News Release: Airbnb Bill Quickly Moves to Full Debate
NEWS RELEASE from the Platte Institute
Contact: Adam Weinberg
Phone: (402) 452-3737
aweinberg@platteinstitute.org
Legislative Bill Tracking: LB57
Airbnb Bill Quickly Moves to Full Debate
LINCOLN, NE – Sen. Adam Morfeld’s Legislative Bill 57, which prevents local bans on short-term residential rentals arranged by home-sharing services like Airbnb, is now on the legislative agenda for its first round of debate. Currently, the bill is tenth on the agenda.
Earlier this week, LB57 was heard in the Urban Affairs Committee, and was advanced to General File by a unanimous 7-0 vote. A similar bill had been heard by the committee last year.
Platte Institute Director of Government Relations Nicole Fox testified in support of LB57. Under the proposal, localities would not be able to prohibit short-term residential rentals, but would still retain the authority to create regulations for health, safety, and other nuisances. Homeowners associations would also still be able to prohibit the rentals.
“An outright ban on homeowners using their own property to earn income by providing a short-term residential rental—also known as home-sharing—should not be on the list of policy options available to cities and villages,” said Fox.
“Laws similar to what is being proposed in LB57 have passed in recent years in Arizona, Tennessee and Indiana. In California, residents in Palm Springs, a popular tourist destination, overwhelmingly voted down a proposal that would have banned home-sharing in single-family homes,” said Fox.
Fox’s written testimony for LB57 is posted online at PlatteInstitute.org/Testimony, and video of the bill introduction and some supporting testimony is available on the Platte Institute’s Facebook page. No one spoke in opposition to LB57 in this week’s hearing.
To schedule an interview on this topic, please contact Adam Weinberg at (402) 452-3737 or aweinberg@platteinstitute.org.
The Platte Institute advances policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. More media resources are available at PlatteInstitute.org/Media.