Read the full stored bill text
LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED NINTH LEGISLATURE
SECOND SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 1024
Introduced by Murman, 38; Ballard, 21; Clements, 2; Lippincott, 34;
Lonowski, 33; Storer, 43.
Read first time January 13, 2026
Committee: Education
A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to schools; to amend sections 79-724 and1
79-760.01, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska; to require2
instruction on the history of communism as prescribed; to provide3
duties to school districts and to committees on American civics; to4
incorporate the history of communism into academic content5
standards; to provide duties to the State Board of Education; to6
harmonize provisions; and to repeal the original sections.7
Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,8
LB1024
2026
LB1024
2026
-1-
Section 1. Beginning with school year 2027-28, each school1
district, in consultation with the State Department of Education, shall2
include instruction on the history of communism within the social studies3
curriculum. Such instruction shall be age-appropriate and include:4
(a) The history of communism in the United States, including5
domestic communist movements and their associated histories and tactics;6
(b) Atrocities committed in foreign countries in the name of7
communism; 8
(c) Comparative discussion of political ideologies, such as9
communism and totalitarianism, that conflict with the principles of10
freedom and democracy essential to the founding principles of the United11
States' representative republic system; 12
(d) The increasing threat of communism in the United States and its13
allies through the 20th century, the events of the Cultural Revolution in14
the People's Republic of China, the history of the Soviet Union, and the15
mass killings that have occurred under communist regimes;16
(e) The suppression and persecution of various religious faiths17
under communist regimes; and 18
(f) The economic, industrial, and political events that have19
preceded communist revolutions. 20
Sec. 2. Section 79-724, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is21
amended to read: 22
79-724 It is the responsibility of society to ensure that youth are23
given the opportunity to become competent, responsible, patriotic, and24
civil citizens to ensure a strong, stable, just, and prosperous America.25
Such a citizenry necessitates that every member thereof be knowledgeable26
of our nation's history, government, geography, and economic system. The27
youth in our state should be committed to the ideals and values of our28
country's democracy and the constitutional republic established by the29
people. Schools should help prepare our youth to make informed and30
reasoned decisions for the public good. Civic competence is necessary to31
LB1024
2026
LB1024
2026
-2-
sustain and improve our democratic way of life and must be taught in all1
public, private, denominational, and parochial schools. A central role of2
schools is to impart civic knowledge and skills that help our youth to3
see the relevance of a civic dimension for their lives. Students should4
be made fully aware of the liberties, opportunities, and advantages we5
possess and the sacrifices and struggles of those through whose efforts6
these benefits were gained. Since young people are most susceptible to7
the acceptance of principles and doctrines that will influence them8
throughout their lives, it is one of the first duties of our educational9
system to conduct its activities, choose its textbooks, and arrange its10
curriculum in such a way that the youth of our state have the opportunity11
to become competent, responsible, patriotic, and civil American citizens.12
(1) The school board of each school district shall, at the beginning13
of each calendar year, appoint from its members a committee of three, to14
be known as the committee on American civics, which shall:15
(a) Hold no fewer than two public meetings annually, at least one16
when public testimony is accepted; 17
(b) Keep minutes of each meeting showing the time and place of the18
meeting, which members were present or absent, and the substance and19
details of all matters discussed; 20
(c) Examine and ensure that the social studies curriculum used in21
the district is aligned with section 1 of this act and the social studies22
standards adopted pursuant to section 79-760.01 and teaches foundational23
knowledge in civics, history, economics, financial literacy, and24
geography; 25
(d) Review and approve the social studies curriculum to ensure that26
it stresses the services of the men and women who played a crucial role27
in the achievement of national independence, establishment of our28
constitutional government, and preservation of the union and includes the29
incorporation of multicultural education as set forth in sections 79-71930
to 79-723 in order to instill a pride and respect for the nation's31
LB1024
2026
LB1024
2026
-3-
institutions and not be merely a recital of events and dates;1
(e) Ensure that any curriculum recommended or approved by the2
committee on American civics is made readily accessible to the public and3
contains a reference to this section; 4
(f) Ensure that the district develops and utilizes formative,5
interim, and summative assessments to measure student mastery of the6
social studies standards adopted pursuant to section 79-760.01;7
(g) Ensure that the social studies curriculum in the district8
incorporates one or more of the following for each student:9
(i) Administration of a written test that is identical to the entire10
civics portion of the naturalization test used by United States11
Citizenship and Immigration Services prior to the completion of eighth12
grade and again prior to the completion of twelfth grade with the13
individual score from each test for each student made available to a14
parent or guardian of such student; or 15
(ii) Attendance or participation between the commencement of eighth16
grade and completion of twelfth grade in a meeting of a public body as17
