LB 781 — Adopt updates to federal law relating to motor vehicles and motor carriers and change civil penalties against certain motor carriers

LB781 LB781 2026 LEGISLATURELEGISLATIVE OFBILL NEBRASKA781 ONEApproved HUNDREDby NINTHthe LEGISLATUREGovernor SECONDApril SESSION14, LEGISLATIVE2026 BILL 781 FINAL READING   Introduced by Ballard, 21.

Read  firstA timeBILL JanuaryFOR 07,AN 2026ACT Committee:relating to motor vehicles;

Transportation and Telecommunications A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to motor vehicles;

Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska, -1- LB781 LB781 2026 Section 1.

18-1737 (1)18-1737 (1) Any city or village, any state agency, and any person in lawful possession of any offstreet parking facility may designate stalls or spaces, including access aisles, in such facility owned or operated by the city, village, state agency, or person for the exclusive use of handicapped or disabled persons whose motor vehicles display the distinguishing license plates issued to such individuals pursuant to section 60-3,113, such other handicapped or disabled persons or temporarily handicapped or disabled persons whose motor vehicles display a handicapped or disabled parking permit, and such other motor vehicles which display a handicapped or disabled parking permit.

Such designation shall be made by posting aboveground and immediately adjacent to and visible from each stall or space, including access aisles, a sign which is in conformance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices adopted pursuant to section 60-6,118 and the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the federal regulations adopted in response to the act, as the act and the regulations existed on January 1, 2026 2025.

(2) The owner or person in lawful possession of an offstreet parking facility, after notifying the police or sheriff's department, as the case may be, and any city, village, or state agency providing onstreet parking or owning, operating, or providing an offstreet parking facility may cause the removal, from a stall or space, including access aisles, designated exclusively for handicapped or disabled persons or temporarily handicapped or disabled persons or motor vehicles for the transportation of handicapped or disabled persons or temporarily handicapped or disabled persons, of any vehicle not displaying the proper handicapped or disabled parking permit or the distinguishing license plates specified in this section if there is posted aboveground and immediately adjacent to and visible from such stall or space, including access aisles, a sign which -2- LB781 LB781 2026 clearly and conspicuously states the area so designated as a tow-in zone.

(4) For purposes of this section and section 18-1741.01, state agency means any division, department, board, bureau, commission, or agency of the State of Nebraska created by the Constitution of Nebraska -3- LB781 LB781 2026 or established by act of the Legislature, including the University of Nebraska and the Nebraska state colleges, when the entity owns, leases, controls, or manages property which includes offstreet parking facilities.

60-201 For purposes of the adoption by reference of federal law and regulations contained in the Motor Vehicle Certificate of Title Act, the Motor -1- LB781 LB781 2026 Vehicle Registration Act, the Motor Vehicle Operator's License Act, and the Nebraska Rules of the Road, when a provision of any of such acts refers to the date specified in this section, such date is January 1, 2026 2025.

101 et seq., section 1012 of the federal Uniting and -4- LB781 LB781 2026 Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, USA PATRIOT Act, 49 U.S.C.

60-50160-501 For For purposes of the Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act, unless the context otherwise requires:

(4) Judgment means any judgment which shall have become final by the expiration of the time within which an appeal might have been perfected without being appealed, or by final affirmation on appeal, rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction of any state or of the United States, (a) upon a cause of action arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of any motor vehicle for damages, including damages for care and loss of -5- LB781 LB781 2026 services, because of bodily injury to or death of any person or for damages because of injury to or destruction of property, including the loss of use thereof, or (b) upon a cause of action on an agreement of settlement for such damages;

(7) Minitruck means a foreign-manufactured import vehicle or domestic-manufactureddomestic- manufactured vehicle which (a) is powered by an internal combustion engine with a piston or rotor displacement of one thousand five hundred cubic centimeters or less, (b) is sixty-seven inches or less in width, (c) has a dry weight of four thousand two hundred pounds or less, (d) travels on four or more tires, (e) has a top speed of approximately fifty-five miles per hour, (f) is equipped with a bed or compartment for hauling, (g) has an enclosed passenger cab, (h) is -6- LB781 LB781 2026 equipped with headlights, taillights, turnsignals, windshield wipers, a rearview mirror, and an occupant protection system, and (i) has a four-four-speed, speed, five-speed, or automatic transmission;

Motor vehicle includes a former military -2- LB781 LB781 2026 vehicle.

Motor vehicle does not include (a) mopeds as defined in section 60-637, (b) traction engines, (c) road rollers, (d) farm tractors, (e) tractor cranes, (f) power shovels, (g) well drillers, (h) every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead wires but not operated upon rails, (i) electric personal assistive mobility devices as defined in section 60-618.02, (j) off-road designed vehicles, including, but not limited to, golf car vehicles, go-go-carts, carts, riding lawnmowers, garden tractors, all-terrain vehicles and utility-type vehicles as defined in section 60-6,355, minibikes as defined in section 60-636, and snowmobiles as defined in section 60-663, and (k) bicycles as defined in section 60-611;

(12) Owner means a person who holds the legal title of a motor vehicle, or in the event (a) a motor vehicle is the subject of an agreement for the conditional sale or lease thereof with the right of purchase upon performance of the conditions stated in the agreement and with an immediate right of possession vested in the conditional vendee or lessee or (b) a mortgagor of a vehicle is entitled to possession, then -7- LB781 LB781 2026 such conditional vendee or lessee or mortgagor shall be deemed the owner for the purposes of the act;

60-2705 (1)60-2705 (1) The Director of Motor Vehicles shall adopt standards for an informal dispute settlement procedure which substantially comply with the provisions of 16 C.F.R.

(2) If a manufacturer has established or participates in a dispute settlement procedure certified by the Director of Motor Vehicles within -8- LB781 LB781 2026 the guidelines of such standards, the provisions of section 60-2703 concerning refunds or replacement shall not apply to any consumer who has not first resorted to such a procedure.

(2) For use in connection with any civil, criminal, administrative, or arbitral proceeding in any federal, state, or local court or governmental agency or before any self-regulatory body, including service of process, investigation in anticipation of litigation, and execution or enforcement of judgments and orders, or pursuant to an order of a federal, state, or local court, an administrative agency, or a self-self-regulatory regulatory body;

31301 et seq., as such act existed on January 1, 2026 2025, or pursuant to -9- LB781 LB781 2026 sections 60-4,132 and 60-4,141;

383.73, as -3- LB781 LB781 2026 such regulation existed on January 1, 2026 2025.

(2) The superintendent shall issue an order imposing a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed twenty thousand five hundred thirty-seven -10- LB781 LB781 2026 twenty thousand seventeen dollars against a motor carrier transporting persons or property in interstate commerce for a violation of subdivision (2)(e) of section 60-4,162 based upon a conviction of such a violation.

(3) The superintendent shall issue an order imposing a civil penalty against a driver operating a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in section 60-465, that requires a commercial driver's license or CLP-CLP-commercial commercial learner's permit, in violation of an out-of-service order.

(4) The superintendent shall issue an order imposing a civil penalty against a motor carrier who knowingly allows, requires, permits, or authorizes the operation of a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in section 60-465, that requires a commercial driver's license or CLP-CLP-commercial commercial learner's permit, in violation of an out-of-service order.

The civil penalty shall be not less than seven thousand one hundred fifty-fifty-five five six thousand nine hundred seventy-four dollars but not more than thirty-nine thousand six hundred fifteen thirty-eight thousand six hundred twelve dollars per violation.

Section 75-392, Revised Statutes Supplement, 2025, is -11- LB781 LB781 2026 amended to read:

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