LB 294 Legislature · 109th Legislature (2025-2026)

Change provisions relating to grants from the County Visitors Improvement Fund

This bill amends Nebraska's County Visitors Improvement Fund law to clarify how grants are administered and distributed. It specifies that county governing bodies, with input from visitor committees, manage the fund to provide grants for expanding or improving public or nonprofit visitor attractions (like museums or parks), with annual limits of either 1% of county sales tax revenue or $5,000. The bill also clarifies that bonds issued by grant recipients using these funds do not count as county debt or liability. It directly affects counties and nonprofit organizations operating visitor attractions seeking funding for facility improvements or new exhibits.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
Legislature Passage
Apr 2025
Legislature Passage
Feb 2025
Signed into Law
Apr 2025
Introduced Jan 15, 2025 Signed Apr 8, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Final Reading · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill adds Senator Sanders as a sponsor and adjusts the maximum grant amount from $2,500 to $5,000. It also clarifies the definition of visitor attractions to include educational, cultural, historical, artistic, recreational, or entertainment value. These changes expand funding availability and provide clearer guidance on what qualifies for grants.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains focused on County Visitors Improvement Funds, but the definition of eligible visitor attractions was broadened to explicitly include educational, cultural, historical, artistic, recreational, or entertainment value.
SCOPE

Senator Sanders was added to the list of bill sponsors.

FISCAL

The maximum grant amount was increased from $2,500 to $5,000.

DEFINITION

The definition of visitor attractions was updated to explicitly include educational, cultural, historical, artistic, recreational, or entertainment value.

Floor votes · Legislature Feb 21, 2025

How they voted

380
Passed · 11 other
Total votes 49
Feb 21, 2025
N Nonpartisan49
38 Yea 11
77% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
15
Key actions
5
Committee
2
Apr 8, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor on April 7, 2025
executive
Apr 3, 2025
Legislature · Passed
President/Speaker signed
legislature
Apr 3, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Passed on Final Reading with Emergency Clause 47-0-2
legislature
Feb 21, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Government, Military and Veterans Affairs AM54 adopted
legislature
Feb 7, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Placed on General File with AM54
legislature
Jan 17, 2025
Committee
Referred to Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee
legislature
Jan 15, 2025
Introduced
Date of introduction
legislature
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors