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LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED NINTH LEGISLATURE
SECOND SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 833
Introduced by Kauth, 31.
Read first time January 08, 2026
Committee: Education
A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to state colleges; to amend sections1
85-308.01, 85-941, 85-951, 85-956, 85-957, and 85-958, Reissue2
Revised Statutes of Nebraska; to change the instructional priorities3
for state colleges; to change provisions relating to degree programs4
offered at each of the state colleges; to harmonize provisions; and5
to repeal the original sections. 6
Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,7
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Section 1. Section 85-308.01, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska,1
is amended to read: 2
85-308.01 The Board of Trustees of the Nebraska State Colleges shall3
have power to confer, upon completion of a four-year course in liberal4
arts program prescribed by such board, a degree of bachelor of arts or5
bachelor of science. 6
Sec. 2. Section 85-941, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is7
amended to read: 8
85-941 The University of Nebraska shall have sole responsibility for9
all graduate programs at the specialist and master's degree level and all10
baccalaureate professional programs throughout the public sector of11
postsecondary education in Nebraska, with the exception of programs in12
education and other areas authorized by the Legislature at the state13
colleges. The University of Nebraska shall have primary responsibility14
for instruction in agriculture and natural resources and primary15
statewide responsibility for research and public service in agriculture16
and natural resources. All baccalaureate and baccalaureate transfer17
programs in agriculture and natural resources initiated after July 1,18
1978, at state colleges and community colleges shall be conducted in19
cooperation with the University of Nebraska. 20
Sec. 3. Section 85-951, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is21
amended to read: 22
85-951 The state colleges, collectively and individually, shall have23
as their first instructional priority the provision of baccalaureate24
general academic, baccalaureate occupational, and baccalaureate25
professional degree programs in education. The colleges' second26
instructional priority shall be master's and doctoral programs in27
education and other areas authorized by the Coordinating Commission for28
Postsecondary Education pursuant to sections 85-1413 and 85-1414. Such29
colleges' third priority shall be the continuation and development of30
applied research and public service activities. The colleges' fourth31
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priority shall be the awarding of the specialist degree in education.1
Sec. 4. Section 85-956, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is2
amended to read: 3
85-956 Chadron State College may maintain its existing baccalaureate4
general academic, baccalaureate occupational, and baccalaureate5
professional degree programs and shall prioritize limit new baccalaureate6
degree programs based on the needs of rural Nebraska and to the needs of7
its unique service area generally defined as the state's western region.8
Subject to approval by the Board of Trustees of the Nebraska State9
Colleges, Chadron State College may independently award the master's10
degree in business administration. Subject to approval by the Board of11
Trustees of the Nebraska State Colleges, Chadron State College may offer12
doctoral degrees in education and other master's degree programs upon13
demonstration of a compelling need in disciplines in which it has a14
demonstrated capacity as authorized and approved by the Coordinating15
Commission for Postsecondary Education pursuant to sections 85-1413 and16
85-1414. 17
Sec. 5. Section 85-957, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is18
amended to read: 19
85-957 Peru State College may maintain its existing baccalaureate20
general academic, baccalaureate occupational, and baccalaureate21
professional degree programs and shall prioritize the development of22
limit new baccalaureate degree programs based on the needs of rural23
Nebraska and to the needs of its unique service area generally defined as24
the state's southeast region. Subject to approval by the Board of25
Trustees of the Nebraska State Colleges, Peru State College may offer26
doctoral degrees in education and other master's degree programs upon27
demonstration of a compelling need in disciplines in which it has a28
demonstrated capacity as authorized and approved by the Coordinating29
Commission for Postsecondary Education pursuant to sections 85-1413 and30
85-1414. 31
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Sec. 6. Section 85-958, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is1
amended to read: 2
85-958 Wayne State College may maintain its existing baccalaureate3
general academic, baccalaureate occupational, and baccalaureate4
professional degree programs and shall prioritize the development of5
limit new baccalaureate degree programs based on the needs of rural6
Nebraska and to the needs of its unique service area generally defined as7
the state's northeast region. Subject to approval by the Board of8
Trustees of the Nebraska State Colleges, Wayne State College may9
independently award the master's degree in business administration.10
Subject to approval by the Board of Trustees of the Nebraska State11
Colleges, Wayne State College may offer doctoral degrees in education and12
other master's degree programs upon demonstration of a compelling need in13
disciplines in which it has a demonstrated capacity as authorized and14
approved by the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education15
pursuant to sections 85-1413 and 85-1414. 16
Sec. 7. Original sections 85-308.01, 85-941, 85-951, 85-956,17
85-957, and 85-958, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, are repealed.18
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