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LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED NINTH LEGISLATURE
SECOND SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 1099
Introduced by Hansen, 16.
Read first time January 16, 2026
Committee: Transportation and Telecommunications
A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to license plates; to amend section 66-4,100,1
Revised Statutes Cumulative Supplement, 2024, and section2
60-3,163.02, Revised Statutes Supplement, 2025; to provide for3
Husker Red License Plates; to provide duties to the Department of4
Motor Vehicles; to change provisions relating to the Highway Cash5
Fund and the Roads Operations Cash Fund; to eliminate obsolete6
provisions; to harmonize provisions; and to repeal the original7
sections. 8
Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,9
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Section 1. Section 60-3,163.02, Revised Statutes Supplement, 2025,1
is amended to read: 2
60-3,163.02 The department shall issue the following types of3
alternate license plates pursuant to this section and sections 60-3,104,4
60-3,163, and 60-3,163.01: 5
(1) Arbor Day Plates. The department shall design such license6
plates in consultation with the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and a7
nonprofit organization holding a certificate of exemption under section8
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code with a mission to inspire people9
to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. The design of such plates shall10
represent the history and importance of Arbor Day in Nebraska. The11
designated recipient for alternate license plate fees for Arbor Day12
Plates is the Home of Arbor Day Plate Cash Fund. A person may apply for13
Arbor Day Plates beginning on January 1, 2026; 14
(2) Breast Cancer Awareness Plates. The department shall design such15
license plates to include a pink ribbon and the words "early detection16
saves lives" along the bottom of the license plate. The designated17
recipient for alternate license plate fees for Breast Cancer Awareness18
Plates is the University of Nebraska Medical Center for the breast cancer19
navigator program; 20
(3) Choose Life License Plates. The department shall design such21
license plates to reflect support for the protection of Nebraska's22
children. The designated recipient for alternate license plate fees for23
Choose Life License Plates is the Health and Human Services Cash Fund to24
supplement federal funds available to the Department of Health and Human25
Services for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, 4226
U.S.C. 601 et seq.; 27
(4) Czech Heritage Plates. The department, in consultation with the28
Czech Honorary Consul of Nebraska, shall design such license plates to29
reflect Czech heritage in Nebraska. The designated recipient for30
alternate license plate fees for Czech Heritage Plates is the Department31
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of Motor Vehicles Cash Fund; 1
(5) Donate Life Plates. The department shall design such license2
plates to reflect support for organ and tissue donation, registration as3
a donor on the Donor Registry of Nebraska, and the federally designated4
organ procurement organization for Nebraska. The designated recipient for5
alternate license plate fees for Donate Life Plates is the Organ and6
Tissue Donor Awareness and Education Fund; 7
(6) Down Syndrome Awareness Plates. The department shall design such8
license plates to include the words "Down syndrome awareness" inside a9
heart-shaped yellow and blue ribbon. The designated recipient for10
alternate license plate fees for Down Syndrome Awareness Plates is the11
University of Nebraska Medical Center for the Down Syndrome Clinic;12
(7) Husker Red License Plates. The department shall design such13
license plates so that (a) a scarlet-colored background covers the entire14
front of the license plates and (b) the license plate designations use15
cream-colored characters. The designated recipient for alternate license16
plate fees for Husker Red License Plates is the Highway Cash Fund. A17
person may apply for Husker Red License Plates beginning on January 1,18
2027; 19
(8) (7) Josh the Otter-Be Safe Around Water Plates. The department20
shall design such license plates to include a blue background with the21
head of an otter surfacing above water surrounded by the words "Josh the22
Otter-Be Safe Around Water". The designated recipient for alternate23
license plate fees for Josh the Otter-Be Safe Around Water Plates is the24
Josh the Otter-Be Safe Around Water Cash Fund; 25
(9) (8) Mountain Lion Conservation Plates. The department shall26
design such license plates to reflect support for the conservation of the27
mountain lion population. The designated recipient for alternate license28
plate fees for Mountain Lion Conservation Plates is the Game and Parks29
Commission Educational Fund; 30
(10) (9) Native American Cultural Awareness and History Plates. The31
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department, in consultation with the Commission on Indian Affairs, shall1
design license plates that reflect the unique culture and history of2
Native American tribes historically and currently located in Nebraska.3
The designated recipient for alternate license plate fees for Native4
American Cultural Awareness and History Plates is the Native American5
Scholarship and Leadership Fund; 6
(11)(a) (10)(a) Nebraska Cornhusker Spirit Plates. The department7
