81-1201. Repealed. Laws 1978, LB 568, § 23.
81-1201.01. Terms, defined.

As used in sections 81-1201.01 to 81-1201.22, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) Community Development Block Grant means the grants distributed pursuant to the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 as amended by the Housing and Urban-Rural Recovery Act of 1983;

(2) Department means the Department of Economic Development;

(3) Director means the Director of Economic Development;

(4) Economic articulation means the creation of economic activities which will provide inputs to and markets for other businesses in the state;

(5) Educational institutions means nonprofit public and private colleges, community colleges, state colleges, and universities in the state; and

(6) Value-adding industry means an economic enterprise that adds value through processing, fabrication, or other means to goods or services.

Source:Laws 1986, LB 965, § 1; Laws 1994, LB 1194, § 18; Laws 2013, LB78, § 10.
81-1201.02. Department of Economic Development; created; purpose; duties.

There is hereby created an executive department of state government to be known as the Department of Economic Development. The purpose of the department is to maintain and develop the economy of the state to provide opportunities for the people which will enhance and expand the quality of their lives. The department shall promote the:

(1) Expansion of personal income through the development of business and employment opportunities which afford sufficient compensation to ensure an adequate standard of living for the people of the state;

(2) Development of an economy that contributes to and enhances the environmental quality of the state;

(3) Development of a stable economy within the state;

(4) Development of economic health and opportunities throughout the communities and counties of the state;

(5) Development of an economy which is capable of providing the necessary revenue for state government, local governments, and other political subdivisions of the state and in this way minimize the tax burden faced by all taxpayers of the state; and

(6) Structuring of the department and its staff as a nonpolitical, professionally managed division of state government.

Source:Laws 1986, LB 965, § 2; Laws 2013, LB78, § 11.
81-1201.03. Director of Economic Development; appointment; duties; personnel.

The chief executive officer of the department shall be the Director of Economic Development who shall be appointed by the Governor with the consent of a majority of the Legislature. The director shall administer the affairs of the department and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The director shall have equal rank with the heads of other state departments, and his or her salary shall be fixed by the Governor. The director shall employ a deputy director with significant and extensive professional experience in the field of economic development. The director shall employ division directors and such other assistants, professional staff, and other employees as he or she deems necessary to effectively carry out sections 81-1201.01 to 81-1201.20 within the appropriations the Legislature provides.

Source:Laws 1986, LB 965, § 3; Laws 2013, LB78, § 12.
81-1201.04. Repealed. Laws 2013, LB 78, § 23.
81-1201.05. Repealed. Laws 2013, LB 78, § 23.
81-1201.06. Repealed. Laws 2013, LB 78, § 23.
81-1201.07. Department; divisions and program; advisory committees and programs; authorized.

The department may have the divisions and program listed in this section to aid in the discharge of its duties but shall not be limited to such divisions and program: (1) An Existing Business Assistance Division; (2) a Business Recruitment Division; (3) a Community and Rural Development Division; (4) an Economic Recovery and Incentives Division; (5) a Housing Division; and (6) a Community Development Block Grant Program. Each division and program, when deemed appropriate by the director, is encouraged to establish advisory committees and programs to insure public participation and input.

Source:Laws 1986, LB 965, § 7; Laws 1989, LB 639, § 1; Laws 1993, LB 190, § 7; Laws 1998, LB 1053, § 10; Laws 2012, LB1053, § 27; Laws 2022, LB1024, § 8.
81-1201.08. Repealed. Laws 2010, LB 947, § 4.
81-1201.09. Department; develop and implement economic development strategies; considerations.

The department shall develop and implement economic development strategies to:

(1) Facilitate the maintenance and expansion of existing enterprises and the creation of new value-adding industries, including those involved in selling to non-Nebraska markets;

(2) Promote economic articulation within the economy of the state;

(3) Promote productivity among value-adding industries;

(4) Promote economic diversification within the economy of the state; and

(5) Maintain and revitalize economically distressed areas.

In developing these strategies the department shall consider the special economic needs of women and minorities and pursue policies which are consistent with Nebraska policies to protect and enhance the environmental quality of the state.

