Nebraska Legislature Rejects Gov. Pillen Budget Vetoes Over Deadline Dispute

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen's line-item vetoes on the state's biennium budget have sparked a constitutional dispute with the Nebraska Legislature. Pillen issued vetoes on several budget items, including reductions to the Supreme Court's budget and public health funding, but the Legislature argues the vetoes were not delivered within the five-day deadline required by the Nebraska Constitution. The Legislature did not receive the vetoed bills until Thursday morning, after the midnight deadline, and thus rejected the vetoes, stating the bills have become law without them. The Governor's Office maintains that Pillen followed standard procedures by delivering the vetoes to the Secretary of State's Office by the deadline, but the Legislature insists the Clerk of the Legislature was the proper recipient since the Legislature was still in session. This disagreement could lead to legal action, although lawmakers hope for a resolution through discussion. The situation highlights procedural ambiguities and raises questions about veto authority and budget implementation in Nebraska.