[{"_1":2,"_115":-5,"_116":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,85,95,105],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6054137,"mediaKeyId","3339567-54ba2fc59ae891064948a4e6c3b99d8e","parentId",3339567,"title","Senate adopts pared-down Stand With Women Act focusing on athletics after intense floor debate","audioSeconds",1958,"startMs",13113000,"endMs",15071000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3339567-54ba2fc59ae891064948a4e6c3b99d8e&start=13113&end=15071","thumbnailUrl","https://d352y6ypj4mjo3.cloudfront.net/AudioPlaceholder.png","articleUrl","/articles/6054137/Nebraska/Senate-adopts-pared-down-Stand-With-Women-Act-focusing-on-athletics-after-intense-floor-debate","mediaUrl","author","Nevada State Legislature","date","2025-05-15T00:00:00Z","article","Senator Riepke introduced a floor amendment (AM11-38) that narrowed LB89 to focus on athletic competition; the amendment removed earlier bathroom and locker-room provisions. \"I would not support this bill if it continued down the path of micromanaging bathroom access or policing locker rooms,\" Senator Riepke said, describing the amended bill as aimed squarely at preserving fairness in women's and youth sports.

Senator Kaut, a co-sponsor, said the bill clarifies statutory definitions and preserves opportunities for women and girls in athletics. \"This is about defining male and female in our state statute,\" Kaut said, and emphasized the bill's intent to provide consistent guidance for schools. Supporters repeatedly framed LB89 as a protection for female athletes and Title IX opportunities; opponents called the measure discriminatory and urged lawmakers to consider impacts on transgender Nebraskans' mental health and privacy.

Floor votes were consequential: the Kaut/Riepke amendment (AM11-38/FA1138) was adopted by a 34-8 margin, and the body later invoked cloture and advanced the bill after further votes and debate. Other amendments to restore locker-room or bathroom provisions failed, and an attempt to bracket the bill was defeated. Sponsors said the revised bill will give school officials clearer rules for athletic eligibility while leaving separate privacy questions to local district policies.","mediaType","Audio","parentTitle","Legislative Afternoon Session 5/15/2025 ","oneSentenceSummary","After hours of debate, senators adopted a floor amendment that removed bathroom and locker-room mandates and retained language focused on preventing males from competing in female athletic categories; legislators cited fairness in competition and Title IX implications.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature NE, Nebraska","taxId",77675,"location","Nebraska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":50,"_51":82,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6054141,"Senate amends SNAP bill to add work-training requirements, lawmakers say fiscal note is zero as written",1581,11042000,12623000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3339567-54ba2fc59ae891064948a4e6c3b99d8e&start=11042&end=12623","/articles/6054141/Nebraska/Senate-amends-SNAP-bill-to-add-work-training-requirements-lawmakers-say-fiscal-note-is-zero-as-written","Senator Anderson moved to recommit LB192 to select file to attach AM12-25, an amendment that adds provisions about the state’s administration of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), emphasizing employment and training programs for able-bodied adults without dependents.

Senator Anderson said the amendment \"strengthen[s] Senator Quick's bill by reinforcing our dedication to promoting dignity and work and enabling DHHS to maximize access to employment and training programs.\" He also told colleagues that Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) had provided a letter indicating the amendment as written carried a fiscal note of zero because implementation would occur as resources were available.

Sponsor Senator Quick opposed recommittal in the moment, saying she worried the amendment could create additional barriers to benefit access if implemented as a mandatory work-requirement scheme. Senator Dungan and others highlighted the fiscal tradeoffs: a prior version produced a fiscal note in the low millions ($2.3M initially, rising to about $3.1M in subsequent years), and the amendment’s drafters said they had revised language to give DHHS discretion so that a fiscal note would be zero unless the department elected to implement the program with new resources. The motion to return to select file passed and the amendment AM12-25 was adopted on the floor; the bill was then advanced toward engrossing.","Senators returned LB192 to select file and adopted AM12-25, which adds state-level expectations about SNAP employment and training; sponsors said the amendment carries no net fiscal note under current language, while critics warned of additional costs if implemented.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_47":91,"_49":50,"_51":92,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":93,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":94,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6054146,"Legislature adopts sunset for DMV fee increase after debate over budget sweep and modernization costs",1130,9861000,10991000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3339567-54ba2fc59ae891064948a4e6c3b99d8e&start=9861&end=10991","/articles/6054146/Nebraska/Legislature-adopts-sunset-for-DMV-fee-increase-after-debate-over-budget-sweep-and-modernization-costs","Senator Ballard moved to return LB398 to select file to attach an amendment that would sunset a recent driver-record fee increase. The amendment (AM14-64) would restore the pre-increase per-record fee after a multi-year period, directing the Legislature to revisit ongoing operational funding once the Department of Motor Vehicles completes planned modernization work.

Opponents of the sunset argued that the fee is necessary to cover a $32.7 million DMV computer modernization project and ongoing annual maintenance costs the department estimates at about $5 million a year. \"The improvement of the computer system is $32,700,000 and the ongoing cost of maintaining the system is $5,000,000 per year going forward,\" Senator Mosier said during debate and cited projected per-record costs over coming fiscal years. Mosier warned that reverting the fee to $4.50 in 2030 would leave the DMV unable to sustain operations at the projected cost.

