Senate retirement committee hears two gubernatorial nominees for Public Employees Retirement Board

Chair Senator Beau Ballard opened the committee’s gubernatorial appointment hearings and heard testimony from two nominees to the Public Employees Retirement Board (PERB): Patrick (Pat) Bourne and Jacob (Jake) Curtis.

Pat Bourne, the governor’s nominee to fill an open PERB seat, told the committee he lives in Omaha and spelled his name for the record. He described a background in finance (University of Nebraska at Omaha) and law (Creighton University School of Law), prior work at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska in roles including sales, service and human resources, and eight years on the Nebraska Legislature’s retirement committee from 1998 to 2007. Bourne said he has served on employer 401(k) committees and worked on the transition of the OSERS (Omaha School Employees Retirement System) plan to NPERS. He told senators that much of his work on employer retirement plans emphasized education for plan participants and measures to ensure people consider borrowing from retirement accounts only after counseling.

Bourne answered several senators’ questions about his 401(k) work and his priorities on PERB. When Senator Hart asked what the board should “work on,” Bourne said the priority is increasing education and awareness so plan participants understand how defined-contribution and defined-benefit plans work and can take actions to secure their retirement. Senator Orteno offered an unsolicited endorsement, describing Bourne as “trustworthy, knowledgeable, and very good to work with.” The committee closed Bourne’s nomination; the transcript records the nomination hearing closed but does not show a committee confirmation vote.

Jake Curtis, also nominated to serve on the retirement board as the school-plan member, described himself as the director of employee relations for Millard Public Schools (since 2017), a licensed Nebraska attorney, and the legislative liaison for the Nebraska Association of School Personnel Administrators. Curtis said his duties include employer reporting and tracking requirements for the school retirement plan and educating new and veteran staff about benefits. He told the committee he has worked directly with NPERS leadership on legislative issues affecting districts and understands the trustee and fiduciary responsibilities of a PERB member.

Curtis said he has attended two PERB meetings and intends to spend time listening and learning. In reply to questions from Senator Conrad about how school employees view retirement benefits, Curtis said retirement benefits are an important recruiting and retention tool for teachers and for hourly school staff, and that proposed legislative changes often create concern among employees because of uncertainty over future benefits. He described Millard’s induction and retirement planning sessions for staff and the district’s efforts to connect employees with state-provided retirement seminars.

The committee recorded no proponents, opponents, or neutral testimony for either nomination during the hearing; senators had the opportunity to ask questions, and the chair subsequently closed each nomination hearing. No committee vote on either nomination is shown in the transcript.

The committee then moved on to its next agenda item, LB 295.

Ending: The committee closed the nominations for Bourne and Curtis; the transcript does not record a committee confirmation vote or further action on either nomination during this session.