Source:Laws 1986, LB 965, § 9.
81-1201.10. Department; long-term strategy; performance review; duties; Performance Review Revolving Fund; created; use; investment.

The department shall:

(1) Create and keep current a comprehensive and long-term strategy for economic development. The strategy shall address and be consistent with the general purposes and duties of the department. The strategy shall consider: (a) The entire state; (b) economic regions within the state; and (c) the operating divisions and program listed in section 81-1201.07; and

(2) Develop an independent program of performance review of the activities of the department, departmental divisions, and the Community Development Block Grant Program. The review shall include, but not be limited to: (a) An assessment of the impact of the department's programs corresponding to the strategic plans of the department, departmental divisions, and the Community Development Block Grant Program; (b) a comparative assessment of the relative impact of the department's programs with similar programs in other states; and (c) a comparative assessment of the department's programs' impact on different parts of the state. The review shall be completed or updated at least once every three years.

The Performance Review Revolving Fund is created. The money in the fund shall be used to employ an independent firm experienced in doing performance reviews as prescribed in this section to do performance reviews. Any money in the 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.

Source:Laws 1986, LB 965, § 10; Laws 1989, LB 639, § 3; Laws 1993, LB 190, § 8; Laws 1994, LB 1066, § 106; Laws 1998, LB 1053, § 11.

Cross References

81-1201.11. Department; lead agency; clearinghouse; staff services; coordination; status report; duties.

The department shall:

(1) Serve as the lead state agency in the area of economic development. The department shall develop a program to promote coordination and cooperation within state government and with institutions of higher education, local governments, other political subdivisions of the state, and the private sector;

(2) Serve as a clearinghouse for information, data, and other materials which may be helpful or necessary to the full development of the state's economy, which may be relevant with regard to the possibilities of future development in Nebraska, and which will be of use to local governments, the Governor, other state agencies, and the Legislature in discharging their responsibilities. The department shall develop a program to ensure cooperation between state agencies, the University of Nebraska, and other entities with related economic information;

(3) Provide staff services when, in the opinion of the director, such services are necessary and appropriate in the areas of economic development to cities of the first class, cities of the second class, and villages on a contractual basis when the terms of such contracts can be mutually accepted;

(4) Assist the Governor in coordinating the efforts of local governments to develop mutual and cooperative solutions to their common problems; and

(5) Prepare annually a status report on the activities and impacts of the department and its programs. The status report shall include information detailing the status of all programs administered by the department for which the Legislature requires reporting. The status report shall be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature on the first working day of July of each year. The report submitted to the Legislature shall be submitted electronically.

Source:Laws 1986, LB 965, § 11; Laws 2011, LB404, § 4; Laws 2012, LB782, § 192.
81-1201.12. Department; plans, contracts, funds; tax credit program; duties.

The department shall:

(1) Submit and adopt all necessary plans, enter into contracts, and accept gifts, grants, and federal funds; and

(2) Administer the tax credit program established by the Community Development Assistance Act and adopt and promulgate rules and regulations pursuant to such act.

Source:Laws 1986, LB 965, § 12.

Cross References

81-1201.13. Transferred to section 81-3713.
81-1201.14. Existing Business Assistance Division; duties.

The primary responsibility of the Existing Business Assistance Division shall be to provide assistance to instate businesses. Such assistance shall encourage the startup of new businesses and the retention and expansion of existing businesses. Emphasis shall be placed upon meeting the unique needs of small businesses in the state. Activities of the division shall include, but not be limited to, financial packaging, technical assistance, contacts with existing businesses regarding needs, work force development, job training assistance, export technical assistance, and assistance to businesses in accessing new markets and new technologies.

The division shall avoid duplication with existing programs already in place which assist small businesses and entrepreneurs, and the department and the division shall deliver their programs through, to the extent possible, the Nebraska Business Development Center, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Food Processing Center, the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, the Small Business Administration of the federal government, and other related organizations.

