The full Week’s Public Hearing Schedule can be found here.
Tuesday February 18, 2025
Agriculture
Room 1023 – 1:30 PM
SUPPORT: LB246
Introducer: DeKay
Description: Prohibit cultivated-protein food products under the Nebraska Pure Food Act and provide a deceptive trade practice
Statement of Intent: *LB 246 would bar the manufacture, sale and distribution of cultured protein products in Nebraska. Cultured products as defined are deemed an adulterated food product and thus prohibited under the Pure Food Act. In addition to administrative, injunctive and misdameanor remedies against adulterated food under the Pure Food Act, the commercial and occupational manufacture, sale, promotion and distribution of cultured protein products would also be subject to remedies under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act.*
Download the Bill Introduction and Submit an Online Comment here: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59262&docnum=LB246&leg=109
* If you can not join us in person, please submit online testimony. The comments must be submitted and confirmed by Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at 8:00 AM! *
More Information: Many take concern with direct bans. Generally, we agree. However, the deceptive marketing of lab grown meat creates a clear and present danger to the health and wellbeing of Nebraskans. No one should be allowed to participate in the Nebraska market under the guise of a healthy alternative food product.
ALSO Email the Agriculture Committee:
Sen. Barry DeKay, Chairperson – bdekay@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Teresa Ibach, Vice Chairperson – tibach@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Ben Hansen – bhansen@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Rick Holdcroft – rholdcroft@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Kathleen Kauth – kkauth@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dan McKeon – dmckeon@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Jane Raybould – Jraybould@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Jared Storm – JStorm@leg.ne.gov
SUPPORT: LB658
Introducer: Andersen
Description: Provide labeling and advertising requirements for manufactured-protein food products
Statement of Intent: *LB658 ensures clear and non-deceptive labeling of meat and meat alternatives in Nebraska. This expands upon the Nebraska Pure Food Act by codifying Title 19, Chapter 1 of the Nebraska Administrative Code relating to the definition of cultivated, insect, and plant-protein food products, which requires accurate labeling to ensure that consumers are presented with the most accurate information on the product label. Under LB658, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture has the authority to investigate any misbranding or false advertising complaints that violate this legislation. *
Download the Bill Introduction and Submit an Online Comment here: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59045
* If you can not join us in person, please submit online testimony. The comments must be submitted and confirmed by Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at 8:00 AM! *
More Information: informed consent is key! LB658 is a step closer to ensuring consumers truly have informed consent of the foods they purchase and consume. This legislation supports a free and open market.
ALSO Email the Agriculture Committee:
Sen. Barry DeKay, Chairperson – bdekay@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Teresa Ibach, Vice Chairperson – tibach@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Ben Hansen – bhansen@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Rick Holdcroft – rholdcroft@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Kathleen Kauth – kkauth@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dan McKeon – dmckeon@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Jane Raybould – Jraybould@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Jared Storm – JStorm@leg.ne.gov
Education
Room 1525 – 1:30 PM
SUPPORT: LB429
Introducer: Murman
Description: Provide requirements and restrictions for school boards relating to professional employees’ organizations
Statement of Intent: *LB 429 seeks to ensure school districts provide equal access to any professional employees’ organization if the same access is given to one professional employees’ organization.*
Download the Bill Introduction and Submit an Online Comment here: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58831
* If you can not join us in person, please submit online testimony. The comments must be submitted and confirmed by Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at 8:00 AM! *
More Information: NFFV has a great article in support of LB429 here.
NAGO supports LB429 for very similar reasons. Ultimately, this legislation could very well lead to the dismantling of the stranglehold that the NSEA has over the Legislature and Nebraska’s Education system. Last session they strongly opposed the legislation with the declaration that they had “earned their exclusivity”.
ALSO Email the Education Committee:
Sen. Dave Murman, Chairperson – dmurman@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Danielle Conrad – dconrad@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Jana Hughes – jhughes@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Megan Hunt – mhunt@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Margo Juarez – MJuarez@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dan Lonowski – dlonowski@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Glen Meyer – gmeyer@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Rita Sanders – rsanders@leg.ne.gov
Thursday February 20, 2025
Government, Military and Veterans Affairs
Room 1507 – 1:30 PM
SUPPORT: LB659
Introducer: Andersen
Description: Change provisions relating to vote counting devices under the Election Act
Statement of Intent: *(1) An election commissioner or county clerk using a vote counting device to count ballots shall conduct at least three independent tests before counting begins to verify the accuracy of the counting process, which includes the computerized program installed for counting various ballots by vote counting device. The test shall be conducted by:
(a) The election commissioner or county clerk;
(b) The chief deputy election commissioner or a registered voter with a different party affiliation than that of the election commissioneror county clerk; and
(c) The person who installed the program in the vote counting deviceor the person in charge of operating the device.
