2020 Legislative Bill Summary
***UPDATED*** – March 6, 2020
All Bills Listed by Committee
FORMAT: Bill #; Description; Introducer; Bill Status; NEFB Position in BOLD
* indicates bill designated as senator, committee, or speaker priority
AGRICULTURE
COMMODITY CHECKOFF PROGRAMS
LB 803* – Establishes a state checkoff program for pulse crops like dry peas, lentils, chickpeas or garbanzo beans, faba beans, and lupine. Creates a checkoff board and sets an initial check off rate of 1% of the net market value of pulse crops sold.
(Hughes) (Select File) SUPPORT.
LIVESTOCK
LB 791* – Clarifies that if a person is convicted of livestock abuse or neglect and is sentenced, a court may also order that the person be prohibited from owning or possessing other non-livestock animals.
(Slama) (In Committee) NEUTRAL.
BRAND INSPECTION
LB 1165 – Eliminates the Nebraska Brand Committee and authorizes the Nebraska Department of Agriculture to carry out provisions of the Livestock Brand Act.
(Stinner) (In Committee) OPPOSE.
LB 1200 – Replaces the Nebraska Brand Act with the Livestock Identification Act. Updates statute to recognize electronic animal identification. Sets in statute certain fees for registration, as well as annual renewal fee for registered feedlots and allows each “grow yard” affiliated with a feedlot within the inspection area to be registered via an annual $50 fee, plus an audit requirement.
(Brewer) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
INDUSTRIAL HEMP
LB 919 – Clarifies that applications to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture to cultivate, process, or broker industrial hemp can only be denied if applications are incomplete or deficient.
(Wayne) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
LB 1152* – Revises the Hemp Farming Act to be consistent with requirements for state hemp plans under the Interim Final Rule of USDA implementing the federal hemp program authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill, including provisions related to sample collection, THC testing, timeliness of harvesting, etc. Committee amendment pending.
(Halloran) (General File) SUPPORT.
LB 1219 – Provides consumer protections and regulations for CBD and other hemp products.
(Wayne) (In Committee) NEUTRAL.
REGULATIONS
LB 1159 – Extends the training period for a noncertified pesticide applicator from 60 to 120 days prior to obtaining an initial commercial or noncommercial applicator license. The bill also authorizes unlimited exam attempts for the noncertified applicator during that training period.
(Stinner) (GeneralFile) NEUTRAL.
APPROPRIATIONS
LB 778 – Allocates $2 million of state money for repayment of education debts incurred by eligible health professionals under the Rural Health Systems and Professional Incentive Act.
(Stinner) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
LB 1026 – Allocates $2.5 million of state money to the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska to support ag water research best practices.
(Bolz) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
EDUCATION
SCHOOL FUNDING
LB 1073* – Allocates more state dollars to education to reduce property taxes. Lowers the value of agricultural land to 55% of its actual value within the TEEOSA (state aid to schools’ formula). Lowers the local effort rate from one dollar to ninety-nine cents. Establishes basic funding aid. Each school district would receive 7.5% of its basic funding from the state.
(DeBoer) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
EXECUTIVE BOARD
LEGISLATURE
LB 1035 – Establishes an additional legislative district effective Jan. 2023, increasing the number of legislative districts from 49 to 50.
(Friesen) (In Committee) NEUTRAL.
LR 279CA* – Constitutional amendment allowing the Legislature to establish up to 55 legislative districts. There are 49 today with a cap of 50.
(Scheer) (General File) SUPPORT.
LR 280CA – Constitutional amendment allowing senators to serve up to three consecutive terms in the legislature.
(Wayne) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
GENERAL AFFAIRS
ELECTRIC LICENSING
LB 1174 – Targeted to help those expanding their livestock farms, the bill adds certain licenses under the State Electrical Act to address a restrictive licensing requirement which dramatically increases costs without enhancing the safety or structural integrity of livestock and other buildings.
