Read the full stored bill text
LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED NINTH LEGISLATURE
SECOND SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 973
Introduced by Raybould, 28.
Read first time January 12, 2026
Committee: Government, Military and Veterans Affairs
A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to state government; to amend section1
81-1108.17, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, and section2
81-1108.15, Revised Statutes Supplement, 2025; to provide for free3
parking for state employees; to change provisions regarding charges4
for state buildings and facilities; and to repeal the original5
sections. 6
Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,7
LB973
2026
LB973
2026
-1-
Section 1. Section 81-1108.15, Revised Statutes Supplement, 2025, is1
amended to read: 2
81-1108.15 (1) Except as provided in the Nebraska State Capitol3
Preservation and Restoration Act, the division shall have the primary4
functions and responsibilities of statewide facilities planning,5
facilities construction, and facilities administration and shall adopt6
and promulgate rules and regulations to carry out this section.7
(2) Facilities planning shall include the following responsibilities8
and duties: 9
(a) To maintain utilization records of all state-owned, state-10
occupied, and vacant facilities; 11
(b) To coordinate comprehensive capital facilities planning;12
(c) To define and review program statements based on space13
utilization standards; 14
(d) To prepare or review planning and construction documents;15
(e) To develop and maintain time-cost schedules for capital16
construction projects; 17
(f) To assist the Governor and the Legislative Fiscal Analyst in the18
preparation of the capital construction budget recommendations;19
(g) To maintain a complete inventory of all state-owned, state-20
occupied, and vacant sites and structures and to review the proposals for21
naming such sites and structures; 22
(h) To determine space needs of all state agencies and establish23
space-allocation standards; 24
(i) To cause a state comprehensive capital facilities plan to be25
developed; and 26
(j) To carry out the State Building Construction Alternatives Act.27
(3) Facilities construction shall include the following powers and28
duties: 29
(a) To maintain close contact with and conduct inspections of each30
project so as to assure execution of time-cost schedules and efficient31
LB973
2026
LB973
2026
-2-
contract performance if such project's total design and construction cost1
is equal to or greater than the project cost set by subdivision (1)(a) of2
section 81-1108.43 as adjusted by subsection (2) of section 81-1108.43;3
(b) To perform final acceptance inspections and evaluations; and4
(c) To coordinate all change or modification orders and progress5
payment orders. 6
(4) Facilities administration shall include the following powers and7
duties: 8
(a) To serve as state leasing administrator or agent for all9
facilities to be leased for use by the state and for all state-owned10
facilities to be rented to state agencies or other parties subject to11
section 81-1108.22. The division shall remit the proceeds from any12
rentals of state-owned facilities to the State Treasurer for credit to13
the State Building Revolving Fund and the State Building Renewal14
Assessment Fund; 15
(b) To provide all maintenance, repairs, custodial duties, security,16
and administration for all buildings and grounds owned or leased by the17
State of Nebraska except as provided in subsections (5) and (6) of this18
section; 19
(c) To be responsible for adequate parking and the designation of20
parking stalls or spaces, including access aisles, in offstreet parking21
facilities for the exclusive use of handicapped or disabled or22
temporarily handicapped or disabled persons pursuant to section 18-1737;23
(d) Beginning July 1, 2028, to be responsible for adequate offstreet24
parking for all state employees at all sites and facilities owned or25
leased by the State of Nebraska without cost to such employees;26
(e) (d) To ensure that all state-owned, state-occupied, and vacant27
facilities are maintained or utilized to their maximum capacity or to28
dispose of such facilities through lease, sale, or demolition;29
(f) (e) To submit electronically a report regarding the amount of30
property leased by the state and the availability of state-owned property31
LB973
2026
LB973
2026
-3-
for the needs of state agencies, upon request by the Appropriations1
Committee of the Legislature, the Committee on Building Maintenance, or a2
member of the Legislature; 3
(g) (f) To administer the State Emergency Capital Construction4
Contingency Fund; 5
(h) (g) To submit status reports to the Governor and the Legislative6
Fiscal Analyst after each quarter of a construction project is completed7
