Nebraska

Governor Jim Pillen stood next to CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz in early 2026 and announced Nebraska as the first state to impose Medicaid work requirements. More than 9,000 people are projected to lose coverage. Federal SNAP cuts will hit 150,000 Nebraskans.

The state faces a $471 million budget deficit. Pillen proposed cutting $152 million from the Department of Health and Human Services to close it.

Republicans control the governor’s office and the functionally partisan unicameral legislature. The 2026 general election is Pillen versus Democrat Lynne Walz, a former state senator who won her primary with 91%.

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Healthcare and benefits

Nebraska became the first state to implement Medicaid work requirements for expansion enrollees, effective May 1, 2026. Able-bodied adults ages 19 to 64 must prove 80 hours per month of work, education, or community service. Those who fail to submit paperwork lose coverage even if they qualify.

Of roughly 19,000 recipients required to request exemptions or find employment, between 50% and 72% are projected to lose access because they miss a deadline or cannot document their hours. That puts more than 9,000 Nebraskans at risk.

9,000+ Nebraskans who are projected to lose Medicaid under work requirements

The federal reconciliation bill compounds the damage. SNAP funding faces $186 billion in cuts through 2034, a 20% reduction and the largest in the program’s history. More than 150,000 Nebraskans receive SNAP.

Starting October 2026, the state’s share of administrative costs rises from 50% to 75%, costing Nebraska up to $13 million. Work requirements expand to adults with children age 14 and older and adults ages 55 to 64.

The Legislature approved LB958 allowing two months of retroactive Medicaid eligibility for traditional enrollees and one month for expansion enrollees. Pillen wanted to end retroactive eligibility entirely. The compromise still cuts the federal standard of 90 days.

In November 2025, Pillen banned Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood. The state already faces a $471 million deficit, and roughly 30% of proposed spending cuts target DHHS, including $14.1 million from the Aged and Disabled Waiver.

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Public schools

Nebraska’s Education Future Fund, created in 2023, is on track for depletion within five years. Its only non-transfer revenue source — investment income — is projected to drop from $29 million in 2024-25 to $16 million in 2025-26 and $11 million in 2026-27.

About $40 million in federal funds are being withheld from Nebraska schools for migrant education and after-school services. The state contributed nearly $2 billion to public schools in FY 2023-24, with a $750 million property tax credit redirected to schools bringing the total to $2.75 billion.

A school financing review commission completed phase one in November 2025, with phase two starting in 2026.

Lawmakers are eyeing $3.5 million for private school funding in 2026. The voucher fight returns while public school funding shrinks from both ends: a depleting state fund and frozen federal dollars.

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Reproductive rights

Voters approved Initiative 434 in November 2024, constitutionally prohibiting abortions after 12 weeks. Governor Pillen had already signed LB574 banning abortion at 12 weeks and restricting gender-affirming care for those under 19.

Despite the ban, at least 2,501 abortions were performed in Nebraska in 2024 — 176 more than 2023, a 7.6% increase. Abortions performed in Nebraska have risen about 68% since Roe was overturned in 2022. Nebraska is absorbing patients from states with stricter bans.

68% increase in abortions performed in Nebraska since Roe was overturned in 2022

The 2026 Legislature continued pushing restrictions. LB 669, which would have required coercion and abuse screening at abortion appointments, failed 31-15 after a four-hour filibuster spanning four days. LB 512 would require an in-person physician visit before receiving medication abortion plus a follow-up visit. LB 632 would require cremation or burial of fetal remains from elective abortions.

The filibuster that killed LB 669 shows that sustained opposition still works in a red-state legislature. Narrow margins matter. Public pressure matters.

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Electoral vote

Nebraska is one of two states that splits electoral votes by congressional district. Omaha’s 2nd District — the “blue dot” — has gone to Democratic presidential candidates in three of the past five elections.

A bill to make Nebraska winner-take-all failed a filibuster on April 8, 2025. The cloture vote failed 31-18, two short of the 33 needed. Two Republicans broke ranks: State Sens. Merv Riepe of Ralston and Dave Wordekemper of Fremont voted with the Democratic minority. Governor Pillen supported the winner-take-all push and helped advance proposals out of the Government Committee.

The fight will return. Every legislative session brings another attempt. Voters in the 2nd District and statewide should ask every candidate for the unicameral whether they support keeping the split system.

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Federal workforce

The federal government shutdown furloughed about 2,300 civilian employees at Offutt Air Force Base near Bellevue. Roughly 1,200 contractors remained on the job. Airmen were forced to cover critical civilian roles. The Pentagon also announced potential layoffs of 5,000 civilian employees.

USDA has lost more than 21,600 employees over the past year, a 22% staffing decrease. The Trump administration’s FY2026 budget plans an additional 22% cut. In Nebraska, that means fewer people overseeing avian flu outbreak response and agricultural inspections in one of the country’s top farming states.

2,300 civilian employees furloughed at Offutt Air Force Base during the federal shutdown

These are not abstract budget lines. Offutt is the headquarters of U.S. Strategic Command. USDA inspectors keep Nebraska’s beef and poultry supply safe. When the federal workforce shrinks, Nebraska’s economy and national security infrastructure take the hit directly.

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Protect yourself right now

1. Verify your Medicaid status and contact information. If you receive Medicaid through expansion, confirm your address, phone, and email are current. Missing a renewal notice means losing coverage even if you qualify. Call the Nebraska DHHS hotline at 1-855-632-7633.

2. Document your work hours now. If you are subject to the new 80-hour work requirement, keep pay stubs, schedules, and any records of volunteer hours. Do not wait for a request.

3. Check your voter registration before the 2026 general election. Confirm your status and district at the Nebraska Secretary of State’s website. The general election on November 3, 2026, includes the governor’s race and even-numbered legislative districts.

4. Ask every unicameral candidate two questions. Do they support keeping the split electoral vote? Do they support public school funding over private school vouchers? Get answers on the record.

5. Call your state senator about DHHS cuts. Name the specific cut: the Aged and Disabled Waiver ($14.1 million), retroactive eligibility, or Planned Parenthood payments. Specific asks get more traction than general complaints.