Session Review: Government, Military and Veterans Affairs
The Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee addressed a wide range of issues this session, including updates to election laws, changes to several boards and commissions and requirements for open meetings, legal notices and the Nebraska Hall of Fame.
Government transparency
LB596, introduced last session by Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue, authorizes digital news publication of legal notices as an alternative to print newspapers, if a digital news publication does not also have a print version. It also clarifies definitions of digital newspapers and electronic editions of print newspapers for purposes of legal notices.
The measure includes provisions from the following seven measures dealing with open meeting requirements and public records:
• LB739, sponsored by Bellevue Sen. Victor Rountree, which changes the county newspaper public notice requirement for a legal name change from four consecutive weeks to two;
• LB869, introduced by Sen. Barry DeKay of Niobrara, which requires that the state treasurer’s annual unclaimed property list include information on how to search for unclaimed property and be published in each legal newspaper of general circulation in every county;
• LB896, sponsored by Hastings Sen. Dan Lonowski, which increases the marriage license fee from $25 to $50 and the cost of certified copies issued by county clerks from $9 to $16;
• LB898, introduced by Lonowski, which adds three additional public bodies to the list of those authorized to hold virtual meetings: the Semiquincentennial Commission, the Board of Trustees of the Nebraska State Historical Society and local foster care review boards;
• LB919, sponsored by Sanders, which updates four sections of state law governing the preservation of certain public records to allow the use of media other than microfilm or microfiche;
• LB923, introduced by Sen. Stan Clouse of Kearney, which contains a number of cleanup provisions related to the duties of county clerks; and
• LB1145, sponsored by Lonowski, which requires public bodies subject to open meetings requirements to provide reasonable advance notice by a method designated by the public body and recorded in its minutes.
Finally, the bill includes provisions of Lonowski’s LB1159, introduced at the request of Gov. Jim Pillen, which require that the Nebraska Hall of Fame Commission name one living inductee before Jan. 1, 2027. The inductee must have a demonstrated record of achievement in public service, leadership in collegiate athletics and volunteer youth mentorship activities.
The measure also eliminates the requirement that an individual have been dead for at least 35 years before being eligible for induction into the Nebraska Hall of Fame.
LB596 passed on a 46-3 vote.
The committee considered a measure that would have required a copy of any sole source, emergency contract be provided to the Auditor of Public Accounts within three business days of contract approval.
LB997, sponsored by Omaha Sen. Bob Andersen, advanced to general file but was not scheduled for debate.
Elections
LB1075, sponsored by Sanders, is the annual elections cleanup bill, which makes a number of changes to laws relating to election provisions requested by the Nebraska secretary of state.
Among other provisions, the bill sets the cost of a recount at $100 per precinct voting in the contest, authorizes village clerks to prepare claims and issue warrants and prohibits petition circulation within 25 feet of a secure ballot drop box.
The measure includes provisions of five additional bills containing election law provisions:
• LB884, introduced by Andersen, which requires midday delivery of ballots directly to a centralized location, prohibiting any other stops, and changes rules regarding observation by poll watchers;
• LB927, also sponsored by Andersen, which prohibits the direct or indirect involvement of foreign nationals in funding and organizing ballot question committees in Nebraska;
• LB969, introduced by Sen. Bob Hallstrom of Syracuse, which creates a database of county and municipal financial information within the state Department of Administrative Services;
• LB1002, sponsored by Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, which increases filing, application and noncompliance fees under the Political Accountability and Disclosure Act; and
• LB1074, introduced by Sanders, which revises unclaimed property statutes to clarify timelines, provide a tolling period in certain cases and create the Unclaimed Property Liquidation Proceeds Trust Fund.
LB1075 passed on a 49-0 vote and took effect immediately.
Boards and commissions
A bill that sets new requirements for county boards and commissions when considering a conditional use permit or special exception for livestock siting received final approval.
Introduced by Whitman Sen. Tanya Storer last session, LB663 makes a number of changes to the application process for such permits. Among other provisions, the bill:
• sets an educational requirement of two hours per term for certain county officials on matters relevant to the bill’s provisions;
• requires county officials to base conditional use permit decisions solely on county zoning regulations;
• adds county zoning administrators to the application review process;
• prohibits requiring a federal, state or other local permit when deciding on a conditional use permit; and
• sets a timeline for county commissions to follow when processing an application.
