Nebraska LB 355: Change provisions relating to county judges, clerk magistrates, and civil procedure

Bill Text

LEGISLATIVE BILL 355
Approved by the Governor April 14, 2025

Introduced by Andersen, 49.

A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to census data; to amend sections 13-1906, 81-1203,
and 81-12,108, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, and sections 13-2610,
18-2103, 77-6831, and 77-6906, Revised Statutes Cumulative Supplement,
2024; to change certain census data provisions relating to development
districts and a committee formed under the Convention Center Facility
Financing Assistance Act; to redefine terms under the Community
Development Law, the ImagiNE Nebraska Act, the Urban Redevelopment Act, a
job training grant program, and the Nebraska Innovation Hub Act; to
provide an operative date; to repeal the original sections; and to declare
an emergency.
Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,
Section 1. Section 13-1906, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is
amended to read:
13-1906 (1) The Department of Economic Development shall distribute
financial assistance from the state, if available, to the various development
districts as they are certified in the manner prescribed in subsection (2) of
this section.
(2)(a) Fifty percent of the total sum allocated shall be divided equally
among the certified development districts. In certified districts formed by
regional councils, funds may be prorated among the cooperating regional
councils based upon a formula approved by the governing boards of each of the
cooperating regional councils and accepted by the department.
(b) Twenty percent of the total sum allocated shall be divided among the
certified development districts based upon their proportional share of the
population of all certified development districts in the state. For purposes of
this subdivision, population shall mean the number of residents as shown by the
latest federal decennial census, except that the population of a county shall
mean the number of residents in the unincorporated areas of the county as shown
by the latest federal decennial census or as determined by the Department of
Economic Development if such census data is not available.
(c) Thirty percent of the total sum allocated shall be divided among the
certified development districts based upon their proportional share of the
local governments located within all certified development districts.
(3) Distributions to newly certified development districts shall not
reduce financial assistance to previously funded development districts. State
financial assistance shall not exceed the total local dollars received by the
development district as verified by the department. For purposes of this
subsection, local dollars received shall mean the total local dues received by
a development district from any local government as a condition of membership
in a development district.
Sec. 2. Section 13-2610, Revised Statutes Cumulative Supplement, 2024, is
amended to read:
13-2610 (1) Upon the annual certification under section 13-2609, the State
Treasurer shall transfer after the audit the amount certified to the Convention
Center Support Fund. The Convention Center Support Fund is created. Transfers
may be made from the fund to the General Fund at the direction of the
Legislature. Any money in the Convention Center Support Fund available for
investment shall be invested by the state investment officer pursuant to the
Nebraska Capital Expansion Act and the Nebraska State Funds Investment Act.
(2)(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to appropriate from the fund to
any political subdivision for which an application for state assistance under
the Convention Center Facility Financing Assistance Act has been approved an
amount not to exceed (i) seventy percent of the state sales tax revenue
collected by retailers and operators doing business at such facilities on sales
at such facilities, state sales tax revenue collected on primary and secondary
box office sales of admissions to such facilities, and state sales tax revenue
collected by associated hotels and nearby retailers, (ii) one hundred fifty
million dollars for any one approved project, or (iii) the total cost of
acquiring, constructing, improving, repairing, replacing, or equipping the
eligible facilities of the political subdivision. State assistance shall not be
used for an operating subsidy.
(b) It is further the intent of the Legislature to appropriate from the
fund to any city of the metropolitan class for which an application for state
assistance under the Convention Center Facility Financing Assistance Act has
been approved an amount not to exceed the amount of money transferred to the
fund pursuant to subdivision (9)(a) of section 13-3108.
(3)(a) Ten percent of the funds appropriated to a city of the metropolitan
class under subdivision (2)(a) of this section and all of the funds
appropriated to a city of the metropolitan class under subdivision (2)(b) of
this section shall be equally distributed to areas with a high concentration of
poverty. Fifty-five percent of such funds shall be