All Roll Calls
Yes: 157 • No: 4
NebraskaLB80109th Legislature 1st and 2nd Sessionslegislature
Adopt the Protection Orders Act, require reporting of child abuse and neglect involving military families, provide for domestic violence victims to change rental agreements and request the changing of locks, and change provisions related to landlords and tenants
Sponsored By: Bob Hallstrom
Signed by Governor
Judiciary Committee
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
9 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.
Stronger protection orders and relief
The law creates clear orders for domestic abuse, sexual assault, and harassment. A judge can order no contact, make the abuser leave the home, set stay‑away limits, and protect pets. The judge can give temporary child custody for up to 90 days and bar the abuser from having guns. Courts can issue fast ex parte orders when there is immediate danger or irreparable harm. If an ex parte order is served, the respondent has 10 business days to ask for a hearing; the court then sets a hearing within 30 days. If no ex parte order issues, domestic abuse and sexual assault cases get a hearing within 14 days. Initial orders last 1 to 2 years. You can renew within 45 days before the end (or on the end date), and the renewal lasts one year. Courts can treat your filing as a different type of order if the facts fit better. Your petition and affidavit are admitted into evidence unless the judge excludes them.
Faster arrests and stiffer violation penalties
Knowingly breaking a protection order is a crime. For domestic abuse or sexual assault orders, the first offense is a Class I misdemeanor; later offenses are Class IV felonies. For harassment orders, the first offense is a Class II misdemeanor; later offenses are Class I misdemeanors. Officers must arrest, with or without a warrant, when they have probable cause of a violation, and can rely on a copy of the order or agency confirmation. After arrest, a judge sets release conditions and may order no contact. Officers cannot use a citation instead of arrest in these protection‑order cases. Officers also have broader power to arrest without a warrant in certain domestic situations and must bring the person before a court within seven days unless waived. Valid protection orders from other states, tribes, and territories are enforced in Nebraska.
Tougher weapon rules tied to orders
When a court issues a domestic abuse order, the respondent gets a notice that federal law may bar them from having guns or ammo. Knowing violations of protection orders now count as “dangerous misdemeanors” for weapon‑related sentence increases. If you are under a current order and knowingly break it, you are a prohibited person for deadly weapons. A first firearm offense is a Class ID felony; later firearm offenses are Class IB felonies.
Sharing victim IDs to enforce orders
If you give the court your Social Security number or birthdate, the court can share it with criminal‑justice agencies to enforce your order. Agencies must keep it confidential except to enter it into state and federal enforcement databases. Sharing can help officers identify and protect you faster, but it also carries privacy risks.
Standard forms, free filings, fast service
Filing, issuing, and serving a protection order is free. A court can charge costs only if it finds your statements were false and filed in bad faith. Clerks must give you two certified copies, and send one each to local police and the sheriff. The sheriff must serve the order and file proof within 14 days; electronic copies are allowed. Courts use one set of state forms, and clerk staff cannot help you fill them out.
Report military-family abuse to bases
When child abuse or neglect involves a military family, the Department notifies the military installation. The Department makes agreements with bases on how to identify cases, share information, and protect privacy. The base also gets a notice when an investigation ends.
Clear definitions and lawful isolation exceptions
The law defines terms used in protection orders, like abuse, harassment, family or household members, and household pets. It also says that following a protection or exclusion order, or certain nursing‑home rules, is not illegal “isolation.” This helps officials apply the law the same way across the state.
Clearer stalking rules and penalties
The law defines key stalking terms like “harass,” “course of conduct,” and who counts as a family or household member. Stalking stays a misdemeanor in many cases, but it becomes a Class IIIA felony if certain facts apply. These include a prior stalking within seven years, a victim under 16, having a deadly weapon, breaking a protection order, or a prior felony against the same victim.
Tighter rules for respondent counter-orders
If you are the respondent, you can get your own domestic abuse order only by filing a cross‑ or counter‑petition. The court must find you suffered domestic or family abuse and that you are entitled to relief before it grants your order.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Bob Hallstrom
legislature
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 38 • No: 0 • Other: 11
legislature vote • 5/14/2025
Final Reading
Yes: 46 • No: 3
legislature vote • 4/14/2025
Vote
Yes: 35 • No: 1 • Other: 13
legislature vote • 4/14/2025
Vote
Yes: 38 • No: 0 • Other: 11
Actions Timeline
Provisions/portions of LB141 amended into LB80 by AM801
6/6/2025legislatureProvisions/portions of LB267 amended into LB80 by AM801
6/6/2025legislatureApproved by Governor on May 20, 2025
5/21/2025legislatureDispensing of reading at large approved
5/14/2025legislaturePassed on Final Reading 46-3*-0
5/14/2025legislaturePresident/Speaker signed
5/14/2025legislaturePresented to Governor on May 14, 2025
5/14/2025legislaturePlaced on Final Reading
4/29/2025legislatureEnrollment and Review ER50 adopted
4/23/2025legislatureDungan FA98 withdrawn
4/23/2025legislatureDungan FA99 withdrawn
4/23/2025legislatureAdvanced to Enrollment and Review for Engrossment
4/23/2025legislaturePlaced on Select File with ER50
4/22/2025legislatureEnrollment and Review ER50 filed
4/22/2025legislatureDungan FA89 withdrawn
4/14/2025legislatureDungan FA90 withdrawn
4/14/2025legislatureJudiciary AM801 adopted
4/14/2025legislatureStorer FA44 withdrawn
4/14/2025legislatureAdvanced to Enrollment and Review Initial
4/14/2025legislatureDungan FA98 filed
4/14/2025legislatureDungan FA99 filed
4/14/2025legislatureBallard name added
4/10/2025legislaturePlaced on General File with AM801
4/8/2025legislatureJudiciary AM801 filed
4/8/2025legislatureDungan FA89 to AM801 filed
4/8/2025legislature
Bill Text
Introduced
6/6/2025
Enrolled / Slip Law
Final / Enacted