Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen

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Jim Pillen's inauguration speech

Gov. Jim Pillen gives his inauguration speech on Wednesday at Nebraska State Capitol.

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Jim Pillen sworn in as Nebraska’s 41st governor

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Swearing in of new Nebraska Governor and Lt. Governor

Swearing in of new Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen and Lt. Governor Joe Kelly

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Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen to announce US Senator Ben Sasse's replacement on Thursday

LINCOLN, Neb. —
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen will announce US Senator Ben Sasse's replacement on Thursday. The appointment, which will be announced at 9 a.m., will be effective on Thursday. Former governor Pete Ricketts is among those who want the job.

[almighty_tuna]

I hope you all were sitting down when Pillen made the quid pro quo announcement that Ricketts would be appointed to Sasse's open seat. FFS, this guy is like Nebraska's herpes; just can't get rid of him.

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Governor Pillen to announce Ben Sasse's replacement in the Senate Today


Ben Sasse will replace for the Senate:
1) Pete Rickets
2) Brett Lindstrom
3) Ann Ashford
4) Melanie Standiford
5) Sid Dinsdale
6) Byran Slone

[ricko]

You get what you pay for$$$$.

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Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen announces Pete Ricketts will replace US Sen. Ben Sasse

LINCOLN, Neb. —

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen announced Thursday that Pete Ricketts will replace Ben Sasse as U.S. Senator. Ricketts, a Republican, backed Pillen in his candidacy for governor.

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Gov. Pillen appoints Jim Scheer to University of Nebraska Board of Regents

Gov. Jim Pillen has announced his appointment for the District 3 Regent on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. Pillen says he is appointing Jim Scheer, the former Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature, to serve as the District 3 Regent. “Jim is a public servant who will work to grow the University of Nebraska,” said Pillen. “He believes in educational excellence, the importance of agriculture, and fiscal conservative leadership.” Scheer represented District 19 in the Nebraska Legislature from 2013 to 2021 and was elected Speaker of the Legislature in 2017. Before that, Scheer was on the Norfolk School Board when he was the mayor of Norfolk.

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Pillen appoints former Norfolk mayor Scheer to UNL Board of Regents
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen announced he is appointing Jim Scheer to serve as the District 3 Regent on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen announced he is appointing Jim Scheer to serve as the District 3 Regent on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

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Governor introduces Nebraska mentoring initiative

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) - Gov. Jim Pillen announced a “major mentoring initiative” alongside former Huskers Coach Tom Osborne at a noon news conference on Monday. Declaring February “Nebraska Mentoring Month,” the governor said he’s adding $5 million to his annual budget to provide competitive grants that encourage mentorships in Nebraska schools. Guidelines for the program and its applications are still being developed, according to a follow-up release, the intent is award those grants to “programs in Nebraska with established histories.” In addition, the state will encourage its employee to participate in mentorship programs by allowing them to modify work schedules to accommodate weekly volunteerism. “We know the hope that mentoring gives to kids. There is nothing as rewarding as being a mentor to a young person,” Pillen said. “We are excited about the opportunity for the Legislature to pass a $5 million mentorship grant program to quickly expand mentoring across the state. This program would help lift our kids up from any set of circumstances.” Multiple state lawmakers and representatives from the following mentoring programs across the state were also at Monday’s announcement: Mentor Nebraska, 100 Black Men of Omaha, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Nebraska, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lincoln, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands, International Council for Refugees & Immigrants, Kids Can Community Center, Partnership 4 Kids, TeamMates, and The Bloc.

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Gov. Pillen backs school choice in Nebraska with proposed tax break
Under a new bill in the Nebraska Legislature, a state fund could pay parents a combined $25 million in the first year.

LINCOLN, Neb. — Joined by educators and students from private and parochial schools across Nebraska, Gov. Jim Pillen backed a new proposal to give tax breaks to families with children in private schools. "No matter what socio-economic background you come from, if public education isn't for you, you ought to have the opportunity to go to a school that meets your needs," said Pillen on Tuesday. LB 753, sponsored by Omaha State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan would create the Opportunity Scholarships Act. It's similar to bills proposed in the past that have failed.

"There's nothing more important to a parent then to do the very best for their kid," Linehan said on Wednesday. PAs currently written, the bill would give an income tax credit to families who donate to organizations that give tuition scholarships to private and parochial schools. They could get a credit for the full amount donated or 50% of their income tax liability for that year. According to the governor, Nebraska is one of two states that doesn't have any school choice law.

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Omaha Public Schools opposes governor's funding bill

LINCOLN, Neb. — The governor's plan to add $300 million a year to public schools draws support in Lincoln, but some districts including the state's largest one testified against it. Gov. Jim Pillen told lawmakers LB 583 is pivotal to his education package. "It is time for the state to step up and fill the gap to these in helping these public schools and the students," Pillen said. The bill would ensure every public school district gets at least $1,500 per student of foundation aid. Currently, 150 of 244 districts get little to no state help. "We believe that this is a more equitable method for rural districts where the annual per-student costs can be up to $25,000 due to unique challenges our schools face," said Steve Hanson the president of the Nebraska Cattleman.

