Occupational Board Reform Act

General Information

Committee of Jurisdiction:Natural Resources
Occupation Regulated:Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Professionals who design, install, inspect, maintain and
Occupational Board:There is no occupational board for this profession. This certification program is administered by t
Contact:Shelley Schneider, 402-471-4216, shelley.schneider@nebraska.gov
Purpose:Protect the air, water, and land of the State through certification and regulation of onsite wastewater treatment system professionals. Prior to enactment of the legislation, Lancaster and Douglas counties had certification requirements for onsite wastew
Regulated Professionals:545
Year Created:2003 (statute passed)
Year Active:2004 (regulation effective)
Sunset Date:No sunset date.

Authorization

Statutory Authorization:Neb. Rev. Stat. 81-15,236 to 81-15,253. Regulation: NAC Title 124, Rules and Regulations for the D
Parent Agency:Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy

Membership

Number of Members:N/A
Who Appoints:N/A
Legislative Approval:N/A
Qualifications of Members:N/A
Per Diem:
Expense Reimbursement:
Term Length:
Terms Rotate or Expire at Once:

Meetings

Required FY 2019-2018:0
Held FY 2019-2018:0
Required FY 2018-2017:0
Held FY 2018-2017:0
Required FY 2017-2016:0
Held FY 2017-2016:0
Required FY 2016-2015:0
Held FY 2016-2015:0
Required FY 2015-2014:0
Held FY 2015-2014:0

Operations

Support Staff:Staff assistant, 0.75 FTE; Program Specialist, 2 FTE; Section Supervisor, 0.5 FTE
Shared or Separate:The supervisor and staff supports both onsite wastewater professional certification and operator ce
FY 2019-2018 Budget:430150
FY 2018-2017 Budget:393172
FY 2017-2016 Budget:280965
FY 2016-2015 Budget:328646
FY 2015-2014 Budget:333926
Other Funding Sources:The budget values above represent the total amount spent for each fiscal year for the Registration
Spending Authority:Collection of fees is Neb. Rev. Stat. 81-15,284.01; cash funds are 81-15,250 and 81-12,250.01.

Other

Government Certificates Issued:545
Issued Certificate Descriptions:There is no occupation board. The certification expires on December 31 of each odd numbered year, many of the certifications issued are renewals. The number of certifications has ranged from 511 in 2015 to 566 in 2017 during the past 5 years.
Government Certificates Revoked:0
Revoked Certificate Descriptions:N/A
Government Certificates Denied:0
Denied Certificate Descriptions:There is no occupational board. To obtain a certification the individual must pay the fee and pass the exam. The past two years the Department has administered 186 exams, with a pass rate of 77%. The historical pass rate is similar. If an individual f
Government Certificates Penalties Against:0
Penalty Certificate Descriptions:There is no occupational board. The Department refers enforcement cases to the Attorney General’s Office. Within the past 5 years the Attorney General collected one penalty (2016-- $10,000, $5,000 subject to waiver). For the purposes of this response,
Explanation of Effectiveness:https://nebraskalegislature.gov/pdf/SurveyDocs/explanation1576613202.pdf
Potential HarmNearly all rural homes rely on an onsite wastewater system for treatment of household wastewater. It is the ultimately the responsibility of the land owner to ensure onsite wastewater systems are properly installed as the homeowner would bear the cost of
Regulation Comparison:https://nebraskalegislature.gov/pdf/SurveyDocs/comparison1576613202.pdf
Subject to Regulations of Act(LB407):No
Survey Submitted: December 17, 2019 02:06 PM