Nebraska lawmakers approve omnibus education bill with broad protections

Senators passed a comprehensive omnibus education package April 10 aimed at strengthening student protections and updating teacher policies, with the measure advancing on a 49-0 vote.

The bill, LB937, was introduced by the Education Committee and aligns state law with current educational practices while addressing longstanding gaps in teacher recruitment and retention initiatives.

The measure's provisions span multiple policy areas. Among its primary components, the bill ensures that teachers who become eligible to teach dual enrollment courses qualify for the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act high-need retention grant, fixing an issue that previously left qualifying instructors ineligible for grants.

Under a provision from LB1146, introduced by Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad, students may not be considered truant for absences related to medical or mental health needs, pregnancy or parenting responsibilities. Absences due to physical or mental illness must be documented by a credentialed health professional and are subject to periodic review for students with chronic conditions.

The package includes provisions from LB1224, introduced by Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt, that bar individuals convicted of certain felonies from working with students at unaccredited schools and prohibit parents or guardians under substantiated child abuse or neglect investigation from transferring or disenrolling their student during the investigation.

Under provisions from LB1241, sponsored by Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, applicants for school positions involving regular contact with students must disclose seven years of prior employment involving children. The measure also authorizes the release of related records and requires reporting of past child abuse or sexual misconduct investigations.

The omnibus package was amended on select file April 7 to include provisions of LB599, introduced by Bennington Sen. Wendy DeBoer, which adopt the K-12 Education Cybersecurity Act and require the state Department of Education to purchase or develop a standardized cybersecurity readiness assessment with up to $250,000 in state lottery funds authorized to support the effort.

Additional provisions in the bill require option enrollment reports to include approved applications, remove obsolete language related to solar and wind energy funding, align the College Pathway Program Act with state procurement processes and set an Oct. 15 deadline for property tax authority requests and annual census reports.