Governor Previews Legislative Priorities

Governor Jim Pillen identified some of his priorities for the 2025 legislative session over the weekend.“This is by no means an all-encompassing list, but these items are certainly top of mind as we reflect on our past achievements and acknowledge there is still much to be accomplished,” said Governor Pillen. “We must continue to build on those foundations, addressing issues that are of greatest concern to Nebraskans.” TaxesGovernor Pillen has made reducing property taxes the cornerstone of his administration. During a special session of the legislature this year, called by the governor, the legislature established caps on local tax collections.Jefferson County Commissioner Mark Schoenrock had the opportunity to meet with Governor Pillen in November. Schoenrock said, “That gave me an opportunity to say, You know what we’ve done here in Jefferson County, you know, with inflation the last four years being 20 percent and our tax asking has gone up 12 percent, so we’ve been eight percent under the rate of inflation and still maintained the same level of service across the board.”Recently, Governor Pillen issued the 2024 School Property Tax Collection Report, which he said makes the case for reworking the Tax Equity and Equalization Opportunities Support Act (TEEOSA) formula. The goal is to provide schools a more stable and consistent method of budgeting, thereby reducing the amount of increase that schools feel they need to offset reductions in state aid.“We cannot continue down the path of Nebraskan’s paying among the highest property taxes in the nation,” said Pillen. “It makes us less competitive with other states and less attractive to people who may be looking to move here. This is a situation that we will keep fighting to address.” AgricultureThe governor has not been shy about expressing his opposition to meat-alternatives. He wants to see new legislation introduced aimed at banning the sale of lab-grown meat. This follows the governor’s executive order prohibiting the state from purchasing products defined as lab-grown meat and prohibiting other parties from contracting with the state, which might also procure lab-grown meat.At a news conference in August, Pillen said there was uncertainty as to the possible health impacts arising from consumption of lab-grown meat and that other states and countries have implemented strict labeling requirements and outright bans.The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) has drafted rules and regulations to ensure proper labeling and make certain that lab meat is not sold on store shelves next to natural meat products.At the media event, Gov. Pillen reinterated his commitment to Nebraska farmers and ranchers, who produce products that drive Nebraska’s economy and are highly sought overseas. “We feed the world and we save the planet more effectively and more efficiently than anybody else and I will defend those practices with my last breath.”Electoral CollegeHaving failed to change the state’s allocation of electoral votes to winner-take-all during the 2024 special legislative session, Pillen intends to make that another top priority when the 109th Legislature convenes.According to a statement from the governor, “Since 1993, Nebraska, has apportioned its electoral college votes in a way that promotes gerrymandering and prioritizes a small minority of voters over a majority of the public.” Gender IssuesLegislation brought by Senator Kathleen Kauth in 2023 proposed guidelines for opposite-sex participation in sports activities and the use of restroom and locker room facilities. It was carried over into 2024 but failed to advance by only two votes.Eight months into his administration, Governor Pillen became the second governor to issue an executive order establishing what he calls a “Women’s Bill of Rights,” which in part, defined terms like “male” and “female” as guidance to agencies, boards and commissions. That order remains in effect, only to expire upon passage of a state law that provides the necessary clarification to these issues.

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