Legislative Update: Hearings Complete, Priority Bills Announced
This week marked the official conclusion of committee hearings at the Capitol. Over the past several weeks, hundreds of newly introduced bills have been heard, debated, and refined as they worked their way through the committee process. These hearings play a critical role in shaping legislation and preparing bills for consideration by the full Legislature, and Nebraska Farm Bureau is encouraged to see many of the measures we have worked on now positioned for the next step.
Beginning next week, the Legislature will move into all-day floor debate. With limited time remaining in the session, the pace will quicken and difficult decisions will be made about which bills advance. While the calendar is tight, NEFB remains focused on securing positive outcomes for agriculture. Our team will continue to engage with senators, advocate for our members’ priorities, and work diligently to help move key bills across the finish line.
All the priority designations by senators, committees, and the speaker are now official. Priority status significantly increases the likelihood that a bill will receive floor debate this session. While designation does not guarantee passage, it does signal which measures senators and committees intend to push forward in the remaining days. We will continue closely monitoring the priority bills that directly impact Nebraska agriculture.
Notable Priority Bills
Senator Priorities
• Andersen - LR292CA - Constitutional amendment to provide a new method of valuing real property for tax purposes and limit property tax increases.
• Bostar - LB1096 - Strengthens agricultural and critical infrastructure security from foreign adversary threats.
• Brandt - LR298CA - Constitutional amendment to create requirements for the use of the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund
• Clements - LB468 - Change provisions relating to inheritance taxes, fee, and tax provisions, and eliminate a sales tax exemption relating to data centers.
• DeBoer - LB304 - Eliminate sunset on expanded eligibility for childcare subsidy.
• Dorn - LB1187 - Change fees and surcharges under the Livestock Brand Act.
• Hansen - LB1219 - Limit annual growth of property taxes to 2% plus real growth.
• Hughes - LB1124 - Increase the cigarette tax and use proceeds to treat tobacco related illnesses.
• Ibach - LB815 - Provide for tax on diesel fuels, change the Ethanol Development Act, and eliminate the Ethanol Production Incentive Cash Fund
• Jacobson - LB525 – Create the Agricultural Data Privacy Act
• Moser - LB1261 - Preserve Nebraska’s public power structure and create provisions for privately generated electricity.
Committee Priorities
• Agriculture Committee
• LB894 - Amend the Grain Dealer Act and the Grain Warehouse Act
• LB948 - Amend Nebraska Commercial Fertilizer and Soil Conditioners Act
• Legislative Planning Committee
• LB1179 - Merge the Agriculture Committee with the Natural Resources Committee and divide the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee into two separate committees and add Technology to the Telecommunications Committee.
• Natural Resources Committee
• LB759 - Change provisions relating to water wells, the Department of Water, Energy, and Environment, the Perkins County Canal Project Act, and the Nebraska Litter Reduction and Recycling Fund.
• LB1010 - Provide for eminent domain of electrical energy storage property, storage of electric energy under the Electric Cooperative Corporation Act, and energy storage resources.
• Revenue Committee
• LB803 - Change provisions relating to property taxes.
• LB901 - Change provisions relating to sales tax and use taxes.
Speaker Priority
• LB819 - Change provisions of the Rural Workforce Housing Investment Act and the Middle-Income Workforce Housing Investment Act.
If you would like to see a list of these notable priority bills in one place with summaries, our position, and more, please click this link: NEFB Notable Priority Bills.
Full 2026 priority bill list here.