Proponents said the sunset restores accountability and prevents a permanent fee increase used to backfill general-fund shortfalls following earlier cash sweeps from the DMV fund. Senator Ballard said the amendment simply ","Senators voted to return LB398 to select file and adopted an amendment (AM14-64) that sunsets a driver-record fee increase tied to DMV modernization; debate centered on the size, purpose and fiscal impact of the fee.",{"_33":96,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":97,"_41":98,"_43":99,"_45":100,"_47":101,"_49":50,"_51":102,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":103,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":104,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6054149,"Senators narrow provisions of a foreign-adversary registration bill after debate over AG authority and universities",668,2908000,3576000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3339567-54ba2fc59ae891064948a4e6c3b99d8e&start=2908&end=3576","/articles/6054149/Nebraska/Senators-narrow-provisions-of-a-foreign-adversary-registration-bill-after-debate-over-AG-authority-and-universities","On select file senators debated LB644, a proposal that would require certain persons and entities to register with the attorney general when acting on behalf of specified foreign principals. The bill drew questions about the breadth of covered activities, the delegation of investigative and rulemaking authority to the attorney general, and how the measure would interact with university governance and due process.

Senator John Kavanaugh, speaking in favor of removing one phrase, called several lines of language \"flowery\" and said it could create ambiguity about the attorney general’s standard. \"If we put it into statute, people will think that it has meaning,\" Senator John Kavanaugh said during floor debate on FA233, urging removal of the qualifying phrase \"having due regard for national security and public interest.\" Senator Bostar, the bill’s sponsor, supported later changes and sought to make some university requirements permissive rather than mandatory.

Debate focused on several topics: how the bill defines \"covered activities\" (including political activity and public relations counsel), the registration and recordkeeping duties placed on registrants, and a potentially broad delegation of investigatory and enforcement powers to the attorney general. Senators expressed concerns about chilling effects on nonprofits, professional service providers, and research institutions. After floor amendments, legislators adopted a change that makes postsecondary-institution consequences permissive rather than mandatory; that amendment passed 29-4. Other amendments to remove the contested phrase were rejected. Senator Grecker moved to advance the bill and it was advanced to engrossing for further processing.","Legislators debated LB644, which would create registration requirements related to activity on behalf of foreign principals; sponsors and critics negotiated limits on the attorney general’s discretion and added permissive language for postsecondary institutions.",{"_33":106,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":107,"_41":108,"_43":109,"_45":110,"_47":111,"_49":50,"_51":112,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":113,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":114,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6054154,"Nebraska Legislature rejects change to citizen-backed minimum wage law",965,947000,1912000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3339567-54ba2fc59ae891064948a4e6c3b99d8e&start=947&end=1912","/articles/6054154/Nebraska/Nebraska-Legislature-rejects-change-to-citizen-backed-minimum-wage-law","Senator Conrad, speaking on the floor during final reading, asked colleagues to recommit LB258 and argued against the bill's changes to the citizen initiative on minimum wage. \"I rise in continued opposition to LB258,\" Senator Conrad said, urging senators to preserve the law adopted by citizen vote and cautioning that the bill would artificially restrain working families' ability to earn a decent wage.

The measure, introduced on final as a statutory amendment to the Wage and Hour Act and read into the record by the clerk, would have altered portions of section 48-1203 and related statute language that set scheduled minimum-wage increases and training rates. Supporters said the changes were intended to refine rates and carve out exceptions for younger workers; opponents said the measure would undo part of voter-approved increases that took effect after the 2014 and 2022 citizen initiatives.

Senator Conrad framed the argument in economic and social terms, saying higher minimum wages reduce reliance on public assistance and help working families pay for basic needs. \"When we make work pay, it saves the state money,\" Conrad said. He cited recent Nebraska unemployment trends and voter outcomes in 2014 and 2022 to argue the citizen initiative had not produced the negative economic outcomes opponents forecast. Other senators debated statutory details, procedural thresholds and the standard for amending laws enacted by initiative.

Because the bill sought to amend law enacted by initiative, the clerk reminded the body that Article III, Section 2 of the Nebraska Constitution requires a two-thirds vote for final passage. The roll call on final passage produced 31 ayes and 16 nays; the clerk declared that LB258 did not pass. The measure therefore failed to change the minimum-wage schedule contained in the existing statute.","On final reading the Legislature failed to approve LB258, an attempt to alter the voter-approved minimum-wage schedule; supporters of the initiative and opponents clashed over economic and fiscal impacts.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate adopts pared-down Stand With Women Act focusing on athletics after intense floor debate

Senate amends SNAP bill to add work-training requirements, lawmakers say fiscal note is zero as written

Legislature adopts sunset for DMV fee increase after debate over budget sweep and modernization costs

Senators narrow provisions of a foreign-adversary registration bill after debate over AG authority and universities

Nebraska Legislature rejects change to citizen-backed minimum wage law