detailing change orders and expenditures to date. The report submitted to8
the Legislative Fiscal Analyst shall be submitted electronically. Such9
reports shall be required on all projects costing an amount equal to or10
greater than the amount set forth in subdivision (1)(a) of section11
81-1108.43 as adjusted by subsection (2) of section 81-1108.43 and on12
such other projects as may be designated by the division; and13
(i) (h) To submit a final report on each project to the Governor and14
the Legislative Fiscal Analyst. The report submitted to the Legislative15
Fiscal Analyst shall be submitted electronically. Such report shall16
include, but not be limited to, a comparison of final costs and17
appropriations made for the project, change orders, and modifications and18
whether the construction complied with the related approved program19
statement. Such reports shall be required on all projects costing an20
amount equal to or greater than the amount set forth in subdivision (1)21
(a) of section 81-1108.43 as adjusted by subsection (2) of section22
81-1108.43 and on such other projects as may be designated by the23
division. 24
(5) Subdivisions (4)(b), (c), and (e) (d) of this section shall not25
apply to (a) state-owned facilities to be rented to state agencies or26
other parties by the University of Nebraska, the Nebraska state colleges,27
the Department of Transportation, and the Board of Educational Lands and28
Funds, (b) buildings and grounds owned or leased for use by the29
University of Nebraska, the Nebraska state colleges, and the Board of30
Educational Lands and Funds, (c) buildings and grounds owned, leased, or31
LB973
2026
LB973
2026
-4-
operated by the Department of Correctional Services, (d) facilities to be1
leased for nonoffice use by the Department of Transportation, (e)2
buildings or grounds owned or leased by the Game and Parks Commission if3
the application of such subdivisions to the buildings or grounds would4
result in ineligibility for or repayment of federal funding, (f)5
buildings or grounds of the state park system, state recreation areas,6
state historical parks, state wildlife management areas, or state7
recreational trails, or (g) other buildings or grounds owned or leased by8
the State of Nebraska which are specifically exempted by the division9
because the application of such subdivisions would result in the10
ineligibility for federal funding or would result in hardship on an11
agency, board, or commission due to other exceptional or unusual12
circumstances, except that nothing in this subdivision shall prohibit the13
assessment of building rental depreciation charges to tenants of14
facilities owned by the state and under the direct control and15
maintenance of the division. 16
(6) Security for all buildings and grounds owned or leased by the17
State of Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska, except the buildings and grounds18
described in subsection (5) of this section, shall be the responsibility19
of the Nebraska State Patrol. The Nebraska State Patrol shall consult20
with the Governor, the Chief Justice, the Executive Board of the21
Legislative Council, and the State Capitol Administrator regarding22
security policy within the State Capitol and capitol grounds.23
(7) Each member of the Legislature shall receive an electronic copy24
of the reports required by subdivisions (4)(h) and (i) (4)(g) and (h) of25
this section by making a request for them to the State Building26
Administrator. The information on such reports shall be submitted to the27
division by the agency responsible for the project.28
Sec. 2. Section 81-1108.17, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is29
amended to read: 30
81-1108.17 (1) The Department of Administrative Services shall be31
LB973
2026
LB973
2026
-5-
the custodian of the state laboratory and laboratory grounds, the1
Governor's Mansion and grounds, and all other buildings and lands owned2
or leased by the State of Nebraska except as exempted under subsections3
(5) and (6) of section 81-1108.15 or as provided in the Nebraska State4
Capitol Preservation and Restoration Act. 5
(2) To aid in the performance of his or her duties, the Director of6
Administrative Services shall appoint an administrator. The7
administrator, under the direction of the director, shall have complete8
control and all powers necessary to properly maintain the state9
laboratory and laboratory grounds, the Governor's Mansion and grounds,10
and all other buildings and lands owned or leased by the State of11
Nebraska except as exempted under subsections (5) and (6) of section12
81-1108.15 or as provided in the Nebraska State Capitol Preservation and13
Restoration Act. 14
(3) Except as provided in the act, the administrator, under the15
direction of the director, is authorized to (a) lease space or provide16
