A BILL

FOR AN ACT relating to boundary lines between South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska; to provide for the Nebraska Boundary Commission; to provide duties and powers; to provide when any compact shall become binding; to provide for termination; to terminate the existing commission; to repeal Laws 1959, Chapter 267; and to declare an emergency.

Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,

Section 1. There is hereby established the Nebraska Boundary Commission consisting of (1) the Governor, or his or her designee, (2) the Attorney General, or his or her designee, (3) the State Surveyor, or his or her designee, (4) a member of the Legislature appointed by the Governor, and (5) three persons, one from each of the three congressional districts, from the general public appointed by the Governor. The Governor, or his or her designee, shall serve as chairperson of the commission and shall be responsible for calling the meetings of the commission, managing any funds appropriated to the commission, providing clerical support to the commission, and otherwise administering this act. The Nebraska Boundary Commission shall represent the State of Nebraska in any negotiations or discussions with representatives from the States of South Dakota, Iowa, or Missouri respecting the establishment of official boundaries between Nebraska and any of these states. The Governor, Attorney General, and State Surveyor or their designees and the member of the Legislature shall serve for their terms of office and the other three appointed commissioners from the general public shall serve for indefinite terms, subject to removal at any time by the Governor. The successors to the office of Governor, Attorney General, and State Surveyor shall assume the duties for each office pursuant to this section. The Governor shall fill by appointment any position due to the termination of one of the appointed commissioners. All commissioners shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses while on commission business as provided in sections 81-1174 to 81-1177, for state employees.

Sec. 2. The Nebraska Boundary Commission is hereby directed to enter into negotiations with South Dakota, Iowa, and Missouri for the purpose of negotiating compacts with each of these states for the establishment of official boundaries between Nebraska and each of these states.

Sec. 3. Any compact negotiated by the Nebraska Boundary Commission shall not be binding or obligatory on the State of Nebraska or its citizens unless and until such compact has been ratified by the legislatures of the states involved and approved by the Congress of the United States.

Sec. 4. As soon as compact agreements to establish official boundaries with South Dakota, Iowa, and Missouri have been negotiated by the Nebraska Boundary Commission, ratified by the legislatures of the states involved, and approved by the United States Congress, the Nebraska Boundary Commission shall be dissolved. If the Nebraska Boundary Commission has not negotiated a compact agreement to establish an official boundary with one or more of such states, which has been ratified by the legislatures of the states involved and approved by the United States Congress, the Nebraska Boundary Commission may be dissolved by the Governor on a finding that further negotiation will not result in progress toward the establishment of an official boundary with any such state. Once dissolved, the commission shall not be reestablished except by an act of the Legislature.