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LB 631

State intent relating to funding for the School Emergency Response Mapping Fund

109th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Ben Hansen

Creates a dedicated one-time $4.525 million General Fund grant to fund the School Emergency Response Mapping Fund for K-12 emergency mapping improvements.

Title printed. Carryover bill
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Bill Summary · LB 631

Summary of Legislative Bill LB 631 (Nebraska)

Overview

  • Bill Number: LB 631
  • Title: State intent relating to funding for the School Emergency Response Mapping Fund
  • Introduced: January 22, 2025
  • Status: Notice of hearing scheduled for February 18, 2025
  • Primary Sponsor: Senator Ben Hansen
  • Committee: Education

LB 631 would create a dedicated fund, articulate the Legislature’s intent to fund it, authorize a one-time transfer of General Fund dollars, repeal the current statute governing the fund, and declare an emergency so the act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Purpose and Intent

  • The bill establishes and funds the School Emergency Response Mapping Fund within the Nebraska education framework.
  • The Legislature’s explicit intent is to provide a one-time transfer of $4,525,000 (four million five hundred twenty-five thousand dollars) from the General Fund for the 2025-26 fiscal year to the School Emergency Response Mapping Fund.
  • The purpose of the fund is to support grants related to facilitating the implementation of mapping data for K-12 schools, in a manner aligned with existing statute (specifically section 79-3110).

Key Provisions

  • Section 1: Creates the School Emergency Response Mapping Fund, to be administered by the State Department of Education (SDE). The fund will receive money from:
    • Grants or bequests
    • Other transfers or gifts
    • Investments by the state investment officer under the Nebraska Capital Expansion Act and the Nebraska State Funds Investment Act
    • The appropriated funds are to be used for grants to facilitate the implementation of mapping data per section 79-3110
  • Section 1 (cont.): The Legislature’s intent to transfer $4,525,000 from the General Fund to the School Emergency Response Mapping Fund for FY 2025-26 (one-time appropriation) is stated.
  • Section 2: Repeals the original Section 79-3111 and replaces it with the new framework governing the fund.
  • Section 3: Declares an emergency, so the act takes effect upon passage and approval.

Funding and Financial Details

  • Amount: $4,525,000 (one-time) from the General Fund
  • Fiscal Year: 2025-26 (intended to fully fund the mapping fund)
  • Use of Funds: Grants to facilitate the implementation of mapping data for K-12 schools, consistent with section 79-3110
  • Investment/Management: Funds in the new program may be invested by the state investment officer under applicable state investment laws

Administration and Oversight

  • Administered By: Nebraska State Department of Education (SDE)
  • Governing Statutes: Augments or replaces existing framework related to the School Emergency Response Mapping Fund, including alignment with section 79-3110
  • Grant Purpose: To support development and deployment of accurate, comprehensive school emergency maps that integrate with first responder systems and enhance emergency response capabilities

Affected Parties

  • Primary Beneficiaries: Nebraska K-12 schools/districts and associated emergency response partners (e.g., local first responders)
  • Other Stakeholders: Local education agencies, state emergency management stakeholders, and any recipients of the mapping data grants

Procedural Timeline and Actions

  • Introduction: January 22, 2025
  • Referred to Committee: January 24, 2025 (Education)
  • Hearing Notice: February 10, 2025
  • Hearing Date: February 18, 2025 (Education Committee)
  • Legislative Status: Pending committee consideration; a hearing is scheduled to discuss funding and scope

Potential Implications

  • Provides a dedicated, one-time funding stream to accelerate the development of standardized emergency maps for Nebraska schools.
  • Aims to improve situational awareness, reduce emergency response times, and better integrate school data with first responders’ systems.
  • The emergency clause ensures immediate effective date if enacted, enabling faster deployment of mapping efforts.

If you’d like, I can add a brief comparison to how similar funding operates in neighboring states or summarize potential oversight and reporting requirements once the committee prints the bill.

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

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