facilities for the parking of state officers' and employees' vehicles as17
well as bureau fleet vehicles as defined in section 81-1011, (b) lease,18
rent, or permit for use as apartments, dwellings, offices, and parking19
areas any or all of the property acquired for parking or for future20
building needs, (c) lease state property to the federal government or21
political subdivisions of the state using the system of charges in22
subsection (4) of this section, and (d) lease state property to a private23
entity to provide services necessary for state operations or for the24
convenience of state officers and employees when the space is not needed25
for public use. All leases shall contain the provision that upon notice26
that such property is needed for public use, the use or occupancy of the27
property shall cease. All money received as rent from any property28
acquired shall be remitted to the State Treasurer and credited to the29
State Building Revolving Fund, except that receipts from parking charges30
for employee, public, and state vehicle parking shall be credited to the31
LB973
2026
LB973
2026
-6-
Capitol Buildings Parking Revolving Fund, which fund is hereby created,1
for the purposes of providing and maintaining parking for state employees2
and visitors. 3
(4) The system of charges for state buildings and facilities shall4
include an amount sufficient to (a) accurately reflect operating costs,5
including routine maintenance and repair costs, and (b) fund building6
renewal projects under the Deferred Building Renewal Act and renovation,7
remodeling, and repair projects beyond the scope of the act , and (c)8
beginning July 1, 2028, fund adequate offstreet parking for all state9
employees as required by subdivision (4)(d) of section 81-1108.15. The10
proceeds received under subdivision (a) of this subsection shall be11
remitted to the State Treasurer for credit to the State Building12
Revolving Fund. The proceeds received under subdivision (b) of this13
subsection shall be remitted to the State Treasurer for credit to the14
State Building Renewal Assessment Fund. The administrator shall develop a15
system of equitable billings and charges for parking facilities under his16
or her control and used by visitors state employees and state vehicles.17
The system of charges shall include an amount sufficient to cover the18
construction, operating, maintenance, and repair costs associated with19
the parking facilities. The administrator, under policies and procedures20
established by the Director of Administrative Services, may expend funds21
from time to time credited to the Capitol Buildings Parking Revolving22
Fund for the purposes of constructing, obtaining, operating, and23
maintaining parking facilities for state vehicles, state employees, and24
visitors. All money derived from any source other than that to be25
credited to the State Building Revolving Fund, the Capitol Buildings26
Parking Revolving Fund, the Department of Administrative Services Cash27
Fund, the State Building Renewal Assessment Fund, or other appropriate28
revolving fund shall be remitted to the State Treasurer and credited to29
the General Fund. 30
(5) The administrator shall see that all parts and apartments of the31
LB973
2026
LB973
2026
-7-
buildings leased are properly ventilated and kept clean and in order.1
(6) The administrator shall at all times have charge of and2
supervision over the police, janitors, and other employees in and about3
the state laboratory and laboratory grounds, the Governor's Mansion and4
grounds, and all other buildings and lands owned or leased by the State5
of Nebraska except as exempted under subsections (5) and (6) of section6
81-1108.15 or as provided in the Nebraska State Capitol Preservation and7
Restoration Act. The administrator shall institute, in the name of the8
state and with the advice of the Attorney General, civil and criminal9
proceedings against any person for injury or threatened injury to any10
public property in the state laboratory and laboratory grounds, the11
Governor's Mansion and grounds, and all other buildings and lands owned12
or leased by the State of Nebraska under his or her control, or for13
committing or threatening to commit a nuisance in or on the buildings or14
lands. 15
(7) The administrator shall keep in his or her office a complete16
record containing all plans and surveys of the state laboratory and17
grounds, the Governor's Mansion and grounds, and all other buildings and18
lands owned or leased by the State of Nebraska and of underground19
construction under such buildings and lands. This subsection shall not20
apply to the State Capitol and capitol grounds. 21
Sec. 3. Original section 81-1108.17, Reissue Revised Statutes of22
Nebraska, and section 81-1108.15, Revised Statutes Supplement, 2025, are23
repealed. 24
LB973
2026
LB973
2026
-8-