Rep. Ashlei Spivey

Maddy summaryLB 75 amends Nebraska's Wage and Hour Act to strengthen protections for tipped employees, such as servers and hotel staff. It requires employers to ensure that an employee's total pay (base wage plus tips) meets or exceeds the state's minimum wage, shifting the burden of proof to employers to verify compliance. The bill mandates employers to maintain detailed records of tipped workers' pay, hours, and tips for three years and establishes clearer complaint procedures with liquidated damages for violations. These changes directly affect businesses in hospitality and service industries employing tipped workers across Nebraska.

Maddy summaryLB 403 creates a new Office of Grants within Nebraska's executive branch to help state agencies, local governments, and private organizations access federal grant funding. The office, led by a Governor-appointed director with federal grant experience, will identify available federal grant programs, assist applicants in securing funding, and develop an annual statewide plan to maximize grant awards. It must report yearly to the Legislature on progress, including the number of entities served, grant awards secured, and whether current laws support or hinder grant access. This bill directly affects Nebraska's state and local government entities and nonprofits seeking federal funding.

Maddy summaryLB 447 amends Nebraska's Community Development Law to require specific wage standards and apprentice utilization for certain redevelopment contracts. It directly affects community redevelopment authorities and developers working on projects in designated "blighted" or "enhanced employment" areas. The bill mandates that contracts for these projects must include provisions for paying prevailing wages and using apprentices in construction roles. These requirements apply to redevelopment contracts entered into under the Community Development Law, impacting how such projects are structured and implemented. The changes focus on ensuring fair compensation and workforce development within approved redevelopment initiatives.

Maddy summaryNebraska's LB 585 amends how state funds are distributed through the Community-based Juvenile Services Aid Program. It requires 10% of annual General Fund appropriations to be set aside: 5% for a centralized data collection system managed by the commission (to track program effectiveness and recidivism) and 5% for the University of Nebraska at Omaha to evaluate the program. Another 10% must be allocated to small community organizations ($1 million annual budget max) in designated census tracts that prevent juvenile crime before justice system involvement. The remaining funds are distributed based on county youth population statistics and prioritized for programs diverting juveniles from detention, reducing out-of-home placements, and supporting family services.

Maddy summaryLB 710 increases Nebraska's earned income tax credit (EITC) for low- and moderate-income residents who qualify for the federal EITC. It raises the state refundable credit rate from 10% to 20% of the federal EITC amount for tax years beginning January 1, 2025, and adjusts income thresholds. The credit phases out for individuals with federal adjusted gross income above $22,000, reducing by 10% for each $1,000 earned over that amount. This change directly benefits eligible Nebraska residents who currently receive the federal EITC, providing them with additional state tax relief.

Maddy summaryLB 409 amends Nebraska's Power Review Board membership rules. It requires the board to include at least one licensed journeyman electrician affiliated with a specific labor organization (after a vacancy occurs), alongside an engineer and attorney. The bill also restricts board members from having recent ties to electric utilities (within four years) and limits the board to no more than three members from the Governor's political party. These changes directly affect who serves on the board, which reviews electric utility matters.

Maddy summaryLB 587 amends Nebraska's landlord-tenant law to strengthen tenant rights when landlords fail to maintain essential services or repair habitable conditions. It shortens the required notice period for landlords to fix issues from 14 to 7 days before a tenant can terminate the lease, and expands remedies for failures in heat, water, mold, or pests. Tenants can now deduct reasonable costs for essential services or repairs from rent, obtain substitute housing without paying rent during the landlord's noncompliance, and recover attorney fees for willful violations. The bill directly affects residential tenants and landlords in Nebraska by providing clearer, faster pathways to address unsafe or uninhabitable living conditions.

Maddy summaryLB 583 adjusts how Nebraska's documentary stamp tax revenue funds seven existing programs, including the Child Care Grant Fund, Military Installation Development Fund, and Affordable Housing Trust Fund. It harmonizes rules across these funds, such as setting a $15,000 maximum for child care grants (no more than once every three years) and requiring matching funds for military installation projects. The bill specifies that tax revenue must be distributed to designated programs, like $100,000 annually for veterans' mental health services under the Military Fund. These changes streamline administration and clarify funding allocations without creating new programs or altering eligibility criteria.

Maddy summaryLB 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.

Maddy summaryLB 164, the Urban Development Incentive Act, creates a state grant program to support small and emerging developers in economically distressed areas of Nebraska. The bill provides funding for affordable commercial space development, rehabilitation, and sustainability features, with grants covering up to 20% of project costs (max $3.5 million per project) and specific categories for financing help, job training, and green building certification. It directly affects small developers (under 50 employees, <$5M revenue) working in areas meeting federal census criteria for high unemployment (≥150% state average) and poverty (≥20%). The program requires community engagement documentation and annual reporting to the Legislature on grant usage and job creation.