58-802.

Legislative findings.

The Legislature finds and declares that:

(1) For the benefit of the people of the State of Nebraska, the increase of their commerce, welfare, and prosperity, and the fostering, protection, and improvement of their health and living conditions, it is essential that this and future generations of youth be given the greatest opportunity to learn and to fully develop their intellectual and mental capacities and skills and that there be encouraged, promoted, and supported adequate health, social, cultural, and emergency services for the general welfare of, care of, and assistance to the people of the state;

(2) To achieve these ends it is of the utmost importance and in the public interest that private institutions of higher education within the state be provided with appropriate additional means of assisting such youth in achieving the required levels of learning and development of their intellectual and mental capacities and skills, that private health care institutions and private social services institutions within the state be provided with appropriate additional means of caring for and protecting the public health and welfare, and that private cultural institutions within the state be provided with appropriate additional means of assisting with the preservation and promotion of the cultural and artistic enrichment of the people of this state;

(3) It is the purpose of the Nebraska Educational, Health, Cultural, and Social Services Finance Authority Act to provide a measure of assistance and an alternative method of enabling private institutions of higher education, private health care institutions, private cultural institutions, and private social services institutions in the state to finance the acquisition, construction, improvement, equipment, and renovation of needed educational, health care, cultural, and social services facilities and structures and to refund, refinance, or reimburse outstanding indebtedness incurred by them or advances made by them, including advances from an endowment or any other similar fund, for the acquisition, construction, improvement, equipment, or renovation of needed educational, health care, cultural, and social services facilities and structures;

(4) The financing and refinancing of educational, health care, cultural, and social services facilities, through means other than the appropriation of public funds to private institutions of higher education, private health care institutions, private cultural institutions, and private social services institutions, as described in the act, is a valid public purpose;

(5) The availability of improved access to health profession schools will benefit the people of the State of Nebraska and improve their health, welfare, and living conditions;

(6) The establishment of a health education loan program, with the proceeds of bonds to be used for the purchase or making of loans to students or certain former students of health profession schools, will improve the access to such schools and assist such persons in meeting the expenses incurred in availing themselves of health education opportunities; and

(7) The establishment of a program to assist private institutions of higher education to provide loans to their full-time students pursuing an academic degree will improve access to higher education and contribute to the health, welfare, and living conditions in Nebraska.