Legislative Alerts
The APA NE Legislative Committee reviews hundreds of bills introduced each legislative session and works to identify and summarize the bills with impacts to planners and recommended action. Follow the links below for a listing of bills and their potential impact on Nebraska communities as they are introduced each year.
Nebraska Unicameral
There are several steps in the bill approval process:
- Introduction: Most bills are introduced during the first 10 days of the legislative session which begins each January. In order to introduce a bill, a senator files it with the Clerk of the Legislature. The clerk reads the title of the bill into the record, assigns it a number and prints copies of it for public and legislative use.
- Select File: the second debating and voting stage. This step allows another opportunity for amendment, compromise, and reflection. Bills on select file may be indefinitely postponed or advanced to the next stage.
- General File: the first time the full Legislature has the opportunity to debate and vote on bills. At this stage, senators consider amendments, which may be proposed by committees and by individual senators.
- Final Reading: Before final passage, all bills are constitutionally required to be read aloud in their entirety by the Clerk of the Legislature. A bill may not be amended or debated on Final Reading, but may be returned to Select File for a specific amendment. Bills may not be voted on for final passage until at least one legislative day after it is placed on Final Reading.
When a bill has an upcoming hearing, you have an opportunity to make your voice hear. Comments can be submitted by 8 am the day of the hearing online or attend the hearing to testify in person. To submit written comment, search the bill number here, then follow the link that says “submit comments online for LBxxx.”
- Tips on Testifying: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/about/testifying.php
National Legislation
To monitor national legislation affecting the field of planning visit the APA Advocacy page below.