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Senate adopts amendment tightening rules on suspending K–2 students, advances LB653
Summary
The Nebraska Legislature adopted AM20‑41 to LB653, adding written‑notice and parent/guardian meeting requirements for short‑term suspensions of kindergarten through second‑grade students and advancing the bill to engrossing. The measure also includes an option‑enrollment sibling protection. Supporters called the amendment a safeguard; opponents warned of school‑to‑prison pipeline risks.
Senators on the floor adopted an amendment to LB653 that narrows when and how schools may suspend students in kindergarten through second grade, then advanced the bill to engrossing.
Senator Mermin, sponsor of LB653, told colleagues the measure makes two changes: it clarifies option‑enrollment rules so a district that accepts one child in a family may not deny a sibling’s transfer, and it permits short‑term suspension of K–2 students only for violent behavior capable of causing harm while adding procedural safeguards. “LB653 makes 2 changes… This is ultimately a matter of fairness,” Mermin said in a floor explanation of the bill’s intent.
Senator Duncan, who offered amendment AM20‑41, said the amendment requires any post‑suspension meeting to include not just the student but “the parent, the guardian, or educational decision maker as defined in 79‑5‑30,” mandates written notice of the charges related to the suspension and requires schools to make reasonable efforts to hold a conference if an initial meeting does not occur. “It requires that the notice of the suspension be given written, not just verbal, so nothing gets lost in the wash,” Duncan said.
Supporters framed the change as a compromise that preserves local control while protecting young children and ensuring families have a formal process to address behavioral issues. Senator Spivey said the amendment is “a piece, and chipping off, in the right direction,” and highlighted the presence of a high‑school student advocate in the gallery who has been following related bills.
Opponents warned that allowing suspensions for very young children risks widening racial disparities and feeding a school‑to‑prison pipeline. Senator McKinney said suspending five‑year‑olds would disproportionately affect Black boys and would be “a step toward the school‑to‑prison pipeline,” urging caution even as he supported some procedural safeguards.
The body recorded adoption of AM20‑41 and then advanced LB653 to E & R (engrossing). The clerk announced the result of the advancement on the floor and the measure will proceed through the engrossing process before further floor action.
