LB444 LB444
2023 2023
LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH LEGISLATURE
FIRST SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 444
Introduced by Linehan, 39.
Read first time January 13, 2023
Committee: Appropriations
1 A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to postsecondary education; to amend section
2 84-612, Revised Statutes Cumulative Supplement, 2022; to state
3 intent; to create a fund; to provide for a grant for certain
4 activities in relation to a postsecondary educational institution as
5 prescribed; to provide powers and duties for the Department of
6 Economic Development; to provide for a transfer from the Cash
7 Reserve Fund; to repeal the original section; and to declare an
8 emergency.
9 Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,
-1-
LB444 LB444
2023 2023
1 Section 1. (1) The Legislature finds that:
2 (a) There is a health care workforce shortage in Nebraska. The
3 development and sustainability of a skilled workforce in the health
4 sciences is a public health priority for the State of Nebraska;
5 (b) Postsecondary educational institutions attract workforce to the
6 State of Nebraska. Postsecondary educational institutions invest in
7 workforce infrastructure to grow Nebraska;
8 (c) Postsecondary educational institutions are a critical investment
9 in developing workforce for the State of Nebraska and attract nonresident
10 students to the State of Nebraska; and
11 (d) Attracting regional and national athletics events spurs economic
12 development.
13 (2) The Postsecondary Workforce Development Fund is created. The
14 Department of Economic Development shall administer the fund. Any money
15 in the fund available for investment shall be invested by the state
16 investment officer pursuant to the Nebraska Capital Expansion Act and the
17 Nebraska State Funds Investment Act.
18 (3) The fund shall be used to provide a one-time grant for
19 furnishings and equipment for a health sciences education center,
20 infrastructure costs related to enhanced mobility by a vacation of a
21 public street, pedestrian safety, and construction of a community
22 athletics complex. To be eligible for a one-time grant from the fund, an
23 applicant shall submit a plan to the Department of Economic Development
24 to complete a new health sciences education center, enhance mobility of
25 pedestrians through vacation of a public street, and create a design for
26 construction of a community athletics complex with the ability to attract
27 regional and national championships. Prior to receiving any money from
28 the grant, the applicant shall submit documentation to the department
29 that a health sciences workforce development facility is seventy-five
30 percent complete, a public street vacation request is on file with the
31 municipality in which the vacated street is located, and documentation
-2-
LB444 LB444
2023 2023
1 from a host organization that construction of a community athletics
2 complex is requested to host a regional or national event.
3 Sec. 2. Section 84-612, Revised Statutes Cumulative Supplement,
4 2022, is amended to read:
5 84-612 (1) There is hereby created within the state treasury a fund
6 known as the Cash Reserve Fund which shall be under the direction of the
7 State Treasurer. The fund shall only be used pursuant to this section.
8 (2) The State Treasurer shall transfer funds from the Cash Reserve
9 Fund to the General Fund upon certification by the Director of
10 Administrative Services that the current cash balance in the General Fund
11 is inadequate to meet current obligations. Such certification shall
12 include the dollar amount to be transferred. Any transfers made pursuant
13 to this subsection shall be reversed upon notification by the Director of
14 Administrative Services that sufficient funds are available.
15 (3) In addition to receiving transfers from other funds, the Cash
16 Reserve Fund shall receive federal funds received by the State of
17 Nebraska for undesignated general government purposes, federal revenue
18 sharing, or general fiscal relief of the state.
19 (4) The State Treasurer shall transfer fifty-four million seven
20 hundred thousand dollars on or after July 1, 2019, but before June 15,
21 2021, from the Cash Reserve Fund to the Nebraska Capital Construction
22 Fund on such dates and in such amounts as directed by the budget
23 administrator of the budget division of the Department of Administrative
24 Services.
25 (5) The State Treasurer shall transfer two hundred fifteen million
26 five hundred eighty thousand dollars from the Cash Reserve Fund to the
27 Nebraska Capital Construction Fund on or after July 1, 2022, but before
28 June 15, 2023, on such dates and in such amounts as directed by the
29 budget administrator of the budget division of the Department of
30 Administrative Services.
31 (6) The State Treasurer shall transfer fifty-three million five
-3-
LB444 LB444
2023 2023
1 hundred thousand dollars from the Cash Reserve Fund to the Perkins County
2 Canal Project Fund on or before June 30, 2023, on such dates and in such
3 amounts as directed by the budget administrator of the budget division of
4 the Department of Administrative Services.
