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LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED NINTH LEGISLATURE
SECOND SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 953
Introduced by von Gillern, 4.
Read first time January 12, 2026
Committee: Banking, Commerce and Insurance
A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to the Site and Building Development Act; to1
amend sections 81-12,147 and 81-12,148, Reissue Revised Statutes of2
Nebraska; to change provisions related to eligible activities for3
and requirements for assistance from the Site and Building4
Development Fund; and to repeal the original sections.5
Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,6
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Section 1. Section 81-12,147, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska,1
is amended to read: 2
81-12,147 (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section,3
the Department of Economic Development shall use the Site and Building4
Development Fund to finance loans, grants, subsidies, credit5
enhancements, and other financial assistance for industrial site and6
building development and for expenses of the department as appropriated7
by the Legislature for administering the fund. The following activities8
are eligible for assistance from the fund: 9
(a) Grants or zero-interest loans to villages, cities, or counties10
to acquire land, infuse infrastructure, or otherwise make large sites and11
buildings ready for industrial development; 12
(b) Matching funds for new construction, rehabilitation, or13
acquisition of land and buildings to assist villages, cities, and14
counties; 15
(c) Technical assistance, design and finance services, and16
consultation for villages, cities, and counties for the preparation and17
creation of industrial-ready sites and buildings; 18
(d) Loan guarantees for eligible projects; 19
(e) Projects making industrial-ready sites and buildings more20
accessible to business and industry; 21
(f) Infrastructure projects necessary for the development of22
industrial-ready sites and buildings; 23
(g) Projects that mitigate the economic impact of a closure or24
downsizing of a private-sector entity by making necessary improvements to25
buildings and infrastructure; 26
(h) Public and private sector initiatives that will improve the27
military value of military installations by making necessary improvements28
to buildings and infrastructure, including, but not limited to, a grant29
for the establishment of the United States Strategic Command Nuclear30
Command, Control, and Communications public-private-partnership facility;31
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(i) A grant to a city of the second class that is served by two1
first-class railroads, that is within fifteen miles of two state borders,2
and that partners with public power utilities for purposes of expanding3
electrical system capacities and enhancing redundancy and resilience;4
(j) A grant of two million dollars to a city of the first class5
located in the third congressional district if the property previously6
housed a university or college that is no longer extant and if the7
improvement and revitalization of the real property is for purposes of8
supporting the housing, employment, and program needs of youth exiting9
the foster care system. In addition, the real property may be used for10
youth exiting juvenile court supervision in an out-of-home placement;11
(k) Public and private sector initiatives that will improve the12
value of cities of the second class that have partnered with the United13
States Department of Defense or its contractors on upgrades to ground-14
based nuclear deterrence. Such improvements include the construction of15
electrical, drinking water, and clean water infrastructure; and16
(l) Identification, evaluation, and development of large commercial17
and industrial sites and building infrastructure to attract major18
investment and employment opportunities for advanced manufacturing,19
processing, trade, technology, aerospace, automotive, clean energy, life20
science, and other transformational industries in Nebraska by means of21
the department providing grants to or partnering with political22
subdivisions, including inland port authorities under the Municipal23
Inland Port Authority Act, or nonprofit economic development corporations24
and entering into contracts for consulting, engineering, and development25
studies to identify, evaluate, and develop large commercial and26
industrial sites in Nebraska; and . 27
(m) Grants to political subdivisions and nationally and state28
accredited golf associations to construct golf facilities and related29
infrastructure. Such facilities shall be located within the boundaries of30
a city of the metropolitan class. 31
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(2) The Department of Economic Development shall use the subaccount1
of the Site and Building Development Fund described in subsection (2) of2
section 81-12,146 to provide financial assistance to any inland port3
authority created under the Municipal Inland Port Authority Act to help4
finance large shovel-ready commercial and industrial sites developed5
under such act. 6
Sec. 2. Section 81-12,148, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is7
amended to read: 8
81-12,148 (1) Governmental subdivisions and Nebraska nonprofit9
organizations are eligible to receive assistance under the Site and10
Building Development Act. Any entity receiving assistance under11
subsection (1) of section 81-12,147 shall provide, or cause to be12
provided, matching funds for the eligible activity in an amount13
determined by the Department of Economic Development, which amount shall14
be at least equal to one hundred percent of the amount of assistance15
provided by the Site and Building Development Fund. Nothing in the act16
shall be construed to allow individuals or businesses to receive direct17
loans from the fund. 18
(2) An applicant for a grant for development of a public-private-19
partnership facility under subdivision (1)(h) of section 81-12,147 shall20
provide the Director of Economic Development with a letter of support21
from the United States Strategic Command prior to approval of the22
application and with proof of the availability of twenty million dollars23
in private or other funds for the facility. No funds shall be expended or24
grants awarded until receipt of proof of the availability of twenty25
million dollars in private or other funds for the facility and26
certification is provided by the Director of Economic Development to the27
budget administrator of the budget division of the Department of28
Administrative Services. 29
(3) An applicant for a grant for development under subdivision (1)30
(k) of section 81-12,147 is not required to meet the matching fund31
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requirements pursuant to this section but shall provide the Director of1
Economic Development a letter from the United States Department of2
Defense or contractor providing upgrades to ground-based nuclear3
deterrence that infrastructure improvements, including the construction4
of electrical, drinking water, and clean water infrastructure, will not5
be included in the scope of the project. No grants shall be awarded or6
funds expended until such letter is received. 7
(4)(a) An applicant for a grant for construction of a golf facility8
under subdivision (1)(m) of section 81-12,147 shall, prior to approval of9
the application, provide the Director of Economic Development with:10
(i) Documentation demonstrating the facility's programming for11
veterans; 12
(ii) Documentation demonstrating the facility's programming for13
youth; 14
(iii) A letter of support from a nationally accredited golf15
association; 16
(iv) A letter of support from a state accredited golf association;17
(v) A letter of support from the mayor of the city of the18
metropolitan class where the facility will be located; and19
(vi) Proof of funding for at least eight percent of the total costs20
of the construction. 21
(b) A grant issued under this subsection shall not exceed twenty22
percent of the total costs of the construction. 23
(5) (4) This section does not apply to any inland port authority24
receiving assistance under subsection (2) of section 81-12,147.25
Sec. 3. Original sections 81-12,147 and 81-12,148, Reissue Revised26
Statutes of Nebraska, are repealed. 27
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