13-2610. Convention Center Support Fund; created; use; investment; distribution to certain areas; development fund; committee.

(1) Upon the annual certification under section 13-2609, the State Treasurer shall transfer after the audit the amount certified to the Convention Center Support Fund. The Convention Center Support Fund is created. Transfers may be made from the fund to the General Fund at the direction of the Legislature. Any money in the Convention Center Support 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.

(2) It is the intent of the Legislature to appropriate from the fund to any political subdivision for which an application for state assistance under the Convention Center Facility Financing Assistance Act has been approved an amount not to exceed (a) seventy percent of the state sales tax revenue collected by retailers and operators doing business at such facilities on sales at such facilities, state sales tax revenue collected on primary and secondary box office sales of admissions to such facilities, and state sales tax revenue collected by associated hotels, (b) seventy-five million dollars for any one approved project, or (c) the total cost of acquiring, constructing, improving, or equipping the eligible facility. State assistance shall not be used for an operating subsidy or other ancillary facility.

(3)(a) Ten percent of such funds appropriated to a city of the metropolitan class under subsection (2) of this section shall be equally distributed to areas with a high concentration of poverty to (i) showcase important historical aspects of such areas or areas within close geographic proximity of the area with a high concentration of poverty or (ii) assist with the reduction of street and gang violence in such areas.

(b) Each area with a high concentration of poverty that has been distributed funds under subdivision (3)(a) of this section shall establish a development fund and form a committee which shall identify and research potential projects to be completed in the area with a high concentration of poverty or in an area within close geographic proximity of such area if the project would have a significant or demonstrable impact on such area and make final determinations on the use of state sales tax revenue received for such projects.

(c) A committee formed under subdivision (3)(b) of this section shall include the following three members:

(i) The member of the city council whose district includes a majority of the census tracts which each contain a percentage of persons below the poverty line of greater than thirty percent, as determined by the most recent federal decennial census, within the area with a high concentration of poverty;

(ii) The commissioner of the county whose district includes a majority of the census tracts which each contain a percentage of persons below the poverty line of greater than thirty percent, as determined by the most recent federal decennial census, within the area with a high concentration of poverty; and

(iii) A resident of the area with a high concentration of poverty, appointed by the other two members of the committee.

(d) A committee formed under subdivision (3)(b) of this section shall solicit project ideas from the public and shall hold a public hearing in the area with a high concentration of poverty. Notice of a proposed hearing shall be provided in accordance with the procedures for notice of a public hearing pursuant to section 18-2115.01. The committee shall research potential projects and make the final determination regarding the annual distribution of funding to such projects.

(e) For purposes of this subsection, an area with a high concentration of poverty means an area within the corporate limits of a city of the metropolitan class consisting of one or more contiguous census tracts, as determined by the most recent federal decennial census, which contain a percentage of persons below the poverty line of greater than thirty percent, and all census tracts contiguous to such tract or tracts, as determined by the most recent federal decennial census.

(4)(a) Ten percent of such funds appropriated to a city of the primary class under subsection (2) of this section may, if the city determines by consent of the city council that such funds are not currently needed for the purposes described in section 13-2604, be used as follows:

(i) For investment in the construction of qualified low-income housing projects as defined in 26 U.S.C. 42, including qualified projects receiving Nebraska affordable housing tax credits under the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Act; or

(ii) If there are no such qualified low-income housing projects as defined in 26 U.S.C. 42 being constructed or expected to be constructed within the political subdivision, for investment in areas with a high concentration of poverty to assist with low-income housing needs.

(b) For purposes of this subsection, an area with a high concentration of poverty means an area within the corporate limits of a city of the primary class consisting of one or more contiguous census tracts, as determined by the most recent American Community Survey 5-Year Estimate, which contain a percentage of persons below the poverty line of greater than thirty percent, and all census tracts contiguous to such tract or tracts, as determined by the most recent American Community Survey 5-Year Estimate.

(5) State assistance to the political subdivision shall no longer be available upon the retirement of the bonds issued to acquire, construct, improve, or equip the facility or any subsequent bonds that refunded the original issue or when state assistance reaches the amount determined under subsection (2) of this section, whichever comes first.

(6) The remaining thirty percent of state sales tax revenue collected by retailers and operators doing business at such facilities on sales at such facilities, state sales tax revenue collected on primary and secondary box office sales of admissions to such facilities, and state sales tax revenue collected by associated hotels, shall be appropriated by the Legislature to the Civic and Community Center Financing Fund. Upon the annual certification required pursuant to section 13-2609 and following the transfer to the Convention Center Support Fund required pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the State Treasurer shall transfer an amount equal to the remaining thirty percent from the Convention Center Support Fund to the Civic and Community Center Financing Fund.

(7) Any municipality that has applied for and received a grant of assistance under the Civic and Community Center Financing Act may not receive state assistance under the Convention Center Facility Financing Assistance Act.

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