Nebraska lawmakers overcame a significant shortfall through the passage of this year’s budget, but more fiscal trouble may be on the horizon. On the final day of this year’s legislative session in June, Speaker John Arch made a prediction on the focus of the legislature’s return in 2026. “I will predict that our biggest challenge next year will be our budget,” he said. “Once again, we sent a balanced budget to the governor, but we always face mid-biennium budget adjustments, and next year will be no different. And in fact, could be more challenging” So how did Nebraska get into this situation in the first place?