5 (7) No funds shall be transferred from the Cash Reserve Fund to
6 fulfill the obligations created under the Nebraska Property Tax Incentive
7 Act unless the balance in the Cash Reserve Fund after such transfer will
8 be at least equal to five hundred million dollars.
9 (8) The State Treasurer shall transfer thirty million dollars from
10 the Cash Reserve Fund to the Military Base Development and Support Fund
11 on or before June 30, 2023, but not before July 1, 2022, on such dates
12 and in such amounts as directed by the budget administrator of the budget
13 division of the Department of Administrative Services.
14 (9) The State Treasurer shall transfer eight million three hundred
15 thousand dollars from the Cash Reserve Fund to the Trail Development and
16 Maintenance Fund on or after July 1, 2022, but before July 30, 2022, on
17 such dates and in such amounts as directed by the budget administrator of
18 the budget division of the Department of Administrative Services.
19 (10) The State Treasurer shall transfer fifty million dollars from
20 the Cash Reserve Fund to the Nebraska Rural Projects Fund on or after
21 July 1, 2022, but before July 15, 2023, on such dates and in such amounts
22 as directed by the budget administrator of the budget division of the
23 Department of Administrative Services.
24 (11) The State Treasurer shall transfer thirty million dollars from
25 the Cash Reserve Fund to the Rural Workforce Housing Investment Fund on
26 or after July 1, 2022, but before July 15, 2023, on such dates and in
27 such amounts as directed by the budget administrator of the budget
28 division of the Department of Administrative Services.
29 (12) The State Treasurer shall transfer twenty million dollars from
30 the Cash Reserve Fund to the Intern Nebraska Cash Fund on or after July
31 1, 2022, but before June 15, 2023, on such dates and in such amounts as
-4-
LB444 LB444
2023 2023
1 directed by the budget administrator of the budget division of the
2 Department of Administrative Services.
3 (13) The State Treasurer shall transfer twenty million dollars from
4 the Cash Reserve Fund to the Middle Income Workforce Housing Investment
5 Fund on July 15, 2022, or as soon thereafter as administratively
6 possible, and in such amounts as directed by the budget administrator of
7 the budget division of the Department of Administrative Services.
8 (14) The State Treasurer shall transfer eighty million dollars from
9 the Cash Reserve Fund to the Jobs and Economic Development Initiative
10 Fund on or after July 1, 2022, but before July 15, 2023, on such dates
11 and in such amounts as directed by the budget administrator of the budget
12 division of the Department of Administrative Services.
13 (15) The State Treasurer shall transfer twenty million dollars from
14 the Cash Reserve Fund to the Site and Building Development Fund on July
15 15, 2022, or as soon thereafter as administratively possible, and in such
16 amounts as directed by the budget administrator of the budget division of
17 the Department of Administrative Services.
18 (16) The State Treasurer shall transfer fifty million dollars from
19 the Cash Reserve Fund to the Surface Water Irrigation Infrastructure Fund
20 on or after July 15, 2022, but before January 1, 2023, on such dates and
21 in such amounts as directed by the budget administrator of the budget
22 division of the Department of Administrative Services.
23 (17) The State Treasurer shall transfer fifteen million dollars from
24 the Cash Reserve Fund to the Site and Building Development Fund on or
25 before June 30, 2022, on such dates and in such amounts as directed by
26 the budget administrator of the budget division of the Department of
27 Administrative Services.
28 (18) The State Treasurer shall transfer fifty-five million dollars
29 from the Cash Reserve Fund to the Economic Recovery Contingency Fund on
30 or before June 30, 2022, on such dates and in such amounts as directed by
31 the budget administrator of the budget division of the Department of
-5-
LB444 LB444
2023 2023
1 Administrative Services.
2 (19) The State Treasurer shall transfer sixty million dollars from
3 the Cash Reserve Fund to the Postsecondary Workforce Development Fund on
4 or before September 1, 2023, on such date as directed by the budget
5 administrator of the budget division of the Department of Administrative
6 Services.
7 Sec. 3. Original section 84-612, Revised Statutes Cumulative
8 Supplement, 2022, is repealed.
9 Sec. 4. Since an emergency exists, this act takes effect when
10 passed and approved according to law.
-6-


Statutes affected:
Introduced: 84-612