LB 375 creates a grant program to help Nebraska grocery stores in smaller communities expand access to nutritious food. It provides funding for specific "new investments" like technology upgrades, transitioning to cooperative business models, or improving supply chains, primarily targeting stores in towns under 40,000 residents or Nebraska’s 90 least-populated counties. To qualify, stores must meet eligibility criteria including demonstrating community need, having a self-sustaining plan, and committing to match at least half the project cost. Grants must be spent within three years, and the program requires annual reporting on funded projects and outcomes.
LB 374 creates a new Licensed Midwives Practice Act in Nebraska, replacing the outdated "Licensed Midwives Practical Nurse-Certified" designation with a dedicated midwifery licensing framework. The bill adds "professional midwifery" to the list of regulated professions under Nebraska's Uniform Credentialing Act, establishing specific standards for midwife licensure, practice, and background checks. It directly affects midwives seeking or renewing licenses in Nebraska by requiring them to meet the new practice act's requirements instead of the previous, less specific rules. The bill harmonizes midwifery regulation with other healthcare professions and repeals the prior sections governing midwifery practice.
Nebraska's LB 642, the Artificial Intelligence Consumer Protection Act, requires developers of high-risk AI systems to prevent algorithmic discrimination in key consumer decisions. It directly affects businesses developing or deploying AI systems that make consequential decisions - such as in employment, housing, lending, healthcare, or criminal justice - without human review. The law mandates "reasonable care" to protect consumers from known discrimination risks starting February 2026, with compliance creating a rebuttable presumption of adherence to the standard. It excludes narrow tools like spell-checkers or antifraud systems from regulation, focusing only on AI systems with significant real-world impact on consumers.
This bill expands Nebraska's Young Adult Bridge to Independence program to include young adults not lawfully present in the U.S., removing immigration status as an eligibility barrier. It amends eligibility rules (effective January 2026) to allow these individuals - primarily youth aged 16-24 transitioning from foster care - to access medical care (including Medicaid options), housing support, and case management services. Key provisions require the Department of Health and Human Services to update state plans and ensure services like emergency medical care and foster care maintenance payments are provided regardless of immigration status. The bill directly affects vulnerable young adults in Nebraska's foster care system who would otherwise be excluded from this support.
LB 535 increases penalties for assaulting specific healthcare and emergency personnel in Nebraska. It prohibits assault on frontline behavioral health providers (like direct support professionals) and healthcare workers (including licensed practitioners and facility employees) while they are on duty at their facilities. The bill amends assault statutes to add these groups to the list of protected individuals, requiring enhanced penalties for causing serious bodily injury to them during work hours. It also clarifies and streamlines existing assault provisions related to officers, emergency responders, and healthcare professionals. The law directly affects healthcare workers, behavioral health providers, and emergency responders by making assaults against them punishable as more serious offenses.
Nebraska's LB 549 allows school boards to hire chaplains - licensed by their religious organization - to provide student support services like emotional or behavioral health assistance, without requiring a teaching certificate. Chaplains may serve as paid or volunteer staff, but must pass a criminal background check and comply with school policies developed by the board. The bill explicitly states this employment does not endorse any religion and exempts chaplains from standard teacher certification rules under Nebraska law. It affects all Nebraska public school districts and directly impacts students receiving non-academic support services.
LB 338 prohibits Nebraska life, disability, and long-term care insurers from denying coverage, charging higher premiums, or limiting benefits based on genetic information collected during medical treatment. It does not stop insurers from using clinical diagnoses from medical records or asking about family health history during underwriting. The bill aims to remove barriers to genetic testing by ensuring such information cannot impact insurance eligibility. Exceptions allow insurers to review standard medical records and consider diagnosed conditions, but not genetic data gathered for health care purposes.
Nebraska's LB 603 amends laws governing care management units under the Community Aging Services Act. It establishes an income-based sliding scale for client contributions: individuals with family income below 300% of the federal poverty level pay 0-90% of service costs, while others pay the full fee. The bill also changes how care units are reimbursed, requiring the Department of Health and Human Services to cover unpaid costs based on actual casework time and expenses (like personnel and admin), with reimbursement rates updated every three years. Funding for this reimbursement must be separate from regular aging services appropriations. The bill repeals the original sections it amends.
Nebraska's LB 209 expands property tax exemptions for veterans and their surviving spouses by modifying homestead exemption rules. It also creates a new property tax break for for-profit skilled nursing, nursing, and assisted-living facilities that serve Medicaid beneficiaries. The tax exemption amount for these facilities equals the average percentage of occupied Medicaid beds over the previous three years. This change specifically applies to for-profit facilities - nonprofit facilities serving Medicaid already have separate, full exemptions under current law.
LB 651 updates Nebraska's medical cannabis laws by increasing the allowable cannabis amount for patients from 2.5 ounces to 5 ounces per month and clarifying definitions for terms like "cannabis," "cannabis product," and "caregiver." It imposes a special sales tax on medical cannabis sales, directs tax revenue distribution, and prohibits open cannabis containers in vehicles. The bill also removes medical cannabis from the marijuana and controlled substances tax, updates regulations for the Liquor Control Commission, and aligns provisions with recent voter initiatives. These changes directly affect medical cannabis patients, caregivers, dispensaries, and state regulatory agencies.
