LB266 prohibits cities, villages, and counties from enacting any local ordinance that effectively imposes rent control on privately owned residential property. There are two key exceptions: local laws aimed at increasing affordable housing supply through land‑use or inclusionary zoning, or programs where landlords voluntarily and contractually agree to limit rent hikes. Any ordinance that violates this law is considered null and void.
The Nebraska State Senate passed LB266 on April 3, 2025 by a vote of 37 to 10. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because this bill rightly prohibits local rent-control ordinances that infringe on private-property rights and disrupt free-market housing dynamics. While it may include exceptions, the overall intent limits harmful local interference in housing markets. Rent control undermines the right to own, use, and profit from property, and violates constitutionally protected rights under the Fourth, Fifth, and 14th Amendments, as well as the right to contract guaranteed by Article I, Section 10.