Merit Institute Merit

The Nebraska Merit-Based Credentialing Act (NE-ACSA)

Nebraska state companion to ACSA. Extends the Occupational Board Reform Act (Neb. Rev. Stat. Sec. 84-933 et seq.), Nebraska Community College System, and Neb. Rev. Stat. Ch. 77 income-tax credits.

THE NEBRASKA MERIT-BASED CREDENTIALING ACT (NE-ACSA)

Vehicle: State passage. Nebraska Legislature (Unicameral), regular session. Primary referral to Business and Labor Committee / Revenue Committee.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Nebraska Merit-Based Credentialing Act (NE-ACSA).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The Legislature finds that Nebraska enacted the Occupational Board Reform Act under Neb. Rev. Stat. Sec. 84-933 et seq., requiring sunrise/sunset reviews of occupational licensure; that Nebraska also enacted universal recognition-related provisions, including the Uniform Credentialing Act under Neb. Rev. Stat. Sec. 38-101 et seq.; that the Nebraska Community College System operates under Neb. Rev. Stat. Ch. 85 Art. 15; that the University of Nebraska operates under Neb. Rev. Stat. Ch. 85 Art. 1; that the Nebraska Department of Labor operates under Neb. Rev. Stat. Ch. 48; and that Neb. Rev. Stat. Ch. 77 provides income-tax credits. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH NEBRASKA LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Nebraska Recognized Merit Credential” or “NERMC” means a competency-based credential designated by the Commissioner of Education in coordination with the Executive Director of the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education under Sec. 201.
  2. (b) “Federal FRAC” means a Federally Recognized Alternative Credential under Section 202 of the federal ACSA.
  3. (c) “Covered State licensing authority” means an agency issuing an occupational license under Neb. Rev. Stat. Ch. 38 or Ch. 71.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Nebraska Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • Neb. Rev. Stat. Sec. 84-933 et seq. (Occupational Board Reform Act).
  • Neb. Rev. Stat. Sec. 38-101 et seq. (Uniform Credentialing Act).
  • Neb. Rev. Stat. Ch. 85 Art. 15 (Community College System).
  • Neb. Rev. Stat. Ch. 48 (labor).
  • Neb. Rev. Stat. Ch. 77 (income tax).

TITLE II — NEBRASKA RECOGNIZED MERIT CREDENTIALS

Sec. 201. Designation Authority

  1. (a) The Commissioner of Education, in coordination with the Executive Director of the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education, shall maintain a Nebraska Recognized Merit Credentials registry (“NERMC Registry”) in machine-readable form, updated at least annually, crosswalked to Federal FRAC.

Sec. 202. Degree-Optional State Employment

  1. (a) Neb. Rev. Stat. Ch. 81 Art. 13 (State Personnel System) shall be applied so that an NERMC-holder satisfies any position qualification stated in terms of a college degree, unless expressly required by Nebraska statute.

TITLE III — TAX INCENTIVE FOR SKILLS-BASED HIRING

Sec. 301. Nebraska Skills-Based Hiring Income-Tax Credit

  1. (a) A new credit is added to Neb. Rev. Stat. Ch. 77 equal to a percentage of qualified first-year wages paid to a Nebraska-resident employee whose qualifying pathway is an NERMC or Federal FRAC.
  2. (b) Coordinated with federal IRC Sec. 45AA; aggregate cap.
  3. (c) Nebraska Department of Revenue administers.

TITLE IV — OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE PORTABILITY

Sec. 401. Licensure by Demonstrated Competency

  1. (a) Demonstrated-competency pathway accepting NERMC, Federal FRAC, or examination-plus-supervised-experience.

Sec. 402. Interstate Recognition for Federal-Fund Recipients

  1. (a) Recognition by federally-funded authorities, consistent with Section 401 of the federal ACSA and Neb. Rev. Stat. Sec. 84-933 et seq.

TITLE V — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 501. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 502. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect the first day of the month following enactment, except that Sec. 301 shall apply to tax years beginning on or after January 1 of that year.

Canonical federal version: ACSA. Other Nebraska bills: NE-MEWRA, NE-GT&P, NE-AI-Workforce.