Nebraska Passes Bitcoin Mining Bill, Awaits Governor’s Signature

In a unanimous vote, Nebraska’s state legislature has passed LB 526, a bill introducing light restrictions on Bitcoin mining operations. The two-page legislation, which awaits Governor Jim Pillen’s signature, focuses on managing the strain that mining firms place on the state’s electrical grid rather than environmental concerns like carbon emissions.

The passed bill allows Nebraska to put some rules on Bitcoin companies, such as summer heatwaves, mandates firms to fund infrastructure upgrades if their operations overburden the grid, and requires public reporting of mining activities and electricity consumption.

As per the reports, Nebraska’s move is part of a broader trend in the US, with states like Texas imposing harsher restrictions after mining operations were linked to power outages. Despite the Republican-dominated legislature, typically pro-crypto, passing the bill unanimously, the restrictions are not considered a major setback for the industry.

Governor Pillen, who has called crypto an “important, emerging industry,” has not yet commented on the bill but is expected to sign it into law. Marathon, the only major Bitcoin mining firm operating in Nebraska, could offer insight into the bill’s impact.

The company recently upgraded its Kearney facility in a county of 6,600 residents, even as U.S. Bitcoin mining becomes less profitable, prompting Marathon to take on debt to buy Bitcoin from other sources. The new Nebraska law, LB 526, doesn’t put tough restrictions on Bitcoin mining, but the fact that every lawmaker voted for it shows that Nebraska is ready to set rules for the crypto industry. 

This legislation is a big deal because it’s part of how crypto rules are changing across the U.S., especially since President Trump’s administration keeps talking about crypto.

The law tries to support new tech ideas like Bitcoin mining while making sure the electric grid doesn’t get overloaded and cause power problems. How Marathon, the main mining company in Nebraska, reacts to these new rules could affect how people view Nebraska’s approach. 

It might also give clues about what these rules mean for other crypto mining companies across the country.