Outdoor recreation and education are essential to Nebraska’s economic well-being, public health, and way of life.  If passed, the legislature would publicly recognize that the state must increase its support for outdoor recreation and education and work towards more equitable and inclusive access to the outdoors.

This bill would create the Outdoor Recreation and Education Study Committee of the Nebraska Legislature to complete an appraisal of Nebraska’s outdoor recreation and education potential.  This 9-member committee would include representation from the Appropriations Committee, Education Committee, Health and Human Services Committee, Natural Resources Committee, Agriculture Committee, and Urban Affairs Committee.

Through collaboration with outdoor recreation and education stakeholders, this special legislative committee would identify short and long-term statewide goals to improve outdoor recreation and education.  By January of 2022, this committee must develop a report that includes the following:

• A list of policies, programs, projects, and activities to meet their identified goals

• Essential research, data, and modeling to help the state to meet its goals, and

• Recommendations for the prioritization of policies, programs, projects, and activities to be funded.