Criminal Justice (Courts)

This bill directs Nebraska's Legislature to appropriate $600,000 annually from the General Fund for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 specifically for interpreter services at the Supreme Court. It directly affects deaf, hard of hearing, and non-English-speaking individuals who need court interpreters. The bill mandates that these funds be used exclusively for increasing payments to interpreter service providers for these court-related needs. It does not create new rules but allocates existing state funds to support language access in the Supreme Court.

Nebraska's LB 464 creates a new criminal offense for "organized retail crime," defined as stealing retail merchandise with intent to resell, distribute, or transfer it for value. It prohibits actions like removing anti-theft devices, conspiring to steal, or knowingly purchasing stolen items, with penalties based on the total value of stolen goods: a serious felony for $5,000+ stolen, a lesser felony for $1,500-$5,000, and a misdemeanor for $500-$1,500. The law directly affects individuals committing organized theft schemes, not retailers or the general public. It requires prosecutors to prove the total value of stolen items in court and eliminates defenses if stolen items were misrepresented as stolen.