LB 382 redirects $2 million annually from Nebraska's Medicaid Managed Care Excess Profit Fund to reimburse the state's eight Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) for eligible activities and services defined under existing law. The bill specifically appropriates these funds for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27, with an equal share distributed to each AAA. This ensures AAAs receive reimbursement for costs related to services supporting older Nebraskans, such as transportation, meals, and home care, as outlined in section 81-2222. The bill amends existing funding mechanisms to prioritize these reimbursements while maintaining current eligibility criteria.
Nebraska's LB 585 amends how state funds are distributed through the Community-based Juvenile Services Aid Program. It requires 10% of annual General Fund appropriations to be set aside: 5% for a centralized data collection system managed by the commission (to track program effectiveness and recidivism) and 5% for the University of Nebraska at Omaha to evaluate the program. Another 10% must be allocated to small community organizations ($1 million annual budget max) in designated census tracts that prevent juvenile crime before justice system involvement. The remaining funds are distributed based on county youth population statistics and prioritized for programs diverting juveniles from detention, reducing out-of-home placements, and supporting family services.
This bill amends funding provisions for two Nebraska museums: the Chief Standing Bear Museum and the Fort Robinson State Park museum. It specifies exact annual funding amounts from the Museum Construction and Maintenance Fund - $7.15 million for the Chief Standing Bear Museum's construction in fiscal year 2025-26, $750,000 for exhibits in 2024-25, and $7 million for the Fort Robinson museum in 2025-26. The bill directly affects the Game and Parks Commission, which will manage these funds, and the federally recognized tribes partnering on the Chief Standing Bear project. It updates prior funding language to clarify intended allocations without changing the overall purpose or scope of the museum projects.
LB 417 establishes the Nebraska Promise Program, providing tuition waivers for eligible Nebraska residents attending University of Nebraska campuses or Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. It covers up to 15 credit hours per semester after federal grants and scholarships are applied, targeting students with family incomes under $65,000 annually and requiring a 2.5 GPA. The bill also extends similar tuition waivers to community colleges (up to 2 years) and state colleges (up to 4 years) for qualifying low-income students. Funding for these waivers comes from a new College Promise Fund, with reimbursements distributed monthly from the General Fund to institutions after annual certification. The program requires institutions to verify eligibility and maintain a standardized appeals process through the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education.
LB 194 amends Nebraska's documentary stamp tax law to expand exemptions for certain family property transfers. The bill adds exemptions for deeds between spouses, parents and children, and transfers to family-owned corporations, partnerships, or LLCs (when all ownership is held by family members within the fourth degree of kinship) without payment. Transfers must be made in the business entity's name, not the individual's, to qualify for the exemption. This directly affects families and small family-run businesses that move property without monetary exchange.
LB 695 requires the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District to construct a dam and implement flood control measures to protect Battle Creek, Nebraska, and downstream communities. The bill mandates the district to build a dam based on a specific engineering design, avoid increasing river flow downstream, and seek local, state, and federal funding to minimize tax increases for residents. It directly affects Battle Creek’s road and rail infrastructure, which supports local businesses, transportation, and regional industries like agriculture and manufacturing. The law aims to prevent flood damage to critical infrastructure while reducing the need for higher property taxes on district residents.
LB 146 proposes a 12.5% increase in reimbursement rates for dental services provided under Nebraska's Medical Assistance Act (Medicaid) for fiscal year 2025-26. This bill directly affects dentists and dental clinics that serve Medicaid patients by raising the state's payment for covered dental procedures. The legislation states the Legislature's intent to appropriate funds for this rate increase, which would improve payments for providers but does not expand eligibility or coverage. It declares an emergency to allow immediate implementation upon approval. The bill is currently pending before the Appropriations Committee.
LB 703 creates a new exchange program between Nebraska's Commission on African American Affairs and the Republic of Ghana. The bill adds a specific duty for the Commission to develop this partnership, with the Legislature intending to appropriate $1 million annually starting in fiscal year 2026-27. This program directly affects the Commission's operations and aims to foster international collaboration focused on African American affairs. The bill amends the Commission's statutory duties without changing other existing functions or requirements.
LB 581 was a funding bill that allocated $3,000,000 from the General Fund for Fiscal Year 2025-26 to Nebraska's Department of Health and Human Services. The funds were specifically designated for behavioral health services for youth in facilities that also operate early childhood development centers. The bill was amended into another measure (LB261) on June 6, 2025, and did not create new policies or regulations. It directly affected youth receiving behavioral health services at participating facilities.
Nebraska's LB 452 states the Legislature's intent to appropriate $500,000 annually from federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds to the Department of Health and Human Services for court-appointed special advocate (CASA) state aid programs. Specifically, it allocates $500,000 for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27, designating these funds exclusively for CASA program support. The bill declares an emergency to allow immediate implementation upon approval. Note: This bill was amended into LB261 on June 6, 2025, and is no longer active as introduced.