County officials will have 30 days to determine if an application is complete and 10 days to relay that information to the applicant. Once an application is deemed complete, counties will have 90 days to approve or deny the application. If a county fails to act within the 90-day timeline, an application automatically will be deemed approved.
LB663 passed on a 43-5 vote.
Lawmakers also approved creation of a commission intended to foster trade relations between Nebraska and the Republic of Ireland.
LB1087, sponsored by Sen. John Arch of La Vista, creates the 10-member Nebraska-Ireland Commission to be housed within the state Department of Economic Development for administrative purposes.
Membership will consist of one member of the Legislature from each of the state’s three congressional districts, in addition to the heads of DED and the state Department of Agriculture or their designees and five members appointed by the governor.
Commission members will not be paid but may be reimbursed for expenses.
The bill also creates the Nebraska-Ireland Commission Fund, which may receive grants and federal or state funds to help defray administrative costs. The commission will report to the Legislature annually.
LB1087 passed on a 49-0 vote.
LB787, introduced by Sanders and passed 49-0, updates the ex officio membership of the Commission on Military and Veteran Affairs. The bill allows the state Department of Economic Development and the director of Veterans’ Affairs to specify a designee to serve in their place.
It also adds as members the commanders of the 95th Wing, 90th Missile Wing, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, U.S. Department of Defense Nebraska service secretary and any wing or headquarters positioned or established in Nebraska in the future.
Finally, LB787 eliminates an annual reporting requirement and instead makes the commission’s report due upon request of the governor or when the commission deems drafting of an updated version appropriate.
A cleanup measure that clarifies the elimination or consolidation of several state boards and commissions and accompanying cash funds also passed this session.
LB905, sponsored by Arch, corrects some aspects of a bill passed last year that eliminated nearly 40 state boards, councils and commissions. It also eliminates 39 inactive cash funds and transfers their balances into the state General Fund.
Among other provisions, the measure transfers the duties of three eliminated boards as follows:
• Board of Alcohol and Drug Counseling to the Board of Mental Health Practice;
• Foster Care Reimbursement Rate Committee and Bridge to Independence Advisory Committee to the Nebraska Children’s Commission; and
• Board of Examiners of County Highway and City Street Superintendents to the Board of Public Roads Classifications and Standards.
LB905 passed on a 49-0 vote and took effect immediately.
Other measures
A proposed constitutional amendment that would have required the Nebraska Legislature to provide full reimbursement to political subdivisions for any new program or expansion of an existing program stalled on general file.
LR18CA, introduced by the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, would have required, beginning in 2026, that the state pay the full costs of new programs, or increased levels of service required under an existing program, either through general fund appropriations or an increase in state distribution of revenue to the impacted political subdivision.
If approved by lawmakers, the proposal would have been placed on the ballot for voter approval in the 2026 general election.
LR18CA failed to advance to select file on a 23-20 vote. Twenty-five votes were needed.
LB786, a proposal from Sanders to direct some of the proceeds from Military Honor License Plates to a new Military Department Aid Fund, advanced from committee and later was amended into LB972, a Transportation and Telecommunications Committee omnibus bill, which passed this session.
The amended provisions of LB1058, introduced by Hallstrom, direct the Nebraska Tourism Commission to make a $150,000 grant from the State Visitors Promotion Cash Fund to an organization promoting tourism that is located along the Missouri River and within five miles of a first class city.
The proposal was advanced by the committee and amended into LB1071, the mainline budget bill.
Two proposals considered by the committee were advanced to general file but not scheduled for debate this session.
Under LB1019, sponsored by Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams, no county assessor could be prosecuted for trespass while performing his or her official duties unless they enter an enclosed building without the express permission of the property owner or occupant.
LB730, introduced by Omaha Sen. Kathleen Kauth, would have required state agencies, public schools and public postsecondary educational institutions to designate restrooms and locker rooms based on sex as defined in the bill and prohibit use by the opposite sex.
