Technology

LB 176 requires counties, cities, and villages to adopt a resolution supporting broadband projects before applicants can receive state grants under the Nebraska Broadband Bridge Act. This resolution must include a project map, confirmation of permit applications, and a project timeline. The bill directly affects broadband providers, cooperatives, and tribal applicants seeking state funding for projects in specific areas. It adds this local government approval step to the existing grant application process, ensuring community buy-in before funding is awarded.

Nebraska's LB 371 expands legal protection for individuals whose intimate images are created or altered using AI or digital manipulation without consent. The bill amends Nebraska's Uniform Civil Remedies Act to explicitly include computer-generated or digitally manipulated images under the definition of "intimate image" and "private" images. It creates a legal cause of action for people harmed by the intentional disclosure of such images when they were created without consent and the individual was identifiable. This directly affects anyone whose intimate images are generated or altered via AI without permission, providing them a legal path to seek remedies for unauthorized sharing. The law applies to both existing intimate images and new AI-generated content.

Nebraska's LB 536 creates a pilot program providing one-time grants of up to $250,000 to eligible existing manufacturers in the state. The grants help companies invest in smart technologies (like specialized hardware or software) to boost productivity and competitiveness, requiring applicants to match grant funds with private financial support. To qualify, manufacturers must operate in Nebraska for at least three years, have 3+ full-time employees, derive over 50% revenue from goods sales, and meet specific industry classifications. Applications for the grants, administered by the Department of Economic Development, open October 1-November 1, 2025, with funds sourced from the newly created Manufacturing Modernization Pilot Investment Fund.

LB 666 amends Nebraska law to change how the Public Service Commission handles broadband deployment projects under the Rural Communications Sustainability Act. It requires the Commission to relieve incumbent telephone carriers of certain obligations (like "carrier of last resort" duties) when a competing broadband provider meets program requirements. The bill also gives the Commission authority to decide how universal service funds are allocated and whether carrier obligations should transfer to the competing provider. This directly affects rural broadband providers, incumbent carriers, and the Public Service Commission in managing Nebraska's broadband funding programs.

LB 504 would require large online platforms operating in Nebraska to avoid design features that encourage excessive use by minors under 18. It targets companies with over $25 million in annual revenue that handle data of 50,000+ users or derive 50% of revenue from data sales, prohibiting features like infinite scrolling, push notifications, in-game purchases, and appearance-altering filters when platforms know a user is a minor. The law also bans manipulative "dark pattern" interfaces that subvert user choice, as defined by the Federal Trade Commission. Platforms with fewer than 2% minor users are exempt from these requirements.