66-1345.

Ethanol Production Incentive Cash Fund; created; use; investment; transfers; duties.

(1) There is hereby created the Ethanol Production Incentive Cash Fund which shall be used by the board to pay the credits created in section 66-1344 to the extent provided in this section. Any money in the 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. The State Treasurer shall transfer to the Ethanol Production Incentive Cash Fund such money as shall be (a) appropriated to the Ethanol Production Incentive Cash Fund by the Legislature, (b) given as gifts, bequests, grants, or other contributions to the Ethanol Production Incentive Cash Fund from public or private sources, (c) made available due to failure to fulfill conditional requirements pursuant to investment agreements entered into prior to April 30, 1992, (d) received as return on investment of the Ethanol Authority and Development Cash Fund, and (e) credited to the Ethanol Production Incentive Cash Fund pursuant to sections 66-489 and 66-726.

(2) The Department of Revenue shall, at the end of each calendar month, notify the State Treasurer of the amount of motor fuel tax that was not collected in the preceding calendar month due to the credits provided in section 66-1344. The State Treasurer shall transfer from the Ethanol Production Incentive Cash Fund to the Highway Trust Fund an amount equal to such credits less the following amounts:

(a) For 1993, 1994, and 1995, the amount generated during the calendar quarter by a one-cent tax on motor fuel pursuant to sections 66-489 and 66-6,107;

(b) For 1996, the amount generated during the calendar quarter by a three-quarters-cent tax on motor fuel pursuant to such sections;

(c) For 1997, the amount generated during the calendar quarter by a one-half-cent tax on motor fuel pursuant to such sections; and

(d) For 1998 and each year thereafter, no reduction.

For 1993 through 1997, if the amount generated pursuant to subdivisions (a), (b), and (c) of this subsection and the amount transferred pursuant to subsection (1) of this section are not sufficient to fund the credits provided in section 66-1344, then the credits shall be funded through the Ethanol Production Incentive Cash Fund but shall not be funded through either the Highway Cash Fund or the Highway Trust Fund. For 1998 and each year thereafter, the credits provided in such section shall be funded through the Ethanol Production Incentive Cash Fund but shall not be funded through either the Highway Cash Fund or the Highway Trust Fund.

If, during any month, the amount of money in the Ethanol Production Incentive Cash Fund is not sufficient to reimburse the Highway Trust Fund for credits earned pursuant to section 66-1344, the Department of Revenue shall suspend the transfer of credits by ethanol producers until such time as additional funds are available in the Ethanol Production Incentive Cash Fund for transfer to the Highway Trust Fund. Thereafter, the Department of Revenue shall, at the end of each month, allow transfer of accumulated credits earned by each ethanol producer on a prorated basis derived by dividing the amount in the fund by the aggregate amount of accumulated credits earned by all ethanol producers.

(3) On or before December 1, 2003, and each December 1 thereafter, the Department of Revenue and the Nebraska Ethanol Board shall jointly submit a report electronically to the Legislature which shall project the anticipated revenue and expenditures from the Ethanol Production Incentive Cash Fund through the termination of the ethanol production incentive programs pursuant to section 66-1344. The initial report shall include a projection of the amount of ethanol production for which the Department of Revenue has entered agreements to provide ethanol production credits pursuant to section 66-1344.01 and any additional ethanol production which the Department of Revenue and the Nebraska Ethanol Board reasonably anticipate may qualify for credits pursuant to section 66-1344.