77-6827.

Incentives; application; contents; fee; approval; when; application; deadlines.

(1) In order to utilize the incentives allowed in the ImagiNE Nebraska Act, the taxpayer shall file an application with the director, on a form developed by the director, requesting an agreement.

(2) The application shall:

(a) Identify the taxpayer applying for incentives;

(b) Identify all locations sought to be within the agreement and the reason each such location constitutes or is expected to constitute a qualified location;

(c) State the estimated, projected amount of new investment and the estimated, projected number of new employees;

(d) Identify the required levels of employment and investment for the various incentives listed within section 77-6831 that will govern the agreement. The taxpayer may identify different levels of employment and investment until the first December 31 following the end of the ramp-up period on a form approved by the director. The identified levels of employment and investment will govern all years covered under the agreement;

(e) Identify whether the agreement is for a single qualified location, all qualified locations within a county, all qualified locations in more than one county, or all qualified locations within the state;

(f) Acknowledge that the taxpayer understands the requirements for offering health coverage, and for reporting the value of such coverage, as specified in the ImagiNE Nebraska Act;

(g) Acknowledge that the taxpayer does not violate any state or federal law against discrimination;

(h) Acknowledge that the taxpayer understands the requirements for providing a sufficient package of benefits to its employees as specified in the ImagiNE Nebraska Act; and

(i) Contain a nonrefundable application fee of five thousand dollars. The fee shall be remitted to the State Treasurer for credit to the Nebraska Incentives Fund.

(3) An application must be complete to establish the date of the application. An application shall be considered complete once it contains the items listed in subsection (2) of this section.

(4) Once satisfied that the application is consistent with the purposes stated in the ImagiNE Nebraska Act for one or more qualified locations within this state, the director shall approve the application, subject to the base authority limitations provided in section 77-6839.

(5) The director shall make his or her determination to approve or not approve an application within ninety days after the date of the application. If the director requests, by mail or by electronic means, additional information or clarification from the taxpayer in order to make his or her determination, such ninety-day period shall be tolled from the time the director makes the request to the time he or she receives the requested information or clarification from the taxpayer. The taxpayer and the director may also agree to extend the ninety-day period. If the director fails to make his or her determination within the prescribed ninety-day period, the application is deemed approved, subject to the base authority limitations provided in section 77-6839.

(6) There shall be no new applications for incentives filed under this section after December 31, 2030. All complete applications filed on or before December 31, 2030, shall be considered by the director and approved if the location or locations and taxpayer qualify for benefits, subject to the base authority limitations provided in section 77-6839. Agreements may be executed with regard to complete applications filed on or before December 31, 2030. All agreements pending, approved, or entered into before such date shall continue in full force and effect.