LB937 changes the number of county supervisors that constitutes a quorum from two-thirds to a majority of the members. Under the two-thirds rule, a committee could be made up of four supervisors, which is the same number that makes up a majority for voting purposes. The bill was introduced to address possible perceptions that county business is being conducted improperly when a majority of the board meets as a committee and later votes on the issue.The bill will take effect on July 18.  

LB863 allows counties that have been maintaining an abandoned or neglected pioneer cemetery for at least five years to transfer the management of the cemetery to a cemetery association. The county planning commission, if any, would review the proposed transfer and the county board would hold a public hearing before approving the transfer by resolution. This language was originally introduced as LB855.Other sections of the bill prohibit the sale to and use of nicotine vapor products by minors and allow local governing bodies, including counties, to authorize off-sale liquor sales until 2 a.m. This language, taken from LB888, revises existing law allowing sales of liquor for consumption on-premises until 2 a.m.

LB215 expands the use of a County Visitor Improvement Fund to include grants to organizations to promote, encourage, and attract visitors to the county to use the county's travel and tourism facilities. Currently the funds may be used directly for such purposes.

LB1044 allows mobile homes to be treated as abandoned if left on private property for more than 30 days after notice from a local government unit is posted on the mobile home and sent to the last-registered owner. Like other abandoned vehicles, mobile homes would be subject to sale, auction, or vesting of title with the governmental entity. Mobile or manufactured homes for which an affidavit of fixture has been filed cannot be treated as abandoned under the bill.

LB597 gives county boards more authority over sales of real estate and improvements by county agricultural societies. The bill adds equipment purchases to the list of uses of the levy allocated to county ag societies by the county board. Because the bill carries an emergency clause, it took effect when signed by Governor Heineman on February 13.

LB792 eliminates a requirement for county treasurers to send an outdated report of school funds to the State Treasurer.

LB737 reduces the residency requirement for veterans service officers from five years to one year and allows an exception if there are no qualified applicants to fill a vacancy.

LB905 and LB906 are two of four bills in this session's nearly $8 billion mid-biennium budget adjustment package. LB905 adds $25 million for property tax relief through the Property Tax Credit. It provides a $7.4 million appropriation in contingency funds to cover possible shortfalls in probation funding due to juvenile justice reforms enacted last year in LB561. It appropriates funds to contract with counties to house prison inmates on a temporary basis and states the intent to investigate whether leasing a former Lancaster County jail facility could be part of the plan to address prison overcrowding. Many of the new expenditures are for one-time expenses and do not represent ongoing new commitments.

Governor Heineman vetoed approximately $65 million of the package and the Legislature restored $61 million of those cuts. The overridden vetoes include funding for replacement of the motor vehicle titling and registration system, deferred maintenance of state parks, heating and air conditioning repairs for the State Capitol and courtyard fountains, staff within the State Auditor's office, and other revisions. 

Other bills that impact the state budget create a sales tax exemption for repair and replacement parts for agricultural machinery and equipment (LB96) and adjust individual income tax rates for inflation (LB987). LB987 also provides an income tax exemption for military retirement. Veterans will be able to either exclude 40 percent of military retirement benefit income for seven consecutive taxable years shortly after retirement or fifteen percent beginning with the year they turn 67.

Funding for a new motor vehicle titling and registration system was introduced as LB738 and became part of this year's budget revision package. In LB906, Governor Heineman vetoed a $12.5 million transfer from the Department of Motor Vehicles Cash Fund for the program, noting that it was not an emergency that required a mid-biennium deficit appropriation. The Legislature overrode the veto so the process of identifying a new system will begin. Pursuant to LB905, a report is due to the Legislature by July 1, 2015.    

LB383 creates Military Honor license plates for veterans and active-duty service members. In order to be eligible, persons who have served or are serving must register with the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

LB446 defines flood damage for purposes of salvage motor vehicle titles.

LB701 allows an insurance company to apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles for a salvage branded title when they are unable to obtain a properly endorsed title from the owner of a totaled vehicle.

LB758 would allow a copy of the registration certificate for a trailer, rather than the original certificate, to be carried in the vehicle pulling the trailer.

LB251 increases the fees charged by car rental companies to help cover the costs of motor vehicle taxes and fees paid in Nebraska. Fees collected in excess of motor vehicle taxes and fees are distributed to counties, cities, and schools under the regular motor vehicle distribution formula. The bill takes effect on October 1, 2014.

