WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

LB 560

Change provisions relating to innovative tourism grants

109th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by George Dungan

LB 560 caps innovative tourism grants at $500,000 per city or village per year.

Approved by Governor on May 15, 2025
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · LB 560

Summary — LB 560 (2025)

Title: Change provisions relating to innovative tourism grants
Status: Approved by Governor (May 15, 2025)
Introduced: Jan 22, 2025 — Sponsor: Sen. George Dungan

Purpose / Intent

LB 560 amends Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81‑3725 to revise the Nebraska Tourism Commission’s grant program structure for marketing assistance and innovative tourism grants. The bill clarifies eligible grant activities, reporting and review procedures, and places an annual limit on the amount of innovative tourism grant funding that may be awarded to any one city or village.

Key provisions

  • Amends section 81‑3725 (Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska).
  • Program scope:
    • Continues the Tourism Commission’s marketing assistance grants for communities/organizations hosting national or international‑caliber events that attract out‑of‑state visitors and generate press coverage.
    • Continues the innovative tourism grants program for communities/organizations that provide visitor promotion services, host events, or promote attractions that increase nonlocal (in‑state or out‑of‑state) visitation.
  • Eligible uses for innovative tourism grants: marketing assistance, planning assistance, basic support, and regional cooperation.
    • Prohibited uses: equipment purchases and capital facility development or improvements.
  • Per‑jurisdiction cap: the commission shall award up to $500,000 in innovative tourism grants to any such city or village in each fiscal year.
    • Note: earlier versions and the introducer’s statement sought to prioritize cities/villages with designated creative districts; a committee amendment removed explicit “prioritization” language and the final enacted text does not include an explicit creative‑district prioritization. (An amendment that would have tied “such city or village” explicitly to those “with a creative district as described in section 82‑312” was filed later but withdrawn.)
  • Application and oversight:
    • Applicants must submit plans documenting expected out‑of‑state draw, marketing details, tracking methodologies, and anticipated press coverage.
    • The executive director convenes a technical review committee (minimum three members representing public sector, private sector, and citizens) to score applications and forward recommendations to the Commission.
    • Grant recipients must file a final report within 90 days after the event with attendance, use of funds, and marketing impact information.
  • Rulemaking: Commission to adopt rules and regulations governing the programs.
  • Repeals the original section and replaces it with the amended statute.

Who is affected

  • Nebraska Tourism Commission (administration, rulemaking, and grant awards)
  • Cities and villages and other local communities/organizations that host events or provide tourism promotion services (potential recipients)
  • Event organizers and local economic development/arts organizations seeking state grant support

Procedural timeline / legislative actions

  • Hearing: Feb 13, 2025 (Government, Military & Veterans Affairs)
  • Committee amendment (AM333) adopted; advanced to General File
  • Passed Final Reading 49‑0 on May 14, 2025; presented to Governor May 14, 2025
  • Approved by Governor May 15, 2025 — became law.

Potential impacts / considerations

  • The $500,000 per‑jurisdiction annual cap allows sizable awards to individual cities/villages, potentially enabling major marketing or planning efforts without allowing capital projects.
  • Removes a statutory directive to prioritize creative‑district cities (as proposed initially), so distribution will depend on Commission rules, technical review, and application quality.
  • No direct appropriation is included in the bill; availability of funds will depend on Commission budget and state appropriations.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.