This bill amends various sections of Nebraska's statutes to expand public benefits eligibility for certain non-citizens, specifically "eligible aliens" authorized for employment. It defines "eligible alien" and outlines approved identification documents for verifying lawful presence in the U.S. Eligible aliens and their dependents will now have access to public benefits related to employment, such as retirement benefits and educational financial aid. The bill mandates state agencies to verify applicants' lawful presence while providing exemptions for emergency services and prenatal care. It also establishes that public benefits cannot be denied based on the immigration status of family members of eligible aliens and requires annual reporting on compliance with these provisions.

Additionally, the bill revises the eligibility criteria for participation in the County Employees Retirement Act, Judges Retirement Act, and School Employees Retirement Act, stating that employees must be U.S. citizens, lawfully present, or eligible aliens. It removes previous specific identification requirements, emphasizing the need for an "approved identification document." The bill also outlines procedures for governmental entities that may lose their status as participating employers under the Internal Revenue Code, requiring them to notify the retirement board in advance and ensuring employees transitioning from other plans receive appropriate vesting credit. Furthermore, it strengthens the obligation for state agencies to produce requested documents and repeals several outdated sections of the statutes to streamline the legal framework surrounding public employee retirement systems.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 4-109, 4-108, 4-110, 4-111, 4-112, 4-113, 23-2306, 24-703.01, 48-628.04, 79-915, 81-2016, 84-1307, 84-1504