[damonhynes]

Omaha Public Schools opposes governor's funding bill

LINCOLN, Neb. — The governor's plan to add $300 million a year to public schools draws support in Lincoln, but some districts including the state's largest one testified against it. Gov. Jim Pillen told lawmakers LB 583 is pivotal to his education package. "It is time for the state to step up and fill the gap to these in helping these public schools and the students," Pillen said. The bill would ensure every public school district gets at least $1,500 per student of foundation aid. Currently, 150 of 244 districts get little to no state help. "We believe that this is a more equitable method for rural districts where the annual per-student costs can be up to $25,000 due to unique challenges our schools face," said Steve Hanson the president of the Nebraska Cattleman.

Shocked, SHOCKED! that OPS is complaining. Some motivated wonk with time on their hands surely can find how much OPS spends per young skull full of mush ($1 to Rush Hudson Limbaugh) currently, and then compare that to other school districts.

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Gov. Jim Pillen appoints new DHHS Chief Medical Officer

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) - Gov. Jim Pillen has appointed a new Chief Medical Officer for the Division of Public Health for the Department of Health and Human Services. Pillen announced Tuesday he’s appointing Timothy A. Tesmer, M.D. to the role. According to Pillen, Tesmer comes to the role from his private practice, Tesmer ENT.

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Gov. Pillen calls for agency to focus on rail safety after multiple derailments

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) - Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen is asking the Public Service Commission to refocus efforts on rail safety. Pillen announced Monday that he’s calling on the agency to “refocus efforts to protect public safety,” citing recent trail derailments in the state. “The Nebraska Public Service Commission exists to protect public safety, especially in the areas of our state’s railroads, telecommunications, 911 and oil pipelines,” said Pillen. “Recently, there have been multiple railroad derailments in Nebraska while key railroad inspector positions have remained unfilled at the PSC for years. I call on the PSC to refocus on its core duties and remain diligent in bettering rail safety.”

Pillen added that the Public Service Commission has not employed a railroad track safety inspector for 20 years.

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‘That’s on the PSC’:
Gov. Pillen puts rail inspector responsibility on state agency
Nebraska’s governor and state agency are deadlocked over who should pay to hire rail inspectors.



LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska’s governor and the state’s Public Service Commission are hitting a deadlock when it comes to rail safety. Both are going back and forth about how to hire vacant rail inspector jobs. A KETV NewsWatch 7 investigation found state officials have relied on federal inspectors to survey its thousands of miles of train tracks since 2005. “That’s on the PSC,” Gov. Jim Pillen said Wednesday.

During a discussion with Lincoln’s Chamber of Commerce, the governor bragged about the billions of dollars the state has. “We have billions and billions,” Pillen said. “As I like to say, we have bushel baskets and bushel baskets of money.” He told Lincoln business leaders his office has studied budgets of state agencies since November’s election. He says he’s prioritizing transformative tax policy and spending money on education to strengthen community colleges and the middle class. “If everybody saw the budgets I saw, PSC has the money is what I’m trying to tell you,” Pillen said.

[Louie]

He sure is acting like the state has unlimited funds

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Gov. Pillen announces new director of Nebraska Department of Correctional Services



Gov. Jim Pillen has announced the state’s newest director for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. Rob Jeffreys is the new director of the NDCS. Gov. Pillen made the announcement Monday afternoon. Jeffreys spent the last four years as head of the Illinois Department of Corrections, and before that, two decades with Ohio’s Department of Corrections. Pillen interviewed seven candidates and said that Rob Jeffreys stood out the most.

[Doctor Fate]

Gov. Pillen announces new director of Nebraska Department of Correctional Services



Gov. Jim Pillen has announced the state’s newest director for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. Rob Jeffreys is the new director of the NDCS. Gov. Pillen made the announcement Monday afternoon. Jeffreys spent the last four years as head of the Illinois Department of Corrections, and before that, two decades with Ohio’s Department of Corrections. Pillen interviewed seven candidates and said that Rob Jeffreys stood out the most.

Rob kinda looks like Stephon Marbury.....

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'Inappropriate!': Democrats criticize governor's appointment of Bosn to Legislature
Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh says Nebraska's Accountability and Disclosure Commission can't act on the Governor's transparency.



LINCOLN, Neb. — When newly-appointed state senator Carolyn Bosn enters the floor next Tuesday, she'll face skepticism from Democratic lawmakers — who criticized the timing of Gov. Jim Pillen's announcement. The Governor was ready to announce Suzanne Geist's replacement within hours of her resignation. Geist says she's resigning to fully focus on Lincoln's mayoral race after the speaker of the Legislature scheduled lawmakers to work until 11 p.m.

Senator Bosn says she shares the same views as her predecessor. "I believe that life begins at conception," Bosn said. "I stand behind Senator Geist's position on that." Nebraska's Accountability and Disclosure Commission informed Senator Machaela Cavanaugh it can't act on the Governor's transparency.