Source:Laws 1986, LB 965, § 14; Laws 1987, LB 736, § 7; Laws 1989, LB 639, § 4; Laws 1997, LB 659, § 1; Laws 2007, LB388, § 3.

Cross References

81-1201.15. Business Recruitment Division; duties; information withheld from public.

(1) The primary responsibility of the Business Recruitment Division shall be the creation of jobs through the attraction of business to the state. The division shall develop a program of assistance to local governments, chambers of commerce, development organizations, and other entities involved in attracting new value-adding industries. Activities shall include, but not be limited to, industrial recruitment, marketing, international investment attraction, and technical assistance to community organizations in their recruitment efforts.

(2) Information regarding business recruitment, location, relocation, and expansion projects conducted by or with the assistance of the Business Recruitment Division may be withheld from the public until a public announcement by an authorized representative of the business or the Department of Economic Development is made about the project or until negotiations between the business and the division or other governmental entity regarding the project have been completed, whichever is earlier.

Source:Laws 1986, LB 965, § 15; Laws 1989, LB 639, § 5; Laws 2017, LB217, § 32.
81-1201.16. Community and Rural Development Division; duties.

The Community and Rural Development Division shall provide technical and financial assistance to communities for the preparation of community-based community needs assessment and development strategies. The division shall develop a program to assist communities in finding solutions to the problems identified within the community needs assessment.

Source:Laws 1986, LB 965, § 16; Laws 1989, LB 639, § 6.
81-1201.17. Repealed. Laws 1989, LB 639, § 13.
81-1201.18. Department; administer Community Development Block Grant Program.

(1) The department shall administer the Community Development Block Grant Program. In addition to the performance review requirements in section 81-1201.10, the department shall develop an ongoing program of monitoring the impact of grants on the communities receiving the grants. The monitoring program shall include, but not be limited to, the following information: (a) The status of the project for which such grant was awarded; (b) the grant amount; (c) the local government contribution; (d) the private financial contribution; (e) the goals and objectives of the grant; and (f) the impact of the grant relative to the goals and objectives of the grant.

(2) The department shall determine community development objectives, state priorities, and guidelines for the distribution of funds for community development projects within the Community Development Block Grant Program, which shall conform to the objectives as set forth in the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended, and which shall:

(a) Include statistical community need factors; and

(b) Require that grant applicants submit evidence of a community assessment process for the project, which assessment process the department shall design.

(3) To the extent possible, the Community Development Block Grant funds shall be allocated on a need and competitive basis.

Source:Laws 1986, LB 965, § 18; Laws 1989, LB 639, § 7; Laws 2010, LB947, § 2; Laws 2013, LB78, § 13.
81-1201.19. Divisions; avoid duplication.

The divisions shall avoid the duplication of existing programs or services and, to the extent possible, shall use existing programs and organizations to implement the program and objectives of the division.

Source:Laws 1986, LB 965, § 19.
81-1201.20. Department; adopt rules and regulations.

The department may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations to carry out sections 81-1201.01 to 81-1201.20.

Source:Laws 1986, LB 965, § 20; Laws 2017, LB217, § 33.
81-1201.21. Job Training Cash Fund; created; use; investment.

(1) There is hereby created the Job Training Cash Fund. The fund shall be under the direction of the Department of Economic Development. Money may be transferred to the fund pursuant to subdivision (1)(b)(iii) of section 48-621 and from the Cash Reserve Fund at the direction of the Legislature. The department shall establish a subaccount for all money transferred from the Cash Reserve Fund to the Job Training Cash Fund on or after July 1, 2005.

(2) The money in the Job Training Cash Fund or the subaccount established in subsection (1) of this section shall be used (a) to provide reimbursements for job training activities, including employee assessment, preemployment training, on-the-job training, training equipment costs, and other reasonable costs related to helping industry and business locate or expand in Nebraska, (b) to provide upgrade skills training of the existing labor force necessary to adapt to new technology or the introduction of new product lines, (c) as provided in section 79-2308, or (d) as provided in section 48-3405. The department shall give a preference to job training activities carried out in whole or in part within an enterprise zone designated pursuant to the Enterprise Zone Act or an opportunity zone designated pursuant to the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Public Law 115-97.

