LINCOLN- Nearly two weeks since Gov. Jim Pillen signed LB138 into law, which allows the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles to issue special driver's licenses to Ukrainian refugees, many DMV offices around the state have indicated that it has become a top priority to begin handing them out. "We understand the necessity for the Ukrainian immigrants here to be able to get to work so they can do what they need to do to take care of their families," said DMV Director Rhonda Lahm, "And so it is a priority."

Lahm also indicated that, even before the passage of LB138, many DMV offices had begun working on obtaining and printing the special licenses. "We've been working on that programming process," said Lahm, "We've been working with our card vendor to redesign the card." The DMV is still waiting, to the dismay of a slew of Ukrainian refugees, on several program changes and testing for the dozens of licenses that will be issued.

No firm date has been set for when the licenses will be ready for issue. "I've met with 25 Ukrainians that have been driving commercial vehicles in Europe and they are here, they are ready to go," said Oleg Stepanyuk, the Ukrainian-born director of operations for a Lincoln trucking firm, "They are work-hungry." According to Stepanyuk, a slew of Ukrainian families have moved away from Nebraska to get commercial driver's licenses in other states. "That...is working against these families and frankly against the economy of our state," he said.

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