Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

LB70                                                                      LB70
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                               LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
                            ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH LEGISLATURE
                                FIRST SPECIAL SESSION
                       LEGISLATIVE BILL 70
       Introduced by McKinney, 11.
       Read first time July 29, 2024
       Committee: Revenue
  A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to reimbursable performance-based grants; to
      adopt the Reimbursable Performance-Based Grants Act.
  Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,
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          Section 1.      Sections 1 to 10 of this act shall be known and may be
   cited as the Reimbursable Performance-Based Grants Act.
         Sec. 2.       The purpose of the Reimbursable Performance-Based Grants
  Act is     to generate property tax relief through    a reduction in
  incarceration, poverty, and homelessness among young adults.
          Sec. 3.      For purposes of the Reimbursable Performance-Based Grants
   Act:
          (1) Department means the Department of Revenue; and
         (2) Young adult means an individual who is at least eighteen years
   of age and younger than twenty-six years of age.
          Sec. 4.      The department shall:
          (1) Administer the Reimbursable Performance-Based Grants Act;
          (2) Hire independent evaluators to ensure an objective assessment of
   the outcomes under the act; and
         (3) Hire financial analysts to quantify any monetary savings to the
  State of Nebraska that result from reimbursable performance-based grants.
          Sec. 5.      The department shall establish metrics for social outcomes
   for young adults relating to the following that are clear and measurable:
          (1) Recidivism rates;
          (2) Poverty levels;
          (3) Employment; and
          (4) Homelessness statistics.
          Sec.    6.      (1)     An implementing organization may apply to   the
   department for a grant on a form prescribed by the department. As part of
   its application, an implementing organization shall provide documentation
   that it    has secured initial funding which could be   from internal
   reserves, donations, investors, or loans.
          (2) Within thirty days after receiving an application for a grant,
   the department shall evaluate the social outcomes that will be provided
  by the applicant based on the metrics established pursuant to section 5
   of this act.
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         (3)(a) After performing the evaluation described in subsection (2)
   of this section, the department may award a grant to any applicant that
  the department determines will achieve at    least one of    the social
  outcomes that is subject to the metrics established pursuant to section 5
  of this act.
         (b) The department shall provide written notice to each applicant of
  the department's decision to award or not award a grant to such applicant
   within forty days after receiving the application. Such written notice
   shall be delivered via regular United States mail or electronic mail.
        (c) An applicant that is denied a grant may appeal such denial as
  described in section 7 of this act.
        (4)(a) The department may award grants to any number of private-
   sector entities in   each year subject to    money in   the Reimbursable
   Performance-Based Grants Fund appropriated for such purpose.
        (b) A private-sector entity shall not be awarded more than one grant
  in any calendar year.
         Sec. 7.   (1) The department shall provide to each applicant that is
   denied a grant a detailed explanation that describes how to appeal such
   denial.
        (2) Any applicant that was denied a grant may appeal such denial as
  prescribed by the department within thirty days after receiving written
  notice of the denial.
         (3) The department shall establish an independent review committee
   to administer appeals of denied grant applications.
         (4) Each appeal that follows all instructions prescribed by the
  department shall be forwarded by the department to the independent review
  committee. The independent review committee shall affirm or overturn the
  department's decision to deny a grant application within sixty days after
  the department receives the appeal from the applicant.
         (5) The independent review committee shall provide written notice to
  the department and the applicant of the independent review committee's
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  decision to affirm or overturn the department's decision.
       (6) If the independent review committee overturns the department's
   decision to deny a grant application, the department shall award the
   applicant a grant pursuant to section 6 of this act.
      Sec. 8.     (1) The department shall electronically provide a report to
   the Legislature and to the Governor not later than January 31 of each
   year. The department shall provide an electronic copy of each such report
   on the website of the department.
      (2) Such report shall include the following information from the
  most recent year:
      (a) The number of applications received for grants;
      (b) The number of grants awarded;
       (c) The recipient of, amount of, and metrics for social outcomes
   relating to each grant awarded; and
       (d) The estimated difference in costs to the State of Nebraska
   relating to   correctional facilities and social services,   including
   incarceration, poverty, and homelessness, generated by awarding grants,
   after subtracting the cost of administering the Reimbursable Performance-
   Based Grants Act.
       Sec. 9.     If the difference in costs to the State of Nebraska under
  subdivision (2)(d) of section 8 of this act is estimated to save the
  State of Nebraska money, it is the intent of the Legislature to transfer
   an amount of money equal to such estimated amount from the General Fund
   to the Reimbursable Performance-Based Grants Fund, as determined by the
   Legislature.
       Sec. 10.     The Reimbursable Performance-Based Grants Fund is created.
   The department shall administer the fund for purposes of the Reimbursable
   Performance-Based Grants Act. The fund shall consist of money transferred
   to the fund by the Legislature and bequests, donations, gifts, grants, or
   other money received from any federal or state agency or public or
  private source. Any money in the fund available for investment shall be
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   invested by the state investment officer pursuant to the Nebraska Capital
   Expansion Act and the Nebraska State Funds Investment Act.
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