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LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED NINTH LEGISLATURE
SECOND SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 769
Introduced by DeKay, 40; Ballard, 21; Conrad, 46; Dorn, 30; Dungan, 26;
Fredrickson, 20; Guereca, 7; Raybould, 28; Storer, 43.
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
University of Nebraska State Museum License Plates; to provide3
duties to the Department of Motor Vehicles and the University of4
Nebraska; to create a fund; to eliminate obsolete provisions; and to5
repeal the original section. 6
Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,7
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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) Josh the Otter-Be Safe Around Water Plates. The department shall13
design such license plates to include a blue background with the head of14
an otter surfacing above water surrounded by the words "Josh the Otter-Be15
Safe Around Water". The designated recipient for alternate license plate16
fees for Josh the Otter-Be Safe Around Water Plates is the Josh the17
Otter-Be Safe Around Water Cash Fund; 18
(8) Mountain Lion Conservation Plates. The department shall design19
such license plates to reflect support for the conservation of the20
mountain lion population. The designated recipient for alternate license21
plate fees for Mountain Lion Conservation Plates is the Game and Parks22
Commission Educational Fund; 23
(9) Native American Cultural Awareness and History Plates. The24
department, in consultation with the Commission on Indian Affairs, shall25
design license plates that reflect the unique culture and history of26
Native American tribes historically and currently located in Nebraska.27
The designated recipient for alternate license plate fees for Native28
American Cultural Awareness and History Plates is the Native American29
Scholarship and Leadership Fund; 30
(10)(a) Nebraska Cornhusker Spirit Plates. The department shall31
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design such license plates to (i) include the word "Cornhuskers" or1
"Huskers" prominently in the design, (ii) use scarlet and cream colors in2
the design or such other similar colors as the department determines to3
best represent the official team colors of the University of Nebraska4
Cornhuskers athletic programs and to provide suitable reflection and5
contrast, (iii) use cream or a similar color for the background of the6
design and scarlet or a similar color for the printing, and (iv) create a7
design reflecting support for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers8
athletic programs in consultation with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln9
Athletic Department. 10
(b) Alphanumeric Nebraska Cornhusker Spirit Plates shall (i) be11
consecutively numbered beginning with the number one and use numbers that12
are a size that maximizes legibility, and (ii) not use a county13
designation or any characters other than numbers on the spirit plates.14
(c) Personalized message Nebraska Cornhusker Spirit Plates shall be15
issued subject to the same conditions specified for personalized message16
license plates in subsection (2) of section 60-3,118. The characters used17
shall consist only of letters, numerals, or a combination of letters and18
numerals of the same size and design specified in section 60-3,100. A19
maximum of seven characters may be used. 20
(d) Each application for initial issuance or renewal of Nebraska21
Cornhusker Spirit Plates shall be accompanied by a fee of seventy22
dollars. Fees collected pursuant to this subdivision shall be remitted to23
the State Treasurer. The State Treasurer shall credit sixty percent of24
the fee to the Department of Motor Vehicles Cash Fund and forty percent25
of the fee to the designated recipient for alternate license plate fees.26
(e) The designated recipient for alternate license plate fees for27
Nebraska Cornhusker Spirit Plates is the Highway Trust Fund;28
(11) Nebraska History Plates. The department shall design such29
license plates in consultation with the Nebraska State Historical Society30
to reflect the importance of historical preservation in Nebraska and the31
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value of our shared Nebraska history. The designated recipient for1
alternate license plate fees for Nebraska History Plates is the Support2
Nebraska History Cash Fund; 3
(12) Pets for Vets Plates. The department shall design such license4
plates to support veterans and companion or therapy pet animals. The5
designated recipient for alternate license plate fees for Pets for Vets6
Plates is the Pets for Vets Cash Fund; 7