(3) The department shall establish a subaccount within the fund to provide training grants for training employees and potential employees of businesses that (a) employ twenty-five or fewer employees on the application date, (b) employ, or train for potential employment, residents of rural areas of Nebraska, or (c) are located in or employ, or train for potential employment, residents of high-poverty areas as defined in section 81-1203. The department shall calculate the amount of prior year investment income earnings accruing to the fund and allocate such amount to the subaccount for training grants under this subsection. The subaccount shall also be used as provided in the Teleworker Job Creation Act. The department shall give a preference to training grants for businesses located in whole or in part within an enterprise zone designated pursuant to the Enterprise Zone Act.

(4) On April 5, 2018, any funds that were dedicated to carrying out sections 81-1210.01 to 81-1210.03 but were not yet expended shall be transferred to the Intern Nebraska Cash Fund.

(5) Any money in the Job Training Cash 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.

Source:Laws 1989, LB 305, § 3; Laws 1994, LB 1066, § 107; Laws 1995, LB 1, § 15; Laws 2000, LB 953, § 11; Laws 2005, LB 427, § 1; Laws 2007, LB322, § 27; Laws 2008, LB956, § 1; Laws 2009, LB316, § 22; Laws 2009, First Spec. Sess., LB3, § 72; Laws 2010, LB961, § 1; Laws 2010, LB1081, § 12; Laws 2011, LB386, § 4; Laws 2012, LB946, § 11; Laws 2013, LB476, § 1; Laws 2014, LB800, § 6; Laws 2015, LB382, § 3; Laws 2015, LB661, § 34; Laws 2016, LB1110, § 14; Laws 2018, LB945, § 20; Laws 2019, LB87, § 2.

Cross References

81-1201.22. Administrative Cash Fund; created; use; investment.

(1) There is hereby created the Administrative Cash Fund to be administered by the department. Revenue from the following sources shall be remitted to the State Treasurer for credit to the fund:

(a) Fees charged for the sale of department publications or subscription to publications;

(b) Fees charged for the sale of Nebraska items promoting economic development of the state;

(c) Deposits charged for the temporary use of Nebraska items promoting economic development of the state;

(d) Fees charged for attendance and participation in department-sponsored conferences, training sessions, and other special events;

(e) Money collected from nondepartment sources in connection with cooperative funding of advertising, marketing, promotional, or consulting activities; and

(f) Money received by the department in the form of gifts, grants, reimbursements, or appropriations from any source intended to be used by the department for carrying out the provisions of Chapter 81, article 12.

(2) Revenue from the fund may be expended for the following purposes:

(a) Production and distribution costs of department publications;

(b) Purchase of items promoting economic development of the state intended for sale;

(c) Reimbursement of deposits collected for the temporary use of promotional items;

(d) Payment of costs in connection with department-sponsored conferences, training sessions, and other special events;

(e) Payment of costs of advertising, marketing, promotional, or consulting activities in cooperative funding partnerships with nondepartment organizations; and

(f) Payment of costs for which fund revenue has been received and which are related to department activities in Chapter 81, article 12.

(3) Transfers may be made from the fund to the General Fund at the direction of the Legislature. Any money in the Administrative Cash 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.

Source:Laws 1994, LB 1194, § 19; Laws 1995, LB 7, § 122; Laws 2009, First Spec. Sess., LB3, § 73; Laws 2012, LB1053, § 28.

Cross References

81-1202. Job training grant, defined.

For purposes of sections 81-1202 to 81-1210, job training grant means a grant from the Job Training Cash Fund or any nonfederal funding source within the Department of Economic Development awarded by the department.

Source:Laws 1995, LB 326, § 1; Laws 2008, LB956, § 2.
81-1203. Job training grant; business plan; project criteria; training grant; partners; training grants for rural areas or high-poverty areas; audit; report.

