Nebraska's legislature passed Legislative Resolution 296 urging the U.S. President and Congress to permanently extend higher meal reimbursements for childcare centers under the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program. Specifically, it requests making permanent the 2022 Keep Kids Fed Act provisions that provide family day care homes with Tier I reimbursement rates (instead of lower Tier II) and an additional 10 cents per meal. This would directly support Nebraska's 1,283 participating childcare programs serving 23,695 low-income children, ensuring continued access to nutritious meals after current federal funding expired in 2023. The resolution has no binding effect but formally requests federal action.
This bill allocates state funding to support the implementation of Legislative Bill 937, which was introduced in the 2026 legislative session. The appropriation provides $106,400 for the 2026-27 fiscal year and $109,592 for the 2027-28 fiscal year from the General Fund. These funds are designated for the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska to carry out specific provisions outlined in LB 937. The bill is a financial measure that enables the university to execute policies established by the earlier legislation without adding new requirements.
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.
LB 645 adjusts retirement contributions for Nebraska's Class V school districts and the State Patrol Retirement System. Starting July 1, 2025, employees will contribute 8.75% to 9.75% of their salary based on the retirement system's funding level, and the state will add a 2% annual contribution of employee compensation to the retirement fund. The bill clarifies that the state's 2% contribution does not shift the district's responsibility for funding the retirement system. It also updates death benefits for State Patrol officers and aligns retirement provisions across systems.
LB 303 creates the School Financing Review Commission, a 18-member group including education officials, school district representatives, and community members. The commission will evaluate Nebraska's school funding formula under the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act, review resource and student need factors, and recommend changes to help prevent property tax increases. It will also analyze how school funding impacts student outcomes like attendance, literacy, and graduation rates. The bill additionally modifies budget rules to allow school districts to exceed general fund budget limits under the act.
LB 306 modifies school residency rules to clarify admission for non-resident students, military families, and students in residential settings. It requires all Nebraska school districts to maintain a centralized financial database and mandates public and private colleges to report funding from "foreign adversarial sources" to the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education. The bill also updates scholarship programs (Nebraska Career Scholarship Act and Door to College Scholarship Act) and adjusts governance for the Nebraska State Colleges Board. These changes aim to increase transparency in school funding and foreign financial influences on higher education.
LB 306A is an appropriations bill that allocates specific state funds to support the implementation of Legislative Bill 306. It provides $2,000 (FY2025-26) and $5,000 (FY2026-27) from the Auditor of Public Accounts Cash Fund, $569,833 (FY2025-26) and $410,981 (FY2026-27) from the General Fund to the State Department of Education, $250,000 annually for state aid programs, and $192,800 (FY2025-26) and $195,000 (FY2026-27) to the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. These funds are designated for specific programs (525, 25, 158, and 781) to carry out Legislative Bill 306’s provisions, with spending limits on salaries and per diems. The bill does not create new policy but provides targeted financial resources for existing legislative priorities.
LB 608A is an appropriations bill that allocates $781,647 for fiscal year 2025-26 and $1,351,495 for fiscal year 2026-27 from Nebraska’s General Fund to the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education (Program 692). The funds are specifically designated to support the implementation of Legislative Bill 608 (related to postsecondary education), with strict limitations requiring the money to be used only for that purpose. The bill prohibits using these funds for state employee salaries or per diems. This measure was indefinitely postponed on May 14, 2025, and never became law.
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.
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.
