LB 455 would require injury reports filed under Nebraska's Workers' Compensation Act to be kept confidential by default, meaning they cannot be publicly accessed. Employees can choose to waive this confidentiality to allow public access to their specific reports, and this waiver remains in effect even if they change jobs. The bill specifies who may access these reports without waiver, including the affected employee, their attorney, the employer or insurer involved, certain attorneys handling related claims, or government agencies compiling statistics (with employee identities redacted). It does not change the types of injuries requiring reporting but clarifies who can view the reports under specific circumstances. The bill is currently postponed indefinitely in the Nebraska legislature.
LB 397 repeals Nebraska's requirements for employers to establish workplace safety committees and implement safety programs (sections 48-443 to 48-445). It also terminates a related fund and removes related eligibility criteria from workers' compensation rules. Employers previously required to maintain safety committees or comply with safety program standards will no longer face these mandates. The bill eliminates these specific provisions without creating new requirements or changing other workers' compensation rules.
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 265 establishes a pilot program providing one-time grants to eligible Nebraska manufacturers for technology upgrades that increase productivity. It directly affects manufacturers meeting specific criteria (e.g., operating 3+ years, generating 51% revenue from goods, employing 3+ full-time staff) who must match grant funds 1:1 with private investment. The program allocates up to $250,000 from the Workforce Development Fund, capping individual grants at $50,000 for projects like job training or specialized equipment. The bill also transfers related funding, adjusts unemployment tax rates, and eliminates the Nebraska Worker Training Board.
This bill sets funding levels for Nebraska state agencies during fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25. It allocates specific sums for state government operations, handles unspent balances from prior years, and establishes a cap on state employee salaries and per diem payments. The bill requires agencies to operate within these budget constraints, including limits on total compensation for permanent and temporary staff. It directly affects all state agencies receiving operating funds and governs how they manage their budgets.
LB 335 amends Nebraska's In the Line of Duty Dependent Education Act by clarifying that "child" includes stepchildren of Nebraska law enforcement officers or firefighters killed in the line of duty. This definition change (Section 85-2303(3)) ensures children of eligible deceased officers/firefighters - regardless of birth or adoption status - qualify for the education benefit. The bill does not alter benefit amounts or eligibility criteria beyond explicitly including stepchildren in the definition. It affects dependent children of Nebraska public safety personnel who die while performing official duties.
LB 229 amends Nebraska's Employment Security Law to exclude "marketplace network contractors" (such as delivery drivers or ride-share workers for platforms like Uber) from the law's definition of "employment." This means these workers would no longer qualify for unemployment benefits under Nebraska's system. The bill achieves this by adding a specific exclusion to the law's definition of "employment," clarifying that services performed for marketplace network platforms are not covered. The change directly affects independent contractors working through digital platforms, not the platforms themselves or traditional employees.
This Nebraska bill (LB 197) amends key sections of the Employment Security Law to clarify rules for unemployment benefits. It updates disqualification rules (Section 48-628.09) to better define when workers lose benefits due to labor disputes, requiring proof of non-involvement in the dispute. The bill also streamlines claim processing (Section 48-630) and sets a two-year limit for redetermining benefit amounts (Section 48-631), ensuring timely resolution of eligibility issues. These changes directly affect unemployed workers and employers navigating benefit claims, making the process more transparent and efficient under Nebraska's unemployment system.
LB 574, introduced in Nebraska in 2025, would have established specific rights for certified firefighters and emergency personnel, including paramedics and EMTs. The bill required formal investigations into complaints against firefighters to follow strict procedures: providing written summaries before interviews, recording all interviews, allowing legal or union representation, and maintaining confidentiality of all records. It also guaranteed firefighters access to mental health services, safe working conditions, and the right to challenge disciplinary actions through grievance processes. The bill further prohibited mandatory polygraph exams and protected firefighters' personal information, while allowing off-duty political activity and access to personnel records. (Note: The bill was withdrawn on February 7, 2025, and did not become law.)