(1) A business applying for a job training grant, other than a grant provided under subsection (3) of section 81-1201.21, shall submit a business plan to the Department of Economic Development which includes, but is not limited to:

(a) The number of jobs to be created or the number of existing positions that will be retrained;

(b) The nature of the business and the type of jobs to be created or positions to be retrained;

(c) The estimated wage levels of the jobs to be created or positions to be retrained; and

(d) A program schedule for the job training project.

(2) A business applying for a job training grant, other than a grant provided under subsection (3) of section 81-1201.21, must demonstrate that the job training project to be conducted pursuant to the grant meets the following criteria:

(a) The wage level of the jobs created will meet the local prevailing average;

(b) The jobs created will diversify the local economy;

(c) The goods or services produced by the company will be export-oriented;

(d) Seventy-five percent of the jobs created will be full-time jobs; and

(e) The new jobs will be created within three calendar years.

(3) A business applying for a training grant under subsection (3) of section 81-1201.21 may partner with a postsecondary educational institution; a private, nonprofit organization holding a certificate of exemption under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; or a learning community coordinating council or school district that has partnered with a private, nonprofit organization. The application shall specify the role of the partnering entity in identifying and training potential job applicants for the applicant business.

(4) A business applying for a training grant under subsection (3) of section 81-1201.21 may apply as a business that has established a program under which residents of rural areas or high-poverty areas are trained for employment or potential employment by documenting:

(a) That the business has established a program designed to fill a minimum of four positions in rural areas and a minimum of eight positions in high-poverty areas for such business;

(b) A program schedule for the training project;

(c) The nature of the business and the number of positions available or to be created;

(d) That the wage level of the positions available or to be created will meet the local prevailing average;

(e) The value of the positions available or to be created in diversifying the local economy;

(f) That a minimum of seventy-five percent of the positions available or to be created will be full-time jobs;

(g) That the business will accept funding on behalf of trainees and will provide a match of a minimum of twenty-five percent of the value of the grant, either monetarily or through in-kind services, as part of the training for each trainee;

(h) That any new position created will be done within three calendar years;

(i) That the number of trainees will not exceed one hundred twenty-five percent of the number of positions that will be available at the time of application; and

(j) That the goods or services produced by the business are generally exportable in nature resulting in additional money to the community or the state and the positions available or to be created are not local retail positions.

(5) Each business participating in a training grant under subsection (3) of section 81-1201.21 shall be subject to an audit by the Department of Economic Development and shall annually report or provide to the department the following information:

(a) The percentage of trainees who have successfully completed the training;

(b) The percentage of trainees that such business hired;

(c) An itemized description of such business's match including expenditures per trainee; and

(d) A copy of the training curriculum.

(6) For purposes of subsections (3) through (5) of this section:

(a) High-poverty area means an area consisting of one or more contiguous census tracts, as determined by the most recent federal decennial census, which contain a percentage of persons with incomes below the poverty line of greater than thirty percent, and all census tracts contiguous to such tract or tracts, as determined by the most recent federal decennial census; and

(b) Private, nonprofit organization means an organization whose purpose is providing basic job and life skills training to individuals in need of such training in rural or high-poverty areas.

Source:Laws 1995, LB 326, § 2; Laws 2008, LB1154, § 27; Laws 2010, LB961, § 2.
81-1204. Job training grant; approval; limitations.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) of this section, the Department of Economic Development shall not approve a job training grant (a) which exceeds an average expenditure of five thousand dollars per job created if the proposed wage levels do not exceed thirty thousand dollars per year, (b) which exceeds an average expenditure of ten thousand dollars per job if the proposed wage levels exceed thirty thousand dollars per year but do not exceed fifty thousand dollars per year, or (c) which exceeds an average expenditure of twenty thousand dollars per job if the proposed wage levels exceed fifty thousand dollars per year or if the jobs created are located in a high-poverty area as defined in section 81-1203.

(2) If the application is approved with provisions described in subsection (3) of section 81-1203, the Department of Economic Development may approve a job training grant (a) up to ten thousand dollars per job created if the proposed wage levels do not exceed thirty thousand dollars per year, (b) up to fifteen thousand dollars per job if the proposed wage levels exceed thirty thousand dollars per year but do not exceed fifty thousand dollars per year, or (c) up to twenty-five thousand dollars per job if the proposed wage levels exceed fifty thousand dollars per year or if the jobs created are located in a high-poverty area as defined in section 81-1203.