(2) Watchers may be appointed to be present and observe the tests. Each political party shall be entitled to one watcher appointed and supplied with credentials by the county central committee of such political party. All other persons shall be excluded, except for observers authorized by the election commissioner or county clerk. Watchers and observers shall comply with the requirements for watchers and observers under section 32-1525. Watchers and observers cannot be excluded from the testing location unless the election commissioner or county clerk provides an unobstructed view of the testing by use ofclosed-circuit television or similar device.*
Download the Bill Introduction and Submit an Online Comment here: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59724
* If you can not join us in person, please submit online testimony. The comments must be submitted and confirmed by Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 8:00 AM! *
More Information: Ultimately, NAGO suuports the elimination of machines in our elections. Until that day, we support the efforts of legislation such as LB659. Senator Andersen is attempting to implement basic securities to the current process using counting machines.
We also like his section ensuring watchers/observers sent by each political party are allowed to be present. There have been issues with this in the past.
ALSO Email the Government Military and Veterans Affairs Committee:
Sen. Rita Sanders, Chairperson – rsanders@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Bob Andersen – bandersen@leg.ne.gov
Sen. John Cavanaugh – jcavanaugh@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dunixi Guereca – dguereca@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Megan Hunt – mhunt@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dan Lonowski – dlonowski@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dan McKeon – dmckeon@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dave Wordekemper – dwordekemper@leg.ne.gov
NEUTRAL: LB604
Introducer: Storm
Description: Change provisions regarding initiative and referendum petitions
Statement of Intent: *LB 604 clarifies timelines and procedures for legal challenges to initiative petitions by Nebraska residents. Addressing both when the Secretary of State refuses to place a measure on the ballot due to legal insufficiency, or when a citizen asserts a legally insufficient matter has been placed on the ballot by the Secretary of State, LB 604 clarifies timelines and procedures for legal challenges. LB 604 also designates the role of the Supreme Court hearing cases in the event a resident asserts a substantial facial insufficiency of a ballot petition.*
Download the Bill Introduction and Submit an Online Comment here: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59657
* If you can not join us in person, please submit online testimony. The comments must be submitted and confirmed by Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 8:00 AM! *
More Information: We would guess this legislation is brought in regards to recent initiatives or petitions that the conservatives want to be able to block from being placed on the ballot. We can see both good and bad from this.
ALSO Email the Government Military and Veterans Affairs Committee:
Sen. Rita Sanders, Chairperson – rsanders@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Bob Andersen – bandersen@leg.ne.gov
Sen. John Cavanaugh – jcavanaugh@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dunixi Guereca – dguereca@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Megan Hunt – mhunt@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dan Lonowski – dlonowski@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dan McKeon – dmckeon@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dave Wordekemper – dwordekemper@leg.ne.gov
SUPPORT: LR23CA
Introducer: Sanders
Description: Constitutional amendment to change the deadline to file initiative and referendum petitions
Statement of Intent: *This proposed constitutional amendment would change timelines relating to petitions for state initiatives and referenda.
After July 7, 2028, it would provide that the Secretary of State submit a ballot measure at the next general election only if petitions were filed before the second Wednesday in July of the calendar year before that general election.*
Download the Bill Introduction and Submit an Online Comment here: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59453
* If you can not join us in person, please submit online testimony. The comments must be submitted and confirmed by Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 8:00 AM! *
More Information: This is similar to legislation submitted during the special session to make it possible to get WTA (or any constitutional amendment) onto the ballot if the constitutional amendment passed by the Legislature at the end of a session.
