Nebraska LB 997: Require the State Department of Education to establish criteria for salary supplements for child care and early education providers

Bill Text

LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH LEGISLATURE
SECOND SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 997

Introduced by Ibach, 44; Bostar, 29.
Read first time January 05, 2024
Committee: Education
A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to child care funding; to amend section1
84-612, Revised Statutes Supplement, 2023; to create a fund; to2
provide duties for the State Department of Education and the3
Department of Health and Human Services; to provide for a transfer4
from the Cash Reserve Fund; to repeal the original section; and to5
declare an emergency.6
Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,7
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Section 1. There is hereby created the Child Care Wages Fund to be1
administered by the State Department of Education. The fund shall be used2
to contract with a statewide organization in accordance with section 2 of3
this act for the purpose of state aid. It is the intent of the4
Legislature that a one-time transfer of two million dollars from the Cash5
Reserve Fund be used to establish the Child Care Wages Fund. Any money in6
the Child Care Wages Fund available for investment shall be invested by7
the state investment officer pursuant to the Nebraska Capital Expansion8
Act and the Nebraska State Funds Investment Act.9
Sec. 2. The State Department of Education shall establish10
procedures and criteria for purposes of distributions from the Child Care11
Wages Fund to the Child Care WAGE$ Nebraska program to be used for12
providing salary supplements to child care and early education providers13
working with children five years of age or younger in child care programs14
licensed pursuant to sections 71-1908 to 71-1923. It is the intent of the15
Legislature that the supplements be expended by June 30, 2027.16
Sec. 3. Section 84-612, Revised Statutes Supplement, 2023, is17
amended to read:18
84-612 (1) There is hereby created within the state treasury a fund19
known as the Cash Reserve Fund which shall be under the direction of the20
State Treasurer. The fund shall only be used pursuant to this section.21
(2) The State Treasurer shall transfer funds from the Cash Reserve22
Fund to the General Fund upon certification by the Director of23
Administrative Services that the current cash balance in the General Fund24
is inadequate to meet current obligations. Such certification shall25
include the dollar amount to be transferred. Any transfers made pursuant26
to this subsection shall be reversed upon notification by the Director of27
Administrative Services that sufficient funds are available.28
(3) In addition to receiving transfers from other funds, the Cash29
Reserve Fund shall receive federal funds received by the State of30
Nebraska for undesignated general government purposes, federal revenue31
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sharing, or general fiscal relief of the state.1
(4) The State Treasurer shall transfer two million dollars from the2
Governor's Emergency Cash Fund to the Cash Reserve Fund on or before June3
30, 2024, on such dates and in such amounts as directed by the budget4
administrator of the budget division of the Department of Administrative5
Services.6
(5) The State Treasurer shall transfer two hundred sixteen million7
one hundred twenty thousand dollars from the Cash Reserve Fund to the8
Nebraska Capital Construction Fund on or after July 1, 2022, but before9
June 15, 2023, on such dates and in such amounts as directed by the10
budget administrator of the budget division of the Department of11
Administrative Services.12
(6) The State Treasurer shall transfer one hundred eighty-two13
million six hundred twenty-three thousand eight hundred twenty-five14
dollars from the Cash Reserve Fund to the Nebraska Capital Construction15
Fund on or after July 1, 2023, but before June 30, 2024, on such dates16
and in such amounts as directed by the budget administrator of the budget17
division of the Department of Administrative Services.18
(7) The State Treasurer shall transfer fifty-three million five19
hundred thousand dollars from the Cash Reserve Fund to the Perkins County20
Canal Project Fund on or before June 30, 2023, on such dates and in such21
amounts as directed by the budget administrator of the budget division of22
the Department of Administrative Services.23
(8) No funds shall be transferred from the Cash Reserve Fund to24
fulfill the obligations created under the Nebraska Property Tax Incentive25
Act unless the balance in the Cash Reserve Fund after such transfer will26
be at least equal to five hundred million dollars.27
(9) The State Treasurer shall transfer thirty million dollars from28
the Cash Reserve Fund to the Military Base Development and Support Fund29
on or before June 30, 2023, but not before July 1, 2022, on such dates30
and in such amounts as directed by the budget administrator of the budget31
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division of the Department of Administrative Services.1
(10) The State Treasurer shall transfer eight million three hundred2
thousand dollars from the Cash Res