LB 1124 increases Nebraska's cigarette tax by $1.64 per pack (for ≤20 cigarettes) and redirects the majority of tax proceeds to specific state funds. It directs 97 cents per pack plus $1.25 million annually to the Nebraska Health Care Cash Fund for Medicaid programs, addressing smoking-related healthcare costs cited as exceeding $120 million yearly. The bill also allocates remaining funds to outdoor recreation, health services, building renewal, and public safety programs, while requiring the General Fund to receive the equivalent of 52.49 cents per pack. The changes take effect July 1, 2026, with Medicaid funding as the primary new focus.
LB 669 would revise Nebraska's abortion laws by changing consent requirements for patients seeking abortions and modifying civil action rules for abortion-related claims. The bill redefines key terms like "dismemberment abortion" (specifying procedures involving dismembering a living fetus) and "complications associated with abortion" (requiring peer-reviewed statistical evidence). It mandates providers to obtain voluntary, informed consent based on updated standards and allows civil lawsuits against non-physicians performing illegal abortions or encouraging self-abortions. The bill directly affects abortion providers, patients, and healthcare facilities by altering pre-abortion screening protocols and legal accountability. (Note: This is a proposed bill; it has not been enacted as of its 2025 introduction date.)
Nebraska LB 677 updates the state's medical cannabis framework by clarifying key definitions (like "cannabis products" and "caregivers"), establishing new licensing rules for cultivators and dispensaries, and imposing a special sales tax on medical cannabis sales. It prohibits open cannabis containers in vehicles, removes medical cannabis from existing marijuana tax categories, and directs tax revenue to specific state funds. The bill directly affects qualified patients, registered caregivers, cannabis businesses, and the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, which now oversees regulation. It also repeals outdated provisions and harmonizes existing laws, though it remains pending in committee as of March 2025.
Nebraska's LB 264 moves specific state funds into the General Fund to support broader state operations. The bill requires transferring $8.25 million from the State Insurance Fund, $25.5 million from the Military Installation Fund, and over $32 million from the Water Recreation Fund, among other specified amounts, by mid-2025 or 2026. These transfers affect state financial accounts, redirecting money from specialized funds like recreation, economic development, and medical spending programs. The bill also eliminates several programs and outdated provisions, but its primary action is reallocating existing state funds.
This bill eliminates numerous state advisory groups, boards, and commissions - including the Climate Assessment Response Committee, Women's Health Initiative Advisory Council, and Palliative Care Act - and removes their funding. It also modifies department responsibilities, such as adjusting the Board of Mental Health Practice and the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill specifically terminates the Whiteclay Public Health Emergency Task Force and streamlines overlapping government structures by repealing obsolete provisions. These changes aim to simplify state agency operations by removing redundant entities and consolidating functions.
LB 326 amends Nebraska's insurance laws to update definitions and procedures under the Unfair Insurance Trade Practices Act and related statutes. It redefines key terms like "insurer" and "customer," changes the Director of Insurance's authority, and updates rules for claims, settlements, and annual reporting. The bill specifically eliminates the Health Insurance Access Act and Health Care Purchasing Pool Act, removing those frameworks from state law. These changes primarily affect insurance companies, consumers purchasing insurance, and the Nebraska Department of Insurance.
