Legislative Round-Up: Week of Jan. 8

LINCOLN--The 109th Nebraska Legislature convened last week for the first days of the 2025 session to swear in newly elected state senators, elect committee chairmen and begin bill introductions.  

The Legislature began the first day of its 90-day session on Wednesday, Jan. 8, and swore in 25 senators, including six re-elected members and 19 new members.  

Senators re-elected Sen. John Arch of La Vista, who ran unopposed, as speaker of the Legislature. The Legislature also elected senators as leaders of its 14 standing committees.  

The first resolution of the session, LR 1, honored and commemorated the service of former President Jimmy Carter, who died on Dec. 29, 2024, at the age of 100. 

Senators began bill introductions on Thursday and Friday, introducing a total of 132 measures in the first two days 

LB 3, introduced by Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City, proposes changing Nebraska’s electoral vote system. Currently, Nebraska and Maine follow a split-vote system, where each congressional district casts one electoral vote for the winner of their district, and the state casts two overall votes for the winner of the state.  

The bill would change the system back to winner-take-all, which would award the state’s five electoral votes to the winner of the state. Senators proposed a similar measure before the 2024 presidential election but refused to consider it last fall, citing political pressures.  

LB 12, introduced by Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln, would remove the statute of limitations and allow for more extensive legal punishment in child sexual assault cases.  

Currently, charges cannot be brought against those who aided in child sexual assault beyond 12 years after the victim’s 21st birthday. This measure would also allow those not found criminally guilty of child sexual assault to still be liable to civil charges and fines.  

LB 49, introduced by Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha, would change rules for public schools to ban individuals and students from school property.  

The measure would require each district to create a specific ban policy. Each policy must state that bans cannot be applied as a form of discrimination. Policies cannot ban students unless they are an immediate danger to the student body and must allow any individual who is banned to appeal against their ban.  

LB 53, introduced by Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha, would prohibit any criminal or civil prosecution of a pregnant person for any pregnancy outcome that does not result in live birth, such as stillbirth, miscarriage or abortion.  

The bill is intended to provide legal protection to pregnant persons after Nebraskans voted to pass Initiative 434 in November, which cemented Nebraska’s 12-week abortion ban into the state constitution.  

LB 63, introduced by Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth, would allow for sports betting on Nebraska collegiate teams and competitions they are involved in.  

LB 77, introduced by Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln, would require health care insurance providers to clearly post their requirements and rules relating to prior authorization of medical treatment on their website, along with any updates to policy requirements.  

LB 89, introduced by Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, would establish the Stand with Women Act. The act would provide legal definition of men and women in schools, sports teams and bathrooms and does not account for transgender individuals.  

Husker athletes Jordy Bahl and Rebecca Allick spoke at a press conference on Jan. 10, introducing the bill and advocating that the move provided protection for women’s rights in sports and private spaces. Transgender rights activists cited the act as another discriminatory move in Nebraska’s recent string of anti-trans legislation.  

LB 117, sponsored by Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue, would eliminate taxes on utilities such as electricity, natural gas, propane and sewer services for residential use.  

LB 122, introduced by Sen. Glen Meyer of Pender, would require all public schools to display the national motto, “In God We Trust,” and the Nebraska state motto, “Equality Under the Law,” in English in every classroom.  

 LB 127, introduced by Sen. Dan McKeon of Amherst, would require courts to award damages to defendants who are found not guilty or whose cases are dismissed or overturned. Damages would cover legal fees, lost wages and other losses based on the court’s discretion.  

Wrapping up the first week of session, Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams introduced LR7CA, which would raise legislators' salaries to $30,000 per year. The move would require an amendment to the Nebraska state constitution and a three-fifths majority vote.  

Currently, senators receive $1,000 per month of their term or a maximum of $12,000 per year. The measure would go into effect in 2027, when Dorn will be term-limited from holding office. 

The move comes after a push to increase state representatives’ salaries to allow average people and community members the financial opportunity to serve, a move senators have been trying to pass for years.

d from holding office.