The proposed Recreational Trail Easement Property Tax Exemption Act aims to enhance public health, economic development, environmental conservation, and community connectivity in Nebraska by establishing recreational trail easements. The bill defines "eligible holders" of these easements, which include municipalities, counties, accredited land trusts, and nonprofit organizations focused on public access and land conservation. Taxpayers who place a perpetual recreational trail easement on their property will receive an annual property tax exemption of ten cents per square foot of the encumbered area, provided they meet specific conditions. The bill also clarifies the requirements for filing statements related to recorded easements and property tax exemptions, ensuring that qualifying easements are recorded, provide public access, and connect to existing or planned regional trails or significant local attractions.

In addition, the bill introduces an exemption from personal property tax for broadband equipment deployed in designated areas, particularly those funded by the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program or in qualified census tracts within metropolitan cities. This exemption applies to equipment that delivers internet access at speeds of at least 100 megabits per second for both downloading and uploading. Owners must apply to the county assessor by December 31 of the year before the exemption takes effect, with the assessor required to approve qualifying applications within thirty days. The bill also defines "data center" and outlines the criteria for broadband equipment, detailing what constitutes broadband communications service. The act will become operative on January 1, 2026, and it repeals original sections 76-214 and 77-202 of the Revised Statutes Cumulative Supplement, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 76-214, 77-202