Latest News from the Governor's Office

Contact:

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Gov. Pillen Announces Appointment to Racing and Gaming Commission

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen has announced the appointment of Randall Conroy of Papillion to the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission. He fills the vacancy due to the resignation of Tony Fulton.  

Conroy recently retired after 23 years in the casino gaming industry, with experience spanning six casinos across five states. Most recently, he served as general manager of the Horseshoe Baltimore Casino in Baltimore, Maryland. In that role, he oversaw all aspects of the operation including slot machines, table games, poker, and sports wagering.  

Conroy earned a bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University in Texas, and a master’s degree in finance from the University of Kansas. He has also been active in his community, serving as a board member on the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership and the Local Development Council Board.

With his extensive background in casino gaming operations and leadership, Conroy brings significant industry experience to the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission. The commission consists of seven members who serve four-year terms, all appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Legislature.

CONTACT:

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Gov. Pillen Presents Annual State Threat Assessment

LINCOLN, NE – Against the backdrop of a KC-135 Stratotanker and an audience that included members of the Nebraska National Guard and the Committee on Pacific Conflict, Governor Jim Pillen announced the publication of the Annual State Threat Assessment. The report is a product of the Committee, which was created through the passage of LB 1300 in 2024. It was the first such committee created among U.S. states.  

The report provides a non-classified overview of potential threats facing Nebraska, and concrete actions the Governor’s administration has taken during the 2025 calendar year to mitigate them. Among the findings identified in the assessment -- the administration has maintained aggressive enforcement of new statutory protections, expanded readiness capabilities and pursued governor-led trade outreach to trusted Indo-Pacific partners.  

During today’s news conference, Gov. Pillen highlighted some of the features that put Nebraska on the front lines of not only state and national security, but also international security, including operations originating out of Offutt Air Force Base, the capabilities of the state’s National Guard and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) which is home to an internationally known biocontainment unit operated in collaboration with Nebraska Medicine. He also mentioned Nebraska’s unique water and food resources, and its public power system – all of which are critical assets.

“It’s important that we know who our foreign adversaries are, we identify the risks and that we create policies that protect our state security and our national security,” said Gov. Pillen. “Today is a good day to celebrate what the Committee on Pacific Conflict is doing and what it is working on.”

The committee, consisting of 11 members, is chaired by Lieutenant Governor Joe Kelly, who is the state’s director of homeland security. The group met four times in 2025 and heard from state and national subject matter experts on a variety of security topics involving agriculture, cyber security, power generation, law enforcement and international procurement.

This is the second year the Annual State Threat Assessment has been published, which is required to be presented by the Governor prior to his delivery of the State of the State address.  At this morning’s event, Lt. Gov. Kelly provided a copy of the report to Gov. Pillen and emphasized Nebraska’s leadership in examining areas of concern.

“Nebraska is a national leader because we have recognized that the threats of the 21st century – cyber-attacks, land acquisition, and supply chain coercion – require 21st-century state level defenses. We are securing the homeland by securing our land, our code, and our contracts.”

Major General Craig Strong, the adjutant general for the Nebraska National Guard, also serves on the Committee. He emphasized issues that make Nebraska vulnerable to bad actors and steps the Military Department is undertaking on to address them.  

“Nebraska is no longer just a flyover state in the eyes of our adversaries. It is a front-line target for economic coercion, cyber-physical attacks, and influence operations. Through the authorities granted in LB 1300 and LB 1301, the Nebraska National Guard is now better positioned to secure our home base while simultaneously assisting our nation in projecting strength into the Pacific Theater.”

There are three categories that are top priorities within the administration – agriculture and food security as national security, securing the homeland, and cybersecurity and protection of state digital infrastructure. Each area is outlined below, with a summary of concerns and actions as identified by the Committee on Pacific Conflict.

Agriculture & Food Security as National Security

Nebraska’s agriculture industry plays a key role in our state – with a total of 44 million acres of farms and ranches that generate approximately 5.4% of the total U.S. farm sales. China’s dominance in key supply chains enables the use of economic coercion against countries that adopt policies that Beijing opposes. Through this, it creates restrictions on key materials like gallium and germanium – which are used in agricultural technologies such as precision farming equipment and pharmaceuticals.  

With a dependency on China, this could disrupt Nebraska’s fertilizer and biotech inputs during trade disputes, amplifying risk to crop yields and livestock health. In 2024, Nebraska passed LB 1301, the Foreign-owned Real Estate National Security Act. The new law disallows the purchasing or leasing of Nebraska agricultural land or property near military installations from countries of China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela. Furthermore, we have expanded our market with allied nations to diversify export channels and reduce single-market vulnerabilities.  

Securing the Homeland 

With the help of LB 644 and LB 1301, the Pillen administration is working to counter the threats of AI-generated disinformation to exploit domestic divisions and suppress critics abroad. These play a direct role in threatening Nebraska’s communities and educational institutions.  

Further action has been taken by The Foreign Adversary and Terrorist Agent Registration Act and The Crush Transnational Repression in Nebraska Act. These new laws, in collaboration with the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Material Division, ensure the administration is focused on resiliency and emergency preparedness for our state. 

DAS has put rules in place that prohibit the award of state contracts to entities domiciled in China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, or Venezuela, or any firm owned or controlled by those governments.  

The Nebraska Military Department also plays a direct role in securing our homeland through emergency response and integrated support of the active military component. Additionally, the Nebraska National Guard is the National Airborne Operations Center, a premier airborne communications platform that directly supports the National Command Authority as the most survivable element of the National Military Command System.  

