Gov. Pillen Holds First-Ever Open Media Cabinet Meeting

LINCOLN, NE –  Governor Jim Pillen hosted a first-ever open cabinet meeting for members of the media. Held in the Governor’s Hearing Room and streamed live, the session focused on core areas of his administration: taxes, kids, agriculture and Nebraska values. Agency leaders detailed operational successes, those achieved during the current legislative session and since Gov. Pillen first entered office.

“I want to give a gigantic thank you to everyone that is seated around this table,” said Gov. Pillen. “I don’t say it enough, but I am grateful for all the hard work that each agency has put into making sure our government is run like a business. We are pleased with the progress we’ve made, but we must continue to grow our great state and to serve Nebraskans.”

“This is a fast-moving administration, and our agencies are delivering good news for Nebraskans every day,” said Lt. Governor Joe Kelly. “This roundtable is a great opportunity to reflect on the progress of the last few years while focusing on our vision for the future. Every leader here plays a role in that mission, and it is essential that we remain aligned on our long-term goals for the state.”
One of the main themes of the meeting was a focus on improving services for Nebraskans while reducing spending.

“As long as I’m your governor, we will not be growing government,” added Gov. Pillen.
Cabinet members also discussed the strong, stable foundation of Nebraska’s economy, marked by the state’s highest-ever AAA credit rating and an $881 million projected reserve balance. This financial strength has enabled the administration to deliver $3.6 billion in property tax relief this biennium and decrease income tax rates to a projected 3.99% by 2027. These wins were made possible by streamlining government operations to achieve $418 million in spending reductions and strategically transferring $251 million in idle and inactive cash funds.

"Our state is in excellent financial condition. We have over a billion dollars on hand right now on top of all the cash fund balances, we have the highest credit rating you can get, and we're set to deliver $3.6 billion in property tax relief this biennium,” said Neil Sullivan, state budget administrator.
Protecting the people of Nebraska remains a top priority. Since Gov. Pillen took office, he has authorized the deployment of state troopers and members of the Nebraska National Guard to Texas multiple times to protect the southern border.

“While national missions are vital for the safety of American citizens, the Guard also plays a significant role right here at home,” said Major General Craig Strong, adjutant general of the Nebraska National Guard. “In response to the wildfires, we have played a significant role in assisting with firefighting efforts in central and western Nebraska. I want to note that through Governor Pillen’s leadership and aggressive actions, it helped minimize both property damage and the loss of lives.”

Recently, 230 members of the Nebraska National Guard deployed for a mission to the Horn of Africa. Earlier this year, 200 Nebraska National Guard members left for Washington, D.C. to support security operations for the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Daryl Bohac, director of the Nebraska State Historical Society, highlighted Nebraska’s leading role in America’s 250 celebration, marked by the unveiling of the state’s official anniversary logo and a proclamation recognizing Nebraska’s contributions to the founding of the United States.
Additionally, Director Bohac talked about the passage of legislation that will allow Husker Coach Tom Osborne to become the first living inductee of the Nebraska Hall of Fame.

Other highlights presented during the event:
-Lee Will, Department of Administrative Services director/ chief operating officer, spoke about the historic $1 billion investment into the Education Future Fund. This reform provides direct aid to every school district and established 80% state reimbursement rate for special education.
-Maureen Larsen, director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, explained the importance of the newly signed Grow the Good Life Act, designed to make a difference for Nebraska businesses as they look to grow and recruit families to our state.
-Katie Thurber, commissioner of the Nebraska Department of Labor, presented the Administration’s efforts to grow Nebraska’s workforce, including highlighting the department’s implementation of the Good Life, Great Careers initiative and the creation of the Office of Registered Apprenticeship.
-The Department of Health and Human Services highlighted a series of national milestones and major service improvements. Nebraska invested $18 million to successfully eliminate the developmental disability services waitlist, a challenge that had persisted for over three decades.
-Under Gov. Pillen’s direction, Nebraska has secured $218.5 million in federal Rural Health Transformation funding – the 8th highest award in the nation – to modernize health care and expand rural communities.
-Steve Corsi, CEO of DHHS, also noted that Nebraska is the first state to implement Medicaid work requirements and was the first to seek a USDA waiver to remove soda and energy drinks from SNAP eligibility.
-The Department of Transportation, led by Director Vicki Kramer, announced that Nebraska is now the third state in the nation to achieve Full NEPA Assignment, giving the state legal authority to sign off on its own environmental studies and fast-track projects like the US-275 expressway.
“Governor Pillen has charged the Nebraska Department of Transportation to deliver smarter, faster and safer,” said Director Kramer.  “We’ve streamlined environmental permitting, stood up an innovative finance program, provided enhanced technical assistance to local governments, and brought home our share of federal funds. NDOT is delivering. Transportation can grow Nebraska.”

Jesse Bradley, the director of the Department of Water, Energy, and Environment discussed the importance of Nebraska’s natural resources.

