All Roll Calls
Yes: 182 • No: 1
NebraskaLB150A109th Legislature 1st and 2nd SessionslegislatureWALLET
Appropriation Bill
Sponsored By: Carolyn Bosn
Signed by Governor
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
30 provisions identified: 17 benefits, 1 costs, 12 mixed.
Lifetime supervision and stricter violations
People convicted of certain sex offenses on or after July 14, 2006 are supervised for life after release. If they break supervision rules, parole reviews risk and can add conditions, seek criminal charges, or recommend civil commitment. Failing to comply is a Class IV felony first time and a Class III felony after. Courts and prisons must give written notice and keep a signed form. The agency must keep parole officer caseloads at safe levels.
State help to erase medical debt
The law creates a Medical Debt Relief Program run by the State Treasurer. The state hires a coordinator to buy medical debt at a discount and discharge it for eligible residents. The coordinator cannot seek payment from people whose debt is purchased. The program uses state appropriations or donations and notifies people when debt is cleared. It also reports summary results to the state.
New felonies for school staff abuse
Sexual abuse by a school employee or contract worker age 19 or older is now a felony. Sexual penetration of a student is a Class IIA felony; sexual contact is a Class IIIA felony. A pattern or scheme to subject a student to contact or penetration is a Class IV felony. Consent by the student is not a defense. The rule applies to students age 16 to 19 who attend or recently attended the same school.
Parole staff pay, training, and metrics
The law creates the Division of Parole Supervision. Field parole officers and support staff must be paid salaries equal to similar state jobs. Parole officers must complete training within one year of hire or by September 1, 2024. Agencies must set performance measures that track rehabilitation and jobs. The Director can use designated funds to expand parole programs, staff, training, and treatment services.
Stronger corrections data and oversight
The state builds a statewide plan for community corrections and reporting centers. Agencies share treatment data with Health and Human Services to evaluate programs. Public Counsel and the Inspector General get direct computer access to parole records. Staff and contractors must cooperate with oversight and provide records. Parole and corrections use community facilities for reentry. Probation can spend set funds on programs and services, and probation includes post‑release supervision.
Stronger local overdose death review teams
Lead groups can set up overdose fatality review teams. Chairs recruit members, collect records, remove names, and publish a yearly report. Parole, probation, and corrections may serve and must share needed records, subject to federal privacy laws. Agencies must answer written record requests within 30 days, and prosecutors can subpoena records to enforce cooperation.
More crimes require sex registry
More convictions now require sex offender registration. The rules apply to people convicted on or after January 1, 1997. This expands public notice and monitoring for those offenses.
New rules on wage garnishment
Courts can place a continuing lien on your nonexempt pay when you owe a judgment. Your employer must withhold and send money while the lien is active. The lien ends when the debt is paid, after 60 days with no nonexempt earnings or job separation over 60 days, or when released. It expires after 90 days unless extended once. For corporate employers, creditors must serve the registered agent or follow service rules, and usually send a copy to the agent if not directly served.
Stronger safety rules for ride-hailing
Ride-hailing companies must run a zero-tolerance drug and alcohol policy and file it with the state. They must train drivers before drivers can accept rides. If a rider reports intoxication, the company suspends the driver at once and investigates. The app must show the driver and car or the license plate to riders. The state can investigate nonenforcement and order the company to act, including suspending drivers.
Sentencing and trial process updates
Intentionally causing major outages to rail, broadband, water, gas, or power is a Class III felony. Habitual criminals face higher mandatory minimums, often at least 10 years, and 25 years for listed violent or sex crimes. Parties must quickly share new evidence covered by discovery. Courts send presentence reports to corrections, and lawyers view reports electronically when available. Some sections take effect July 1, 2027. The law clarifies which sexual assault offenses qualify for protection orders.
Sex offender custody with tribal rules
Tribal members living in Indian country come under state sex‑offender commitment rules when tribal proceedings start. Tribal courts can access records to oversee treatment. Evaluators must file a tribe‑form certificate within 24 hours if they find a dangerous sex offender. If someone leaves treatment without permission, the facility must notify the State Patrol and tribal officials, who can issue a warrant. Emergency custody keeps people in jail or corrections, or in a medical facility only for true emergencies.
Fair loan terms for benefit recipients
Licensed installment lenders cannot deny you a loan or give worse terms because of your age, race, sex, disability, veteran status, or because you get public benefits like Social Security or a pension. This rule applies to loans covered by the Nebraska Installment Loan and Sales Act.
Safer DNA testing in paternity cases
Courts can order DNA tests in paternity cases, but labs must be nationally accredited. Labs must protect privacy, follow strict rules to keep or destroy samples, tell people when samples are destroyed, and complete yearly independent audits. Selling or transferring DNA samples is illegal and carries criminal penalties.
Fairer mental-health custody and hearings
Closed mental-health board hearings can run by videoconference if all parties agree, or where the person lives if they cannot travel. Professionals must not medicate a person before a hearing in a way that stops them from helping their defense. If a tribal-court-committed person leaves treatment without permission, the facility alerts law enforcement and the tribal prosecutor at once, and a tribal official can issue a warrant. Mental-health cases start when a petition is filed or the county attorney announces plans to file. Counties arrange and cover emergency protective-custody placements so people get timely care.
Pilot to add mental-health beds
The state funds one county law enforcement agency to add mental-health beds and work with nearby counties. The commission sets grant rules and audits funds. The chosen county must show it can add beds and sign agreements to share benefits across the region.
Stronger housing protections for veterans
Real estate agents cannot refuse to show, sell, or rent because of military or veteran status. Landlords in mobile-home parks cannot deny a rental for that reason. The state can discipline real estate licensees who discriminate.
