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LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH LEGISLATURE
FIRST SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 39
Introduced by Blood, 3.
Read first time January 05, 2023
Committee: Executive Board
1 A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to the Legislature; to state findings; to
2 provide for disability impact statements for legislation; and to
3 provide powers and duties for the office of Legislative Research.
4 Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,
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1 Section 1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
2 (1) Disparities exist for people with disabilities in this state.
3 The causes of such disparities are varied and socioeconomic and include
4 differences in employment, health, public safety, and education outcomes.
5 One of the principal causes of such disparities is the legislative
6 policies underlying the creation and modification of statutes relating to
7 or impacting persons with disabilities;
8 (2) The Legislature has an obligation to reduce the disparities for
9 persons with disabilities and to identify legislative bills that are
10 likely to exacerbate or ameliorate existing disparities or create new
11 ones. The preparation of disability impact statements for certain
12 legislative bills will help the Legislature meet this responsibility; and
13 (3) A disability impact statement is an explanatory statement
14 summarizing the expected impact a legislative bill may have on certain
15 identifiable persons. Disability impact statements can assist legislators
16 by identifying and evaluating the anticipated potential disparities of
17 proposed legislation prior to its adoption and implementation and can
18 assist legislators in detecting otherwise unforeseen policy
19 ramifications.
20 Sec. 2. (1) Beginning in the second session of the One Hundred
21 Eighth Legislature, the office of Legislative Research shall prepare and
22 provide disability impact statements for legislative bills as designated
23 by the Executive Board of the Legislative Council. The primary focus for
24 preparation of such disability impact statements shall be legislative
25 bills that relate to or otherwise affect persons with disabilities and
26 that, if passed, may have a disparate impact on such persons.
27 (2) A disability impact statement shall clearly summarize the
28 estimated impact of a legislative bill on persons with disabilities in
29 the state and the estimated impact of the legislative bill in creating
30 new disparities or exacerbating or ameliorating existing disparities. A
31 disability impact statement may include any relevant research on the
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1 historical impact of similar legislative bills previously enacted. A
2 disability impact statement shall reflect any data or methods used to
3 measure such disability impact.
4 (3) The office of Legislative Research may request the cooperation
5 of any state agency, political subdivision, accredited academic
6 institution, or subject matter expert in the preparation of a disability
7 impact statement or in the collection of any data or information
8 necessary to prepare such disability impact statement.
9 Sec. 3. (1) The Director of Research shall develop a process and
10 procedures by which to request, compile, prepare, and update demographic
11 data and other information used in disability impact statements provided
12 pursuant to section 2 of this act and submit a report on such process and
13 procedures to the Executive Board of the Legislative Council. The report
14 shall be submitted electronically no later than December 15, 2023.
15 (2) With executive board approval, the Director of Research may seek
16 and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any entity, public or
17 private, for the purpose of training staff or purchasing technology to
18 carry out section 2 of this act.
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