(Briese) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
GOVERNMENT
REGULATIONS
LB 857 – Mandates state agencies review rules and regulations 10 years after they were enacted. Each agency would be required to file a report stating the statutory authority for the rule or regulation as well as whether it’s working or in need of revision.
(Lowe) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
ZONING
LB 1057 – Enacts limitations on the appeal of local zoning decisions made by a planning commission or county board regarding denials of conditional use or special exemption permits.
(Lowe) (In Committee) OPPOSE.
ELECTIONS
LB 1193 – Restricts special elections for bond issues that would increase property taxes, increase the property tax levy, or exceed property tax levy limitations by requiring them to be on primary or general election ballots.
(Linehan) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
LR 283CA – Constitutional amendment to clarify only Nebraska citizens can vote in elections.
(Brewer) (In Committee) NEUTRAL.
LR 292CA – Constitutional amendment to require verification of identification prior to voting.
(La Grone) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
NATURAL RESOURCES
INTEGRATED WATER MANAGEMENT
LB 802 – Codifies common law in statute clarifying that the right to use groundwater cannot be separated from the overlying land.
(Hughes) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
LB 845 – Allows for the separation of water rights from overlying land in cases where the land was purchased to develop and operate a water augmentation project for streamflow enhancement.
(Groene) (In Committee) OPPOSE.
GAME AND PARKS COMMISSION
LB 859 – Changes Game and Parks Commission membership by requiring at least three members be “engaged in farming or livestock production” as compared to three members being “engaged in agricultural pursuits” as is current law.
(Hughes) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
LB 863 – Prevents the Game and Parks Commission from purchasing or acquiring title to any additional land if such purchase or acquisition would increase the amount of property owned by the Commission beginning Sept. 1, 2020.
(Hughes) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
WILDLIFE AND RECREATION
LB 1173 – Allows landowners and lessees to apply for limited transferable permits to hunt antelope, deer, or elk whenever it is evidenced that the animals are doing damage to the landowner’s property.
(Erdman) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
LB 899* – Allows public power districts to develop, manufacture, use, purchase or sell biofuels and biofuel byproducts and other fuels that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Pending committee amendment specifies public power districts can only engage in those activities to offset greenhouse gas emissions.
(Hughes) (General File) SUPPORT.
LB 1132 – Eliminates the 25 kilowatt cap on net metering for customer-generators of electricity.
(Wayne) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
LB 1205 – Phases in a state renewable energy standard. Nebraska public power entities would need to have renewable power generation equal to 35% of annual power generation by the end of 2022, 50% renewable by the end of 2026, and 75% renewable by the end of 2030.
(McCollister) (In Committee) OPPOSE.
FLOOD CONTROL
LR 288* – Resolution urging Congress and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to prioritize flood control for management of waters in the Missouri River Mainstream Reservoir System Water Control Manual.
(Slama) (Adopted by Legislature) SUPPORT.
LB 1072 – Allows NRDs that don’t encompass a city of the Metropolitan class to issue negotiable bonds, refunding bonds, and entitled flood protection bonds.
(Hughes) (In Committee) OPPOSE.
LB 1201 – Establishes a Flood Mitigation and Planning Task Force to develop a statewide flood mitigation plan and to further coordinate communication between state, county, and local entities to reduce impacts of future flooding.
(Bostelman) (General File) CONDITIONAL SUPPORT.
REVENUE
TAX REFORM/RELIEF
LB 930* – Requires that at a minimum, $275 million be available to provide property tax relief each year out of the Property Tax Credit Cash Fund.
(Briese) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
LB 974* – Initiates school funding reform and property tax relief by replacing local property tax dollars used to fund education with state dollars. Phases in reductions in both land valuation for taxation purposes and for purposes of calculating state aid to schools. Establishes per-student foundation aid for schools and ensures the state covers a minimum level of basic education funding for each school district.
(Linehan) (General File) SUPPORT.
