One Hundred Ninth Legislature - First Session - 2025
Introducer€s Statement of Intent
LB245
Chairperson: Senator Barry DeKay
Committee: Agriculture
Date of Hearing: February 04, 2025
The following constitutes the reasons for this bill and the purposes which are sought to be
accomplished thereby:
LB 245 is brought at the request of the Department of Agriculture to update provisions of the
Nebraska Pure Food Act.€€
The bill would incorporate the 2022 Food Code (Nebraska currently incorporates the 2017
Food Code), a publication of the Food and Drug Administration, which sets forth science
based and uniform standards for the safe sourcing, storage, handling, preparation, labeling,
presentation and service of food by commercial food establishments. The bill further revises
variances from Food Code recommendations which are set out in the Nebraska Pure Food
Act. Additionally, LB 245 clarifies and updates reference to the Code of Federal Regulations
provisions pertaining to Good Manufacturing Practices.€€
LB 245 also contains a series of revisions to the Pure Food Act to incorporate
the Departments recommendations to resolve ambiguities, outdated provisions, and
ineffeciencies in the administration of the Act.€€
Finally, the bill would reclassify and revise the schedule of permit and annual fees
assessed to food establishments supporting the inspection and enforcement activities of
the Department. LB 245 renames what is currently identified as an annual inspection fee
as simply an annual fee. Additionally, the bill establishes a new schedule of statutory
maximums for the initial permit fee and the annual fee per food establishment unit within the
various food establishment license categories. The increased fee authority would facilitate
transitioning the Departments Pure Food Act responsibilities to be fully cash funded.€ € €€
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Principal Introducer:________________________________
Senator Barry DeKay
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