LB 519 requires Nebraska prisons to provide independent confirmatory testing for inmates who test positive for drugs via initial screening (urinalysis or field tests on suspected contraband items) before disciplinary action is taken. This applies directly to incarcerated individuals facing drug-related allegations, ensuring their results are verified by a separate lab. The bill mandates that correctional departments must arrange this testing upon inmate request, though inmates may be required to cover the cost if the confirmatory test remains positive. The legislation amends Nebraska's correctional statutes to establish this verification step, replacing the prior standard for handling drug-related disciplinary cases.
Nebraska's LB 635 authorizes the State Athletic Commissioner to regulate specific combat sports, including professional bare-knuckle MMA, ice MMA, muay thai, and kickboxing (both professional and amateur). It directly affects promoters, venues, fighters, referees, and officials who host or participate in these events within the state. Key mechanisms include requiring annual licenses with fees ($10-$300 depending on role), mandatory bonding ($1,000-$5,000), and licensing for referees, physicians, and judges. The bill updates existing regulations to explicitly include these sports under the Commissioner's oversight, ensuring standardized safety and operational rules.
LB 645A allocates $66,000 in state funds (comprising $40,000 from the School Expense Fund and $26,000 from the State Patrol Expense Fund) for fiscal year 2025-26 to support Nebraska's Public Employees Retirement Board. The funds are specifically designated to carry out the provisions of another bill, Legislative Bill 645 (which relates to retirement program administration). This appropriation is limited to $20,000 for salary and per diem expenses during the current fiscal year, with no funds allocated for the following year. The bill takes immediate effect as an emergency measure.
This bill proposes merging Nebraska's Department of Natural Resources and Department of Environment and Energy into a single Department of Water, Energy, and Environment. It creates a new Chief Water Officer position and updates agency powers related to water management, conservation, state game refuges, and low-level radioactive waste disposal. The bill directly affects state agencies and officials responsible for environmental and natural resource management by restructuring their oversight framework. Key changes include consolidating departmental functions under one name and clarifying responsibilities for specific resource areas. The bill focuses on organizational structure rather than new funding or regulatory policies.
LB 428 requires Nebraska school districts to notify parents or guardians 15 days before administering surveys asking students about sensitive topics like sexual health, mental health, medical issues, substance use (drugs/vape/alcohol/tobacco), or political/religious views. Parents gain the right to review surveys in person, receive a copy, or opt their child out of participation. The bill specifically prohibits schools from surveying students in kindergarten through sixth grade about sexual health. It applies directly to all public school districts and families with K-12 students in Nebraska.
Nebraska's LB 388 updates rules for judicial nominating commissions, which select candidates for state judgeships. The bill changes residency requirements (requiring members to live in their judicial district), sets four-year terms for most members, and limits total service to 12 years. It modifies how lawyer members are selected - through bar association nominations and a ballot process - with limits on political party representation (max two members per party). The changes also clarify procedures for filling vacancies and harmonize existing laws. These provisions directly affect commission members, Nebraska lawyers, and the Clerk of the Supreme Court who administers the process.
Nebraska's LB 414 establishes a suicide mortality review team within the Department of Veterans' Affairs to address veteran suicides. The team, made up of VA staff, mental health professionals, law enforcement, and veteran advocates, will collect data on all veteran suicide deaths in Nebraska, analyze causes, and develop prevention protocols for agencies like hospitals and law enforcement. It requires an annual report by April 1st starting in 2026, detailing each reviewed case (including age, location, and contributing factors) and recommendations to reduce preventable suicides. The bill directly affects veterans who died by suicide and aims to improve data-driven prevention strategies through coordinated reviews.
LB 326 amends Nebraska's insurance laws to update definitions and procedures under the Unfair Insurance Trade Practices Act and related statutes. It redefines key terms like "insurer" and "customer," changes the Director of Insurance's authority, and updates rules for claims, settlements, and annual reporting. The bill specifically eliminates the Health Insurance Access Act and Health Care Purchasing Pool Act, removing those frameworks from state law. These changes primarily affect insurance companies, consumers purchasing insurance, and the Nebraska Department of Insurance.
LB 390 requires every Nebraska public school district to create a policy by the 2026-27 school year about parent and guardian access to school library information. The policy must include a catalog of all library books organized by school building and allow parents/guardians to receive email or app notifications when their child checks out a book. Notifications must include the book title, author, and due date. The bill applies only to school libraries on district property, not public libraries, and directly affects parents, guardians, and educational decisionmakers of students.
LB 84 adopts the School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact, allowing Nebraska-licensed school psychologists to practice in other participating states without duplicative licensing requirements. This directly affects school psychologists seeking to work across state lines, including military members and their spouses who relocate frequently. The key mechanism establishes a standardized pathway for verifying qualifications and issuing equivalent licenses, while requiring practitioners to follow each state's specific scope of practice rules. This aims to improve access to school psychological services by addressing workforce shortages through increased professional mobility.
Nebraska's LB 355 updates how census data is used to allocate state funding for economic development programs. It changes the required population data for distributing funds to development districts from other sources to the latest federal decennial census, with specific rules for unincorporated areas. The bill also revises rules for distributing funds from the Convention Center Support Fund to cities with high-poverty areas, requiring 10% of certain funds to support historical preservation, violence reduction, and small business growth in those communities. These changes affect development districts, local governments, and cities applying for economic development assistance under multiple state laws.
LB 457 requires Nebraska school districts and licensed child care facilities to adopt written policies for managing anaphylaxis (severe allergic reactions) by July 1, 2026. These policies must include emergency protocols, individualized care plans for children with allergies, and strategies to reduce allergen exposure, based on model guidelines developed by the Health and Human Services Department. The bill also limits out-of-pocket insurance costs for epinephrine injectors to $50 annually for covered individuals, effective January 1, 2026. It directly affects schools, child care programs, and insured individuals needing emergency allergy treatment.