Source:Laws 1995, LB 326, § 3; Laws 2008, LB1154, § 28; Laws 2014, LB906, § 19.
81-1204.01. Training services; priority to community college areas.

Whenever practicable, the Department of Economic Development shall give priority consideration to training services offered by community college areas.

Source:Laws 2008, LB956, § 3.
81-1204.02. Repealed. Laws 1982, LB 592, § 2.
81-1205. Job training grant or training grant; reports required; department; duties.

A business which is awarded a job training grant or a training grant shall provide annual performance reports to the Department of Economic Development and a final performance report upon the completion of the project. The department shall provide a status report to the Appropriations Committee of the Legislature on July 1 of each year. The status report shall include information on each active grant, including specific information regarding the number of positions to be trained, whether new or existing employees are to be trained, the length of time that the project has been active, the amount of funding committed to the project, the amount of funding paid out to date, and the projected completion date. The status report shall also provide information on grants closed during the reporting year, including the total number of employees trained, whether new or existing employees were trained, total project expenditures, and the duration time of the project. The status report shall also provide information summarizing the use of community college areas to provide training services and list specific projects where a community college area is providing all or a component of the training services. If private or inhouse training services are used, the status report shall provide information regarding the name of the private or inhouse training service and the qualifications of the training service. The report submitted to the Appropriations Committee shall be submitted electronically.

Source:Laws 1995, LB 326, § 4; Laws 2008, LB956, § 4; Laws 2010, LB961, § 3; Laws 2011, LB404, § 5; Laws 2014, LB906, § 20.
81-1206. Job training grants; monitor and audit project.

The Department of Economic Development shall monitor the progress of job training projects conducted pursuant to job training grants. As deemed necessary, the department may conduct a site audit of job training projects and review business records pertaining to the job training project.

Source:Laws 1995, LB 326, § 5.
81-1207. Job training grant; repayment required; when; training grant; repayment required; when.

(1) If a business which receives a job training grant creates fewer jobs than stated in the business plan, the business shall repay the job training grant as provided in this subsection. If less than fifty percent of the proposed jobs are created, one hundred percent of the grant shall be repaid. If fifty percent or more but less than seventy percent of the proposed jobs are created, fifty percent of the grant shall be repaid. If seventy percent or more but less than ninety percent of the proposed jobs are created, twenty-five percent of the grant shall be repaid. If ninety percent or more of the proposed jobs are created, no repayment is required.

(2) If a business receives a training grant and fewer trainees than stated in the business plan complete the training, the business shall repay the grant as provided in this subsection. For every trainee who does not complete the training, the business shall repay fifty percent of the prorated share of such trainee's uncompleted training costs.

Source:Laws 1995, LB 326, § 6; Laws 2010, LB961, § 4.
81-1208. Job training grant; relocation, abandonment, or sale; effect.

If a business relocates or abandons its site during the grant disbursement period, the disbursements made to the business shall be immediately due and payable to the Department of Economic Development. If a business is sold during the grant disbursement period, the disbursements made to the business shall be immediately due and payable to the department unless the purchaser agrees to carry out the terms and conditions of the business plan.

Source:Laws 1995, LB 326, § 7.
81-1209. Job training grant; repayments; credit to fund.

The Department of Economic Development shall remit repayments of job training grants due to noncompliance to the State Treasurer for credit to the Job Training Cash Fund.

Source:Laws 1995, LB 326, § 8.
81-1210. Job training grant; rules and regulations.

The Department of Economic Development shall adopt and promulgate rules and regulations to govern the award and disbursement of job training grants.

Source:Laws 1995, LB 326, § 9.
81-1210.01. Interns; grants; terms, defined.

