LB 166 requires county treasurers to keep the residential addresses confidential for law enforcement officers, Nebraska National Guard members, and judges who apply. It also makes judicial retention election filings non-public records (though the Secretary of State must publish a list of names and districts). The bill updates candidate filing forms to include a sworn statement about election laws and an optional email field. These changes affect law enforcement, National Guard members, judges, judicial candidates, and all political candidates filing in Nebraska.
LB 22 requires Nebraska's Department of Health and Human Services to adopt evidence-based nurse home-visitation programs for families with children under five or pregnant individuals. These programs must be delivered by nurses or trained professionals and focus on improving maternal/child health, parenting skills, and school readiness. The bill mandates that only programs meeting strict evidence-based standards - like national certification and culturally competent staff - receive state funding, and requires the department to report annually on program locations, outcomes, and funding use. It specifically excludes one-time visits and ensures families can decline services at any time. The law also directs the department to file a state plan amendment with federal authorities to secure Medicaid coverage for these services.
Nebraska's LB 148 adopts the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact, allowing licensed dentists and dental hygienists from Nebraska to practice in other participating states without obtaining separate licenses. The bill creates a "Compact Privilege" that streamlines interstate practice by eliminating duplicate requirements, while requiring criminal background checks and harmonizing licensure rules under the Dentistry Practice Act. This directly affects licensed dental professionals seeking to work across state lines, particularly military members and their spouses. Key provisions include sharing disciplinary information between states and ensuring practitioners follow each state's scope of practice. The compact aims to improve workforce mobility and public access to dental services without altering individual state licensing standards.
LB 198 amends Nebraska's Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) regulations to directly affect specialty pharmacies, pharmacists, and PBMs. It prohibits PBMs from excluding accredited specialty pharmacies from their networks and bans "spread pricing" (where PBMs charge health plans different prices than they pay pharmacies for drugs). The bill also allows network pharmacists to decline to dispense a drug as prescribed and updates definitions for terms like "clinician-administered drugs" and "specialty pharmacy." These changes aim to increase transparency, protect pharmacy access, and clarify PBM obligations under state law.
LB 43 modifies notice and certification requirements for privately developed renewable energy facilities (like solar or wind projects) and transmission lines located near military installations in Nebraska. It directly affects private renewable energy developers who must now comply with updated notification and certification processes when building projects near designated military sites, including Air Force bases and missile silos. The bill harmonizes existing rules by revising sections of Nebraska law to streamline these requirements, removing redundancies while maintaining security considerations for military operations. The changes became effective upon the governor’s approval on February 25, 2025.
LB 230 establishes Nebraska's Kratom Consumer Protection Act, regulating kratom products sold in the state. It prohibits sales to anyone under 21, bans child-attractive packaging (like candy-shaped products), and requires detailed labeling with health warnings, alkaloid content, and serving instructions. Processors must register products with the Department of Revenue, comply with FDA food facility standards, and provide lab-certified alkaloid testing. The law directly affects kratom manufacturers, retailers, and consumers, aiming to protect public health through standardized product safety and transparency. (Note: The bill's title mentions nitrous oxide and controlled substances changes, but the provided text focuses solely on kratom regulations.)
LB 295 requires all Nebraska state and local government employees participating in retirement systems (including county, school, state, and judicial employees) to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence in the United States. It mandates that employers and employees maintain specific documents like driver's licenses, birth certificates, passports, or U.S. immigration cards (e.g., I-551) to verify eligibility, which must be presented upon request by the retirement board. The bill also updates technical provisions across retirement acts, such as mortality tables for benefit calculations, lump sum payment rules, and board meeting procedures. These changes apply to multiple retirement systems, including the State Employees Retirement Act and School Employees Retirement Act.
LB 261 is Nebraska's state budget bill for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27, allocating funds for government operations, education, capital projects, and federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. It reappropriates unspent balances from previous years and specifies how federal recovery funds must be used, including restrictions on salary spending. The bill requires agencies to submit detailed budget reports and limits total salary/wage expenditures unless federal funds cover the excess. This directly affects all state agencies, universities, and programs receiving state or federal funds during the 2025-2027 budget period.
Nebraska's LB 97 changes vehicle license plate requirements, phasing from two plates to one plate per vehicle by 2029. Starting January 1, 2029, all registered vehicles will receive a single rear-mounted plate (except commercial trucks, which will display it front). Vehicle owners can request a single plate with a $50 annual fee plus decal cost, applicable to cars without front plate brackets. The bill also updates display rules, allows mail delivery of plates, and requires decals for single-plate vehicles.
LB 311 would allow certain Nebraska telecommunications carriers (specifically "electing local exchange carriers" with pre-1996 service certificates) to seek state deregulation of their service areas if competition meets a defined threshold. To qualify, at least 90% of households outside tribal areas must have access to voice service from two additional carriers (including one wireline/cable provider), with rebuttable evidence required if this standard isn't met. The bill explicitly preserves existing state and federal obligations, including 911 services, universal service fund contributions, and intercarrier compensation rules. It directly affects incumbent telecom providers seeking to remove state oversight from specific geographic exchanges while maintaining regulatory authority over core services.
Nebraska bill LB 474 consolidates and updates financial regulations by renaming the Nebraska Installment Sales Act to the Nebraska Installment Loan and Sales Act and eliminating the separate Nebraska Installment Loan Act. It transfers key provisions from the old Installment Loan Act into the revised Installment Loan and Sales Act while modernizing the Nebraska Money Transmitters Act to clarify licensing, fees, enforcement, and reporting requirements for money transmitters. The bill also makes minor adjustments to tax provisions under the Medicaid Access and Quality Act. These changes primarily affect financial institutions, lenders, and money transmitters operating in Nebraska by streamlining related regulations.
LB 179 increases police officers' required retirement contribution rate from 7% to 9% starting October 1, 2025, for cities of the first class, with cities covering these costs instead of deducting from officers' salaries. It updates firefighter retirement options by allowing those retiring on or after January 1, 1997, to choose lump-sum or installment payments of their retirement value, expanding choices previously limited to later retirees. The bill amends sections 16-1005 (Police Officers Retirement Act) and 16-1027 (Firefighters Retirement Act) to implement these changes and removes obsolete provisions. These adjustments directly affect police officers and firefighters in Nebraska's largest cities who are covered under these retirement systems.
