A proposal to update the Nebraska Career Scholarship Act received first-stage approval on March 20 after lawmakers amended it to include several other bills related to education.
LB1329, introduced by Glenville Sen. Dave Mirman, would update the Nebraska Career Scholarship Act by transferring its administration from the state Department of Economic Development to the Postsecondary Education Coordinating Board.
The measure would also expand the definition of “first-time freshman” to include high school graduates who earned credits through dual enrollment and update scholarship eligibility to require a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Finally, the bill would harmonize reporting dates and guidelines with Census data to account for all eligible programs of study, retention, and graduation data.
The committee amendment, which was adopted 39-0, added provisions from six other education-related bills, including LB1339, introduced by Sen. Gordon Tom Brewer. The provision would allow school districts to allow security guards and off-duty law enforcement to carry firearms on campus and at school-sponsored activities.
If approved, the policy must specify qualifications, training, appropriate firearms and ammunition, and appropriate use of force requirements.
Brewer said many local school districts lack sufficient law enforcement personnel to adequately protect students or get to schools in a timely manner in the event of an emergency.
He proposed an additional amendment, which was adopted 33-0, to require the State Board of Education and the Nebraska State Patrol to work together to create and implement a policy that would allow security guards to carry firearms on school grounds. clarified.
Murman also proposed an amendment that was adopted 34-0 to further narrow the provision to apply only to school districts with fewer than 5,000 residents.
Omaha Sen. Makaela Kavanaugh, who opposes gun control in schools, said the amendment reflects a compromise to narrow the provisions to an acceptable range.
Other bills included in the committee's amendments include:
• LB673, introduced by Sen. Ben Hansen, Blair, would provide grants to schools that adopt policies that provide emergency response mapping data to law enforcement agencies.
• LB855, sponsored by Senator Daniel Conrad Lincoln. This would prohibit school districts from contracting with collection agencies to assess or collect interest, fees, or other penalties on unpaid debts on students' school lunch or breakfast accounts.
LB962, introduced by U.S. Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha. This would require public schools to use only Gall-Peters or AuthaGraph projections for classroom instructional purposes.
• LB1012, sponsored by Fremont Sen. Lynn Walz. Allows eligible capital project funds to be used for abatement projects to address school safety infrastructure concerns.and
• LB1385, introduced by Sen. Kathleen Kaus of Omaha. It streamlines the application process for teaching certificate approval and creates reciprocity among states in the issuance of teaching certificates.
Conrad's proposed amendment (adopted 32-4) would add a provision from Lincoln Sen. George Dungan's LB231 to direct school districts to notify parents in writing about excessive absences.
Finally, Lincoln Sen. Beau Ballard proposed an amendment to add his LB550 provisions to the committee's package, which was adopted 40-0. Under the proposed amendment, students in kindergarten through 12th grade would be allowed to attend public schools outside of their district three times before graduation: once in elementary school, middle school, and high school.
After adoption of the amendment, LB1329 advanced to the selection file on a 40-0 vote.