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LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED NINTH LEGISLATURE
SECOND SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 738
Introduced by Rountree, 3.
Read first time January 07, 2026
Committee: Transportation and Telecommunications
A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to license plates; to amend section1
60-3,163.02, Revised Statutes Supplement, 2025; to provide for2
Honoring Women Veterans license plates; and to repeal the original3
section. 4
Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,5
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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) Honoring Women Veterans. The department shall design such13
license plates, in consultation with a nongovernment organization that14
provides support to veterans, to depict a woman soldier and to include15
the words "women veterans" along the top of the license plates and16
"honoring her service" along the bottom of the license plates. The17
designated recipient for Honoring Women Veterans license plates is the18
Women Veterans Cash Fund. 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. The Women Veterans Cash Fund is created. The fund shall be30
administered by the Department of Veterans' Affairs. The fund shall31
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consist of money credited pursuant to section 60-3,163.02. The fund may1
be used by the department for events that focus on women veterans. Any2
money in the fund available for investment shall be invested by the state3
investment officer pursuant to the Nebraska Capital Expansion Act and the4
Nebraska State Funds Investment Act. 5
Sec. 3. Original section 60-3,163.02, Revised Statutes Supplement,6
2025, is repealed. 7
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