ONE HUNDRED NINTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION - 2025
COMMITTEE STATEMENT
LB203
Hearing Date: Friday February 07, 2025
Committee On: Health and Human Services
Introducer: Kauth
One Liner: Change powers and duties of health directors in certain local public health departments
Roll Call Vote - Final Committee Action:
Advanced to General File with amendment(s)
Vote Results:
Aye: 5 Senators Hardin, Ballard, Hansen, Meyer, Riepe
Nay:
Absent:
Present Not Voting:2 Senators Fredrickson, Quick
Testimony:
Proponents: Representing:
Senator Kathleen Kauth Opening Presenter
Allie Bush Nebraskans Against Government Overreach
Jeanne Greiser Nebraskans for Founders Values NFFV
Roy M. Zach self
Dianne Plock self
Opponents: Representing:
Kerry Kernen Lincoln Lancaster County Health Department
Tracy Aksamit self
Julie Keown Nebraska Nurses Association
Daniel Smith self
Neutral: Representing:
Beth Bazyn Ferrell NACO NE Association of County Officials
Eric Gerrard Nebraska Association of Local Health Directors
* ADA Accommodation Written Testimony
Summary of purpose and/or changes:
LB 203 changes the powers and duties of local health directors. Provisions are changed relating to the approval
process of a directed health measure. Definitions are provided for community-wide directed health measure and
epidemiological link.
Sec. 1: Community-wide directed health measure is defined as a public health action or intervention by a local public
health department involving the total population of the jurisdiction of such local public health department when there
Committee Statement: LB203
Health and Human Services Committee
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Epidemiological link is defined as an instance in which an individual may have held exposure to a communicable
disease and exposure through known modes of transmission is plausible. An exposure may be considered
epidemiologically linked if at least one entity in the chain of transmission is a contact or a confirmed, probable, or
suspect case.
Sec. 2: The city/county health director is required to receive written approval by a majority of the publicly elected
representatives of the county board and city council who are appointed to the city/county health department for
community-wide directed health measures prior to issuance of such measures. Such directed health measures shall
be submitted to the city/county board of health for ratification at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the board.
The requirement to adopt measures to arrest the progress of the disease is removed.
Sec. 3: The health director of a county, district, or city-county health department shall have the power and duty to
issue and enforce community-wide directed health measures. The health director is required to receive approval of
such directed health measures in writing prior to issuance by a majority of the publicly elected representatives of the
county board or, in the case of a city/county health department, written approval by a majority of the publicly elected
representatives of the city council, and such directed health measures shall be submitted to the board of health for
ratification at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the board.
Sec. 4: Repealer
Explanation of amendments:
AM 611 inserts a new section. A community-wide directed health measure shall be subject to approval of the local
board of health, shall expire 7 days after the date of issuance, and may be reauthorized subject to approval of the
local board of health.
Brian Hardin, Chairperson
Committee Statement: LB203
Health and Human Services Committee
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