LB 217 Legislature · 109th Legislature (2025-2026)

Require suicide awareness and prevention training for employees of child-placing agencies and child welfare workers

This bill requires annual suicide awareness and prevention training for all child welfare workers and employees of child-placing agencies in Nebraska. It mandates that this training, developed by the Department of Health and Human Services in consultation with mental health experts, must cover recognizing early warning signs and trauma-informed responses for youth in the child welfare system. The training is now a requirement for initial and renewed licensure of child welfare providers and agencies, effective October 1, 2025. This directly affects over 1,000 licensed foster care providers and child welfare staff who interact with children and families in Nebraska's system.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
Legislature Passage
May 2025
Legislature Passage
May 2025
Signed into Law
Jun 2025
Introduced Jan 14, 2025 Signed Jun 6, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Introduced Enrollment and Review ER84 · 3 edits
MINOR
This bill was amended during enrollment to correct the sponsor's name, streamline the bill's purpose statement, and add a new section clarifying that the Children's Residential Facilities and Placing Licensure Act includes sections 71-1924 through 71-1951. The core policy requirements for suicide awareness training remain unchanged.
Scope change
The bill's scope was slightly clarified by formally naming the act and adding a section that defines which statutes are included under the Children's Residential Facilities and Placing Licensure Act.
TECHNICAL

Sponsor name changed from Fredrickson to Guereca, and the bill's purpose statement was revised to be more concise and accurate.

Minor formatting and markup adjustments were made to align with enrollment standards, but no substantive policy changes were introduced.

DEFINITION

New section 4 was added to formally name the act and specify that it includes sections 71-1924 through 71-1951, providing clarity on which statutes are covered.

Floor votes · Legislature May 9, 2025

How they voted

360
Passed · 13 other
Total votes 49
May 9, 2025
N Nonpartisan49
36 Yea 13
73% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
17
Key actions
6
Committee
2
Jun 6, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor on June 4, 2025
executive
May 29, 2025
Legislature · Passed
President/Speaker signed
legislature
May 29, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Passed on Final Reading 47-1*-1
legislature
May 21, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Enrollment and Review ER84 adopted
legislature
May 9, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Fredrickson AM1031 adopted
legislature
Mar 11, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Placed on General File
legislature
Jan 16, 2025
Committee
Referred to Health and Human Services Committee
legislature
Jan 14, 2025
Introduced
Date of introduction
legislature
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of John Fredrickson
John Fredrickson
NNonpartisan
NE
20