This legislative bill amends various sections of the Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska to improve educational opportunities and streamline processes for students, particularly non-residents and those in private institutions. Key provisions include allowing non-resident students to participate in extracurricular activities at no charge if their home district does not offer the desired activity, and establishing a comprehensive database for financial information from all school districts. The bill also mandates public and private colleges to report funding received from foreign adversarial sources to the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education, while redefining terms and powers under the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education Act and the Nebraska Career Scholarship Act.

Significant changes include the insertion of new language permitting part-time enrollment for students from private or non-accredited schools to engage in extracurricular activities in their local districts. The bill modifies the authority of the Board of Trustees of the Nebraska State Colleges to manage student housing and activity facilities, allowing for long-term leases and financing contracts without the use of state tax funds. Additionally, it enhances the Nebraska Career Scholarship program by increasing maximum scholarship amounts for eligible students and expanding eligibility criteria, including provisions for first-time freshmen based on standardized test scores. The bill also requires detailed reporting on scholarship recipients and establishes a new database for financial information from school districts, with certain sections becoming operative three months after the legislative session adjourns.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 13-518, 85-304, 85-1402, 85-3003, 85-3004, 85-3006, 85-3202
Final Reading: 79-215, 85-304, 85-1402, 85-1412, 85-3003, 85-3004, 85-3006, 85-3202
Slip Law: 79-215, 85-304, 85-1402, 85-1412, 85-3003, 85-3004, 85-3006, 85-3202