Welcome to OutNebraska’s Bill Tracker! In this resource, we will we provide information and updates on 2024 bills relevant to the LGBTQ+ community in Nebraska.
Note: Bills we oppose are formatted in red with a large “X” symbol, and bills we support are formatted in green with a checkmark symbol. Bills we are otherwise watching are formatted in gray with an eye symbol.
Speak Out Nebraska: Join Us April 23
As part of our legislative coverage, we’re hosting Speak Out Nebraska, our virtual event series to gather and discuss the 2024 legislative session. The agenda includes topics such as how the legislature works, bills we’re tracking, and how to contact your representatives.
Our next, and final, presentation for 2024 will be Tuesday, April 23—we hope to see you there!
Bills on the Floor
These bills are in one of three rounds of debate: General File, Select File, or Final Reading. In General File and Select File, bills may advance, be amended, or fail to advance. On Final Reading, bills may not be debated or amended, but can be sent back to Select File for specific amendments.
Currently, there are no bills on the floor.
Bills Waiting in Committee
These bills have been assigned to a committee and have already had hearings. The committee may vote to move the bills onto General File for debate, indefinitely postpone the bills, or take no action on them.
❌ LB 374: Adopt the Parents’ Bill of Rights and Academic Transparency Act
Bill description and details ⬇️
This is a carryover bill from 2023.
- Introducer: Murman
- Committee: Education
- Hearing: Held January 31st, 2023
Facilitates curriculum censorship, book banning, and unnecessary education overreach; largely attempts to re-create policies that are already in place in schools across Nebraska.
The deadline to submit comments for the official hearing record has passed. The next step is to contact your senator.
❌ LB 810: Adopt the Medical Ethics and Diversity Act
Bill description and details ⬇️
This is a carryover bill from 2023.
- Introducer: Murman
- Committee: Health and Human Services
- Hearing: Held February 10th, 2023
Allows any medical/mental health professional to refuse to treat a patient for any ethical, moral, or religious reason.
Allows any medical payers (employers and insurance) to refuse to pay for any medical service/medication for religious reason.
The deadline to submit comments for the official hearing record has passed. The next step is to contact your senator.
✅ LB 887: Adopt the Nebraska Nonprofit Security Grant Program Act
Bill description and details ⬇️
- Introducer: Brewer
- Committee: Government, Military and Veterans Affairs
- Hearing: Held February 1st, 2024
Create a grant program for nonprofit organizations to use for safety and security projects. Meant as a resource for organizations at risk of hate crimes.
The deadline to submit comments for the official hearing record has passed. The next step is to contact your senator.
❌ LB 1034: Prohibit a school district from punishing an employee or prohibiting an employee from engaging in religious expression when an employee is on duty at school
Bill description and details ⬇️
- Introducer: Murman
- Committee: Health and Human Services
- Hearing: Held February 12th, 2024
Grants school employees additional protections around religious expression while at work.
Our concern: Religion is often weaponized against LGBTQ+ youth, (ex: excuse to misgender trans youth). Schools should retain the ability to address harmful actions toward LGBTQ+ youth.
The deadline to submit comments for the official hearing record has passed. The next step is to contact your senator.
✅ LB 1045: Prohibit use of peremptory challenges against jurors based on membership in certain groups
Bill description and details ⬇️
- Introducer: Cavanaugh, J.
- Committee: Judiciary
- Hearing: Held February 8th, 2024
Updates nondiscrimination clause for jury selection to include ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and “for perceived membership” of one of the protected groups.
Outlines what this means for lawyers and the court when it comes to objection of specific jurors.
The deadline to submit comments for the official hearing record has passed. The next step is to contact your senator.
❌ LB 1065: Authorize a school district to hire a chaplain to perform the duties of a school counselor without a certificate issued by the Commissioner of Education
Bill description and details ⬇️
- Introducer: Lippincott
- Committee: Education
- Hearing: Held February 27, 2024
Allows a school district to hire a religious chaplain to serve as a school counselor without certification from the Commissioner of Education.
VIEW BILL HERE & SUBMIT COMMENTS
The deadline to submit comments for the official hearing record has passed. The next step is to contact your senator.
👁 LB 1109: Provide an exception under the Preborn Child Protection Act to allow an abortion after twelve weeks in the case of a fatal fetal anomaly and change and eliminate certain penalty provisions relating to abortions
Bill description and details ⬇️
- Introducer: Riepe
- Committee: Judiciary
- Hearing: Held February 22, 2024
Provides an exception under Nebraska’s abortion ban to allow an abortion after 12 weeks in the case of a fatal fetal anomaly and change and eliminate certain penalty provisions relating to abortions.
Watching: We are following the lead of our reproductive justice coalition members.
