LB901A is an appropriation bill that provides funding to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services for a program intended to help carry out the provisions of LB1209, the underlying substantive bill from the 109th Legislature, Second Session. The bill draws money from the Behavioral Health Services Fund for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 and specifies that the appropriated funds are to be used only for the stated state-aid purpose. It also states that no permanent or temporary salaries or per diem payments for state employees may be paid from these appropriations.
The bill is a fiscal companion measure rather than a policy overhaul: it creates the spending authority needed to implement the related legislation and includes an emergency clause so it takes effect immediately upon passage and approval. In the legislative process, LB901A advanced unanimously on a 34-0 vote to Enrollment and Review Initial, indicating broad support for the appropriation itself. The bill’s later status notes that provisions or portions of LB901A were amended into LB1209 by rules suspension, suggesting it became part of the larger legislative package rather than moving as a standalone measure.
Impact
LB901A affects state law by authorizing specific appropriations from the Behavioral Health Services Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services for state aid tied to LB1209. Its practical effect is to provide the funding mechanism necessary for implementation of the related behavioral health program, while limiting the use of those funds to that purpose and excluding employee salary and per diem expenditures. Because it includes an emergency clause, the appropriation becomes effective immediately, accelerating the availability of funds and implementation timing.
Sentiment
The general sentiment around LB901A appears strongly favorable and noncontroversial. The recorded vote was unanimous, 34 yeas and 0 nays, which suggests broad agreement that the appropriation was needed to support the underlying bill. The absence of committee transcript discussion in the provided materials also suggests there was little public dispute over the measure as a funding bill.
Contention
There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record. The main point that could draw attention is the bill’s narrow use of Behavioral Health Services Fund dollars for a specific state-aid purpose, along with the restriction that no state employee salaries or per diem costs be paid from the appropriation. Another procedural point is that portions of LB901A were later amended into LB1209 by rules suspension, which indicates the funding language was folded into the larger bill package rather than remaining a separate, standalone appropriation measure.