Legislative Roundup: Week of Jan. 20
LINCOLN--The Nebraska Legislature wrapped up bill introductions and began committee hearings in the third week of its 2025 session, including proposals to display the Ten Commandments in public schools, end tenure for state university faculty and eliminate online voter registration.
Lawmakers can introduce bills during the first 10 days of the legislative session, which ended Jan. 22. In total, senators introduced 715 bills and 29 resolutions.
Bill introductions on Jan. 21 and 22 included legislation dealing with several controversial issues.
LB 483, introduced by Sen. Jared Storm of David City, would limit legal forms of medical cannabis to liquid tinctures and pills of less than 300 milligrams of delta-9 THC. The measure would change the existing law to include the weight of products like food combined with a cannabis product to equal the 300-milligram limit.
The measure would also create exceptions for the medical cannabis provisions passed by voters in ballot initiatives last November. However, it does not extend those exceptions to the possession of devices used to ingest cannabis, like vaporizers.
The bill also would prevent people from serving on the Medical Cannabis Commission who are involved in selling, distributing or purchasing medical cannabis.
LB 504, introduced by Sen. Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln at the request of Gov. Jim Pillen, would create the Age-Appropriate Online Design Code Act. The act would require online programs and platforms to limit the availability of data and take action to prevent mental illnesses like anxiety and depression for users under 13.
LB 512, introduced by Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue and known as the Chemical Abortion Safety Protocol Act, would create new requirements for healthcare providers and pregnant persons relating to abortion medication.
The act would require providers to verify that a patient is pregnant and document the reason for the prescription of an abortion pill, along with the point in pregnancy at which the drug would be prescribed, and follow up with the patient two weeks later.
LB 541, also introduced by Holdcroft, would eliminate online voter registration and limit who can vote early. Currently, Nebraska is a no-excuse state, which means any registered voter can vote early or by mail without a reason. The measure would also require all ballots to be hand-counted.
LB 594, introduced by Sen. Jason Prokop of Lincoln, would allow police officers to pull over drivers they suspect of using their phones or texting while driving. The bill is similar to one introduced by Sen. Loren Lippincott last session.
LB 624, introduced by Sen. Rob Dover of Norfolk, would funnel $10 million of state funds to private school scholarships for low-income students every year. In November, Nebraskans voted to repeal a similar measure via a ballot referendum.
LB 655, introduced by Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, would allow medical providers to deny care based on “sincerely held beliefs” or for religious reasons.
Critics cited similar measures across the country as a form of discrimination against women and LGBTQ patients, claiming providers should put the needs of their patients above their beliefs.
LB 691, also introduced by Murman, would require public schools to display the 10 Commandments in all classrooms. While separation of church and state is a core doctrine of United States constitutional interpretation, a similar measure stands in Louisiana despite debate in district courts.
Senators will focus on debating and passing legislation in committee. Hearings convened in the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs, Judiciary, Health and Human Services, Natural Resources and Revenue committees. Senators debated 48 bills in committee last week.
The Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee considered a proposal to allow school boards and districts to hold elections on bond and property tax issues only during regularly scheduled elections, such as midterms, primaries or the general election. Holdcroft, who introduced the bill, said it would allow citizens to vote on issues that affect their property taxes.
The Judiciary Committee heard a joint proposal expanding legal immunity for those administering opioid overdose drugs beyond just Narcan, which received support from Department of Health and Human Services officials. The state provides Narcan to residents for free, but it is unclear if it would supply other medications included in the new definition.
The Health and Human Services Committee heard several measures that received no opposition, like increasing the Medicare reimbursement rate for Nebraskans in memory-assistance care facilities.
The Revenue Committee heard proposals to provide a tax credit for those using sustainable aviation fuel and housing assistance for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking.