(1) The Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice shall create a regional mental health expansion pilot program to provide funding to a county law enforcement agency to expand mental health beds and encourage cooperation between law enforcement agencies to service the region.

(2) The Legislature intends that the pilot program will demonstrate a method of regional cooperation among law enforcement agencies to address the impact of shortages and the long travel distances on those suffering from mental health issues and law enforcement agencies and that can be replicated statewide.

(3) The commission shall select one county law enforcement agency for the pilot program. The selected agency shall:

(a) Have the capacity to add mental health beds, either at an existing jail facility or elsewhere;

(b) Have a history of cooperation with other law enforcement agencies;

(c) Provide an assessment of the anticipated regional impact of the additional mental health beds on individuals with mental health issues and law enforcement agencies; and

(d) Cooperate with other counties or law enforcement agencies through a memorandum of understanding to ensure the mental health beds provide a regional benefit.

(4) The Legislature does not intend the Regional Mental Health Expansion Pilot Program Act to criminalize mental health issues or result in the incarceration of individuals for mental health issues, and nothing in the act should be so construed. The purpose of this pilot program is to expand mental health services provided by law enforcement agencies to individuals temporarily in custody for mental health issues.