By Erin Bamer & Zach Wendling | Nebraska Examiner
Immigration enforcement, homeless regulations, artificial intelligence among topics addressed in latest bills
LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers are set to consider a slew of nationally relevant topics in the 2026 legislative session, including new bills addressing immigration enforcement, homeless encampments and artificial intelligence.
More than 100 new bills were introduced Thursday and Friday. That brings the total number of new bills, resolutions and constitutional amendments introduced over the first three days of a shorter, 60-day session to 250. Legislation can be introduced through the 10th legislative day: Jan. 21.
Immigration enforcement
Legislative Bill 907 from State Sen. Margo Juarez of Omaha, would prohibit law enforcement officers from entering “community safe spaces” to enforce immigration law. Such spaces include a range of public properties, including hospitals, schools, libraries, churches, shelters and courthouses.
Juarez said she brought the bill because she is “appalled” that the Trump administration has allowed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to go “everywhere.” She said she views it as a violation that impacts both the people ICE is targeting and other members of the public visiting the same spaces.
“I don’t like the creation of that precedent,” Juarez said.
Juarez also introduced LB 906, which would prohibit law enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings, masks or disguises and require them to wear identification. State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha brought a similar bill — LB 854. Juarez said she didn’t talk to Hunt about the issue beforehand.
Juarez’s bill is a bit more expansive than Hunt’s. It specifies that any evidence collected by an officer in violation of the new law would be inadmissible in court. She said there are legitimate safety reasons for officers to wear face coverings but argued it shouldn’t become the norm.
“Bank robbers cover their faces, not law enforcement,” Juarez said.
Homeless encampments
LB 925, from State Sen. Bob Andersen of western Sarpy County, would outlaw unauthorized encampments on any public property or right-of-way, unless the land is designated as a campsite or temporary site for an unsanctioned homeless encampment. State law already prohibits unauthorized encampments on state and county property, Andersen said.
The “Safe Parks and Public Spaces Act” came about, Andersen said, because of some residential area encampments where residents had seen unlawful behavior, such as drug use.
“It is threatening and makes it unsafe for the resident,” Andersen said.
Violations of the new law would be a Class V misdemeanor, but, for first-time offenders, law enforcement would direct them to the nearest appropriate shelter for homeless individuals.
Political subdivisions would be prohibited from allowing anyone to regularly camp or sleep on such property or rights-of-way and could not prohibit or discourage enforcement. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services would oversee any alleged violations.
AI chatbots
LB 939, from State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, would require age verification for chatbots on online platforms and require online platforms to identify when chatbots use artificial intelligence and prevent such chatbots from impersonating a human while interacting with a minor.
Chatbots are often operated by artificial intelligence software and apps, including X’s Grok, Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Murman said some of these services have been linked to youth suicides, and he hopes to mitigate those risks by increasing transparency.
“I don’t want to overly regulate AI at all,” Murman said. “AI has a bright future.”
Murman said LB 939 is similar to a previous bill he passed in 2024, LB 1092, which required online porn companies to verify users’ ages. As a result of the law, Pornhub went dark in Nebraska, where it remains to this day.
It is unclear how an executive order President Donald Trump signed in December seeking to stop states from regulating artificial intelligence might impact LB 939. The order does include a carveout for protecting minors.
Other legislation
Among other notable bills introduced this week:
- LB 837, by State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte — Allow cash transactions and wages in the state to be rounded up or down to the nearest nickel with the national elimination of pennies. Transactions ending in one, two, six or seven cents could be rounded down, while transactions ending in three, four, eight or nine to be rounded up. Digital payments, gift cards, checks and money orders would not be affected.
- LB 843, by State Sen. Victor Rountree of Bellevue — Require the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to file a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program waiver for refugees and immigrants.
- LB 848, by State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, and LB 865, by State Sen. Jason Prokop of Lincoln — Create three-day sales tax holidays before the start of fall school semesters. Cavanaugh’s LB 848 would begin at 12:01 a.m. the first Friday of August for clothing, school supplies, computer software, graphing calculators and personal computers up to certain dollar amounts. Prokop’s LB 865 would begin at 12:01 a.m. the last Friday of July for child care supplies, clothing, footwear and school supplies up to certain dollar amounts. The state sales tax is 5.5 cents per $1, most local rates are up to 2 cents.
- LB 849, also by Cavanaugh — Exempt over-the-counter drugs from sales taxes.
- LB 881, by State Sen. Dunixi Guereca of Omaha — Require law enforcement agencies, jails and the Nebraska State Patrol to receive approval from a “local governing body” before entering agreements to enforce immigration law. This follows controversies over Nebraska entering an agreement with the federal government over transferring the McCook Work Ethic Camp to ICE and local decisions by county sheriffs and county jails to help ICE.
- LB 910, by State Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering — Require individuals convicted of sexual offenses against children to pay a fee for electronic devices seized during prosecution.
- LB 913, also by Hardin — Requie DHHS to appoint a dementia services coordinator who would serve as a central point to collect data on Alzheimer’s and dementia, evaluate needs and link families caring for individuals facing those diagnoses with resources.
- LB 915, by State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City — Allow one additional Inland Port Authority district, for a total of six. The five current ones are in Omaha, Bellevue, South Sioux City, Lincoln County and Fremont/Dodge County. Districts require approval from a host city or county and are intended to help spur economic development.
- LB 940, by State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil — Prohibit certain artificial color additives in meals served at public K-12 schools. The banned additives would include Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6.
Nebraska Examiner senior reporter Cindy Gonzalez contributed to this report.