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Sen. Mike Jacobson proposes updates to Nebraska Geologists Regulation Act in public hearing on LB38
Summary
Senator Mike Jacobson introduced LB38 to amend the Geologists Regulation Act, reducing required experience for licensure, adding voluntary pathways for academics and exempt-field geologists, and modernizing administrative requirements; the Nebraska Board of Geologists testified in support.
Senator Mike Jacobson, state senator for District 42, introduced LB38 to the Natural Resources Committee as a modernization and cleanup of the Geologists Regulation Act.
Jacobson said LB38 would “streamline processes, modernize provisions and cut unnecessary red tape,” including reducing the required geologic experience for licensure from five years to four, adding a voluntary licensure pathway for individuals in exempt fields such as academics, permitting qualified non‑licensed geologists to serve on the licensing board (including university faculty), and removing outdated requirements such as printed licensure rosters and language that assumes paper‑based examinations.
The Nebraska Board of Geologists spoke in support. Jeffrey Seymour, vice chairperson of the Nebraska Board of Geologists and a licensed professional geologist, told the committee the board supports LB38 and described the profession’s scale in Nebraska: “There are approximately 300 licensed professional geologists and approximately 60 to 65 businesses that carry a certificate of authorization,” meaning they employ geologists and prepare geologic reports. Seymour said the board is “committed to licensing as many competent geologists as possible” and does not intend the bill to be a barrier to entry.
Jacobson also circulated an amendment to stagger board member terms so that one of five board seats would rotate off each year rather than all maturing simultaneously; he described the amendment as changing appointments to five‑year staggered terms.
No opponents testified at the hearing. After proponents spoke and committee members asked questions, the hearing record was reported as showing “0 proponents, 0 opponents, and 2 in the neutral capacity,” and the committee closed the LB38 hearing.
The hearing record contains no committee vote on LB38; the bill was presented for public hearing and discussion only.
LB38 key points reported at the hearing: - Reduce required geologic experience for licensure from five to four years (sponsor statement). - Add an optional licensure path for individuals in exempt fields such as academics (sponsor statement). - Permit qualified non‑licensed geologists, including university faculty, to serve on the board (sponsor statement). - Remove obsolete administrative requirements, including printed licensure rosters and paper exam language (sponsor statement). - Sponsor circulated an amendment to stagger five board seats into rotating five‑year terms (sponsor statement).
The committee did not take a final vote during the hearing; Senator Jacobson indicated willingness to remain for a closing statement and asked the committee to consider advancing the bill to the floor.
(Reported from the Natural Resources Committee public hearing; speakers’ remarks attributed to the committee transcript.)