defined by section 84-1409 followed by the completion of a project or18
paper in which each student demonstrates or discusses the personal19
learning experience of such student related to such attendance or20
participation; or 21
(iii) Completion of a project or paper and a class presentation22
between the commencement of eighth grade and the completion of twelfth23
grade on a person or persons or an event commemorated by a holiday listed24
in subdivision (6) of this section or on a topic related to such person25
or persons or event; and 26
(h) Take all such other steps as will assure the carrying out of the27
provisions of this section and provide a report to the school board28
regarding the committee's findings and recommendations.29
(2) All social studies courses approved for grade levels as provided30
by this section shall include and adequately stress contributions of all31
LB1024
2026
LB1024
2026
-4-
ethnic groups to (a) the development and growth of America into a great1
nation, (b) art, music, education, medicine, literature, science,2
politics, and government, and (c) the military in all of this nation's3
wars. 4
(3) All grades of all public, private, denominational, and parochial5
schools, below the sixth grade, shall devote at least one hour per week6
to exercises or teaching periods for the following purpose:7
(a) The discussion of noteworthy events pertaining to American8
history or the exceptional acts of individuals and groups of Americans;9
(b) The historical background, memorization, and singing of10
patriotic songs such as the Star-Spangled Banner and America the11
Beautiful; 12
(c) The development of respect for the American flag as a symbol of13
freedom and the sacrifices of those who secured that freedom; and14
(d) Instruction as to proper conduct in the presentation of the15
American flag. 16
(4) In at least two of the three grades from the fifth grade to the17
eighth grade in all public, private, denominational, and parochial18
schools, time shall be set aside for the teaching of American history19
from the social studies curriculum, which shall be taught in such a20
manner that all students are given the opportunity to (a) become21
competent, responsible, patriotic, and civil citizens who possess a deep22
understanding of and respect for both the Constitution of the United23
States and the Constitution of Nebraska and (b) prepare to preserve,24
protect, and defend freedom and democracy in our nation and our world.25
(5) In at least two courses in every high school, time shall be26
devoted to the teaching of civics and American history as outlined in the27
social studies standards adopted pursuant to section 79-760.01, during28
which specific attention shall be given to the following matters:29
(a) The Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution,30
the Constitution of Nebraska, and the structure and function of local31
LB1024
2026
LB1024
2026
-5-
government in this state; 1
(b) The benefits and advantages of representative government, the2
rights and responsibilities of citizenship in our government, and the3
dangers and fallacies of forms of government that restrict individual4
freedoms or possess antidemocratic ideals such as, but not limited to,5
Nazism and communism; 6
(c) The duties of citizenship, which include active participation in7
the improvement of a citizen's community, state, country, and world and8
the value and practice of civil discourse between opposing interests; and9
(d) The application of knowledge in civics, history, economics,10
financial literacy, and geography to address societal issues.11
(6) Appropriate patriotic exercises suitable to the occasion shall12
be held under the direction of the superintendent in every public,13
private, denominational, and parochial school on George Washington's14
birthday, Abraham Lincoln's birthday, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s15
birthday, Native American Heritage Day, Constitution Day, Memorial Day,16
Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving Day, or on the day or week preceding or17
following such holiday, if the school is in session.18
(7) Every school board, the State Board of Education, and the19
superintendent of each school district in the state shall be held20
directly responsible in the order named for carrying out this section.21
Neglect thereof by any employee may be considered a cause for dismissal.22
Sec. 3. Section 79-760.01, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is23
amended to read: 24
79-760.01 (1) The State Board of Education shall adopt measurable25
academic content standards for at least the grade levels required for26
statewide assessment pursuant to section 79-760.03. The standards shall27
cover the subject areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and28
social studies. 29
(2)(a) The board shall also adopt measurable academic content30
standards for the following as part of the social studies standards:31
LB1024
2026
LB1024
2026
-6-
(i) Financial literacy; and 1
(ii) Education on the Holocaust and other acts of genocide as2
recognized by the Congress of the United States or the United Nations as3
of January 1, 2022; and . 4
(iii) On or before January 1, 2027, instruction on the history of5
communism as require pursuant to section 1 of this act.6
(b) On or before March 1, 2024, the board shall also adopt7
measurable academic content standards for computer science and technology8
education under the mathematics, science, or career and technical9
education standards. 10
(3) Academic content standards adopted or recommended pursuant to11
this section shall be sufficiently clear and measurable to be used for12
testing student performance with respect to mastery of the content13
described in the state standards. 14
(4) The State Board of Education shall develop a plan to review and15
update standards for each subject area every seven years. The state board16
plan shall include a review of commonly accepted standards adopted by17
school districts. 18
Sec. 4. Original sections 79-724 and 79-760.01, Reissue Revised19
Statutes of Nebraska, are repealed. 20
LB1024
2026
LB1024
2026
-7-