(13) Prostate Cancer Awareness Plates. The department shall design8
such license plates to include a light blue ribbon and the words "early9
detection saves lives" along the bottom of the license plate. The10
designated recipient for alternate license plate fees for Prostate Cancer11
Awareness Plates is the University of Nebraska Medical Center for the12
Nebraska Prostate Cancer Research Program; 13
(14) Sammy's Superheroes license plates for childhood cancer14
awareness. The department shall design such license plates to include a15
blue handprint over a yellow ribbon and the words "childhood cancer16
awareness". The designated recipient for alternate license plate fees for17
Sammy's Superheroes license plates for childhood cancer awareness is the18
University of Nebraska Medical Center for pediatric cancer research;19
(15) Support the Arts Plates. The department shall design such20
license plates in consultation with the Nebraska Arts Council to reflect21
support for the arts in Nebraska. The designated recipient for alternate22
license plate fees for Support the Arts Plates is the Support the Arts23
Cash Fund; 24
(16)(a) Support Our Troops Plates. The department shall design such25
license plates to reflect support for troops from all branches of the26
armed forces. The designated recipient for alternate license plate fees27
for Support Our Troops Plates is the Veterans Employment Program Fund.28
(b)(i) Each application for initial issuance or renewal of29
alphanumeric Support Our Troops Plates shall be accompanied by a fee of30
five dollars. The State Treasurer shall credit five dollars of the fee to31
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the designated recipient for alternate license plate fees for Support Our1
Troops Plates. 2
(ii) Each application for initial issuance or renewal of3
personalized message Support Our Troops Plates shall be accompanied by a4
fee of seventy dollars. Twenty-five percent of such fee shall be credited5
to the Department of Motor Vehicles Cash Fund and seventy-five percent of6
such fee shall be credited to the designated recipient for alternate7
license plate fees for Support Our Troops Plates; 8
(17) The Good Life Is Outside Plates. The department shall design9
such license plates to reflect the importance of safe walking and biking10
in Nebraska and the value of our recreational trails. The designated11
recipient for alternate license plate fees for The Good Life Is Outside12
Plates is the Game and Parks State Park Improvement and Maintenance Fund13
for the purpose of trail improvement and maintenance; and14
(18) University of Nebraska State Museum License Plates. The15
department shall create no more than three designs for such license16
plates in consultation with the University of Nebraska and a nonprofit17
organization holding a certificate of exemption under section 501(c)(3)18
of the Internal Revenue Code with a mission to support the University of19
Nebraska in education and research. Such designs shall reflect support20
for museums managed by the University of Nebraska, including Ashfall21
Fossil Beds, Morrill Hall, and Trailside Museum. The designated recipient22
for alternate license plate fees for University of Nebraska State Museum23
License Plates is the University of Nebraska State Museum License Plate24
Cash Fund. A person may apply for University of Nebraska State Museum25
License Plates beginning on January 1, 2027; and 26
(19) (18) Wildlife Conservation Plates. The department shall create27
no more than three designs for such license plates to reflect support for28
the conservation of Nebraska wildlife, including sandhill cranes, bighorn29
sheep, and ornate box turtles. The designated recipient for alternate30
license plate fees for Wildlife Conservation Plates is the Wildlife31
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Conservation Fund. 1
Sec. 2. (1) The University of Nebraska State Museum License Plate2
Cash Fund is created and shall be administered by the Board of Regents of3
the University of Nebraska. The fund shall include money credited4
pursuant to section 60-3,163.02, gifts, grants, bequests, private5
contributions, and money from any public or private source. Any money in6
the fund available for investment shall be invested by the state7
investment officer pursuant to the Nebraska Capital Expansion Act and the8
Nebraska State Funds Investment Act. 9
(2) Money in the fund shall be used for promoting understanding,10
appreciation, and stewardship of science and natural history through11
research, public education, and outreach at museums managed by the12
University of Nebraska. 13
Sec. 3. Original section 60-3,163.02, Revised Statutes Supplement,14
2025, is repealed. 15
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