All Roll Calls
Yes: 1,182 • No: 227
NebraskaLB935109th Legislature 1st and 2nd SessionslegislatureWALLET
Provide for court fees; change provisions relating to incentives for rural legal practice, protection orders, hearsay, sentencing, support order liens, and paternity proceedings; provide for no-contact periods for victims of certain assaults and civil actions for conduct relating to prohibited content or child exploitation devices; and provide for and change offenses involving mobile tracking devices, stalking, unlawful intrusion, operation of unmanned aircraft systems, and swatting
Sponsored By: Carolyn Bosn
Signed by Governor
Judiciary Committee
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
12 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 1 costs, 7 mixed.
New bans and lawsuits for child exploitation online
It is illegal to knowingly host, share, make, or help others access prohibited content on public websites. The law also bans buying, selling, or possessing child sexual exploitation devices or images tied to that trade. People depicted in or exposed to prohibited content—and minors whose features are used—can sue for money damages and attorney fees. State lawyers can seek injunctions and civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation. Judges, lawyers, and police are protected when they handle such content in good faith for official duties.
More loan help for rural lawyers
Starting July 1, 2026, the loan program puts lawyers first who serve a county with no other active attorney. Next are counties with three or fewer attorneys. Then come counties with up to 75,000 people. The law also redefines shortage areas as rural counties under 15,000 people and not in a metro area. If you practice in these places, your chances for loan help go up.
Stronger penalties for frivolous lawsuits
Courts must order reasonable attorney fees and court costs against parties or lawyers who bring or defend frivolous or bad-faith civil cases. Political subdivisions can ask for these costs in a separate hearing. Good-faith new legal theories and some self-represented people are protected. The law also defines what counts as recoverable fees and expenses, including expert costs and court costs, but not any lawyer salary already paid by a government.
Tighter paternity rules and support liens
You can rescind a notarized paternity acknowledgment within 60 days or before a court or agency case starts, whichever comes first. After that, it stands unless there was fraud, duress, or a major mistake, or a man seeking to establish paternity proves with accredited genetic testing that he is the father and the acknowledged father is not. You can file to set aside a final paternity ruling if accredited testing excludes the named father; the filer pays for the test, the court appoints a guardian for the child, and support can only be changed going forward (with a narrow exception while the complaint is pending from the date notice was served). Relief is barred if the named father adopted the child, knew of artificial insemination, or signed an acknowledgment that still stands. For property transfers, a support lien is released if a payment history shows all support due in the last 12 months (or life of the order if shorter) is current.
Protection orders: faster service, no weapons
Clerks must give certified copies of protection orders free to the petitioner, local police, and the sheriff, and can send them electronically. The sheriff must serve and file a return within 14 days. If the respondent was at the hearing when the final order was entered, the law treats them as having notice. If you are under a valid protection order and knowingly violate it, you cannot lawfully possess deadly weapons.
No-contact notices and police training
When someone reports a sexual assault, police or health workers must give a standard notice about no-contact periods, protection orders, and help available. For victims under 18, the state health agency must also provide the notice. Starting January 1, 2027, every Nebraska police agency must train officers on domestic abuse, no-contact periods, protection orders, and services for victims.
Stronger stalking and privacy intrusion penalties
The law clarifies stalking terms like “harass” and “course of conduct” so cases are easier to apply. Stalking is usually a misdemeanor, but it becomes a Class IIIA felony if there is a prior conviction within seven years, the victim is under 16, or a deadly weapon was involved. It is also a crime to secretly intrude, record intimate areas without consent, or share those images, with penalties that rise for repeat or distribution offenses.
New court filing fees and $10 software fee
You pay state docket fees on many filings: district civil $45; county civil $0 if $1,500 or less, $10 if $1,500.01–$7,500, $20 if over $7,500; dissolution $26; traffic misdemeanors or infractions $36; small claims $16. There is also a $10 case‑management software fee on each civil or traffic filing in district or county court. Counties, cities, and villages do not pay the state docket fee. Fees are sent monthly to the State Treasurer and credited to the General Fund and the case‑management fund.
Cleanup: older statutes repealed and replaced
The law removes several older code sections from Nebraska statutes. It also repeals earlier versions of three named sections effective January 1, 2027. The exact effect depends on what those prior sections did.
Felony for secret tracking, with narrow exceptions
Using a tracking device to follow someone or their property without consent is a Class IIIA felony. Consent ends when the person revokes it, when a spouse files for divorce, annulment, or separate maintenance, or when a protection order is issued or noticed. The law lists allowed uses, like court-authorized tracking, certain parental or caregiver uses, private investigators with owner consent, vehicle owners in set cases, and some aircraft operations. A court can also order tracker installation and use, and the rules cover both hardware and tracking software.