Wider job and program protections for veterans
The law bars discrimination based on military or veteran status across many state rules. It covers jobs, apprenticeships, state contracts, housing help, and some shelters. Veterans and service members now have these protections in those areas.
Deferred-judgment option for veterans
Courts run a veteran justice program in every district and county court that uses deferred judgments. An eligible veteran can ask the court to defer a conviction and get probation with treatment after notice to victims and a hearing. The program takes effect July 1, 2027. The State Court Administrator tracks outcomes and sends a de-identified report by July 1, 2026 and every July 1 after.
Fairer, flexible staffing for elections
Counties may appoint one 16‑year‑old per precinct as a clerk of election. All‑mail counties may appoint qualified electors from outside the county. Boards must include members from the top parties based on past votes. No one is excluded from serving because of race, religion, sex, origin, party, or military or veteran status.
More reentry housing and work release
The state can contract with private providers to run community work release and reentry centers. Centers must offer housing, supervision, job help, training, education, and treatment, and create a personal release plan for each person. A statewide plan to let private providers bid is due by July 1, 2026. Lawmakers intend $1 million to help launch and run these centers. The Department also sets standards for reentry housing, monitors costs and outcomes, and a new advisory board reports each October 1 starting in 2025. The Division runs a pilot residential program for technical parole violations with counseling, classes, service, and drug testing.
Parole records go electronic with privacy
The Department of Correctional Services keeps Board of Parole records and may keep files electronically. Each person’s file must be complete and current, including programs and medical and mental health records, with privacy protections. Files are confidential and shared only in limited cases, such as public hearings or court orders. The Board must share names, parole officers, and parole conditions with the state law enforcement commission.
Risk-based parole rules and appeals
Parole decisions must use validated risk and needs assessments. The Division assesses risk at the start of parole and every six months, and tools are tested for validity at least every five years. Before release, people get written notice and a certificate listing the least restrictive conditions at least 30 days before sentence completion. Conditions are reviewed each year, and people can appeal conditions in district court and may get a public defender if indigent. Officers supervising lifetime supervision cases must help with reentry, monitor compliance, and review cases regularly.
New anti-bias protections for veterans
Military and veteran status is now protected in jobs, housing, and public places. Counties cannot reject or discipline people only because they are veterans. Businesses seeking tourist road signs must follow anti‑discrimination laws or lose eligibility.
Updated paternity and child support
A mother, an alleged father, or a man who believes he is the father can file during pregnancy or within four years after birth. Guardians or the state can file during pregnancy or within 18 years. A man can ask to intervene with an affidavit; the court can order DNA testing and decide who pays. Support can include reasonable education costs. These changes apply to pending and new cases.
Mental-health emergency custody and tribal rules
Evaluators must issue a certificate within 24 hours when they find someone is mentally ill and dangerous and send it to the county attorney. For people domiciled in Indian country, tribes may start emergency custody, must arrange facilities and payment, and get the 24-hour certificate sent to their designee. If hospital beds are not open, non–sex offenders in emergency custody may be placed in a jail or other facility with a mental health bed until a medical bed opens. People with listed prior sex-offense convictions must go to jail or a DOC facility unless a medical or psychiatric emergency requires hospital care. Mental health and sex-offender hearings may be by video if all parties agree.
Safety checks for reentry housing sites
The state can ask fire and building officials to inspect reentry housing for safety and code compliance. Facilities must allow access and pay inspection fees. If there is an imminent health or safety threat, the state alerts the facility and agencies quickly and provides a fast way to contest findings.
Obsolete statutes repealed in overhaul
The act repeals a list of older code sections to match the new system. This cleans up the law after the overhaul.
Parole arrests, detainers, and overcrowding
Parole officers can arrest without a warrant if they reasonably believe a parolee will flee or endanger people or property. The Division must coordinate with agencies that have warrants or detainers and give notice of releases. If the prison population exceeds 140% of design capacity, the director must declare an overcrowding emergency within 30 days. During an emergency, the Board must quickly review eligible cases and generally order release unless clear exceptions apply.
When parts of this law start
This act takes effect when passed and approved. Sections 50 and 161 take effect on October 1, 2025. The other listed sections take effect three months after the legislative session ends.
Banks must list garnishment contact
Banks that take deposits in Nebraska must name an in-state office or agent to receive garnishment summons. The Department of Banking and Finance posts the list online within 10 business days of filing. Service to the listed office is effective for any Nebraska branches. Banks can update or revoke their designation.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Carolyn Bosn
legislature
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 45 • No: 0 • Other: 4
legislature vote • 5/30/2025
Final Reading
Yes: 47 • No: 1 • Other: 1
legislature vote • 5/28/2025
Vote
Yes: 45 • No: 0 • Other: 4
legislature vote • 5/20/2025
Vote
Yes: 45 • No: 0 • Other: 4
Actions Timeline
Approved by Governor on June 4, 2025
6/6/2025legislaturePassed on Final Reading 47-1-1
5/30/2025legislaturePresident/Speaker signed
5/30/2025legislaturePresented to Governor on May 30, 2025
5/30/2025legislatureBosn AM1609 adopted
5/28/2025legislatureAdvanced to Enrollment and Review for Engrossment
5/28/2025legislaturePlaced on Final Reading
5/28/2025legislaturePlaced on Select File
5/27/2025legislatureBosn AM1609 filed
5/27/2025legislatureAdvanced to Enrollment and Review Initial
5/20/2025legislatureDate of introduction
5/19/2025legislaturePlaced on General File
5/19/2025legislature
Bill Text
Introduced
6/6/2025
Enrolled / Slip Law
Final / Enacted