shall design such license plates to (i) include the word "Cornhuskers" or8
"Huskers" prominently in the design, (ii) use scarlet and cream colors in9
the design or such other similar colors as the department determines to10
best represent the official team colors of the University of Nebraska11
Cornhuskers athletic programs and to provide suitable reflection and12
contrast, (iii) use cream or a similar color for the background of the13
design and scarlet or a similar color for the printing, and (iv) create a14
design reflecting support for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers15
athletic programs in consultation with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln16
Athletic Department. 17
(b) Alphanumeric Nebraska Cornhusker Spirit Plates shall (i) be18
consecutively numbered beginning with the number one and use numbers that19
are a size that maximizes legibility, and (ii) not use a county20
designation or any characters other than numbers on the spirit plates.21
(c) Personalized message Nebraska Cornhusker Spirit Plates shall be22
issued subject to the same conditions specified for personalized message23
license plates in subsection (2) of section 60-3,118. The characters used24
shall consist only of letters, numerals, or a combination of letters and25
numerals of the same size and design specified in section 60-3,100. A26
maximum of seven characters may be used. 27
(d) Each application for initial issuance or renewal of Nebraska28
Cornhusker Spirit Plates shall be accompanied by a fee of seventy29
dollars. Fees collected pursuant to this subdivision shall be remitted to30
the State Treasurer. The State Treasurer shall credit sixty percent of31
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the fee to the Department of Motor Vehicles Cash Fund and forty percent1
of the fee to the designated recipient for alternate license plate fees.2
(e) The designated recipient for alternate license plate fees for3
Nebraska Cornhusker Spirit Plates is the Highway Trust Fund;4
(12) (11) Nebraska History Plates. The department shall design such5
license plates in consultation with the Nebraska State Historical Society6
to reflect the importance of historical preservation in Nebraska and the7
value of our shared Nebraska history. The designated recipient for8
alternate license plate fees for Nebraska History Plates is the Support9
Nebraska History Cash Fund; 10
(13) (12) Pets for Vets Plates. The department shall design such11
license plates to support veterans and companion or therapy pet animals.12
The designated recipient for alternate license plate fees for Pets for13
Vets Plates is the Pets for Vets Cash Fund; 14
(14) (13) Prostate Cancer Awareness Plates. The department shall15
design such license plates to include a light blue ribbon and the words16
"early detection saves lives" along the bottom of the license plate. The17
designated recipient for alternate license plate fees for Prostate Cancer18
Awareness Plates is the University of Nebraska Medical Center for the19
Nebraska Prostate Cancer Research Program; 20
(15) (14) Sammy's Superheroes license plates for childhood cancer21
awareness. The department shall design such license plates to include a22
blue handprint over a yellow ribbon and the words "childhood cancer23
awareness". The designated recipient for alternate license plate fees for24
Sammy's Superheroes license plates for childhood cancer awareness is the25
University of Nebraska Medical Center for pediatric cancer research;26
(16) (15) Support the Arts Plates. The department shall design such27
license plates in consultation with the Nebraska Arts Council to reflect28
support for the arts in Nebraska. The designated recipient for alternate29
license plate fees for Support the Arts Plates is the Support the Arts30
Cash Fund; 31
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(17)(a) (16)(a) Support Our Troops Plates. The department shall1
design such license plates to reflect support for troops from all2
branches of the armed forces. The designated recipient for alternate3
license plate fees for Support Our Troops Plates is the Veterans4
Employment Program Fund. 5
(b)(i) Each application for initial issuance or renewal of6
alphanumeric Support Our Troops Plates shall be accompanied by a fee of7
five dollars. The State Treasurer shall credit five dollars of the fee to8
the designated recipient for alternate license plate fees for Support Our9
Troops Plates. 10
(ii) Each application for initial issuance or renewal of11
personalized message Support Our Troops Plates shall be accompanied by a12
fee of seventy dollars. Twenty-five percent of such fee shall be credited13
to the Department of Motor Vehicles Cash Fund and seventy-five percent of14
such fee shall be credited to the designated recipient for alternate15
license plate fees for Support Our Troops Plates; 16
(18) (17) The Good Life Is Outside Plates. The department shall17
design such license plates to reflect the importance of safe walking and18
biking in Nebraska and the value of our recreational trails. The19
designated recipient for alternate license plate fees for The Good Life20
Is Outside Plates is the Game and Parks State Park Improvement and21
Maintenance Fund for the purpose of trail improvement and maintenance;22
and 23
(19) (18) Wildlife Conservation Plates. The department shall create24
no more than three designs for such license plates to reflect support for25
the conservation of Nebraska wildlife, including sandhill cranes, bighorn26
