LB 332 Legislature · 109th Legislature (2025-2026)

Provide for assistant funeral directors, change scope of practice and regulatory provisions regarding funeral directing and embalming, hearing instrument specialists, and audiologists, change membership provisions for the Board of Pharmacy, change provisions regarding delegated dispensing permits and prescription refills, provide medicaid coverage for psychology services, and establish the Rural Health Opportunity Program

LB 332 creates a new "assistant funeral director" role to support licensed funeral directors, allowing assistants to help with funeral arrangements and management under direct supervision but prohibiting embalming (Sections 4-8). The bill expands Medicaid coverage to include psychology services provided by qualified practitioners and establishes the Rural Health Opportunity Program requiring a memorandum of understanding (Sections 38-1509, 38-1512). It also updates regulations for hearing instrument specialists, changes pharmacy board membership rules, and modifies prescription refill requirements. These changes directly affect funeral service professionals, healthcare providers, and Medicaid recipients in Nebraska.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
Legislature Passage
May 2025
Legislature Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Signed May 21, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Introduced Enrollment and Review ER42 · 5 edits
MODERATE
The bill was amended during enrollment and review to shift focus from Medicaid coverage for psychology services to amending funeral directing and embalming practice laws. The original text regarding medical assistance program coverage was removed and replaced with amendments to sections 38-511, 38-1401, 38-1402, and 38-1413 of the Revised Statutes of Nebraska.
Scope change
The bill's scope changed from Medicaid/healthcare coverage to funeral service regulations and practice acts.
SCOPE

Original text requiring Medicaid coverage for psychology services provided by certain practitioners was completely removed.

DEFINITION

Added amendments to the Funeral Directing and Embalming Practice Act, including new definitions for assistant funeral director and supervision requirements.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirements for collaborative agreements between funeral directors and assistant funeral directors, including evidence of successful completion of jurisprudence examination.

Modified supervision requirements for funeral assistants to include direct onsite supervision and specific training status indicators.

ENFORCEMENT

Added enforcement provisions stating that violation of embalming restrictions by an assistant funeral director results in immediate termination of collaborative agreement and employment.

Floor votes · Legislature Apr 2, 2025

How they voted

290
Passed · 20 other
Total votes 49
Apr 2, 2025
N Nonpartisan49
29 Yea 20
59% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
31
Key actions
8
Committee
2
Amendments
5
Jun 6, 2025
Introduced
Provisions/portions of LB697 amended into LB332 by AM729
legislature
Jun 6, 2025
Introduced
Provisions/portions of LB555 amended into LB332 by AM729
legislature
Jun 6, 2025
Introduced
Provisions/portions of LB515 amended into LB332 by AM729
legislature
Jun 6, 2025
Introduced
Provisions/portions of LB154 amended into LB332 by AM729
legislature
Jun 6, 2025
Introduced
Provisions/portions of LB119 amended into LB332 by AM828
legislature
May 21, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor on May 20, 2025
executive
May 14, 2025
Legislature · Passed
President/Speaker signed
legislature
May 14, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Passed on Final Reading with Emergency Clause 49-0-0
legislature
Apr 23, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Hardin AM1154 adopted
legislature
Apr 23, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Enrollment and Review ER42 adopted
legislature
Apr 2, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Health and Human Services AM729 adopted
legislature
Apr 2, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Hardin AM828 adopted
legislature
Mar 20, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Placed on General File with AM729
legislature
Jan 21, 2025
Committee
Referred to Health and Human Services Committee
legislature
Jan 16, 2025
Introduced
Date of introduction
legislature
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Brian Hardin
Brian Hardin
NNonpartisan
NE
48