For purposes of sections 81-1210.01 to 81-1210.03:

(1) Department means the Department of Economic Development;

(2) Internship means employment of a student in a professional or technical position for a limited period of time, by a business in Nebraska, in which the student:

(a) Gains valuable applied work experiences;

(b) Increases knowledge and develops connections that assist with career decisionmaking;

(c) Has the opportunity to match with an employer seeking talent to evaluate, develop, and retain; or

(d) Receives credited or certified training for skilled positions that will help resolve skilled workforce shortages and create talent pipelines for Nebraska industries; and

(3) Student means any person who:

(a) Is in eleventh or twelfth grade in a public or private high school or a school which elects pursuant to section 79-1601 not to meet accreditation or approval requirements in Nebraska;

(b) Is enrolled in a college, a university, a certified training institution, or some other institution of higher education; or

(c) Applies for an internship within twelve months following graduation from a public or private secondary school, a school that elects pursuant to section 79-1601 not to meet accreditation or approval requirements in Nebraska, or a college, a university, a certified training institution, or some other institution of higher education.

Source:Laws 2011, LB386, § 1; Laws 2013, LB476, § 2; Laws 2016, LB1093, § 2; Laws 2022, LB1012, § 14.
81-1210.02. Interns; grants; internships; application; certification; department; powers and duties.

(1) The intent of sections 81-1210.01 to 81-1210.03 is to provide students with valuable internship opportunities in order to retain such students in the State of Nebraska at institutions of higher education, convert students to full-time employment in Nebraska, and attract workers to Nebraska by assisting Nebraska businesses willing to provide paid internships.

(2) A business may apply to the department for a grant to assist in providing a student an internship if:

(a) The business certifies that the internship meets the definition of internship in section 81-1210.01;

(b) The business will pay the student at least the state minimum hourly wage for the internship;

(c) The internship will be completed within the State of Nebraska;

(d) The internship will be completed within a period of no more than twenty-four months; and

(e) The internship will be for a duration sufficient to allow the student to gain significant valuable work experience and knowledge.

(3)(a) The department may provide grants for internships to reimburse the cost of wages paid to businesses with less than fifty full-time-equivalent employees.

(b) The department may also provide grants for internships to any business to reimburse the costs for any of the following:

(i) Tuition reimbursement for courses at institutions of higher education;

(ii) Internship housing;

(iii) Transportation expenses relating to internships; and

(iv) Internship administrative or recruitment costs.

(c) The maximum grant award per internship is seven thousand five hundred dollars.

(4) A business may apply for no more than two grants for the same student and shall not be awarded more than one hundred grants total in any twelve-month period.

(5) A business may allow a student to telecommute if the business is located more than thirty miles from the college, university, or other institution of higher education in which the student is enrolled and if the college, university, or other institution of higher education is in Nebraska.

(6) The department shall, to the extent possible, assure that the distribution of grants under sections 81-1210.01 to 81-1210.03 provides equitable access to the grants by all geographic areas of the state.

(7) The department shall, to the extent possible, assure that the grants awarded pursuant to sections 81-1210.01 to 81-1210.03 are for internships which provide valuable learning opportunities for students who will be seeking employment in a professional or technical field.

(8) The department shall not allocate more than one million five hundred thousand dollars in any one fiscal year from the Job Training Cash Fund or its subaccounts for purposes of this section. The department may receive funds from public, private, or other sources for purposes of this section.

(9) The department shall develop a qualified action plan by January 1 of each even-numbered year. The plan shall, at a minimum, set forth the department's priorities and selection criteria for awarding grants for internships. In order to encourage students from across Nebraska to pursue internships, the plan shall also include strategies for affirmatively marketing internships to Nebraska students in high schools, colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education in Nebraska. Such strategies shall place an emphasis on marketing to underserved student populations as defined by the department in the plan. The department shall submit the plan to the Governor for approval.

(10) The department shall execute a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Labor before December 31, 2022, to ensure the exchange of available Department of Labor data throughout the continuum from prekindergarten to postsecondary education to the workforce. The department may utilize data and agreements under sections 79-776, 85-110, 85-309, and 85-1511.

