39-2121.

Department of Transportation; counties; municipalities; certification form; filing; penalty; when imposed; appeal.

(1) The certification form required to be filed with the Board of Public Roads Classifications and Standards pursuant to section 39-2120 shall be filed annually by the Department of Transportation by July 31 and by each county and municipality by October 31.

(2) If any county or municipality or the department fails to file such certification form on or before its due date, the board shall so notify the local governing board, the Governor, and the State Treasurer who shall suspend distribution of any highway-user revenue allocated to such county or municipality or the department until the certification form has been filed. Such funds shall be held in escrow for six months until the county or municipality complies. If the county or municipality complies within the six-month period it shall receive the money in escrow, but after six months, if the county or municipality fails to comply, the money in the escrow account shall be lost to the county or municipality and shall be distributed to other counties or municipalities, as appropriate, in the manner provided by law for allocation of highway-user revenue.

(3) If any county or municipality either (a) files a materially false certification form or (b) constructs any highway, road, or street below the minimum standards developed under section 39-2113, without having received prior approval thereof, such county's or municipality's share of highway-user revenue allocated during the following calendar year shall be reduced by ten percent and the amount of any such reduction shall be distributed among the other counties or municipalities, as appropriate, in the manner provided by law for allocation of highway-user revenue. The penalty for filing a materially false certification form and the penalty for constructing a highway, road, or street below established minimum standards without prior approval shall be assessed by the board only after a review of the facts involved in such case and the holding of a public hearing on the matter. The decision thereafter rendered by the board may be appealed, and the appeal shall be in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act.