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LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED NINTH LEGISLATURE
SECOND SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 1141
Introduced by Spivey, 13.
Read first time January 20, 2026
Committee: Natural Resources
A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to the Game and Parks Commission; to amend1
section 81-407, Revised Statutes Supplement, 2025; to create the2
Nebraska Youth Pre-Apprentice Conservation Program; to provide3
powers and duties to the Game and Parks Commission; to create a4
fund; to transfer funds from the Workforce Development Program Cash5
Fund; to harmonize provisions; and to repeal the original section.6
Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,7
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Section 1. (1) The Legislature finds that: 1
(a) Every Nebraska youth should have the opportunity to reach their2
full potential, and some youth require additional guidance and support to3
reach their goals and make positive changes in their lives through job4
training and apprenticeships; 5
(b) Conserving and developing natural resources and enhancing and6
maintaining environmentally important land and water through the7
employment of Nebraska's opportunity youth is beneficial not only to the8
youth, by providing education and employment opportunities, but also to9
the state's economy and environment; and 10
(c) The Nebraska Youth Pre-Apprentice Conservation Program will11
offer Nebraska a unique opportunity to meet the goals of increasing12
understanding and appreciation of the environment and supporting13
opportunity youth to reach their full potential. 14
(2) It is the intent of the Legislature: 15
(a) That Nebraska Youth Pre-Apprentice Conservation Program16
participants complete participation to be exposed to building17
transferable employment skills; 18
(b) That the program combines academic, environmental, and job19
skills training with personal growth opportunities to develop youth who20
can make substantial contributions as Nebraska workers and residents; and21
(c) To ensure that the program is self-sustaining with stable and22
predictable funding and, in pursuit of such goal, that all state agencies23
look to the program first to have its participants engage in projects24
that further the mission of the program. 25
Sec. 2. For purposes of sections 1 to 6 of this act:26
(1) Commission means the Game and Parks Commission; and27
(2) Opportunity youth means a child who (a) has been impacted28
directly by trauma, including adverse childhood experiences, (b) has had29
negative contact with law enforcement, or (c) is not experiencing success30
in school or is in jeopardy of not completing school.31
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Sec. 3. (1) The Nebraska Youth Pre-Apprentice Conservation Program1
is created. The purpose of the program is to employ Nebraska's2
opportunity youth on projects which contribute to conserving or3
developing natural resources and enhancing and maintaining4
environmentally important land and water under the jurisdiction of the5
commission and the Department of Labor. The program shall combine6
academic, environmental, and job skills training with personal growth7
opportunities for the participants. Beginning January 1, 2027, the8
commission shall administer and maintain the Nebraska Youth Pre-9
Apprentice Conservation Program in collaboration with other appropriate10
state agencies. 11
(2) Participants in the Nebraska Youth Pre-Apprentice Conservation12
Program shall be opportunity youth who are (a) sixteen years of age or13
older and younger than twenty-one years of age, (b) unemployed, (c)14
residents of Nebraska, and (d) on probation or supervision or assigned to15
a diversion program. The commission shall develop a process for16
opportunity youth to apply to or be selected for the program. Special17
effort shall be made to select as participants opportunity youth residing18
in a qualified census tract as defined in section 81-12,240.19
(3) Participants in the Nebraska Youth Pre-Apprentice Conservation20
Program shall be paid not less than the minimum wage. Participation in21
the program shall be for a period of six weeks for each participant.22
(4) Participants in the Nebraska Youth Pre-Apprentice Conservation23
Program shall not be considered state employees for any purpose,24
including, but not limited to, the State Employees Collective Bargaining25
Act, the State Employees Retirement Act, the Employment Security Law, the26
state employees group health insurance program and any other group27
insurance available to state employees, vacation leave, sick leave, or28
any other paid leave program available to state employees, any other29
benefits offered to state employees based on their status as state30
employees, hours of work, rates of compensation, or leave under the31
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federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. This subsection does not1
apply to crew chiefs and other administrative and supervisory personnel2
of the program, all of whom shall be employees of the commission.3
Sec. 4. The Game and Parks Commission may adopt and promulgate4
