Technology

LB 241 (signed March 17, 2025) shields private businesses - including corporations, nonprofits, and other private entities - from class action lawsuits following cybersecurity events, unless the breach resulted from their willful, wanton, or gross negligence. The bill defines a "cybersecurity event" as unauthorized access or disruption of systems holding nonpublic information (like Social Security numbers or financial data) and clarifies that entities are not liable for such events under normal circumstances. It specifically exempts private entities from liability in class actions related to these incidents, focusing on preventing lawsuits for routine breaches rather than imposing new privacy requirements. This law directly affects businesses handling sensitive personal data by reducing legal risks from data breaches, provided they meet basic cybersecurity standards.

LB 609 adopts the Controllable Electronic Record Fraud Prevention Act, requiring businesses operating kiosks for digital assets (like cryptocurrency) to obtain a license, report to Nebraska's Department of Banking and Finance, and provide clear fraud warnings to customers. The bill mandates that kiosk operators disclose specific scam examples (e.g., fake bank alerts or "job offer" scams) and state that transactions are irreversible. It also includes changes to search warrant procedures, though the primary focus is on preventing fraud in digital asset transactions. This directly affects kiosk operators and customers using these services in Nebraska.

LB 51 adopts the National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact (34 U.S.C. 40316) to establish a standardized framework for sharing Nebraska's criminal history records with other states for non-criminal justice purposes, such as employment background checks. The Nebraska State Patrol will serve as the central repository for these records, and the Superintendent of Law Enforcement will act as the state's compact officer to administer the process. The bill clarifies that this adoption does not change existing state laws governing public access to criminal records or the Nebraska State Patrol's responsibilities under current privacy and security laws. It specifically ensures that the compact only applies to authorized interstate exchanges for non-criminal justice uses, with no impact on law enforcement record-sharing procedures.