Your feedback ensures we stay focused on the facts that matter to you most—take our survey
Nebraska Public Service Commission
| Nebraska Public Service Commission | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $139,806,293 |
| Total Seats: | 5 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 6 years |
| Authority: | Nebraska Constitution, Article IV, Section 20 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
| Eric Kamler, Christian Mirch, Tim Schram, Kevin Stocker, Dan Watermeier | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 3, 2026 |
| Last election: | November 5, 2024 |
| Other Nebraska Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Commissioner of Education • Agriculture Director • Insurance Director • Natural Resources Director • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission • Board of Regents | |
The Nebraska Public Service Commission is an elected state executive position in the Nebraska state government. The chairman serves as head of the five-member commission.
The commission regulates railroads, household goods and passenger carriers, telephone companies, grain warehouses and construction of manufactured homes.[1]
Current officeholder
| Office | Name | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Public Service Commission District 1 | Dan Watermeier | Republican |
| Nebraska Public Service Commission District 2 | Christian Mirch | Republican |
| Nebraska Public Service Commission District 3 | Tim Schram | Republican |
| Nebraska Public Service Commission District 4 | Eric Kamler | Republican |
| Nebraska Public Service Commission District 5 | Kevin Stocker | Republican |
Authority
The Nebraska Constitution establishes the public service commission in Article IV, the Executive Department.
Under Article IV, Section 20:
|
There shall be a Public Service Commission, consisting of not less than three nor more than seven members, as the Legislature shall prescribe, whose term of office shall be six years, and whose compensation shall be fixed by the Legislature.[2] |
Not known as the public service commission until 1972, the PSC's roots date back to the Montana Railway Commission of 1885, created to regulate railroads. The railway commission lasted until 1887, when the Nebraska Legislature created a state board of transportation. The law creating the Board was found unconstitutional by a 1901 supreme court ruling. The legislature took over regulating railroads until the passage of a constitutional amendment in 1906 creating a three member elected railway commission, with members serving six-year terms. Membership was increased to five in 1964 and the state was divided into five districts, each to elect a commissioner. The name was changed to the current public service commission by a ballot measure in 1972.[1]
Qualifications
Qualifications for members of the public service commission are outlined in the revised state statutes:
- Be resident citizens of the state
- Registered voters
- If members of or practitioners in any profession, in good standing according to the established standards of such profession
- Be a resident of the district from which he or she seeks election
- Be a resident of the district from which he or she is elected, removal from the district shall cause a vacancy in the office
- Cannot be directly or indirectly interested in any common carrier or jurisdictional utility in the state or out of it or who is in any way or manner pecuniarily interested in any common carrier
- Not hold any other office under the government of the United States, of Nebraska or any other state and shall not, while such commissioner, engage in any other occupation[3]
Elections
Public service commissioners are elected to six-year terms.
2024
District 1
General election candidates
- Dan Watermeier (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔
Democratic primary candidates
No candidates filed for the Democratic Party primary.
Republican primary candidates
- Dan Watermeier (Incumbent) ✔
District 3
General election candidates
- Tim Schram (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔
Democratic primary candidates
No candidates filed for the Democratic Party primary.
Republican primary candidates
- Tim Schram (Incumbent) ✔
2022
District 4
General election candidates
- Eric Kamler (Republican Party) ✔
Democratic primary candidates
No candidates filed for the Democratic Party primary.
Republican primary candidates
- Rod Johnson (Incumbent)
- Eric Kamler ✔
District 5
General election candidates
- Kevin Stocker (Republican Party) ✔
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey Democratic primary candidates
No candidates filed for the Democratic Party primary.
Republican primary candidates
- Mary Ridder (Incumbent)
- Dakota Delka
- Kevin Stocker ✔
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
2020
General election candidates
- Crystal Rhoades (Incumbent) (Democratic Party) ✔
- Tim Davis (Republican Party)
Democratic primary candidates
- Crystal Rhoades (Incumbent) ✔
Republican primary candidates
Past elections
Vacancies
In the event of a vacancy, the governor appoints a replacement to fill out the remainder of the unexpired term.[4]
Duties
Public service commissioners are responsible for regulating the following:[5]
- Telecommunication carriers
- Natural gas jurisdictional utilities
- Mayor oil pipelines
- Railroad safety
- Household goods movers and passenger carriers
- Grain warehouses and dealers
- Construction of manufactured and modular homes and recreational vehicles
- High voltage electric transmission lines
- Private water company rates
The commission also oversees and administers the following statutorily created funds:
- The Nebraska Universal Service Fund
- The Nebraska Enhanced Wireless 911 Fund
- The Nebraska Telecommunications Relay System Fund[5]
Divisions
As of January 27, 2021, the Nebraska Public Service Commission is organized into four departments:[1]
- Telecommunications/NUSF
- State 911
- Transportation
- Natural Gas
- Grain
- Housing/RV
State budget
- See also: Nebraska state budget and finances
The budget for the public service commission in Fiscal Year 2024-2025 was $139,806,293.[6]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
The Nebraska Constitution addresses compensation for state executive officials in Article IV, Section 25.
|
The officers provided for in this article shall receive such salaries as may be provided by law. Such officers, or such other officers as may be provided for by law, shall not receive for their own use any fees, costs, or interest upon public money in their hands. |
2023
In 2023, the commissioners' salary was unavailable, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2022
In 2022, each commissioner received a salary of $135,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2021
In 2021, each commissioner received a salary of $137,025, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2020
In 2020, each commissioner received a salary of $137,025, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2019
In 2019, each commissioner received a salary of $137,025, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2018
In 2018, each commissioner received a salary of $135,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2017
In 2017, each commissioner received a salary of $153,600, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2016
In 2016, each commissioner received a salary of $75,000, according to state law.[14]
2014
In 2014, commissioners were paid $75,000, according to state law.[14]
2013
In 2013, commissioners were paid an estimated $75,000, according to state law.[14]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Nebraska Public Service Commission has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Nebraska Public Service Commission. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Chairman Tim Schram
Email: jerry.vap@nebraska.gov
Phone: 1-800-526-0017
Nebraska Public Service Commission
1200 N Street, Suite 300, Lincoln, NE 68508
Phone: 402-471-3101
Toll Free: 1-800-526-0017 (Nebraska Only)
TDD: 402-471-0213
Fax: 402-471-0254
See also
| Nebraska | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Nebraska Public Service Commission, "History of the Commission," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ Nebraska state legislature, "Nebraska state constitution," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ Nebraska Revised Statutes, " Chapter 75-101 Public Service Commission," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ Nebraska Revised Statutes, " Chapter 75-103 Public Service Commission," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Nebraska Public Service Commission, "History of the commission," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ Nebraska.gov, "Agency Operations / State Aid / Construction Summary by Fund Type," accessed December 6, 2023
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 26, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 26, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 26, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 26, 2021
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Nebraska Legislature, "Nebraska Revised Statute 75-104," accessed February 10, 2020
| |||||||||||||||||
