32 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN August 2025 POLICY CONSIDER THIS 109th Session Recap MATTHEW MELCHOR | NC DIRECTOR OF STATE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS As the first session of Nebraska’s 109th Legislature adjourned one day early on June 2, Nebraska Cattlemen (NC) closed the books on another successful session advocating for the livestock producers in the Beef State. While the early adjournment did not hinder NC’s legislative priorities, the session’s conclusion left some unfinished business and new momentum heading into 2026. Gov. Jim Pillen’s attempt to exercise line-item vetoes on the biennial budget was invalidated after his office failed to deliver the vetoes to the Clerk of the Legislature within five days of being presented to the governor, excluding Sundays, as required by the Nebraska Constitution. Instead, the vetoes were only sent to the Secretary of State’s Office. The Speaker of the Legislature’s office rejected the vetoes outright, citing constitutional process. Gov. Pillen accepted responsibility, attributing the error to human oversight and pledging to revisit the disputed appropriations in 2026. The invalidated vetoes totaled roughly $14.5 million, including nearly $12 million to the Nebraska Supreme Court, $2 million from public health departments and just more than $500,000 from the State Fire Marshal’s budget. A fourth veto from Gov. Pillen also included $18 million of cash funds to be used in recreational upgrades to Lake McConaughy. Throughout the session, NC legislative staff remained focused on key legislative priorities, particularly in property tax reform, food labeling and animal identification. LB 81 (Hardin) sought to fix the property tax credit “skip year” created during the 2024 Special Session. NC supported the bill, with testimony from Taxation Committee Vice Chair Merlyn Nielsen. Unfortunately, the Revenue Committee did not advance the bill to the floor. CONTINUED ON PAGE 34
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