LB 163 creates a new Office of Climate Action within Nebraska's Department of Environment and Energy. The office will develop a statewide climate action plan by July 2026, focusing on reducing climate change causes and managing climate risks. It must report annually on state climate-related legislation, federal funding secured, technical assistance provided, and collaborations with local governments and climate groups. The office serves as a central resource to support climate initiatives across the state, providing education, technical help, and policy guidance to communities and organizations. This bill directly affects state agencies, local governments, and climate-focused organizations by establishing a dedicated state-level coordination point for climate action efforts.
LB 611 updates Nebraska's building and energy codes by adopting the 2021 editions of the International Building Code (IBC) and International Residential Code (IRC), replacing older versions. It requires all cities, counties, and villages to adopt these updated codes within two years or default to the state code for construction, with exceptions for farm-related projects. The bill also mandates new state buildings meet the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code. These changes directly affect local governments, builders, and developers across Nebraska.
LB 117 exempts residential users from Nebraska's sales and use tax on electricity, natural gas, propane, and sewer utilities. It directly affects homeowners and renters in apartments or commercial properties primarily used as residences, where utilities are billed separately from rent. The bill amends tax code section 77-2704.13 to exclude these utility services from taxation when used for qualifying residential purposes. The exemption takes effect January 1, 2026, and repeals the previous tax treatment for these utilities. This is a direct tax policy change for residential utility consumers, not a procedural measure.
Nebraska's LB 503 creates a program allowing counties to become "American energy friendly counties" to earn additional tax revenue from privately owned renewable energy facilities (like solar and wind installations). To qualify, counties must relax zoning rules - permitting renewable projects by right without discretionary approvals, setting noise limits at 50 decibels, and limiting setbacks (e.g., 300 feet for solar). The Department of Revenue will track designated counties and the annual tax revenue generated from these facilities. This policy directly affects county governments (through new revenue options) and renewable energy developers (by standardizing local permitting requirements).
LB 471 prohibits state agencies, counties, cities, and villages from restricting the use, purchase, or sale of motor vehicles based on their energy source (e.g., electric, gasoline, or hybrid power). It also prevents the Department of Environment and Energy from seeking federal waivers to set stricter vehicle emission standards than those required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The bill directly affects vehicle buyers, dealers, and local governments by ensuring they cannot impose rules targeting specific vehicle energy types. Key provisions eliminate barriers to all vehicle types and maintain alignment with federal emission standards.
LB 137 prohibits homeowners associations (HOAs) from banning or restricting the installation of solar energy systems, solar collectors, or pollinator gardens in residential properties. It voids any existing HOA rules that conflict with this prohibition and bans HOAs from charging fees for these installations. Homeowners can legally sue an HOA or similar group for violating this law. The bill specifically defines "pollinator gardens" as spaces supporting bees and butterflies with food/water and references existing solar energy definitions. This directly affects HOAs and homeowners in Nebraska who face restrictions on solar or pollinator garden projects.
This bill requires Nebraska electric utilities to provide service to customers who own small on-farm renewable energy systems (≤100 kilowatts) used for agricultural purposes, such as solar or wind installations. It specifically applies to systems that don’t connect to the grid for net metering and must be located on the same property as the farm’s electric account. Utilities must serve these customers but can still require compliance with safety standards, interconnection rules, and standard rates. The bill ensures grid access for qualifying farm systems without altering utility rate structures or creating new financial incentives.
LB 349 updates Nebraska's regulatory process for electric suppliers building or acquiring battery storage systems and other grid-scale energy storage resources. It streamlines application requirements, notices, and filing procedures while clarifying exemptions for these projects. The bill directly affects electric suppliers (like utility companies) by changing how they must seek approval for storage infrastructure, aiming to simplify the process without altering the definition of storage resources. This is a procedural change focused on regulatory efficiency, not new energy policies.
LB 207 creates a tiered registration fee for alternative fuel vehicles under Nebraska's Motor Vehicle Registration Act. It charges a base $150 fee for most alternative fuel vehicles (reduced to $75 for motorcycles and plug-in hybrids), but imposes a three-times higher fee ($450) for commercially registered vehicles over 7,500 lbs gross weight. The revenue from these fees is directed to the Highway Trust Fund. This bill directly affects commercial fleet operators using alternative fuel vehicles weighing more than 7,500 pounds, modifying their registration costs under existing law.
LB 35 amends a regulation governing exemptions for privately developed renewable energy projects in Nebraska. It changes the reference from "7.4" to "791.4" as it existed on January 1, 2025, for facilities like rooftop solar or small wind installations seeking certain regulatory exemptions. This bill directly affects private developers of small-scale renewable energy generation who rely on these exemptions to avoid specific permitting or grid connection requirements. The change is procedural, updating which specific rule applies but not altering the exemption criteria or eligibility itself. The bill remains in the Natural Resources Committee with no further action taken as of the provided date.
