Nebraska
Nebraska CIO on Preparing for Future Talent, Tech Needs
Nebraska officials have spent 2025 focused on laying the groundwork to advance IT talent pipelines, AI implementation and more in 2026 — and on reducing IT costs while doing so.
State CIO Matthew McCarville was tapped to lead Nebraska IT in 2024, in part with the goal of delivering cost savings to taxpayers. He views diversity, in a broad sense, as a mindset through which to find new technology solutions and talent.
Nebraska IT is in a position to modernize now, McCarville said, and that is in part a result of IT work in recent years. When he came to the state, systems were almost entirely on-premise mainframe. Since his arrival, work has begun to get the state off mainframe and into a cloud environment in the next calendar year; a vendor selection is expected in January. That will be key to state adoption of emerging technologies like AI.
“[The cloud environment] enables us to leverage all of that data in a new way we’ve never been able to before,” he said, explaining that using AI on an on-premise mainframe is “cost-prohibitive.” Now, state data can be used more effectively, enabling predictive analytics and AI in a cost-effective way.
The other piece of the AI puzzle is the skillset needed to implement it effectively. In Nebraska, roughly one-third of full-time employees qualified for retirement about a decade ago, according to McCarville, so the talent question is a high priority.
The state has a Data and AI Center of Excellence in Omaha, which enables officials to launch an internship initiative as an early talent pipeline for people who may not have worked with state government. The internship is expected to launch “full-bore” in January, and the first-ever statewide IT apprenticeship program is expected to arrive in 2026.
The apprenticeship program is GI Bill-qualified, so its funding will support the state’s collaboration with educational entities to train exiting military members — and the broader public — on AI, data and cybersecurity. The program is also intended to encourage people to stay in Nebraska.
These initiatives, McCarville said, aim to help the state address modernization needs while dealing with a soon-to-retire workforce, cost-effectively.
Part of modernization is implementing a mindset shift to one that is more forward-looking, he said. For example, rather than remaining entrenched in vendor agreements created 20 years ago, state IT is diversifying its ecosystem and moving away from such long-term relationships.
Diversifying vendors does require knowledge about more products, but it better positions the state to tackle new projects by being able to work with the lowest-cost provider. This shift is not a critique of previous vendors, McCarville said, but reflects meeting modern needs.
The state launched its first Joint Security Operations Center in 2024, powering a whole-of-state model through which state IT officials serve all 93 counties and their cities, plus more than 250 K-12 supporting organizations, governor’s cabinet agencies, and non-cabinet boards, agencies and commissions.
“So, we are building a kind of ‘Field of Dreams’ for cyber,” said McCarville of the state’s approach — creating the infrastructure in an effort to attract organizations to participate.
There has been much discussion of potential changes at the federal level that could affect state cybersecurity funding, but McCarville said state cybersecurity must rely on sustainable funding sources — and federal funding is not always that. He said he views federal funding as an “added bonus” for state cybersecurity.
Although the state is investing in IT, doing so in a cost-efficient way is a priority to address budget constraints. The state Legislature is facing a $471 million deficit in the annual budget, and the governor has established a goal for cabinet agencies to cut $500 million a year over the next two years.
The Nebraska Office of the CIO (OCIO) is in a unique position because rather than receiving a general fund appropriation, agencies pay for its services from general funds they receive. Still, OCIO is reducing its rates and expenses to offer them discounts — cutting $2.5 million in annual recurring overhead so far, with the goal of reaching $13 million. This was not mandated, but is OCIO’s way of helping the state address the deficit.
“Cutting dollars in IT doesn’t always end up having an added benefit,” McCarville said. “But we are trying very hard in modernization, which typically costs more money, to lower our expenses — but yet modernize and do all of these initiatives at the same time.”
The Nebraska State Fair is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary with a special 72-hour flash sale on Season Passes.
From July 3 through July 5, fans can purchase a 2026 Season Pass for just $50—a significant discount from its regular value of $132.
