LB 166 — Require the county treasurer to maintain confidentiality of certain persons' residential addresses and change procedures for judicial officeholders to file for retention elections

ER66 ER66 LB166 LB166 MJP2025 -LEGISLATIVE 05/02/2025BILL MJP166 -Approved 05/02/2025by Ethe ANDGovernor RMay AMENDMENTS20, TO2025 LB 166   Introduced by Guereca,Hughes, 7,24; Chairman Enrollment and Review 1.

OnRaybould, page28. 1, strike beginning with "county" in line 1 through line 4 and insert "public records;

  A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to public records;

and to repeal the original sections.".sections.

-1-Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska, Section 1.

Section 23-3211, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is amended to read:

23-3211 (1) Unless requested in writing, the county assessor, and register of deeds, and county treasurer shall withhold from the public the residential address of a law enforcement officer, a member of the Nebraska National Guard acting pursuant to subdivision (3) of section 55-182, or a judge who applies to the county assessor in the county of his or her residence.

The application shall be in a form prescribed by the county assessor and shall include the applicant's name and address and the parcel identification number for his or her residential address.

A law enforcement officer shall include in the application his or her law enforcement identification number.

A member of the Nebraska National Guard shall include in the application proof of his or her status as a member, in a manner prescribed by the county assessor.

A judge shall include in the application the name of the specific court of which he or she is a judge.

The county assessor shall notify the register of deeds and county treasurer regarding the receipt of a complete application.

The county assessor, and the register of deeds, and county treasurer shall withhold the address of a law enforcement officer, member of the Nebraska National Guard, or judge who complies with this section for five years after receipt of a complete application.

The officer, member, or judge may renew his or her application every five years upon submission of an updated application.

(2) For purposes of this section, judge includes the judge or magistrate judge of any court located in this state, including any county court, any district court, the Court of Appeals, the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court, any separate juvenile court, the Supreme Court, and any federal court.

Sec.

2.

Section 24-814, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is amended to read:

24-814 (1) Any judicial officeholder, subject to the terms of sections 24-813 to 24-818, who desires to continue in office for an additional term, shall indicate his or her desire in this respect in writing filed with the Secretary of State, on or before August 1 immediately preceding the expiration of his or her term in office, and shall request in writing that the Secretary of State submit to the electorate of the appropriate district or area, the question of his or her right to be retained in office for an additional term.

(2) Any written request filed with the Secretary of State shall not be a public record pursuant to section 84-712.01 and shall not be subject to disclosure under sections 84-712 to 84-712.09 or any other provision of law, except that the Secretary of State shall electronically publish a list, that includes the judicial officeholder's name and respective district or area of the state served, of judicial officeholders who have filed for retention in that calendar year.

Sec.

3.

Section 32-607, Revised Statutes Cumulative Supplement, 2024, is amended to read:

32-607 (1)(a) All candidate filing forms shall contain the following statement:

I hereby swear that I will abide by the laws of the State of Nebraska regarding the results of the primary and general elections, that I am a registered voter and qualified to be elected, and that I will serve if elected.

Candidate filing forms shall also contain the following information regarding the candidate:

Name, as provided under subdivision (b) of this subsection;

residence address;

mailing address if different from the residence address;

telephone number;

office sought;

party affiliation if the office sought is a partisan office;

a statement as to whether or not civil penalties are owed pursuant to the Nebraska Political Accountability and Disclosure Act;

and, if civil penalties are owed, whether or not a surety bond has been filed pursuant to subdivision (4)(b) of section 32-602.

An email address shall also be included on the filing form as an optional field.

(b) The name contained on a candidate filing form shall be the name by which the candidate is generally known in the community and by which the candidate is distinguished from others and shall not contain titles, characterizations, or designations.

(2) Candidate filing forms shall be filed with the following filing officers:

(a) For candidates for national, state, or congressional office, directors -1- LB166 LB166 2025 of public power and irrigation districts, directors of reclamation districts, directors of natural resources districts, directors of metropolitan utilities districts, members of the boards of educational service units, members of governing boards of community colleges, delegates to national conventions, and other offices filled by election held in more than one county and judges desiring retention, in the office of the Secretary of State;

(b) For officers elected within a county, in the office of the election commissioner or county clerk;

(c) For officers in school districts which include land in adjoining counties, in the office of the election commissioner or county clerk of the county in which the greatest number of registered voters entitled to vote for the officers reside;