Rep. Teresa Ibach

Maddy summaryNebraska bill LB 1199 amends the Legal Education for Public Service and Rural Practice Loan Repayment Assistance Act to expand eligibility for loan repayment assistance. It changes the definition of "designated legal profession shortage area" to include rural counties with populations under 15,000 (down from 75,000), making more rural areas qualify for the program. The bill authorizes a $125,000 transfer from the State Settlement Cash Fund to the Legal Education for Public Service and Rural Practice Loan Repayment Assistance Fund, effective upon the bill's passage. This directly benefits lawyers working in underserved rural Nebraska communities who qualify for loan repayment assistance under the revised criteria.

Maddy summaryLB 1165 amends Nebraska's Key Employer and Jobs Retention Act to adjust the wage retention credit to 5% of wages paid to retained employees earning at least the state average wage, with annual and total spending caps. It creates a new Department of Labor grant program to help employers retain or attract workers after a change in ownership and control, particularly for businesses meeting key employer criteria. The bill also modifies credit percentages under the ImagiNE Nebraska Act and adds capital improvement grants for eligible employers under the Site and Building Development Act. These changes apply to key employers with at least 1,000 equivalent employees in Nebraska during a base year, including those facing ownership transitions.

Maddy summaryNebraska's LB 308, the Health Care Staffing Agency Registration Act, requires health care staffing agencies (including technology platforms that match workers with facilities) to register annually with the Department of Labor for $1,500. The bill prohibits agencies from enforcing noncompete clauses that restrict temporary staff workers' employment options and mandates that agencies verify staff workers' qualifications, maintain professional liability insurance ($1 million per incident), and document compliance. Agencies must also submit quarterly reports to the state detailing average charges to health care facilities and payments to staff by licensing category. This bill directly affects staffing agencies and health care facilities that contract with them, establishing new registration, transparency, and insurance requirements.

Maddy summaryLB 145 requires Nebraska's Director of Agriculture to administer a new grant program using funds from the Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Species Assistance Fund. The grants will support local weed control authorities, natural resources districts, and other entities for activities like research, innovative control methods, responding to invasive plant infestations threatening cropland or wildlife habitats, and monitoring invasive species. The bill also establishes a new annual funding requirement of three million dollars specifically for vegetation management along natural stream banks to improve streamflow, with priority given to river basins covered by interstate agreements. This directly affects local governments, land managers, and conservation groups working on noxious weed control across Nebraska.

Maddy summaryLB 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.

Maddy summaryLB 363 creates the Apprenticeship Grant Act to help underemployed and unemployed Nebraskans gain job skills through registered apprenticeships. Businesses can receive grants (up to $37,000 per apprentice) to cover wages or classroom tuition for apprentices in SNAP Next Step Program-affiliated training, aiming to reduce reliance on economic assistance programs. The bill requires businesses to commit to full-time hiring with livable wages and mandates annual reporting on grant usage, participant employment, and SNAP savings. It also establishes a separate grant for apprentices to cover child care costs in building/construction trades, with funds terminating in 2031.

Maddy summaryLB 638 amends Nebraska's Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Act by eliminating all provisions for incentive payments to farmers and removing the legislative intent behind the program. It modifies the Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Cash Fund to adjust grant administration and changes the program's termination date from December 31, 2030, to December 31, 2029. The bill repeals the original sections governing annual payment caps ($5 million/year), minimum per-acre payments ($10/acre), and fertilizer reduction targets. This effectively dismantles the financial structure of the program while keeping the framework for future administration open.

Maddy summaryLB 307 allocates specific state funds to Nebraska's public colleges and universities for existing tuition waiver programs benefiting first responders and their dependents. It sets aside designated amounts from the General Fund for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 for Nebraska State Colleges (Program 48) and the University of Nebraska (Program 781), funding waivers under the First Responders Recruitment Act, In the Line of Duty Dependent Education Act, and related statutes. The bill declares an emergency, meaning it takes effect immediately upon approval. This is a funding measure for established programs, not a new policy change.

Maddy summaryLB 636 creates a state reimbursement program for counties covering medical costs for jail inmates, effective July 1, 2025. Counties must submit quarterly claims for eligible medical expenses (like treatment or emergency care) to the Jail Standards Board, which will pay them up to $21 million annually. The bill updates sheriff fee rates but primarily shifts the financial burden from counties to the state for inmate medical care, requiring counties to document costs and comply with strict filing deadlines. It excludes costs resulting from county negligence and mandates biennial audits of county records.

Maddy summaryLB 146 proposes a 12.5% increase in reimbursement rates for dental services provided under Nebraska's Medical Assistance Act (Medicaid) for fiscal year 2025-26. This bill directly affects dentists and dental clinics that serve Medicaid patients by raising the state's payment for covered dental procedures. The legislation states the Legislature's intent to appropriate funds for this rate increase, which would improve payments for providers but does not expand eligibility or coverage. It declares an emergency to allow immediate implementation upon approval. The bill is currently pending before the Appropriations Committee.