NE LB159

Amends Nebraska statute 29-2260 to add two new mitigating factors courts must weigh when considering whether to withhold imprisonment for non-mandatory sentences

Courts may give weight to evidence that the offender was physically, sexually, or psychologically abused by a family member, household member, sexual partner, or person who exploited them for financial gain

Courts may also consider whether the offender is a trafficking victim as defined in section 28-830 of Nebraska law

These factors are added to the existing list of 11 grounds that favor probation over imprisonment, though they do not control the court's discretion

Introduced by Senator Guereca on January 13, 2025, during the first session of the 109th Nebraska Legislature