sheep, and ornate box turtles. The designated recipient for alternate27
license plate fees for Wildlife Conservation Plates is the Wildlife28
Conservation Fund. 29
Sec. 2. Section 66-4,100, Revised Statutes Cumulative Supplement,30
2024, is amended to read: 31
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66-4,100 (1) The Highway Cash Fund and the Roads Operations Cash1
Fund are hereby created. Such funds may include money credited from any2
source, including section 60-3,163.02. If bonds are issued pursuant to3
subsection (2) of section 39-2223, the balance of the share of the4
Highway Trust Fund allocated to the Department of Transportation and5
deposited into the Highway Restoration and Improvement Bond Fund as6
provided in subsection (8) of section 39-2215 and the balance of the7
money deposited in the Highway Restoration and Improvement Bond Fund as8
provided in section 39-2215.01 shall be transferred by the State9
Treasurer, on or before the last day of each month, to the Highway Cash10
Fund. If no bonds are issued pursuant to subsection (2) of section11
39-2223, the share of the Highway Trust Fund allocated to the Department12
of Transportation shall be transferred by the State Treasurer on or13
before the last day of each month to the Highway Cash Fund.14
(2) The Legislature may direct the State Treasurer to transfer funds15
from the Highway Cash Fund to the Roads Operations Cash Fund. Both funds16
shall be expended by the department for: 17
(a) Acquiring (1) for acquiring real estate, road materials,18
equipment, and supplies to be used in the construction, reconstruction,19
improvement, and maintenance of state highways; , 20
(b) The (2) for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, and21
maintenance of state highways, including grading, drainage, structures,22
surfacing, roadside development, landscaping, and other incidentals23
necessary for proper completion and protection of state highways as the24
department shall, after investigation, find and determine shall be for25
the best interests of the highway system of the state, either independent26
of or in conjunction with federal-aid money for highway purposes; ,27
(c) The (3) for the share of the department of the cost of28
maintenance of state aid bridges; , 29
(d) Planning (4) for planning studies in conjunction with federal30
highway funds for the purpose of analyzing traffic problems and financial31
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conditions and problems relating to state, county, township, municipal,1
federal, and all other roads in the state and for incidental costs in2
connection with the federal-aid grade crossing program for roads not on3
state highways; , 4
(e) Tests (5) for tests and research by the department or5
proportionate costs of membership, tests, and research of highway6
organizations when participated in by the highway departments of other7
states; , 8
(f) The (6) for the payment of expenses and costs of the Board of9
Examiners for County Highway and City Street Superintendents as set forth10
in section 39-2310; , 11
(g) Support (7) for support of the public transportation assistance12
program established under section 13-1209 and the intercity bus system13
assistance program established under section 13-1213; ,14
(h) Purchasing (8) for purchasing from political or governmental15
subdivisions or public corporations, pursuant to section 39-1307, any16
federal-aid transportation funds available to such entities; ,17
(i) Costs (9) for costs related to the administration of the18
Division of Aeronautics of the Department of Transportation as specified19
in section 3-107; , 20
(j) Furnishing (10) for furnishing the Nebraska Broadband Office21
with necessary office space, furniture, equipment, and supplies as well22
as providing administrative and budgetary support, including salaries for23
professional, technical, and clerical assistants, as provided in section24
81-702; , and 25
(k) The (11) for the County Bridge Match Program.26
The State Treasurer shall transfer four million dollars from the27
Roads Operations Cash Fund to the Transportation Infrastructure Bank Fund28
on or before June 30, 2024, on such dates and in such amounts as directed29
by the budget administrator of the budget division of the Department of30
Administrative Services. The money shall be used for the County Bridge31
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Match Program. The State Treasurer shall transfer four million dollars1
from the Roads Operations Cash Fund to the Transportation Infrastructure2
Bank Fund on or before June 30, 2025, on such dates and in such amounts3
as directed by the budget administrator of the budget division of the4
Department of Administrative Services. The money shall be used for the5
County Bridge Match Program. 6
(3) Any money in the Highway Cash Fund and the Roads Operations Cash7
Fund not needed for current operations of the department shall, as8
directed by the Director-State Engineer to the State Treasurer, be9
invested by the state investment officer pursuant to the Nebraska Capital10
Expansion Act and the Nebraska State Funds Investment Act, subject to11
approval by the board of each investment. All income received as a result12
of such investment shall be placed in the Highway Cash Fund.13
Sec. 3. Original section 66-4,100, Revised Statutes Cumulative14
Supplement, 2024, and section 60-3,163.02, Revised Statutes Supplement,15
2025, are repealed. 16
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