LB814 revises definitions and registration procedures related to all-terrain and utility-type vehicles. County treasurers will collect the sales and use taxes at the time of application for the certificate of title for such vehicles. For five years, sales and use taxes collected for these vehicles and personal watercraft will be used by the Game and Parks Commission for repairs at state parks. The bill becomes operative on October 1, 2014.

LB816 allows proof of automobile liability insurance to be provided in a paper or electronic format.  If a person displays it as an electronic image on an electronic device, it is not considered as consent for law enforcement to access other parts of the device. The person presenting the device assumes liability for damage to the device.

LB777 modernizes motor vehicle operator's license statutes by striking references to duplicates and instead using the word "replacement".

LB983 brings Nebraska into compliance with new federal requirements for commercial motor vehicle drivers' licenses, permits, and state identification cards. Provisions from LB981 that were amended into the bill prohibit school bus drivers from texting or using cell phones while driving, with limited exceptions. Provisions from LB249 exempt farmers and their family members and employees from commercial driving regulations when driving covered farm vehicles.

LB776 updates federal references to motor vehicle regulations.

LB661 requires the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Department of Motor Vehicles, to develop and implement an electronic voter registration process by July 1, 2015. Applicants with a valid Nebraska driver's license or state ID will be able to use the process to register to vote or update their voter registration record through the Secretary of State's website. The Department will develop a process to electronically transmit voter registration information to county clerks and election commissioners. Upon receipt of the application for registration, the election commissioner or county clerk will send an acknowledgment of registration to the applicant indicating whether the application is proper or not. The bill also contains language to limit the release of digital signatures to law enforcement agencies or for electronic voter registration purposes.

LB946 revises numerous election provisions.  

• It designates the salary on November 30 of the year preceding the election as the basis for determining the candidate filing fee for the upcoming term.
• Wages for persons appointed to the counting board in school district bond elections are set at no less than the minimum wage.
• Overtime costs of permanent election employees are included within the election costs charged to participating political subdivisions. Existing law includes compensation costs for only temporary election workers within the calculation.  
• Chief deputy election commissioners are required to take the same oath as county officials. Currently no oath is specified.
• Special elections for Class IV or V school districts can be held in conjunction with the primary or general election for a city of the primary or metropolitan class which is governed by a home rule charter. Existing statutes prohibit special elections in certain months unless held in conjunction with a statewide primary or general election.  
• The deadline to replace early voting ballots that are destroyed, spoiled or lost is extended to 8 p.m. on the day of the election.  
• In special elections by mail, the county clerk or election commissioner can chose not to mail a ballot to registered voters who appear to have moved and have failed to respond to a confirmation notice. Notice must be sent to such voters explaining how to get a ballot and setting out the applicable deadlines.  
• The list of registered voters who have returned their ballots during a special election by mail must be made public. Existing law prohibits such disclosure until the election has been certified by the canvassing board.  
• The bill addresses reporting thresholds for campaign contributions.  
• The bill contains provisions from LB833 to clarify the election process for county surveyors in counties of less than 150,000. The question of whether to appoint or elect a county surveyor in each county must be presented to voters at the 2020 election. County boards in counties with an elected surveyor could opt out of the election. The question may again be presented to voters at a later statewide general election.  
• Provisions from other bills change the number of members on Class II and Class III school boards (LB726), clarify when the second half of a term begins when an official is appointed to fill a vacancy (LB743), and provide that the 45-day deadline to fill vacancies applies to cities (LB1084).  
• LB946 takes effect on January 1, 2015.

LB56 provides for automatic advancement in county primary elections if the number of candidates does not exceed the number of candidates to be nominated by a political party for that office. A write-in candidate for that office must file a notarized affidavit of his or her intent to run and pay the filing fee by March 3. If an affidavit is filed, the original filer's name appears on the primary ballot along with a line for the write-in candidate. Because the bill carries an emergency clause, it will be effective for the primary elections in May.

LB144 allows candidates who fail to advance from the primary election due to a tie vote to pursue a write-in candidacy in the general election. When there is a tie vote, the candidate who is nominated is chosen by lot. 

LB1048 requires political parties to file a copy of the party's plan for selecting delegates to its national convention with the Secretary of State. Registration of county convention delegates with the election commissioner or county clerk is made optional at the discretion of the party. The bill requires the Secretary of State to deliver a copy of the official election calendar to the headquarters of all recognized political parties.