LINCOLN — The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services on Monday named the three construction companies bidding to construct a new state prison close to Lincoln, all of which officials said would stay within proposed state appropriations.

The department said officials are reviewing bids for the proposed 1,512-bed facility to replace the aging Nebraska State Penitentiary. The bids, received through 2 p.m. on June 3, came from Clark Construction/MCL Construction (a joint venture), Hausmann Construction and Sampson Construction/Caddell Construction (a joint venture). Each bidder has at least some Nebraska ties.

Among them, Sampson built Correctional Services a reception and treatment center that opened in 2022, a 114,000-square-foot addition plus 3,200 square feet of renovations.

Correctional Services Director Rob Jeffreys said in a statement that “from day one,” the department’s engineering team had approached the new prison project “the Nebraska way,” focused on fiscal responsibility and building a facility to support the state’s needs.

“All of the bids received will keep this project within the proposed budget and the funding appropriated by the Legislature,” Jeffreys said.

The department did not immediately release the bid estimates. Bids will be evaluated through mid-July, and when an “intent to award” a bid is signed, the bids will become public, according to NDCS.

The facility, once built, will be located north of Interstate 80, adjacent to North 70th Street, close to Lincoln.

‘I’ll Believe It When I See It’

State Sen. Terrell McKinney of North Omaha, who led legislative opposition to the new facility, said he would love to see the bid numbers, because he’s heard the new prison could cost more than the $350 million approved by lawmakers.

He’s one of a handful of lawmakers who have expressed worries that state prison costs could balloon, as correctional costs in other states have, too.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” McKinney said Monday.

McKinney said he doesn’t think a new prison is needed, particularly considering the state’s budget woes and that many Nebraskans in state facilities are eligible for parole but haven’t been released.

A Nebraska Supreme Court decision in favor of the Legislature in April, against Attorney General Mike Hilgers, upheld expanded parole eligibility passed in 2023.

McKinney said Correctional Services administrators could repair and maintain the Nebraska State Penitentiary for less money.

“If they’re gonna say that we need a new prison, then they shouldn’t oppose demolishing the State Pen after it’s built,” McKinney said. “The fact they won’t proves to me a new prison is not needed.”

Second Chance Relief

There have been other recent efforts to help with prison reform and overcrowding, such as Legislative Bill 215 this year, which sought “second chance relief” for certain long-term inmates through an increased, collaborative chance for sentence commutation or parole. The Nebraska Board of Pardons — Hilgers, Gov. Jim Pillen and Secretary of State Bob Evnen — opposed it.

State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue, who introduced LB 215 and selected it as his personal priority for 2025, had said he’d visited every adult correctional facility in Nebraska, some multiple times, and met Nebraskans serving life sentences who were model individuals and mentors to younger inmates. He said he’d be comfortable with many as a “next-door neighbor.”

Before joining the Legislature, Holdcroft said he would have thought, “You do the crime, you do the time,” but he said politicians need to be willing to hear both sides and be willing to move.

“After visiting with some of these lifers and breaking bread with them and talking to them, one-on-one as human beings, I truly believe that the sentences of many of these individuals should be given a second look,” Holdcroft said.

The measure, which advanced the first of three debates 25-14, could return in 2026.

‘Very Pleasing News’

State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, chair of the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee, said Jeffreys’ commitment was “wonderful,” citing the state’s closed-for-now budget shortfall.

“I was not sure how much we would have to fund in excess, but that’s very pleasing news. Glad to hear that,” Clements said. “I’m looking forward to the project moving forward.”

Clements said the facility is needed to provide more beds than the current prison, partly to ease overcrowding and partly to provide more space for needed programming for inmate rehabilitation and successful reentry. He said the new facility would also be more modern and more secure for staff.

Said Jeffreys: “We look forward to launching construction and appreciate all Nebraskans who have supported this rehabilitation-focused facility.”

This story was published by Nebraska Examiner, an editorially independent newsroom providing a hard-hitting, daily flow of news. Read the original article: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/06/16/correctional-services-says-new-n...