81-1201.21.

Job Training Cash Fund; created; use; investment.

(1) There is hereby created the Job Training Cash Fund. The fund shall be under the direction of the Department of Economic Development. Money may be transferred to the fund pursuant to subdivision (1)(b)(iii) of section 48-621 and from the Cash Reserve Fund at the direction of the Legislature. The department shall establish a subaccount for all money transferred from the Cash Reserve Fund to the Job Training Cash Fund on or after July 1, 2005.

(2) The money in the Job Training Cash Fund or the subaccount established in subsection (1) of this section shall be used (a) to provide reimbursements for job training activities, including employee assessment, preemployment training, on-the-job training, training equipment costs, and other reasonable costs related to helping industry and business locate or expand in Nebraska, (b) to provide upgrade skills training of the existing labor force necessary to adapt to new technology or the introduction of new product lines, (c) as provided in section 79-2308, or (d) as provided in section 48-3405. The department shall give a preference to job training activities carried out in whole or in part within an enterprise zone designated pursuant to the Enterprise Zone Act or an opportunity zone designated pursuant to the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Public Law 115-97.

(3) The department shall establish a subaccount within the fund to provide training grants for training employees and potential employees of businesses that (a) employ twenty-five or fewer employees on the application date, (b) employ, or train for potential employment, residents of rural areas of Nebraska, or (c) are located in or employ, or train for potential employment, residents of high-poverty areas as defined in section 81-1203. The department shall calculate the amount of prior year investment income earnings accruing to the fund and allocate such amount to the subaccount for training grants under this subsection. The subaccount shall also be used as provided in the Teleworker Job Creation Act. The department shall give a preference to training grants for businesses located in whole or in part within an enterprise zone designated pursuant to the Enterprise Zone Act.

(4) On April 5, 2018, any funds that were dedicated to carrying out sections 81-1210.01 to 81-1210.03 but were not yet expended shall be transferred to the Intern Nebraska Cash Fund.

(5) Transfers may be made from the Job Training Cash Fund to the General Fund at the direction of the Legislature. Any money in the Job Training Cash Fund available for investment shall be invested by the state investment officer pursuant to the Nebraska Capital Expansion Act and the Nebraska State Funds Investment Act.