Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee
February 27, 2025
Committee Chair: Sen. Rita Sanders | Bills Heard: 1 | Full Transcript (PDF)
LB636: State reimbursement for county jail inmate medical costs and sheriff service fees
Introduced by: Sen. Teresa Ibach | Testimony: 3 proponents, 2 opponents, 0 neutral | Read bill text (PDF)
State would reimburse counties for jail medical costs under LB636, but fee increases face pushback. Sen. Ibach's bill addresses two distinct problems: volatile county jail medical expenses and outdated sheriff service fees that haven't been adjusted in decades. Lancaster County spent $4.3 million on inmate medical care in 2024; Buffalo County's costs jumped from $150,000 to $441,917 in three years.
Why it matters: County property taxpayers currently absorb all medical costs for incarcerated individuals. State reimbursement would provide direct relief. But the bill's second component—raising sheriff fees across the board to $25—drew fire from criminal defense attorneys and collection agencies who say the increases will be passed to poor defendants and small-debt collectors.
What they're saying: - Proponents: "These costs are volatile and unsustainable," Sheriff Miller testified. Neighboring states charge $50-$100 for process service; Nebraska's fees haven't changed in up to 50 years. - Opponents: "This is just an additional cost borne on people already poor and marginal," Spike Eickholt (criminal defense) said. Tessa Stevens (collectors) called the increases "unreasonably high"—over 700% for serving two people at the same address.
By the numbers: Lancaster County's 692 average daily inmates (65% pretrial) generated $4.3M in medical costs. Proposed fee increases range from $0.50 to $25 per service. Douglas County estimates it operates process service at a loss.
What's next: No vote was taken. Sen. Ibach indicated willingness to negotiate the fee structure and signaled an amendment is forthcoming. Sen. Cavanaugh raised questions about whether the bill covers pretrial detainees and whether state funding should apply to all inmates or only sentenced ones.
Committee sentiment: Skeptical: Sen. John Cavanaugh, Sen. Dan Lonowski Unclear: Sen. Dan McKeon
Sentiment estimated from questions and comments — not stated positions.
Session Notes
The committee heard LB636 in standard format, followed by a five-minute break. The committee then heard LR18CA and LR16CA in combined format due to similar topics. Both constitutional amendments address unfunded mandates on political subdivisions. LR18CA (Sen. Sanders) and LR16CA (Sen. McKinney) propose amendments requiring state funding for any new or expanded responsibilities imposed on local governments after 2026. Testifiers on the constitutional amendments included representatives from the Nebraska Association of School Boards, Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association, City of Lincoln, League of Nebraska Municipalities, Sarpy County Board of Commissioners, and Nebraska Association of County Officials. All testified in support. Vote tallies for constitutional amendments: LR18CA—8 proponents, 0 opponents, 0 neutral; LR16CA—6 proponents, 0 opponents, 0 neutral. No votes were taken on any bills during this hearing.
Generated by NE Wire Service | Source: Nebraska Legislature Transcribers Office This is an AI-generated summary. Verify all claims against the official transcript.