ALSO Email the Government Military and Veterans Affairs Committee:
Sen. Rita Sanders, Chairperson – rsanders@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Bob Andersen – bandersen@leg.ne.gov
Sen. John Cavanaugh – jcavanaugh@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dunixi Guereca – dguereca@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Megan Hunt – mhunt@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dan Lonowski – dlonowski@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dan McKeon – dmckeon@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dave Wordekemper – dwordekemper@leg.ne.gov
SUPPORT: LB521
Introducer: Sanders
Description: Change and eliminate provisions relating to the Election Act
Statement of Intent: *This bill is the annual Election Act update bill with recommended changes from the Nebraska Secretary of State. These changes are intended to promote efficient, reliable elections.
It would provide an exception to the definition of “candidate” for a candidate for delegate to a county, state, or national political party convention.
It includes hospice and disability services as entities whose photographic patient record may serve as a photographic voter identification document.
It cleans up obselete language relating to duties of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
It provides for notice to a voter with an election commissioner or county clerk satisfies a request from that voter to cancel their voter registration.
It changes the timing of special elections held close in time to a legal holiday.
The bill also provides the specific form and contents for petitions for partisan and nonpartisan candidates for President of the United States and other elective offices, as well as petitions for the establishment of a new political party.
It would change the process for filing to be a write-in candidate and for withdrawing as a write-in candidate. It would change the filing deadline for partisan ballot access petitions.
It would provide that a filing officer may stop verifying petition signatures when verified signatures exceed one hundred ten percent of the required number for candidate ballot access and for the formation of a new political party.
It specifies a procedure for circumstances where a qualified candidate declines placement on a general election ballot.
It provides a procedure for differentiating candidates with the same first and last name on the same ballot. Possible means of differentiation would include middle name, initials, or city of residence.
It would remove the Secretary of State’s authority to rule on objections to certain candidate’s filings.
It would provide a procedure for evaluating objections to a candidate’s filing form in special elections.
It would clarify the qualifications required for a petition signer for different varieties of petitions.
It would require that petitions be submitted “as one instrument” rather than in batches.
The bill would authorize the Secretary of State to purchase or otherwise obtain software to assist in processing petitions.
The bill would specify that the deadline for a petition signer to request removal of their name from a petition is the day the petition is filed.
The bill would clarify that local election officials shall verify signatures on identification envelopes using signatures from voter registration records.
It would also change the location for the meetings of the state board of canvassers from the State Capitol to a location designated by the Secretary of State, in order to provide flexibility in cases where the State Capitol may be unavailable or an inapprorpiate venue for the meeting.
The bill would modify the procedures for use of vote counting devices and provide that a zero report be obtained from any such device before conducting a ballot count.
It would also instruct local election officials to implement processes for verifying voter signatures on ballot envelopes and verifying valid photographic identification as well as verifying provisional ballots and specifiying anticipated dates for convening of counting and canvassing boards.
The bill would substantially revise the margins of victory below which a losing candidate isentitled to a recount, and it specifies who may observe the recount in the candidate’s place if the candidate is personally unavailable.
Notifications from the Secretary of State relating to the determination of a petition’s constitutional and legal sufficiency would be made by the “most expeditious method available.”
The bill proposes prohibiting petition circulation within two hundred feet of a secure ballot drop-box.
The bill also proposes a minimum distance of eight feet from ballots, ballot boxes, sign-in registers, and counting devices for counting watchers or observers in vote counting locations.
The bill has split operative dates, with some measures taking effect immediately under the emergency clause, some taking effect three calendar months after adjournment of the legislative session, and some taking effect on January 1, 2026.*
Download the Bill Introduction and Submit an Online Comment here: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=59452
* If you can not join us in person, please submit online testimony. The comments must be submitted and confirmed by Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 8:00 AM! *
More Information: This bill has some good things in it that we support. Keeping observers back 8ft, for example, to ensure there’s not an opportunity for tampering is extremely important. Ensuring signature verification is important. Of course, we agree entirely with President Trump’s agenda to get us back to one day of voting, paper ballots, and hand counting. It would be interesting to know how this legislation gets us closer to that goal or if they intend to bring us into alignment.
ALSO Email the Government Military and Veterans Affairs Committee:
Sen. Rita Sanders, Chairperson – rsanders@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Bob Andersen – bandersen@leg.ne.gov
Sen. John Cavanaugh – jcavanaugh@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dunixi Guereca – dguereca@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Megan Hunt – mhunt@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dan Lonowski – dlonowski@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dan McKeon – dmckeon@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Dave Wordekemper – dwordekemper@leg.ne.gov
Nebraskans Against Government Overreach 