Public Policy & Advocacy

Past Legislation

Actions on select Legislative Bills during the 2009 session:

Passed and Signed by Governor

LB16  Government Accountability   Creation of a website for posting information on State expenditures.  Status: Passed. Signed

 

LB35   Crime   As introduced, to adopt the Violence Prevention Act.  Several provisions were aapproved.  Several billsmended into LB63 which was passed and  were amended into LB35 including LB305 (state ID cards and jury pools); LB332 (adoption, foster care and state wards); LB344 (Civil Legal Services Program).  Status: Passed. Signed  

 

LB63   Crime   As noted above, initial provisions of LB35 were amended into LB63 to create the Violence Prevention Act.  Also amended into LB63 were dating violence provisions of LB64.   Status: Passed. Signed

 

LB91   Adoption   State subsidized adoptions when there has been a subsidized guardianship.  Status: Passed. Signed

 

LB285 Sex Offenders   Bring the NE Sex Offender Registration Act into compliance with federal guidelines.  Status: Passed. Signed  

 

LB288 DHHS   Technical changes for DHHS.  Bills amended into LB288 include LB371 (Medicaid Reform Council) and LB390 (developmental disabilities services).  Status: Passed. Signed    

 

LB311 State Budget   Deficit appropriations.  Status: Passed. Signed

 

LB315 State Budget   Mainline appropriations bill.  Status: Passed. Signed  

                                                                                                           

LB342 Medicaid   Medicaid and pediatric feeding disorders.  Status: Passed. Signed 

 

LB396 Health Care   An Act to improve health care access and outcomes and contain Medicaid costs by providing coordinated care.  Status: Passed. Signed 

 

LB403 Legal Status   Require verification of legal status when applying for public benefits and for employees of entities contracting with the State.  Status: Passed. Signed

                                                           

LB440 Diversity   Change student diversity criteria in response to Constitutional changes made with Initiative 424.  Status: Passed. Signed 

 

LB456 Early Childhood Education   Eliminate language for Cash Reserve Funds related to the Early Childhood Education Endowment Fund.  Status: Passed. Signed

 

LB458 Public Assistance & Education   Allow the work activity requirements for receiving ADC to include vocational training.  Status: Passed. Signed

 

LB517  Child Welfare   Related to family reunification and termination of parental rights.  Status: Passed. Signed

 

LB551 Insurance   Allow families to purchase health coverage for family members up through age 30.  Status: Passed. Signed

 

LB603 Behavioral Health   As originally drafted, to address the shortage of behavioral health professionals.  Amended into LB603 were:  LB136 (SCHIP/Kids Connection), LB346 (crisis hotline), LB356 (services) and LB601 (Medicaid and mental health services).  Status: Passed. Signed

 

LB679 Government Accountability   Require a potential member of the Foster Care Review Board to disclose income s/he or his/her employer receives from DHHS.  Status: Passed. Signed

Killed (IPP) or Pending with Portions/Provisions Amended Into Another Measure Which Passed

LB34   Illegal Immigrants   Provide that those wishing to contract with government cannot enter into contracts without proof that all employees’ legal status has been verified.  Status: In Committee. Carryover. Portions amended into LB403

 

LB34   Illegal Immigrants   Require those contracting with the state to verify employees’ legal status.  Status: In Committee. Carryover. Portions amended into LB403

 

LB64   Dating Violence   Related to schools and dating violence policies.  Status: IPP on GF. Portions amended into LB63

 

LB136 Children’s Health Insurance   Update the standard of eligibility for SCHIP (State Children’s Health Insurance Program/Kids Connection).  Status: IPP on SF. Portions amended into LB603  

 

LB236 Developmental Disabilities   Provide additional funds for services for individuals with developmental disabilities.  Status: In Committee; Carryover. Portions amended into LB315

 

LB305 Racial Disparities   Add state identification card holders to those included in initial jury pools.  Status: IPP on GF.  Portions amended into LB35

 

LB332 Child Welfare   Related to adoption, foster parents and wards of the state.  Status: In Committee. Portions amended into LB35

                 

LB344 Legal Services   Transfer the administration of the Civil Legal Services Program.  Status: In Committee.  Portions amended into LB35

 

LB346 Behavioral Health   Require DHHS to establish a hotline for children’s behavioral health services and a program to provide peer support and connection to services and, on a voluntary basis, post-adoption and post-guardianship case management services for families.  Status: IPP on SF. Portions amended into LB603

 

LB356 Behavioral Health   As proposed, provide behavioral health services to children with behavioral health disorders when parent(s) voluntarily requests services, eliminating the need for parents to legally transferred custody of their children to the State in order to receive services.  Status: IPP on SF. Portions amended into LB603

 

LB371 Medicaid   Makes changes governing the Medicaid Reform Council.   Status: IPP on GF. Portions amended into LB288 

 

LB390 Developmental Disabilities   Require DHHS to seek federal Medicare and Medicaid waivers to reimburse community-based assisted developmental disability services on a daily rather than an hourly basis.  Status: IPP on GF. Portions amended into LB288

 

LB530 Early Childhood Education   Related to early childhood education programs.  Status: IPP on GF. Portions amended into LB549

