Rep. Dave Murman

Maddy summaryLB 1022 would eliminate the human relations training requirement for educators seeking teaching certificates, special services permits, or administrative credentials in Nebraska schools. Currently, applicants must complete training covering topics like recognizing biases, promoting inclusivity, and understanding diverse cultures. The bill amends state education laws (sections 79-807, 79-808, and others) to remove this requirement and the associated definition of "human relations training." This directly affects educators pursuing or renewing their certification under Nebraska's current system.

Maddy summaryLB 1243 allows Nebraska public school districts to permit students enrolled in private, denominational, or parochial schools (or schools not meeting accreditation standards) to take courses part-time at public schools. It requires school boards to establish policies for such enrollment, including mandating a minimum of five credit hours per semester for students participating in public school athletic/activities programs, while prohibiting preference based on full-time status. The bill explicitly states part-time students do not qualify for public school transportation or reimbursement, and it repeals the previous version of this law. This directly affects students in non-accredited private schools seeking public school course access and public school districts managing enrollment policies.

Maddy summaryLB 732 prohibits healthcare practitioners in Nebraska from providing cross-sex hormones or puberty blockers to individuals under 19 years old, as part of amendments to the "Let Them Grow Act." The bill directly affects transgender and non-binary minors seeking gender-affirming care, restricting access to these treatments unless a medically verifiable disorder of sex development is diagnosed. It defines exceptions for congenital defects related to sex development (excluding gender dysphoria) but explicitly bars these treatments for minors without such conditions. The law amends multiple sections of Nebraska’s health statutes to enforce this age restriction and clarify prohibited medical services.

Maddy summaryLB 670 requires all Nebraska public school districts and nonpublic schools to adopt annual safety plans covering fire, tornado, and vehicle evacuation drills. It also changes training requirements for child care providers, teachers, and school staff, mandating at least four hours of annual training focused on child safety, health, and emergency response. The bill updates the Nebraska Early Childhood Professional Record System to track staff training and clarifies the State School Security Director’s role in supporting school safety planning and assessments. These changes directly affect schools, child care programs, and their staff by establishing standardized safety protocols and training obligations.

Maddy summaryNebraska bill LB 389 eliminates the ability of educational service units (ESUs) to collect local property taxes for funding. Instead, it requires the state to provide direct funding to ESUs according to specified formulas. This change affects ESUs and the school districts that previously contributed to ESU budgets through local tax levies. The bill modifies existing tax levy limits for school districts and ESUs to remove their authority to raise funds via property taxes, shifting responsibility to state appropriations.

Maddy summaryLB 498 updates Nebraska's school funding formula under the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act. It changes foundation aid calculations: for school years 2023-24 and 2024-25, aid is $1,500 per formula student, but starting 2025-26, it will increase annually based on the Consumer Price Index. The bill also revises certification deadlines for school funding (moving the key date to March 1 annually) and reduces the portion of foundation aid counted toward school budgets from 100% to 60% for 2025-26 and later. These changes directly affect all Nebraska public school districts receiving state foundation aid.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how Nebraska school districts calculate their annual property tax budget limits and manage unused tax authority. It revises the formula to determine a district's tax request authority each year, incorporating prior-year tax requests, non-property revenue, and growth adjustments. School districts can now carry forward unused tax authority to future years (excluding amounts from base growth increases), with the state department tracking and reporting these balances. These changes directly affect all Nebraska public school districts by altering their annual budgeting process for property taxes under the School District Property Tax Limitation Act.

Maddy summaryLB 429 requires Nebraska school boards to provide equal access to school employees' mailboxes, meetings, and posting spaces for all professional employees' organizations (like teacher unions or professional development groups). It mandates that if one organization is allowed to recruit at employee events, display information, or post materials in school spaces, all similar organizations must receive the same access. The bill also prohibits school boards from naming school calendar days or breaks after any professional employees' organization. This applies to all school employees, including teachers, administrators, and paraprofessionals, and aims to ensure fair treatment among competing professional groups.

Maddy summaryNebraska's LB 655 protects health care providers and payors (like insurers) from discrimination when refusing specific services based on sincerely held religious, moral, or ethical beliefs. It requires providers to give written notice to supervisors and document objections in patient records when declining a service they object to. The bill prohibits retaliation or adverse actions against providers who exercise this right, but explicitly forbids refusal of care based on a patient's race, religion, sex, or national origin. Providers can file complaints with the Attorney General if their rights are violated, and the law clarifies that refusing one service doesn't exempt them from providing other covered care.

Maddy summaryLB 654 allocates $300,000 from the General Fund for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. The funds are specifically designated for the Nebraska AgrAbility program to purchase assistive technology and equipment for farmers and ranchers who do not qualify for U.S. Department of Agriculture funding. This bill directly affects Nebraska farmers and ranchers by providing state-funded support for accessibility tools. The appropriation is procedural and does not create new eligibility or policy changes, solely funding an existing program's equipment needs.