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LEGISLATIVE BILL 1216
Approved by the Governor April 14, 2026
Introduced by McKinney, 11.
A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to the Nebraska Treatment and Corrections Act; to
amend section 83-182, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska; to provide for
educational services and educational programming for certain prisoners; to
provide powers and duties for the Director of Correctional Services, the
State Department of Education, and the State Board of Education; and to
repeal the original section.
Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,
Section 1. Section 83-182, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is
amended to read:
83-182 (1) The director shall establish appropriate programs for each
facility designed as far as practical to prepare and assist each person
committed to the department to assume his or her responsibilities as a useful
citizen. In developing such programs, the director shall seek to make available
to each person capable of benefiting therefrom academic or vocational training,
participation in productive work, religious and recreational activities, and
such therapeutic measures as are practicable. No person shall be ordered or
compelled to participate in religious activities.
(2)(a) The director shall offer and make available educational services
and educational programming to any person committed to the department who is
under twenty-one years of age and who has not previously earned a high school
diploma or diploma of high school equivalency. The director shall ensure
special education services are provided as required by state and federal law.
Nothing in this subsection requires participation by any person committed to
the department in educational services or educational programming except to the
extent necessary to provide services required by law.
(b) Such educational services shall be substantially similar to the
minimum standards as determined by the State Department of Education, including
a minimum curriculum that includes language arts, social science, science, and
mathematics, and may include other subjects including, but not limited to,
vocational education, computer education, arts, and physical fitness. Such
programs may be offered by the department or through partnerships with
educational institutions.
(3) The State Board of Education may adopt and promulgate rules and
regulations to carry out this section and to ensure the educational services
and educational programming meet any applicable educational requirements.
Sec. 2. Original section 83-182, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is
repealed.
LB1216
2026
LB1216
2026
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