Workforce omnibus bill given final approval

Lawmakers passed an omnibus workforce measure April 1.

LB847, sponsored by Omaha Sen. Kathleen Kauth, creates the Nebraska Office of Registered Apprenticeship within the state Department of Labor to serve as the state apprenticeship registry. The bill also creates the Nebraska Apprenticeship Council to advise the office and provide community outreach and education regarding the benefits of apprenticeship.

In addition, the measure increases from 20% to 50% the amount of the unemployment combined tax rate that can be transferred to the Workforce Development Program Cash Fund to invest in workforce development initiatives.

LB847 includes provisions of five other measures considered by the Business and Labor Committee this session, including:
• LB747, sponsored by Elkhorn Sen. Tony Sorrentino, which establishes uniform enforcement authority across multiple programs managed by DOL, including changing youth employment certification procedures, removing an infraction for failure to provide a wage statement and expanding the department’s subpoena powers;
• LB864, introduced by Sen. Jason Prokop of Lincoln, which transfers responsibility for awarding and disbursing grants under the InternNE program from the state Department of Economic Development to DOL;
• LB1015, sponsored by Sumner Sen. Teresa Ibach, which creates the Business Innovation Cash Fund within DOL and establishes a mechanism to provide funding for the Business Innovation Act from a percentage of State Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund dollars, as designated by the commissioner of labor;
• LB1044, introduced Prokop, which appropriates $15 million in fiscal year 2026-27 from the Business Innovation Cash Fund for grants under the Business Innovation Act and requires that at least $4 million in grants be awarded annually; and
• LB1173, sponsored by Kauth, which changes the name, filing fee and permitted uses of the Contractor and Professional Employer Organization Registration Cash Fund and allows DOL to assess fees annually on all employers under the Employment Security Act on a graduated scale based on gross wages paid out in the previous year, not to exceed a total of $15 million.

The measure passed on a vote of 44-4 and takes effect immediately.