Rep. Terrell McKinney

Maddy summaryLB 49 requires Nebraska's State Board of Education to create a model policy for school districts governing "ban and bar actions" - prohibitions on students, parents, or others from school property or activities. The model policy mandates that such actions can only be used for immediate safety threats or court enforcement, must be limited to one year (unless court-ordered), and must include written notice with appeal options. School districts must adopt this model policy (or a similar one) by July 1, 2026, ensuring bans cannot discriminate and include clear appeal processes for affected individuals. The bill directly affects all Nebraska public school districts and their policies regarding school access restrictions.

Maddy summaryNebraska's LB 487 establishes a task force to study the historical and ongoing impacts of redlining in Omaha, which systematically denied financial services to Black, Latino, Hispanic, and immigrant neighborhoods based on race from the 1930s onward. The task force will examine economic, educational, and health disparities in historically redlined communities and develop reparations proposals for affected residents and their descendants. Composed of seven nonpartisan members representing impacted communities - including two from the Commission on African American Affairs and members from three congressional districts - the task force will research how institutions benefited from redlining and recommend public education and remedies. It will submit a final report to the legislature with findings and proposals, focusing on addressing generational wealth gaps and systemic discrimination stemming from these practices.

Maddy summaryLB 703 creates a new exchange program between Nebraska's Commission on African American Affairs and the Republic of Ghana. The bill adds a specific duty for the Commission to develop this partnership, with the Legislature intending to appropriate $1 million annually starting in fiscal year 2026-27. This program directly affects the Commission's operations and aims to foster international collaboration focused on African American affairs. The bill amends the Commission's statutory duties without changing other existing functions or requirements.

Maddy summaryLB 448 establishes the "Postconviction Relief Act" in Nebraska, creating a new legal pathway for prisoners to seek relief based on a claim of actual innocence - not just constitutional violations. It requires prisoners to present new evidence (like DNA results or evidence implicating another suspect) proving by clear and convincing evidence that a different trial outcome was likely. The bill adjusts time limits for filing claims and allows courts to excuse procedural defaults or missed deadlines to prevent "manifest injustice" when a prisoner makes a credible innocence claim. This law directly affects incarcerated individuals, courts, prosecutors, and law enforcement by modifying procedures under sections 29-3001 to 29-3004 of Nebraska’s statutes.

Maddy summaryLB 44 amends Nebraska's law governing postconviction relief by changing the one-year deadline for prisoners to file motions challenging their convictions. It adds six specific triggers for when this deadline begins, including when new constitutional rights are recognized by courts, when state actions prevented filing, or when new evidence could be discovered through due diligence. The bill directly affects incarcerated individuals seeking to overturn convictions based on constitutional violations. This change extends the filing window under these defined circumstances without altering the one-year duration itself.

Maddy summaryLB 277 requires Nebraska counties to appoint a special prosecutor with at least five years of criminal litigation experience whenever a person dies during law enforcement apprehension or custody. It mandates that a team of three homicide-trained investigators (with at least two from outside the local jurisdiction) examine the case, and prohibits involved officers or detention staff from returning to duty until the grand jury investigation concludes. The bill applies directly to law enforcement agencies, county attorneys, and coroners, and requires grand jury proceedings to begin within 30 days of the coroner’s certification. Exceptions apply only if a physician certifies the death resulted from natural causes.

Maddy summaryNebraska's LB 276 requires cities with full-time police departments (over 5,000 residents) to establish independent citizen oversight boards by January 2028. These boards will investigate public complaints about police misconduct, shootings, discrimination, and internal complaints, and report findings to police departments, city leaders, and state registries. The bill also mandates public Brady and Giglio lists (detailing prosecutorial disclosure obligations) and bans no-knock search warrants. It requires cities to fund these boards independently from police departments and ensures investigators have no prior law enforcement ties. The law applies directly to municipal law enforcement agencies in qualifying cities across Nebraska.

Maddy summaryLB 222 clarifies when Nebraska law enforcement officers (including peace officers, the Superintendent of Law Enforcement, and Nebraska State Patrol officers) may stop or detain vehicle operators. It prohibits stops for most nonmoving violations, certain license suspensions, and most misdemeanor warrants (like minor traffic offenses or protection order violations). The bill also requires officers to digitally log the primary reason for a stop before initiating it, especially for equipment failure stops, and mandates written consent with specific explanations for vehicle searches. These changes directly affect how officers conduct traffic stops and searches, aiming to limit stops to safety-related or immediate threat situations.

Maddy summaryLB 700 protects the privacy of minors in court by requiring all criminal cases involving people under 18 to keep identities confidential throughout proceedings. It extends Nebraska's juvenile court jurisdiction to cover individuals up to age 26 and changes sentencing for those convicted of crimes committed before age 22, setting maximum sentences (e.g., 80 years for serious felonies). The bill also creates new rules for questioning minors during investigations, bars courts from using certain statements, and establishes state-funded reporting centers for juveniles. It prohibits sending minors out of state for court proceedings and updates confidentiality rules for agencies like child welfare and probation.

Maddy summaryLB 215 establishes a program to help eligible inmates serving long sentences (25 years for offenses committed under age 26, 30 years for others) seek reduced sentences through the Board of Pardons. It requires the Parole Board to assess rehabilitation risk, involve community input, and develop detailed reentry plans - including housing, job support, and mental health services - if commutation is granted. The bill mandates that denied applicants receive specific steps to improve future applications and requires ongoing program evaluation based on outcomes.