“The Governor’s leadership has been critical to preserving Nebraska’s natural resources. His leadership has led to key investments in protecting our water resources such as the Perkins County Canal project and the creation of the Water Quality and Quantity Task Force.”

He also commented on the recently passed Behind the Meter legislation.
“During this most recent session, new legislation was passed to improve the state’s energy policies so that Nebraska can support development of new large load electrical generation while protecting Nebraska ratepayers.”

Sherry Vinton, director of the Department of Agriculture, highlighted the ways in which Nebraska agriculture works for Nebraska and what has been done to protect our farmers.

“Nebraska’s leadership in ethanol production, highlighted by the passage of LB 562, the E15 Access
Standard Act, reflects the strength of our state’s value-added agriculture system—turning our corn
into fuel, supporting rural jobs, and helping reduce reliance on foreign energy sources,” said Vinton.
“The Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute (NAYI), now in its 55th year, helps ensure the next
generation is prepared to carry this legacy forward. With one of the largest delegations in the
program’s history, we are confident Nebraska agriculture will remain strong and innovative for
generations to come.”

Additional Cabinet participants included Rob Jeffreys, Nebraska Department of Corrections; John Hilgert, Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs; Bryan Tuma, Crime Commission; Eric Dunning, Department of Insurance; Bryan Waugh, Nebraska State Patrol; Jim Kamm, Department of Revenue; Matt McCarville, Office of the Chief Information Officer; and Kelly Lammers, Department of Banking and Finance.

 

NDOT Perspective
by Samantha Bernt

April 20, 2026 (Lincoln, Neb.) — Today, Governor Jim Pillen, joined by members of his cabinet, held a roundtable briefing to highlight accomplishments from the 109th Legislative Session, as well as previous agency accomplishments. Agency leaders, including Director of the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) Vicki Kramer, outlined achievements agencies have made in fulfilling Gov. Pillen’s key initiatives.

“From our first conversation, Gov. Pillen’s vision for the NDOT was smarter, faster, safer. Those three words have shaped the agency, producing real and tangible results for Nebraskans,” Director Kramer said. “From streamlining project delivery and securing hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding, to expediting delivery on major projects and prioritizing safety, NDOT is delivering on that vision every day.”

Working smarter to deliver projects efficiently, secure federal funding

In February 2026, Nebraska was awarded Full National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Assignment by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Nebraska is now the ninth state with the authority, creating a streamlined environmental review process to deliver vital transportation projects. In 2026, NDOT expects to be granted broadened authority to make improvements to Interstate 80 (I-80) through the Interstate Access Justification Reports process.

Just last week, the NDOT was awarded $15.6 million to replace and repair aging bridges in Lincoln. Since 2023, the NDOT has secured more than $453 million in federal discretionary grants for Nebraska. Annual awards have grown from $62 million in 2023, to $158 million in 2024, and $139 million in 2025.

Thanks to Gov. Pillen’s signature on LB 1126 (2026), that momentum will continue with the creation of the Infrastructure Development Investment Program. The program, alongside the Nebraska Infrastructure Hub (IHub), will develop projects in partnership with local communities to optimize federal funds and make their projects a reality.

Utilizing innovative finance and bonding to deliver projects faster

In January 2026, the NDOT and Gov. Pillen formalized a major step forward in completing the vital U.S. Highway 275 (US-275) corridor, which is anticipated to be completed in 2028. This comes after Gov. Pillen tasked the NDOT with expediting the project. The delivery timeline was able to be condensed due to the Nebraska Highway Bond Act and investments made through LB 1412 (2024). Now, all segments of US-275 are under contract on track to beat the original corridor completion date by over five years.

Since 2023, NDOT has pushed through the final stretch of massive projects, including overhauling 54 miles of I-80 from Lincoln to west of Kimball, and completing the 47 miles of US-30 connecting Columbus and Fremont. This construction season will mark the third interstate modernization project in Omaha in an effort to meet the projected needs of Nebraska’s largest city.

Balancing common sense with public safety

Thanks to the support of Gov. Pillen, the NDOT has implemented measures to improve safety in work zones. The NDOT currently operates 50 Automated Flagger Devices (AFADs) to support construction and maintenance activities. The devices use highly visible signage, traffic signal heads, and automated flag arms to communicate stop and proceed instructions to drivers, while allowing traffic to be controlled remotely from a safe distance.

In addition, the NDOT grew its Traffic Incident Management (TIM) program in 2025 by expanding training opportunities for first responder agencies. Effective implementation of TIM practices can reduce congestion, limit secondary crashes, and improve safety for motorists, crash victims, and responders working in high-risk roadway environments. Last year, 52 statewide trainings were held in Nebraska, certifying 52 new trainers, with 952 responders completing the course, just shy of the annual goal of 1,000 responders. So far in 2026, 509 first responders have been trained across 24 sessions, over halfway to the annual goal.

Together, these efforts reflect NDOT’s commitment to building the best possible transportation system.