The pass includes one admission per day for all 11 days of the 2026 Nebraska State Fair, making it ideal for visitors who plan to attend multiple days.
Fair officials say the promotion is one of the biggest Season Pass discounts offered in years and will not be extended.
After July 5, Season Passes will remain available at a higher discounted price.
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Legalizing online sports betting has met with resistance in the Nebraska Legislature for years.
Tax Relief Nebraska, a group backed by Nebraska casinos and online sports betting groups, took the issue to the people of the state through a petition drive.
Those petitions are now in, and casino officials say they expect to have enough signatures to make the November ballot — but also expect pushback through Election Day.
The case for online betting
Currently, legal sports bets cannot be placed on a phone in Nebraska. Casino operators say people who choose to wager are finding other ways to do it.
“They’re just doing it illegally through a virtual private network, or they’re driving over to the first exit between Iowa and Nebraska, placing a bet and then driving back to their home,” said Lynne McNally of Warhorse Casino.
Nebraska casino operators say the state has already collected millions of dollars in state taxes and property tax relief from casino gambling, and that online sports betting would add to that total.
A majority of Nebraskans voted for casino gambling to enter the state in 2020, and casino operators expect similar support if the online betting petition makes the November ballot.
“As you know, we got 65% on the constitutional amendment and actually got nearly 70% on the tax portion of the statute when the casinos were legalized in 2020. I think that we’ll be in that area, if not maybe a little higher than that,” McNally said.
“There’s always going to be a sector of the public that doesn’t want to gamble. They don’t want to go to our facilities and that’s just fine. I guess I have an objection with trying to tell other people what to do,” McNally said.
The opposition
The Nebraska Family Alliance stands against online gambling and plans to campaign against the initiative across the state. The nonprofit group issued a statement that reads in part: “Online sports betting has been a massive public policy failure that benefits national sportsbooks at the expense of kids, student-athletes, families and businesses. While they have more money, they don’t have the truth.”
Pat Loontjer, director of Gambling with the Good Life, has opposed expanded gambling in Nebraska for 30 years.
“They’re telling the same lie — property tax relief. Well in Nebraska you say property tax relief and everybody says where do I sign,” Loontjer said.
Loontjer also raised concerns about the impact on young people.
“Sports betting on the phone is the most addictive thing for young people, young men especially. You’ve got kids that are going to lose their scholarships, lose their future,” Loontjer said.
What comes next
If enough signatures are verified and the issue is placed on the November ballot, Warhorse Casino officials say Nebraskans could be able to make sports bets on their phones by spring of next year.
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Along with marching in the parade, the high schools will tour the U.S. Capitol, visit Mount Vernon and other monuments and museums.
Around 80 Grand Island students are making the trip. Lee said the students cover their own costs, with fundraising largely run though the school’s booster program helping offset the expense.
Bishop Neumann’s 53 students benefited from community donations, along with a holiday greenery sale and fundraisers, which Kellett said helped cover airfare and other costs.
For both directors, the trip carries extra weight tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary.
“That’s a pretty big milestone,” Lee said. “And to be able to be a part of that is pretty neat.”
Kellett said the moment will stay with students long after the parade ends.
“These kids, they’ll be around for the 300th anniversary of the country, and they’ll be able to look back and tell their grandkids, ‘you know, I was there at 250 and was able to march in the National Independence Day Parade,’” Kellett said.
Both bands have spent the summer preparing. Grand Island started working on its music after its final spring concert in May, rehearsing its marching and music together on Tuesday evenings.
Bishop Neumann has rehearsed continuously over the summer and marched in two parades to prepare, a 150th anniversary celebration in Weston and the Papillion Days parade.
Kellett said the band’s last rehearsal in Wahoo drew residents who lined the streets holding signs and cheering the students on.
“The students have come in, and they’ve worked really hard,” Kellett said. “They have their music memorized and they’ve worked on their marching skills, and so all that effort into this they’re ready to go for the parade.”
The parade starts at 9:30 a.m. CT Saturday at Third Street and Constitution Avenue.
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