LB636 LB636
2019 2019
LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED SIXTH LEGISLATURE
FIRST SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 636
Introduced by Stinner, 48.
Read first time January 23, 2019
Committee: Executive Board
1 A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to political subdivisions; to create the
2 Financial Condition of Counties and Municipalities Task Force; and
3 to provide powers and duties.
4 Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,
-1-
LB636 LB636
2019 2019
1 Section 1. (1) The Financial Condition of Counties and
2 Municipalities Task Force is hereby created.
3 (2) The task force shall include the following nonvoting, ex officio
4 members:
5 (a) The chairperson of the Appropriations Committee of the
6 Legislature; and
7 (b) One additional member of the Legislature selected by the
8 Executive Board of the Legislative Council.
9 (3) The task force shall include the following voting members:
10 (a) The Auditor of Public Accounts or his or her designee, who shall
11 serve as chairperson of the task force;
12 (b) The executive director of the Nebraska Association of County
13 Officials or his or her designee;
14 (c) The executive director of the League of Nebraska Municipalities
15 or his or her designee; and
16 (d) The following ten members, who shall be appointed by the
17 Governor:
18 (i) Two representatives from cities of the second class;
19 (ii) Two representatives from villages;
20 (iii) Four representatives from counties that do not include a city
21 of the metropolitan class or a city of the primary class;
22 (iv) One representative from the School of Public Administration of
23 the University of Nebraska at Omaha; and
24 (v) One attorney with expertise in the field of public finance.
25 (4) The task force may appoint advisory groups to assist the task
26 force by providing technical expertise and advice on any issue. The
27 advisory groups may be composed of representatives of stakeholder groups
28 with expertise in the field of county and municipal budgets and
29 financing. No compensation or expense reimbursement shall be provided to
30 any member of any advisory group appointed by the task force.
31 (5) The Auditor of Public Accounts shall provide staff assistance to
-2-
LB636 LB636
2019 2019
1 the task force in consultation with other interested parties. The task
2 force may hire consultants to assist in carrying out its duties.
3 (6) The task force shall:
4 (a) Consider whether it is advisable to create a system to
5 effectively detect, monitor, and prevent financial distress in counties
6 and municipalities;
7 (b) Consider whether it is advisable to provide a rating criterion
8 to evaluate the financial health of counties and municipalities; and
9 (c) Provide recommendations as to the state's role in alleviating
10 any such financial distress.
11 (7) The task force shall meet at the call of the chairperson and
12 shall present its findings in a report to the Executive Board of the
13 Legislative Council no later than December 1, 2019. The report shall be
14 submitted electronically.
15 (8) It is the intent of the Legislature to appropriate fifty
16 thousand dollars to carry out this section.
-3-