The Nebraska National Guard is also expanding its influence into the Pacific Theater through a partnership with the Marshall Islands. This partnership will give the Nebraska National Guard a direct role in enhancing the security preparedness of our allies in the Pacific Theater.  

Cybersecurity and Protection of State Digital Infrastructure  

The People’s Republic of China continues to present the most active and persistent cyber threat to U.S. government and critical infrastructure networks. Certain operations like Volt Typhoon, Salt Typhoon, and related operations are designed to enable disruptive or destructive attacks during a crisis or conflict. Nebraska’s agricultural supply chain, rural electric cooperatives, water systems, and state government networks are within the scope of these threats. 

The administration is countering this with the Nebraska Statewide Cybersecurity Strategic Plan, which emphasizes risk and threat strategies, strategic stakeholder engagement, and implementation of cyber governance and planning across state, county, and local levels.  

Through the Zero-Tolerance Policy, under Executive Order 23-05 (Enhancing Broadband Security), state systems aim to reach 100% compliance in removing high-risk equipment. This protection now extends to all overseen grant recipients.  

Furthermore, through state and local synergy, the State and Local Cybersecurity grant program is pushing security resources down to the local level – rural cooperatives and school districts – ensuring that a cyber breach in a small town doesn’t cascade into a statewide crisis.  

A complete copy of the Annual State Threat Assessment is attached to this email.

In addition to Lt. Gov. Kelly and AG Strong, other members of the Committee on Pacific Conflict include: Director of the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Lee Will; State Investment Officer Ellen Hung, Rick Nelson of NPPD, Allen Geist of the National Strategic Research Institute, former DAS director and member of the Nebraska National Guard, Jason Jackson, Sen. Beau Ballard, Sen. Eliot Bostar, Sen. Bob Andersen and Sen. Rick Holdcroft.

Annual State Threat Assessment PDF

CONTACT:

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Gov. Pillen Reappoints Zingula to Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen has announced his reappointment of Doug Zingula of Crawford, to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Zingula represents District 7 (Panhandle).

Zingula was first appointed in 2017. This will be his third, four-year term on the commission. He has served as both vice chairman (2023) and chairman (2024).

Zingula is retired, having previously worked for many years at Cabela’s, including as vice president of corporate merchandising from 2006 to 2013. He is a board member for Safari Club International – Platte River Chapter.  Zingula is also a member of the Nebraska Big Game Society and the Wild Sheep Foundation.

All nine members of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Legislature. Eight represent districts across the state. The ninth member serves at large.

Contact:

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Gov. Pillen’s Historic Income Tax Cuts Effective in January

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen, a champion for lower taxes, is highlighting the historic income tax cuts set to take effect in January as part of his Administration’s ongoing commitment to reform Nebraska’s tax system. The 2026 income tax rate will fall from 5.2% to 4.55%, with the final stage of the income tax reduction taking effect in 2027, when the rate drops again to 3.99%.

“As part of the largest tax cut package in state history, my Administration is making sure Nebraskans keep more of what they earn,” said Gov. Pillen. “Our mission is simple: drive down the size and cost of government, while improving the services that taxpayers depend on. We’re making Nebraska great for families – and keeping the ‘Good Life’ open for business.” 

Gov. Pillen signed LB754 into law in 2023, leading to these reductions, and has consistently opposed efforts to slow or pause this phased reduction in income tax cuts. 

As a result of these tax cuts, for the third consecutive year under the Pillen Administration, Nebraska families will keep more of their hard-earned money. 

“We’ve made historic progress, but I continue to believe that our tax system needs generational reform. There’s more work to do to keep Nebraska the best place to live, build a business, and raise a family.”

Contact:

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Gov. Pillen Touts Huge Rural Health Transformation Program Award

 LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen released the following statement after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its awards for the Rural Health Transformation Program, a $50 billion initiative established under President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts legislation to strengthen and modernize health care in rural communities across the country.

“The partnerships we have built throughout President Trump’s team paid off for Nebraska today in a BIG way,” said Governor Pillen. “Per the announcement from Secretary Kennedy and Administrator Oz, the application I directed our team to submit for Rural Health Transformation funds was awarded over $218 million for rural healthcare, the 8th highest award in the country.”

Through the initiative, the state of Nebraska will receive $218,529,075 for the first year of the five-year grant from the federal government, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to Make Rural Nebraska Healthy Again.

“President Trump’s commitment to rural economic revitalization is real, and today’s announcement is proof,” Gov. Pillen continued. “On behalf of all Nebraskans, I am grateful for this partnership and support.”

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will build a prevention first, tech-enabled sustainable rural health care system. The project will prevent chronic disease, regionalize care, and advance Make America Healthy Again priorities. To achieve this vision, DHHS will implement seven integrated initiatives to strengthen the State’s rural health infrastructure, address workforce gaps, and ensure access to care through consumer-facing technology.

“DHHS is committed to begin work immediately in partnership with our rural providers to build a strong, comprehensive health care infrastructure for rural communities, one that will stand as a national model,” said DHHS CEO Steve Corsi. “We are grateful to Governor Pillen for his leadership and persistent collaboration with federal partners in bringing this historic rural investment to fruition.”

“More than 60 million Americans living in rural areas have the right to equal access to quality care,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “This historic investment puts local hospitals, clinics, and health workers in control of their communities’ healthcare. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, rural Americans will now have affordable healthcare close to home, free from bureaucratic obstacles.” 

“Today marks an extraordinary milestone for rural health in America,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “Thanks to Congress establishing this investment and President Trump for his leadership, states are stepping forward with bold, creative plans to expand rural access, strengthen their workforces, modernize care, and support the communities that keep our nation running. CMS is proud to partner with every state to turn their ideas into lasting improvements for rural families.”