Great Seal of the State of Nebraska
MARCH 1st 1867

Jim Pillen
Governor


STATE OF NEBRASKA
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
P.O. Box 94848,  Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4848
Phone: (402) 471-2244, jim.pillen@nebraska.gov


April 16, 2026

Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, and
Members of the Legislature
State Capitol Building
Lincoln, NE 68509

Dear Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, and Members of the Legislature:

Pursuant to Article IV, Section 15 of the Nebraska Constitution, I have allowed LB1237 and
LB1237A to become law without my signature. While I believe this bill is a well-intentioned
measure to enhance the security of the Nebraska State Capitol, I cannot in good conscience place
my signature and approval on a bill which I believe unnecessarily disrupts a long tradition of
allowing for the open and secure expression of one of our most important Constitutional
rights-the Second Amendment-in the very building in which those rights frequently have
come under attack.

I share the Legislature's abiding commitment to ensuring our Capitol is safe and secure, both for
the people who work there and the thousands who visit, especially the many young children who
brighten the building with their exploration of its vast spaces and history. My team and I will
continue to work in partnership with the other branches of state government to be stewards of
Capitol security, and I hope that other polices and steps -- including, but not limited to, additional
well-trained and armed security and State Patrol personnel -- will be a focus on future
enhancements to our comprehensive security plans.

Although LB1237 includes provisions which would not have been my preferred policy routes
toward achieving our shared goal of a secure Capitol, I nevertheless respect the good faith and
earnest efforts of the bill's designers, as well as the overwhelming support it received on final
passage by the Legislature and will therefore allow it to become law. Although I anticipate some
challenges with compliance and implementation, I will provide diligent directives to the State
Patrol to take care that all the provisions of this bill will be faithfully executed.

For the sake of completeness, I note that LB1237 does contain a long-overdue revision to our
laws governing concealed-carry permit holders to be armed in the Capitol. I am grateful that the
Legislature has fixed this problem in our laws.
Sincerely,

Jim Pillen
Governor

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