Adopt the Grow the Good Life Act, provide an income tax credit, change provisions relating to the Convention Center Facility Financing Assistance Act, the ImagiNE Nebraska Act, the Nebraska Advantage Act, and the Site and Building Development Act, and create grant programs to help employers retain or attract employees and to assist cities of the first class impacted by private entity closure or downsizing
LB 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.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
Legislature Passage
Apr 2026
Legislature Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 20, 2026
Signed Apr 17, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons
What changed between versions
Enrollment and Review ER170
→
Final Reading
·
4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was updated from a committee version to its final reading, changing the sponsor from Guereca to von Gillern and the Governor's request. The substantive policy content, including the 'Grow the Good Life Act' incentives, eligibility thresholds, and definitions, remains identical to the previous version.
Scope change
The scope of the bill's provisions has not changed; the text of the act is identical to the Enrollment and Review version.
TECHNICAL
The bill's sponsor was changed from Guereca to von Gillern, and the Governor was added as a requestor.
The bill's title was updated from 'Enrollment and Review' to 'Final Reading'.
The legislative session details were updated to reflect the One Hundred Ninth Legislature, Second Session, and the year 2026.
The committee assignment was changed from 'E and R' to 'Revenue'.
Floor votes · Legislature Mar 24, 2026
How they voted
38–3
Passed · 8 other
Total votes 49
Mar 24, 2026
N
Nonpartisan49
77% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
68
Key actions
7
Committee
2
Amendments
3
Apr 17, 2026
Introduced
Provisions/portions of LB1192 amended into LB1165 by AM2504
legislature
Apr 17, 2026
Introduced
Provisions/portions of LB1191 amended into LB1165 by AM2504
legislature
Apr 17, 2026
Introduced
Provisions/portions of LB806 amended into LB1165 by AM2504
legislature
Apr 17, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor on April 16, 2026
executive
Apr 10, 2026
Legislature · Passed
President/Speaker signed
legislature
Apr 10, 2026
Legislature · Passed
Passed on Final Reading with Emergency Clause 42-7-0
legislature
Apr 7, 2026
Legislature · Passed
von Gillern AM3035 adopted
legislature
Apr 7, 2026
Legislature · Passed
Enrollment and Review ER170 adopted
legislature
Mar 24, 2026
Legislature · Passed
Revenue AM2504 adopted
legislature
Mar 19, 2026
Legislature · Passed
Placed on General File with AM2504
legislature
Jan 22, 2026
Committee
Referred to Revenue Committee
legislature
Jan 20, 2026
Introduced
Date of introduction
legislature
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor
Sponsors
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