Governor's parental leave veto sustained as legislature session ends

The Nebraska Legislature sustained Governor Jim Pillen's veto of parental leave legislation on April 17 as lawmakers concluded their 2026 session, failing by nine votes to overturn the governor's objection to the measure.

LB 878, introduced by Omaha State Sen. Dunixi Guereca, would have provided six weeks of paid parental leave to permanent state employees after the birth or adoption of a child. The bill passed on final reading April 10 with 41-7 support, clearing the threshold needed for a veto override by 11 votes. However, when senators voted Friday to override the veto, the motion failed 21-27, with 30 votes required to succeed.

The measure would have extended leave benefits currently available to unionized state employees to three groups of contract workers: members of the State Patrol, the Fraternal Order of Police, and educators working in state correctional and health and human services institutions.

In his veto letter, Pillen argued that employee benefits such as paid leave should be negotiated through the collective bargaining process rather than mandated by law. He directed the Department of Administrative Services to negotiate six weeks of paid parental leave with labor leaders representing the three contract employee groups.

Guereca said he was disappointed by the decision. "What we have here is a simple policy dispute," he said. "The governor doesn't believe in paternity leave, and that's okay."

Pillen vetoed a total of five bills during the final week of the legislative session. All five originated from Democratic lawmakers, and all five vetoes were sustained. The legislature also sustained vetoes on bills addressing affordable housing for people with disabilities, Medicaid cost-sharing, reporting requirements for foreign funding at state universities, and emergency management worker classifications.