New swatting crime, DNA and job rules
Making a false report that sends police or emergency crews is now the crime of swatting. Penalties grow if it causes serious injury, use or threat of deadly force, or death, and courts must order restitution and response costs. The state also collects DNA from people convicted of added stalking or related crimes. Crimes involving tracking devices and swatting now count toward disqualifying convictions for some state jobs.
State Settlement Cash Fund and earnings rules
The Attorney General manages a State Settlement Cash Fund for Consumer Protection Act recoveries (not money held in trust for specific people). The fund can pay for legal purposes, and the Legislature may move money to several listed state funds. The fund can be invested, and beginning October 1, 2024, its investment earnings go to the General Fund.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Carolyn Bosn
legislature
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 8 • No: 36 • Other: 5
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 11 • No: 23 • Other: 15
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 13 • No: 30 • Other: 6
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 37 • No: 0 • Other: 12
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 34 • No: 0 • Other: 15
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 35 • No: 0 • Other: 14
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 38 • No: 0 • Other: 11
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 42 • No: 0 • Other: 7
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 30 • No: 10 • Other: 9
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 39 • No: 0 • Other: 10
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 39 • No: 0 • Other: 10
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 31 • No: 0 • Other: 18
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 29 • No: 0 • Other: 20
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 31 • No: 0 • Other: 18
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 31 • No: 0 • Other: 18
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 44 • No: 1 • Other: 4
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 46 • No: 0 • Other: 3
legislature vote • 4/10/2026
Final Reading
Yes: 38 • No: 11
legislature vote • 4/1/2026
Vote
Yes: 38 • No: 0 • Other: 11
legislature vote • 4/1/2026
Vote
Yes: 34 • No: 0 • Other: 15
legislature vote • 4/1/2026
Vote
Yes: 35 • No: 0 • Other: 14
legislature vote • 4/1/2026
Vote
Yes: 37 • No: 0 • Other: 12
legislature vote • 4/1/2026
Vote
Yes: 13 • No: 30 • Other: 6
legislature vote • 4/1/2026
Vote
Yes: 11 • No: 23 • Other: 15
legislature vote • 4/1/2026
Vote
Yes: 33 • No: 12 • Other: 4
legislature vote • 3/25/2026
Vote
Yes: 39 • No: 0 • Other: 10
legislature vote • 3/25/2026
Vote
Yes: 39 • No: 0 • Other: 10
legislature vote • 3/25/2026
Vote
Yes: 46 • No: 0 • Other: 3
legislature vote • 3/25/2026
Vote
Yes: 42 • No: 0 • Other: 7
legislature vote • 3/25/2026
Vote
Yes: 35 • No: 4 • Other: 10
legislature vote • 3/25/2026
Vote
Yes: 30 • No: 10 • Other: 9
legislature vote • 3/25/2026
Vote
Yes: 8 • No: 36 • Other: 5
legislature vote • 3/25/2026
Vote
Yes: 44 • No: 1 • Other: 4
legislature vote • 3/25/2026
Vote
Yes: 31 • No: 0 • Other: 18
legislature vote • 3/25/2026
Vote
Yes: 31 • No: 0 • Other: 18
legislature vote • 3/25/2026
Vote
Yes: 29 • No: 0 • Other: 20
legislature vote • 3/25/2026
Vote
Yes: 31 • No: 0 • Other: 18
Actions Timeline
Presented to Governor on April 10, 2026
4/17/2026legislatureApproved by Governor on April 14, 2026
4/17/2026legislatureDispensing of reading at large approved
4/10/2026legislaturePassed on Final Reading with Emergency Clause 38-11-0
4/10/2026legislaturePresident/Speaker signed
4/10/2026legislaturePlaced on Final Reading with ST86
4/7/2026legislatureEnrollment and Review ST86 filed
4/7/2026legislatureEnrollment and Review ST86 recorded
4/7/2026legislatureEnrollment and Review ER163 adopted
4/1/2026legislatureNo objections to unanimous consent request to withdraw and substitute amendment
4/1/2026legislatureKauth FA594 withdrawn
4/1/2026legislatureBosn FA1146 filed
4/1/2026legislatureBosn FA1146 adopted
4/1/2026legislatureConrad FA1120 withdrawn
4/1/2026legislatureRountree FA1121 withdrawn
4/1/2026legislatureCavanaugh, J. FA1122 withdrawn
4/1/2026legislatureDeBoer FA1124 withdrawn
4/1/2026legislatureDeBoer FA1125 withdrawn
4/1/2026legislatureConrad AM2989 filed
4/1/2026legislatureBosn FA1147 to AM2989 filed
4/1/2026legislatureBosn FA1147 adopted
4/1/2026legislatureConrad AM2989 adopted
4/1/2026legislatureCavanaugh, J. AM2984 filed
4/1/2026legislatureCavanaugh, J. AM2984 adopted
4/1/2026legislatureSpivey AM3046 filed
4/1/2026legislature
Bill Text
Introduced
4/17/2026
Enrolled / Slip Law
Final / Enacted