Nebraska biennial budget vetoes fail to go into effect after governor misses deadline

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – A mix-up in the Nebraska governor’s office has likely cost Gov. Jim Pillen his veto power for the state’s biennium budget.

Gov. Pillen signed LB 261 and LB 264 with line-item vetoes on Wednesday. They made it to his desk on May 15. He made multiple modifications to the 2025-2027 biennial budget, which included:

• Reducing the Supreme Court’s budget increase to mirror the rate of increase provided to the University of Nebraska
• Using existing agency funds to cover Fire Marshal salary and health insurance premium increases
• Reducing the additional appropriation provided to public health departments, thereby, bringing funding back to a pre-pandemic level
• Cutting an $18 million cash fund reappropriation for recreational upgrades at Lake McConaughy

Gov. Pillen’s office was supposed to deliver the line item vetoes to the Clerk of the Legislature by midnight Thursday. However, 10/11 learned that the vetoes got there after 9 a.m. this morning.

Per State Statute lV-15, the Governor has five days – excluding Sundays – to get his vetoes to the Clerk’s office after a bill is passed, or it becomes law.

Communications Director for Gov. Pillen’s office, Laura Strimple, said the bills were properly signed into law and given to the Secretary of State on May 21.

“As has been past practice, copies of the actions and the bill were made and delivered and received by the Clerk’s Office on the evening of the 21st,” Strimple said. “The timely transmittal of line-item veto items to the Legislature and the Secretary of State’s office yesterday was not only consistent with past procedural practice for such actions, but also with the express and specific logistical requests of those offices.”

She said that through the process, Gov. Pillen “took the legally required steps to exercise his veto authority by surrendering physical possession and the power to approve or reject the bills.”

The governor’s office will consult with the Attorney General’s Office and other council on next steps.

It’s unclear where the Nebraska Legislature goes from here, but per state constitution, LB 261 and LB 264 without the vetoes are now law.

Read the budget veto letter below.

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