rules and regulations to carry out sections 1 to 6 of this act and may5
consult other interested agencies to carry out the Nebraska Youth Pre-6
Apprentice Conservation Program including, but not limited to, the7
Department of Labor. 8
Sec. 5. On or before December 31, 2027, the commission shall9
electronically report to the Natural Resources Committee of the10
Legislature, Appropriations Committee of the Legislature, and Business11
and Labor Committee of the Legislature on the Nebraska Youth Pre-12
Apprentice Conservation Program. The report shall include, at a minimum,13
the number and ages of the participants, the areas in which they reside,14
the rate of compensation of participants, the number and type of projects15
in which participants engaged, the significance of those projects to the16
environment and the economy of the state, and any other matters the17
commission deems significant for inclusion in the report. The report18
shall not include any personally identifiable information on any19
participant. 20
Sec. 6. (1) The Nebraska Youth Pre-Apprentice Conservation Program21
Fund is created. The fund shall consist of transfers by the Legislature22
and any gifts, grants, bequests, and other contributions to the fund. The23
fund shall be used by the commission to carry out the Nebraska Youth Pre-24
Apprentice Conservation Program. Any money in the fund available for25
investment shall be invested by the state investment officer pursuant to26
the Nebraska Capital Expansion Act and the Nebraska State Funds27
Investment Act. 28
(2) The State Treasurer shall transfer seven hundred fifty thousand29
dollars from the Workforce Development Program Cash Fund to the Nebraska30
Youth Pre-Apprentice Conservation Program Fund as soon as31
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administratively possible after the effective date of this act, on such1
dates and in such amounts as directed by the budget administrator of the2
budget division of the Department of Administrative Services.3
Sec. 7. Section 81-407, Revised Statutes Supplement, 2025, is4
amended to read: 5
81-407 (1) The Workforce Development Program Cash Fund is hereby6
created. The fund shall consist of transfers authorized by the7
Legislature. 8
(2) The Department of Labor shall administer the fund. The fund may9
be used: 10
(a) To provide workforce development grants; 11
(b) To pay the costs of administering the workforce development12
grant program; 13
(c) To pay the costs of establishing, assessing, collecting, and14
maintaining state unemployment insurance tax liability and payments;15
(d) To pay unemployment benefits if determined necessary by the16
Commissioner of Labor; 17
(e) To provide labor availability, skills gap, and workforce18
development studies and reports by the Department of Labor; and19
(f) For purposes of the Manufacturing Modernization and Workforce20
Development Pilot Investment Act. 21
(3) Transfers may be made from the fund to the General Fund , or the22
Nebraska Opportunity Grant Fund , or the Nebraska Youth Pre-Apprentice23
Conservation Program Fund at the direction of the Legislature. Any money24
in the Workforce Development Program Cash Fund available for investment25
shall be invested by the state investment officer pursuant to the26
Nebraska Capital Expansion Act and the Nebraska State Funds Investment27
Act. 28
(4)(a) As part of the workforce development grant program described29
in subdivision (2)(a) of this section, the Nebraska Workforce Development30
Board shall submit grant proposals to the Commissioner of Labor for the31
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commissioner's consideration. The board's proposals shall be submitted by1
April 30 of each year and shall set forth strategies and initiatives2
designed to develop the workforce in the state. Each such proposal shall:3
(i) Include a description of the purpose of the proposed grant and4
the desired outcome; and 5
(ii) Include a method of measuring success for the proposed grant.6
(b) The board may submit up to eighteen grant proposals per calendar7
year. 8
(c) The commissioner may approve, reject, or modify any grant9
proposal submitted by the board. In the case of a rejection or10
modification of any grant proposal, the commissioner shall provide11
written notice of the decision to the board and include the rationale for12
the rejection or modification. 13
(d) The commissioner shall have the discretion to approve up to14
three grant proposals per calendar year without the prior approval of the15
board. If the total of the three proposals exceeds twenty-five percent of16
the unobligated beginning annual balance of the Workforce Development17
Program Cash Fund, the commissioner shall submit a report detailing the18
proposals to the board and to the chairperson of the Appropriations19
Committee of the Legislature within ninety days after approving such20
proposals. 21
(e) For purposes of this subsection, Nebraska Workforce Development22
Board means the state workforce development board authorized by the23
federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and established in24
Nebraska. 25
Sec. 8. Original section 81-407, Revised Statutes Supplement, 2025,26
is repealed. 27
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