Nebraska bill LB 1002 amends filing requirements under the Political Accountability and Disclosure Act for political committees. It increases late filing fees (to $50 per day for standard filings and $200 per day for election-season filings) and shortens deadlines for committees formed within 30 days of an election (to two business days instead of ten). The bill eliminates one filing method, requires committee principals to pay late fees, and specifies that committees cannot make contributions until their initial filing is complete. These changes directly affect political committees and their organizers by tightening reporting deadlines and penalties for noncompliance.
LB 1060, the Child Placement Services Preservation Act, protects child-placing agencies in Nebraska from government penalties if they decline services (like foster or adoptive placements) based on religious beliefs. It requires agencies to refer clients to other qualified agencies when declining services for religious reasons, providing contact information or a department website link. The bill directly affects faith-based and non-faith-based child-placing agencies, children needing foster care or adoption, and the Department of Health and Human Services. It prohibits the state from taking "adverse actions" (like denying funding or licenses) against agencies for religiously based refusals, while ensuring children can still access placement services through referrals.
This bill creates two key provisions to enhance firearm safety around minors in Nebraska. First, it establishes a civil cause of action against parents, guardians, or spouses who knowingly allow a child under 14 to possess a handgun or ammunition, making them strictly liable for all damages if the minor causes injury. Second, it creates a new criminal offense for leaving a loaded firearm in an unsecured location accessible to a minor. The bill amends existing statutes to define "child" (under 14) and "handgun," and clarifies that these provisions apply to handguns only - not other firearms. It directly affects adults responsible for minors' safety, imposing legal consequences for negligent firearm access.
LB 1051 amends Nebraska Revised Statutes section 85-179.02 to redefine "physicians' assistant or physicians' associate" as a person qualified by training and experience to act as an assistant to a licensed physician. The bill repeals the original definition in that section, updating the statutory language for clarity. This change directly affects healthcare providers, legal frameworks for physician assistant roles, and regulations governing their practice across Nebraska. Introduced by the Education Committee on January 14, 2026, the bill focuses solely on revising a technical definition without altering other provisions.
LB 770 authorizes county treasurers to collect a 2% fee for collecting taxes and assessments from reclamation districts (water management districts) and county agricultural societies. It also revises how revenue from Nebraska's renewable energy "nameplate capacity tax" is distributed: 5% goes to community colleges near renewable energy facilities, while the rest is allocated to local governments that previously received tax revenue from those facilities. The bill modifies existing tax collection rules in Section 33-114 and updates the revenue distribution formula in Section 77-6204. These changes directly affect county treasurers, reclamation districts, agricultural societies, and local taxing entities receiving renewable energy tax funds.
LB 1040 amends Nebraska's Mental Health Commitment Act to allow family members, close friends, or guardians (defined as "interested parties") to file petitions seeking civil commitment for individuals they believe are mentally ill and dangerous. The bill updates the definition of "mentally ill and dangerous" to explicitly include risks of harm to self (e.g., recent suicide threats), harm to others (e.g., violent acts), or property damage, requiring petitions to detail specific behaviors. It adds a penalty for filing petitions in bad faith and clarifies procedures for mental health boards and county attorneys handling these cases. This change expands who can initiate commitment proceedings while setting clearer standards for when civil commitment is warranted.
Nebraska Legislative Bill LB 733 renames the "Division of Developmental Disabilities" to the "Division of Disability and Aging" within the Department of Health and Human Services. This administrative change updates the division's name in state statutes to better reflect its expanded scope, which includes services for both people with disabilities and older adults. The bill amends multiple sections of Nebraska law (including 43-4413 and 68-1530) to replace the old name with the new one and removes obsolete references. It does not alter service delivery, funding, or eligibility for programs - only the division's official title and related statutory language.
Nebraska's LB 876 creates the "Immediate Protection from Abuse Act," allowing law enforcement officers to issue protective orders immediately after arresting someone for domestic or sexual assault if they believe the restrained person poses an immediate threat. These orders prohibit contact, threats, firearm possession, and require the restrained person to stay away from the victim's residence or specified locations, including protections for household pets. The orders expire at 11:59 p.m. on the third day after issuance (or next court day if non-business day), and the bill eliminates the need for additional service of the order after the respondent's presence at a hearing. This directly affects victims of domestic/sexual assault and individuals arrested for such offenses.
Nebraska's LB 761 creates a new fund and adjusts water well registration fees for different well types. It changes fee amounts for industrial wells, geothermal installations, monitoring wells, and irrigation systems, requiring specific registration fees based on use. The bill redirects $1.384 million annually from the Integrated Solid Waste Management Fund to the Superfund Cost Share Fund, as specified in existing law. These changes affect well owners who pay registration fees and the Department of Water, Energy, and Environment, which manages the funds and fee collection.
Nebraska's LB 969 requires the state Auditor of Public Accounts to create publicly accessible online databases for all counties and cities (categorized by size, including metropolitan, primary, and first-class cities). The databases must include annual financial data such as revenue sources, expenditures, and balance sheets (showing assets and liabilities) from the most recent audit reports. Counties and cities must submit this information annually, starting with 2016 historical data, and the Auditor must update the databases within 30 days of receiving submissions. The databases must be operational by January 1, 2027, while excluding confidential or non-public records under existing laws.
LB 786 creates new military honor license plate designs for Nebraska residents who served in all 11 U.S. military branches (including the Space Force), specific campaign medal recipients (like the Inherent Resolve Medal), and veterans with disabilities (including a wheelchair symbol option). It requires verification through the Department of Veterans' Affairs, limits plate costs to match standard plates, and specifies design rules for alphanumeric and personalized message plates. The bill also includes a sunset clause that would stop issuing certain plates if fewer than 100 are registered annually for two consecutive years. This directly affects eligible veterans, active service members, and those with qualifying military service or disabilities.
Nebraska bill LB 1012 amends state law to explicitly grant physical therapists the same right as doctors and nurses to place a lien for unpaid services on injury-related settlements. It allows physical therapists to claim payment for their services from any settlement or judgment awarded to an injured person, excluding cases covered by Nebraska Workers' Compensation. The bill specifies that for patients with private insurance, the lien amount must reflect standard rates, not discounted insurance rates. This change directly affects physical therapists providing care for injury victims and the injured persons seeking compensation.
