New Year, New Laws

When the clock struck midnight on New Year's Day, several new laws, as well as ballot initiative proclamations signed by Governor Jim Pillen, went into effective.

The one exception: the paid sick leave initiative. It will go into effect Oct. 1.

Minimum wage increases to $13.50 per hour. The increase was part of the scheduled increases outlined in the Nebraska Minimum Wage Statute Initiative, passed by voters in 2022.

The first increase bumped the state's minimum wage from $9 per hour to $10.50 per hour on Jan. 1, 2023.

In 2024, the second increase adjusted to $12 per hour. The final step will...