(11) The department shall submit an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature on or before July 1 of each year which includes, but is not limited to, a description of the demand for internship grants and programs under sections 81-1210.01 to 81-1210.03 from all geographic regions in Nebraska, a listing of the recipients and amounts of internship grants awarded in the previous fiscal year, the impact of the internship grants, and an evaluation of the internship grants and programs under sections 81-1210.01 to 81-1210.03 based on the documented goals of the recipients. The report submitted to the Legislature shall be submitted electronically. The department may require recipients to provide periodic performance reports to enable the department to fulfill the requirements of this subsection. The report shall contain no information that is protected by state or federal confidentiality laws.

(12) The department may enter into a contract with a Nebraska-based nonprofit entity for the purposes of carrying out any or all of the provisions of sections 81-1210.01 to 81-1210.03.

Source:Laws 2011, LB386, § 2; Laws 2013, LB476, § 3; Laws 2022, LB1012, § 15.
81-1210.03. Interns; grants; rules and regulations.

The department may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations to govern the award and disbursement of grants pursuant to sections 81-1210.01 to 81-1210.03.

Source:Laws 2011, LB386, § 3; Laws 2013, LB476, § 4.
81-1210.04. Intern Nebraska Cash Fund; created; use; investment; limit on expenditures for administrative services.

(1) The Intern Nebraska Cash Fund is created. The fund shall be used to carry out sections 81-1210.01 to 81-1210.03. The fund shall consist of money transferred to the fund by the Legislature and money donated as gifts, bequests, or other contributions from public or private entities. Any money in the 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) The Department of Economic Development, or any entity with which the department contracts for such purpose, may use up to five percent of any appropriation to carry out sections 81-1210.01 to 81-1210.03 for administrative services.

Source:Laws 2018, LB945, § 21; Laws 2022, LB1012, § 16.

Cross References

81-1211. Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Cash Fund; created; use; investment.

The Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Cash Fund is created in the Department of Economic Development. The fund shall receive transfers from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund as authorized by the Legislature. The department shall use the entirety of the fund to award a grant to a city of the metropolitan class to carry out lead-based paint hazard control on owner-occupied properties, contingent upon formal notification by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development that it intends to award a grant to a city of the metropolitan class to carry out the federal Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992, 42 U.S.C. 4852, as such section existed on January 1, 2015. No more than fifteen percent of the grant proceeds may be used for administrative expenses. It is the intent of the Legislature that any grant awarded from the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Cash Fund shall be applied to the congressional district grant allocations as established under section 58-708. Any money in the 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.

Source:Laws 2015, LB661, § 37; Laws 2018, LB945, § 22.

Cross References

81-1212. Building housing for individuals with disabilities; department; duties; collaboration and coordination required.

(1) For purposes of this section, Olmstead Plan means the comprehensive strategic plan for providing services to individuals with disabilities that was developed in accordance with section 81-6,122.

(2) In order to help fulfill one of the goals of the Olmstead Plan, the Department of Economic Development shall use its best efforts to obtain state and federal grants for the purpose of building safe, affordable, and accessible housing for individuals with disabilities.

(3) The Department of Economic Development shall collaborate with the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority and the Department of Health and Human Services in obtaining such grants. The Department of Economic Development shall use its best efforts to coordinate and contract with the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority to develop and administer grant programs under this section.

Source:Laws 2023, LB92, § 75.
Operative Date: September 2, 2023
81-1213. Industrial Recovery Fund; created; administration; investment; use; termination.

(1) The Industrial Recovery Fund is created. The fund shall be administered by the Department of Economic Development. Any money in the 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) The department may provide assistance from the fund to a political subdivision impacted by a sudden and significant private-sector entity closure or downsizing that will have a significant impact on the community. The assistance shall be used to mitigate the economic impact of the closure or downsizing by making necessary improvements to the buildings and infrastructure, or both, related to the assets of the private-sector entity.

(3) The Industrial Recovery Fund terminates on May 30, 2015. Upon such date, the State Treasurer shall transfer fifty percent of the money in the fund to the Site and Building Development Fund and fifty percent of the money in the fund to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Source:Laws 2011, LB388, § 9; Laws 2015, LB457, § 2.

Cross References