations of child abuse, sexual misconduct, or related disciplinary actions. Applicants who provide false information or withhold required details face civil penalties up to $500 or denial of employment. The bill mandates schools to review these records before hiring and allows immediate termination if misconduct history emerges post-hiring, excluding grievance procedures. This directly affects all school applicants and school employers across Nebraska's public, private, denominational, and parochial schools.
LB 1008 amends Nebraska's School District Property Tax Relief Act to revise the minimum annual funding levels for property tax relief. It sets specific minimum relief amounts for tax years 2024 through 2030 (e.g., $750 million for 2024, $902 million for 2030) and establishes a formula for future years: prior year's minimum plus the percentage increase in statewide property values (as determined by the Department of Revenue) plus $75 million. The bill also adds a provision requiring funds transferred to the relief fund under Section 77-4602 to be included in the annual relief calculation. This amendment replaces the original funding structure in Section 77-7305 of the Revised Statutes.
This bill amends Nebraska's Site and Building Development Fund to update eligible activities for financial assistance. It adds new provisions allowing grants for infrastructure upgrades at military installations (like nuclear command facilities), $2 million grants to specific cities for revitalizing former university properties to support foster youth, and matching funds for inland port authorities. The bill also expands eligibility to include golf facility construction in metropolitan cities and clarifies requirements for entities receiving assistance. These changes directly affect cities, counties, military partners, and economic development organizations seeking funding for industrial sites, infrastructure, and community projects.
