The bill establishes the Protection Orders Act, amending various sections of Nebraska law to enhance protections for victims of domestic violence, harassment, and sexual assault. It introduces new definitions for terms such as "abuse," "course of conduct," and "household pet," and extends the initial period for protection orders to one to two years at the court's discretion. The bill outlines procedures for filing petitions, including the requirement to specify incidents of abuse, and allows for ex parte issuance of protection orders in cases of immediate danger. It also clarifies the responsibilities of courts and law enforcement regarding the service of protection orders and establishes penalties for violations, categorizing them as misdemeanors or felonies based on the offense's nature.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions for the treatment of petitions for different types of protection orders interchangeably and emphasizes the confidentiality of victim identification information. It mandates the creation of standard forms for petitions and affidavits to streamline the process for petitioners. The legislation also addresses child welfare by requiring notification to military installations when a child abuse report involves a military family member and clarifies the notification process for subjects of child abuse reports. Overall, the bill aims to improve the legal framework surrounding protection orders and enhance the response to domestic violence and child abuse cases in Nebraska.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 42-924, 42-925, 42-926, 42-924.01, 42-924.03, 42-928, 42-929, 42-924.02, 42-931, 28-311.12, 25-2740, 28-311.02, 28-311.04, 28-311.05, 28-358.01, 28-1205, 28-1206, 29-404.02, 29-422, 29-2292, 42-901, 42-903, 42-905, 42-927, 43-1609, 43-1611, 60-3209
Final Reading: 42-924, 42-925, 42-926, 42-924.01, 42-924.03, 42-928, 42-929, 42-924.02, 42-931, 28-311.12, 25-2740, 28-311.02, 28-311.04, 28-311.05, 28-358.01, 28-710, 28-713.01, 28-1205, 28-1206, 29-404.02, 29-422, 29-2292, 42-901, 42-903, 42-905, 42-927, 43-1609, 43-1611, 60-3209, 76-1401
Slip Law: 42-924, 42-925, 42-926, 42-924.01, 42-924.03, 42-928, 42-929, 42-924.02, 42-931, 28-311.12, 25-2740, 28-311.02, 28-311.04, 28-311.05, 28-358.01, 28-710, 28-713.01, 28-1205, 28-1206, 29-404.02, 29-422, 29-2292, 42-901, 42-903, 42-905, 42-927, 43-1609, 43-1611, 60-3209, 76-1401