The deadline to submit comments for the official hearing record has passed. The next step is to contact your senator.
❌ LB 1269: Change provisions relating to the duty to retreat when using force in self-defense or defense of another and provide for criminal and civil immunity
Bill description and details ⬇️
- Introducer: Hardin
- Committee: Judiciary
- Hearing: Held February 8th, 2024
Would change the law about when and how you can use lethal force to defend yourself from perceived violence.
Our concern: The implementation of “stand your ground” laws worsen gender & racial disparities. The LGBTQ+ community faces disproportionate rates of gun violence.
The deadline to submit comments for the official hearing record has passed. The next step is to contact your senator.
❌ LB 1330: Prohibit public educational institutions from taking certain actions relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion
Bill description and details ⬇️
- Introducer: Murman
- Committee: Education
- Hearing: Held February 13th, 2024
Prohibits public educational institutions from taking certain actions relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion such as:
- Requiring DEI training for employees
- Using DEI in hiring
- Spending money on DEI offices, programming and staff
The deadline to submit comments for the official hearing record has passed. The next step is to contact your senator.
❌ LB 1399: Change provisions relating to the involvement of parents, guardians, and educational decisionmakers in the education of their children
Bill description and details ⬇️
- Introducer: Murman
- Committee: Education
- Hearing: Held February 5th, 2024
Requires schools to adopt policies around “controversial” classroom content, the viewing of learning materials, reviewing of library materials, & release of student survey answers to parents/guardians. Cumbersome requirements would burden schools and school boards.
The deadline to submit comments for the official hearing record has passed. The next step is to contact your senator.
Withdrawn Bills
These bills have been withdrawn by the introducer and are no longer being considered by the legislature.
👁 LB 879: Repeal the Let Them Grow Act and the Preborn Child Protection Act
Bill description and details ⬇️
- Introducer: Cavanaugh, M.
- Committee: Health and Human Services
Repeal LB574 from last year, which restricted access to medically-necessary care for trans youth, as well as access to abortion.
Bills Passed
These bills have been passed by the legislature.
👁 LB 43: Adopt provisions of the “First Freedom Act” from LB277
Bill description and details ⬇️
- Introducer: Brewer (LB 277) & Sanders (LB 43)
- Committee: Government, Military and Veterans Affairs
- Status: Passed
Background: Provisions from LB 277 (“First Freedom Act”) were amended into a larger bill, LB 43, with provisions from other bills.
What we are concerned about: Provisions under “The First Freedom Act” being used to create a license to discriminate under the disguise of “religious liberty”
The next step is to contact your senator and thank them for their support in opposition. If your senator did not oppose please share your concerns and disappointment with their position.
Bills Defeated
These bills have been defeated and are no longer being considered by the legislature.
❌ LB 575: Adopt the Sports and Spaces Act
Bill description and details ⬇️
This is a carryover bill from 2023.
- Introducer: Kauth
- Committee: Education
- Status: Defeated
Restricts trans youth’s ability to thrive & participate in school activities.
- Ban transgender youth from playing on their school sports team. Excluding youth from playing sports with their friends and teammates.
- Restrict transgender youth from facilities (bathrooms/locker rooms) based on “birth sex.” Blocking youth from the spaces they are most comfortable and safe in.
- Exclude trans kids from public life. Ostracizing them and making it harder for them to participate in academic & extracurricular spaces.
The next step is to contact your senator and thank them for their opposition. If your senator did not oppose please share your concerns and disappointment with their position.
VIEW OUTNEBRASKA’S STATEMENT
✅ LB 307: Provide exceptions to penalties related to drug paraphernalia under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act
Bill description and details ⬇️
- Introducer: Hunt
- Committee: Judiciary
- Status: Defeated
Allow for the creation of Syringe Services Programs (SSPs) to battle the rise in HIV and Hepatitis infections.
Syringe Services Programs:
- Community-based prevention programs
- Linkage to substance use disorder treatment & other medical needs
- Access & disposal of sterile syringes and injection equipment
The next step is to contact your senator and thank them for their support. If your senator did not support please share your concerns and disappointment with their position.
Bills Awaiting Hearings
These bills have been introduced, but not scheduled for hearings yet.
All bills have had their hearings.
Bills With Upcoming Hearings
These bills have been assigned to a committee and have hearings scheduled.
All bills have had their hearings.
Stay Tuned for Updates
We will be keeping this page up to date as bills move through the legislature. Bookmark this page and check back for updates!
You can also sign up for our monthly legislative updates email. By signing up, OutNebraska will keep you in the loop about bills affecting the LGBTQ+ community as well as alert you to LGBTQ+ community events and needed action in your area. You will be opted-in to a monthly legislative recap email, as well as action alerts about specific bills.