# Nebraska LB203: Change powers and duties of health directors in certain local public health departments and provide requirements relating to community-wide directed health measures Nebraska LB203, Change powers and duties of health directors in certain local public health departments and provide requirements relating to community-wide directed health measures, is a 109th Legislature 1st and 2nd Sessions legislature bill sponsored by Kathleen Kauth; status signed, last action 2026-02-17 (Approved by Governor on February 17, 2026) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NE-LB203-109 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Nebraska LB203 - State: Nebraska - Session: 109th Legislature 1st and 2nd Sessions - Title: Change powers and duties of health directors in certain local public health departments and provide requirements relating to community-wide directed health measures - Status: signed - Chamber: legislature - Introduced: 2025-01-14 - Last action: 2026-02-17, Approved by Governor on February 17, 2026 - Sponsor: Kathleen Kauth - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Health and Human Services Committee - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (217 yes, 31 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 2 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Defines community-wide local health orders: benefit, low. The law defines a “community-wide directed health measure.” It is a public health action that covers the whole local area when there are no known links between cases. The law also defines an “epidemiological link” as a plausible exposure to a disease. These definitions apply to county, district, an… - Health orders need approval, last 7 days: mixed, low. Before a community-wide health order starts, the health director must get written approval from a majority of the county board. For city-county departments, approval must come from a majority of the city council. The order must then be sent to the local board of health for ratification at a regular… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Kathleen Kauth, Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-02-12 | legislature | Final Reading | pass | 35 | 12 | | | 2026-01-26 | legislature | Vote | fail | 28 | 13 | 8 | | 2026-01-26 | legislature | Vote | fail | 43 | 0 | 6 | | 2026-01-26 | legislature | Vote | fail | 34 | 3 | 12 | | | legislature | Vote | fail | 34 | 3 | 12 | | | legislature | Vote | fail | 43 | 0 | 6 | ## Actions (23) - 2026-02-17: Approved by Governor on February 17, 2026 (legislature) - 2026-02-12: Presented to Governor on February 12, 2026 (legislature) - 2026-02-12: President/Speaker signed (legislature) - 2026-02-12: Passed on Final Reading 35-12*-2 (legislature) - 2026-02-12: Dispensing of reading at large approved (legislature) - 2026-02-10: Placed on Final Reading (legislature) - 2026-02-05: Advanced to Enrollment and Review for Engrossment (legislature) - 2026-02-05: Enrollment and Review ER103 adopted (legislature) - 2026-01-29: Enrollment and Review ER103 filed (legislature) - 2026-01-29: Placed on Select File with ER103 (legislature) - 2026-01-26: Advanced to Enrollment and Review Initial (legislature) - 2026-01-26: Fredrickson AM1781 adopted (legislature) - 2026-01-26: Fredrickson AM1754 withdrawn (legislature) - 2026-01-26: Health and Human Services AM611 adopted (legislature) - 2026-01-23: Fredrickson AM1781 filed (legislature) - 2026-01-23: Health and Human Services AM611 pending (legislature) - 2026-01-21: Fredrickson AM1754 filed (legislature) - 2026-01-07: Title printed. Carryover bill (legislature) - 2025-03-18: Health and Human Services AM611 filed (legislature) - 2025-03-18: Placed on General File with AM611 (legislature) - 2025-01-24: Notice of hearing for February 07, 2025 (legislature) - 2025-01-16: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee (legislature) - 2025-01-14: Date of introduction (legislature) ## Bill text - Introduced, 2025-01-14: [PDF](https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/109/PDF/Intro/LB203.pdf) - Enrolled / Slip Law: [PDF](https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/109/PDF/Slip/LB203.pdf) - Final / Enacted: [PDF](https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/109/PDF/Final/LB203.pdf) ## Related bills - LB468: Change provisions relating to inheritance taxes, change certain fee and tax provisions, and eliminate a sales tax exemption relating to data centers (failed) - LB13: Require the Department of Health and Human Services to file a state plan amendment relating to child care (failed) - LB677: Change provisions of the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Regulation Act and provide for regulation of medical cannabis (failed) - LB646: Provide an exemption from brand inspections and change fees under the Livestock Brand Act (failed) - LB170: Eliminate the sales tax exemptions for candy and soft drinks (failed) - LB714: Change provisions relating to motor vehicle taxes and fees (failed) ## Sources - [Introduced (PDF)](https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/109/PDF/Intro/LB203.pdf) - [Enrolled / Slip Law (PDF)](https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/109/PDF/Slip/LB203.pdf) - [Final / Enacted (PDF)](https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/109/PDF/Final/LB203.pdf) ## Related - [LB468: Change provisions relating to inheritance taxes, change certain fee and tax pro…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NE-LB468-109) - [LB13: Require the Department of Health and Human Services to file a state plan amendm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NE-LB13-109) - [LB677: Change provisions of the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Regulation Act and provide f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NE-LB677-109) - [LB646: Provide an exemption from brand inspections and change fees under the Livestock…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NE-LB646-109) - [LB170: Eliminate the sales tax exemptions for candy and soft drinks](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NE-LB170-109) - [LB714: Change provisions relating to motor vehicle taxes and fees](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NE-LB714-109) - [Nebraska bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/nebraska/bills) - [Nebraska state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/nebraska) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NE-LB203-109 (as of 2026-10-17).