LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen has been notified that a federal disaster declaration submitted to President Donald Trump has been approved. Damage resulted from a severe winter storm that impacted the state on March 18 and 19. The application for assistance was submitted in mid-April. Cost estimates from that storm exceeded $64.8 million – the bulk of which resulted from downed electrical lines and damaged utility poles.
LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen is celebrating the approval of three gubernatorial appointees to two executive code agencies. Today, Jesse Bradley, Matt Manning and Bryan Waugh were each confirmed on unanimous votes by the Legislature to fill roles on the Department of Water, Energy and Environment (DWEE) and the Nebraska State Patrol.
This ranking compares states by the average price of electricity delivered to ultimate customers by sector, measured in cents per kilowatt-hour. The overall rank compares all sectors combined.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, June 2025
This metric reflects the number of minutes of power outages the average customer experiences in a year, based on data from the Department of Energy. Average total lengths – excluding major events – in a state can range from under an hour to multiple hours over the course of a year. The power grid reliability metric is one of many that factor into the overall Best States rankings.
Source: U.S. News & World Report, May 2025
LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen announced he has signed the 2025-2027 State Biennium Budget and issued line item vetos. In his letter, the Governor thanked members of the Appropriations Committee and the legislative body for its work in developing a fiscally conservative budget. He noted that those efforts solved the $432 million reported shortfall and honored the state’s commitment to providing tax relief for Nebraskans.
LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen has vetoed LB287, which was amended to include two other bills prior to final passage by the Legislature on May 14. The Governor’s letter to the legislature cites concerns relative to each of the three bills – LB287, LB514 and LB321.
LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen signed into law LB526, introduced on his behalf by Senator Mike Jacobson. The legislation helps to preserve electrical service to homes, businesses and other Nebraska customers, by establishing requirements for cryptocurrency mining operations. In addition to notifying power utilities in advance, the bill also provides for payment or a letter of credit covering costs associated with potential infrastructure upgrades.
LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen signed LB140, LB383, and LB172 – a slate of legislation brought on his behalf, aimed at providing protections to kids from utilization of online services and social media. Upon passage, LB383 was amended to include LB172.
LINCON, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen signed LB246, banning the production, sale, promotion and distribution of fake meat in Nebraska. The bill was sponsored on the Governor’s behalf by Senator Barry DeKay.
Lincoln, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen joined with 19 other Republican governors to send a letter to President Donald Trump expressing united support for the president’s America First agenda embodied by the One, Big, Beautiful Bill currently under consideration in Congress. The letter calls for all Republicans to unify around the bill containing the President’s agenda.