 

LB601 Medicaid  Related to a federal waiver to allow Medicaid payments for defined community-based mental health services.  Status: IPP on SF. Portions amended into LB603

 

Killed (IPP)

LB95   Illegal Immigrants   Provide prohibitions on and requirements for businesses and the hiring of undocumented immigrants.  Status: IPP in Committee 

 

LB218A  Charitable Giving   Sen. Cornett filed an amendment to LB218A to add provisions of LB405, in part, to extend the sunset provision of the NE Charitable Giving Act.  Status: IPP on SF

                     

LB275 Behavioral Health   Require the operation of a crisis, information, and referral service.  Status:  IPP in Committee

 

LB345 Children/Youth   Eliminate habitual truancy as the sole reason for adjudication of a youth for placement in DHHS’ custody.

Status: IPP in Committee

 

Key: GF-General File or First Reading; SF-Select File or Second Reading; FR-Final Reading; DHHS-Dept. of Health and Human Services

Title Description  
LB16 Adopt the Taxpayer Transparency Act (Priority Bill of Executive Board)
LB25 Children's Day Health Services
LB34 Related to verification of legal status of employees
LB35 Adopt the Violence Prevention Act (Priority Bill of Judiciary Committee)
LB58 Taxes on heating oil or propane for residential heating
LB63 Related to violence/criminal activity (Priority Bill of Sen. Ashford of Omaha Dist. #20)
LB64 Adopt the Lindsay Ann Burke Act related to dating violence
LB91 Provide for subsidized adoptions
LB95 Business tax incentives and hiring illegal immigrants
LB136 Change the standard of eligibility for children's health care (SCHIP/Kids Connection) (Priority Bill of Sen. Avery of Lincoln Dist. #28)
LB159 Provide an income tax credit for long-term care insurance policy premiums.
LB229 Related to drivers' licenses and state identification cards and proof of legal status
LB236 Appropriate funds to reduce the waiting list for developmental disabilties services.
LB247 Accreditation of the Division of Children and Family Services
LB248 Increase the state Earned Income Tax Credit
LB253 Adopt a new Nebraska Juvenile Code and change child abuse reporting and registry, child relinquishment and Foster Care Review Act provisions.
LB275 Related to behavioral health
LB285 Change Sex Offender Registration Act provisions (Priority Bill of Sen. Friend of Omaha Dist. #10)
LB288 Dept. of Health and Human Services annual 'clean up' bill with important amendments
LB307 Change sentencing requirements with respect to certain minors.
LB311 Related to state budget - provide for deficit appropriations
LB315 Related to state budget - mainline appropriations bill
LB319 Lower the floor for child care payment rates under the Child Care Subsidy Program
LB342 Related to Medicaid and pediatric eating disorders (Priority Bill of Sen. Campbell of Lincoln Dist. #25)
LB345 Related to school truancy
LB346 Behavioral health services for children (Priority Bill of Sen. Howard of Omaha Dist. #9)
LB356 Behavioral health services for children (Priority Bill of Sen. Dubas of Fullerton Dist. #34))
LB371 Medicaid Reform Plan and Medicaid Reform Council provisions
LB390 State intent regarding reimbursement rates for assisted services for persons with developmental disabilities
LB396 Adopt the Medical Home Act (Priority Bill of Sen. Gloor of Grand Island Dist. #35)
LB403 Related to undocumented immigrants (Priority Bill of Judiciary Committee)
LB405 Change income tax provisions related to planned gifts
LB420 Change a sales tax exemption relating to nonprofit organizations.
LB431 Predatory Lending - Related to delayed deposits
LB440 Change diversity criteria under the Student Diversity Scholarship Program Act (Priority Bill of Speaker Flood of Norfolk Dist. #19)
LB456 Related to state budget
LB458 Vocational training and public assistance recipients (Priority Bill of Sen. Harms of Scottsbluff Dist. #48)
LB489 Adopt the Area Health Education Centers Act .
LB517 Change provisions relating to family reunification and termination of parental rights (Priority Bill of Sen. Hansen of North Platte Dist. #42)
LB530 Early Chlldhood Education
LB541 Exempt certain adult dental services from Medicaid limitations
LB551 Extend the limiting age on sickness and accident insurance policies (Priority Bill of Sen McGill Dist. #26)
LB583 Reinstate sales tax on food and tax all services except medical
LB601 Medicaid and mental health services (Priority Bill of Sen. Nordquist of Omaha Dist. #7)
LB603 Behavioral health/safe haven measure (Priority Bill of Sen. Gay of Papillion Dist. #14)
LB608 Appropriate funds for a salary increase for county court employees
LB609 Relates to child-care contracts and the Dept. of Health and Human Services
LB610 Change Medicaid limitation provisions relating to services for persons with disabilities
LB633 Create the Neighborhood Development Act.
LB656 Adopt the Health Care Accessibility and Affordability Act
LB661 Preferred drug list for Medicaid
LB679 Require certain disclosures from potential members of the State Foster Care Review Board (Priority Bill of Legislative Performance Audit Committee)
LB680 Appropriate funds to carry out the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.