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LB 795

Designate bromazolam as a controlled substance under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, correct the spelling of certain controlled substances, and enhance penalties for certain controlled substance offenses involving fentanyl

109th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Barry DeKay

Nebraska bill designates bromazolam as controlled, fixes substance name spellings, and increases penalties for fentanyl offenses to address synthetic drug and opioid threats.

Placed on Final Reading with ST55
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · LB 795

Legislative bill overview

LB 795 adds bromazolam (a benzodiazepine analog) to Nebraska's list of controlled substances, corrects spelling errors in the existing controlled substances registry, and increases criminal penalties for offenses involving fentanyl. The bill represents a regulatory response to emerging synthetic drugs while updating statutory language accuracy.

Why is this important

Bromazolam is a designer drug that mimics prescription benzodiazepines but isn't approved for medical use—it's been linked to overdoses and emergency room visits across the U.S. Designating it as controlled gives law enforcement enforcement tools and creates legal consequences for possession/distribution. Enhanced fentanyl penalties reflect the ongoing opioid crisis, where fentanyl's extreme potency makes even small quantities lethal.

Potential points of contention

  • Definitional scope: Bromazolam is part of a broader class of unregulated synthetic benzodiazepines; critics may argue the bill addresses one drug while others remain legal, creating a "whack-a-mole" enforcement challenge
  • Penalty proportionality: Enhanced fentanyl penalties may disproportionately affect low-level dealers versus manufacturers, and could create sentencing disparities compared to other opioids
  • Spelling corrections: While administrative, errors in controlled substance names create ambiguity in existing prosecutions and could generate legal challenges if cases were already filed under misspelled versions

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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