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LB 362

Transfer and eliminate provisions of the Emergency Telephone Communications Systems Act and the Enhanced Wireless 911 Services Act and change provisions of the 911 Service System Act

109th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Wendy DeBoer

Nebraska consolidates 9-1-1 laws into a unified NG911 framework, sets a 2026 statewide rollout, and updates funding, oversight, and coordination with 988 for emergencies.

Approved by Governor on March 11, 2025
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Bill Summary · LB 362

Summary — LB 362 (2025)

Title: Transfer and eliminate provisions of the Emergency Telephone Communications Systems Act and the Enhanced Wireless 911 Services Act and change provisions of the 911 Service System Act
Status: Approved by Governor March 11, 2025 (Passed Final Reading 48-0-1)
Introduced: January 16, 2025 — Sponsors: Sen. Wendy DeBoer (primary); Sen. Fredrickson co-introduced in final version

Main purpose

LB 362 is a statutory “cleanup” and consolidation bill for Nebraska’s 9-1-1 laws. It transfers and eliminates overlapping or obsolete provisions from the Emergency Telephone Communications Systems Act and the Enhanced Wireless 911 Services Act, consolidating and harmonizing them into an updated 911 Service System Act. The bill modernizes definitions (including next‑generation 911), adjusts administrative and funding rules, clarifies regulatory jurisdiction and reporting, and sets an implementation deadline for next‑generation 911 statewide.

Key provisions and substantive changes

  • Consolidation and repeal

    • Transfers provisions from two older acts into the 911 Service System Act and repeals numerous obsolete statutory sections to reduce redundancy.
    • Eliminates language that referenced “E‑911” (older terminology) across statutes.

  • Definitions and technology

    • Broadens and updates the definition of “next-generation 911” (section 26) to describe an IP‑based, standards‑driven, secure system that enables interoperability, multi‑media 911 requests, enriched data integration, and information sharing among PSAPs and emergency providers.

  • Implementation deadline

    • Requires every county to implement next‑generation 911 by July 1, 2026.

  • Public Service Commission (PSC)

    • Harmonizes PSC powers, jurisdiction, enforcement, and reporting requirements to reflect the consolidated 911 Service System Act (including penalty authority under the unified act).
    • Changes reporting requirements to focus on traditional 911 and next‑generation 911 services.

  • 911 Service System Advisory Committee

    • Revises membership rules: staggers member terms to three years with no more than one‑third expiring at once; reduces the number of members required from each congressional district from four to two.

  • Funding, surcharges, and customer exemptions

    • Changes and consolidates statutory references governing collection of 911 surcharges and prepaid wireless surcharges.
    • Exempts wireless carriers from collecting wireless surcharges for Nebraska Telephone Assistance Program (NTAP) customers who do not receive a monthly charge via a billing statement.
    • Removes language authorizing wireless carriers to receive cost compensation from the PSC for 911 services; cost compensation eligibility is restricted to public safety answering points (PSAPs).

  • Public safety and related systems

    • Requires Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate with the PSC so the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can connect with the 911 system.
    • Eliminates the Enhanced Wireless 911 Advisory Board.

  • Fund transfers

    • Removes a prior statutory provision that had mandated transfers of interest from the 911 Service System Fund to the General Fund for a past period (July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2019).

Who is affected

  • Counties and PSAPs: must implement NG911 (deadline July 1, 2026); PSAPs are primary recipients of certain cost compensation.
  • Wireless and wireline communications providers: changes in surcharge collection duties, exemptions for some NTAP customers, and limits on eligibility for compensation.
  • Public Service Commission: adjusted enforcement, reporting, and oversight responsibilities under the consolidated act.
  • 911 Service System Advisory Committee: membership and term changes.
  • Users of 988 and emergency services: coordination improved between 988 and 911 systems.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Committee: Transportation & Telecommunications advanced the bill to General File (hearing Jan 27, 2025).
  • Amendments adopted during floor process: DeBoer AM140 and AM255; Enrollment & Review ER8 adopted.
  • Final legislative actions: Placed on Final Reading Feb 24, passed Final Reading March 6, 2025 (48-0-1); presented to Governor March 6, approved March 11, 2025.

Practical impact

LB 362 modernizes and consolidates Nebraska’s 911 statutory framework to reflect next‑generation capabilities, clarifies who administers and funds 911 services, streamlines governance and reporting, and establishes a firm statewide NG911 implementation date — all intended to improve interoperability, data sharing, and long‑term sustainability of emergency communications.

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

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