81-12,213.

Matching funds; receipt; conditions; limitations; legislative intent regarding appropriations.

(1) The right to receive matching funds under the Nebraska Rural Projects Act:

(a) Shall be subject to the limitations on matching funds provided in subsections (3) and (4) of this section and any other limitations provided in the act;

(b) Shall be subject to funds being appropriated by the Legislature; and

(c) Shall not be transferable.

(2) No less than fifty million dollars of matching funds shall be paid in total under the Nebraska Rural Projects Act.

(3) No more than thirty million dollars of matching funds shall be paid for any one project out of the initial fifty million dollars appropriated pursuant to subsection (7) of this section. If more than fifty million dollars are appropriated under the act, no one project shall receive more than sixty percent of the amount appropriated in excess of fifty million dollars.

(4) An applicant shall not receive more matching funds than the amount of matching funds approved under the applicant's agreement.

(5) For any year in which more than one applicant qualifies for matching funds, the applicant with the earlier date of application shall receive the full amount of matching funds to which he or she is entitled before any matching funds may be paid to the applicant with the later date of application. If an applicant cannot be paid in full in any given year, then the matching funds shall be paid in later years until fully funded, subject to the limitations provided in this section.

(6) It is the intent of the Legislature that all matching funds owed to applicants under agreements signed pursuant to the Nebraska Rural Projects Act shall be paid by the state in full if the applicant has met all requirements for such funds.

(7) It is further the intent of the Legislature to appropriate twenty-five million dollars for fiscal year 2021-22 and twenty-five million dollars for fiscal year 2022-23 to the Department of Economic Development for purposes of carrying out the Nebraska Rural Projects Act.