LB 1175 – Enacts a tax on mechanical amusement devices whereby proceeds from the tax would be allocated to the state’s Property Tax Credit Cash Fund.
(Briese) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
LB 1212 – Adopts the Property Tax Request Act, that expands on LB 103 adopted last year which forces down levies proportionate to increases in property valuations. Expands requirements of public notice and hearings on tax asking increases.
(B. Hansen) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
LB 1213 – Lowers property valuations. Eliminates TEEOSA (state aid to schools’ formula) and replaces it with per-pupil foundation aid and “infrastructure aid”. Broadens the sales tax base by eliminating sales tax exemptions (including those on ag machinery and equipment) to lower property taxes and reduce individual income tax rates.
(B. Hansen) (In Committee) NEUTRAL.
LR 284CA – Constitutional amendment to eliminate the state income tax over a four-year period.
(Brewer) (In Committee) MONITOR.
LR 300CA* – Constitutional amendment to change the ways taxes are collected. Replaces income, sales, property, and inheritance taxes with a single-rate consumption tax.
(Erdman) (In Committee) MONITOR.
GENERAL TAX ISSUES
LB 818 – Indexes the nameplate capacity tax paid by renewable energy generators in lieu of real property tax and personal property tax to the consumer price index so the tax can change with inflation.
(Brewer) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
LB 829 – Requires the Game and Parks Commission to pay in-lieu of taxes on all private land purchased by the Commission. Payments shall be the same as the real property taxes if paid by a private landowner and be valued at its highest and best use.
(Erdman) (In Committee) CONDITIONAL SUPPORT.
LB 1070 – Clarifies that header trailers and head haulers qualify for the Nebraska ag machinery sales tax exemption. The pending committee amendment would also include seed tender trailers as qualifying for the exemption.
(Murman) (General File) SUPPORT.
BUSINESS INCENTIVES
LB 720* – Replaces the state’s business incentives under the Nebraska Advantage Act with the ImagiNE Act. Pending amendment would incorporate provisions of LB 1084 into LB 720.
(Kolterman) (Select File) MONITOR.
LB 879 – Eliminates funding for the Nebraska Advantage Microenterprise Tax Credit Act and changes the termination date for applications.
(Geist) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
LB 1084 – Adopts the Nebraska Transformational Project Act and creates the Nebraska Transformational Project Fund. Allows the University of Nebraska Medical Center to apply for $300 million of state matching funds for a new facility. Depending on how fast the federal government makes up its mind if this facility will be built in Nebraska, the state’s share could be needed as early as 2021 and would likely be payable over a period of 5-6 years.
(Kolterman) (In Committee) MONITOR.
LB 1214 – Adopts the Rural Economic Development Grant Fund to provide grants to rural businesses which would not qualify for business incentives under the “ImagiNE” Act.
(Friesen) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
TRANSPORTATION & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
BROADBAND
LB 992* – Adopts recommendations of the Rural Broadband Task Force. Allows electric utilities to install, maintain, or own an attached facility for operation by a commercial broadband supplier in providing commercial broadband service. Allows electric utilities to lease or provide a commercial broadband supplier any excess capacity. Establishes a state broadband coordinator position, among other provisions.
(Friesen) (In Committee) SUPPORT.
LB 996* – Enacts the Broadband Data Improvement Program through the Public Service Commission. The purpose of the program is to complement the granular broadband availability data provided to the FCC or the Universal Service Administrative Company; leverage the FCC’s Digital Opportunity Data Collection; encourage Nebraskans to participate in crowdsourcing efforts.
(Brandt) (Select File) CONDITIONAL SUPPORT.
OVERWEIGHT PERMITS
LB 931* – Clarifies parameters of Nebraska’s overweight harvest permit exemption for farmers. The bill specifically states the exemption from having to obtain an overweight permit would apply to the hauling of commodities from “storage” to market. Committee amendment pending.
(Halloran) (Select File) SUPPORT.
