RNUL, Rule 5, Section 7

Rules of the Nebraska
Unicameral Legislature

RULE 5 – BILLS–GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 7.  Fiscal Analyst.  (a) A copy of every bill introduced shall be transmitted by the Clerk to the Legislative Fiscal Analyst. The Legislative Fiscal Analyst shall review each bill and make an estimate of the anticipated change in state, county, or municipal expenditures or revenue under the provisions of the bill. The Legislative Fiscal Analyst shall prepare a statement to be known as a fiscal note to be attached to each bill prior to its public hearing by a committee, or its first consideration on General File if the bill is referred directly to General File. The fiscal note shall set forth the fiscal impact of the bill and the governmental subdivision affected by the fiscal impact as determined by the Legislative Fiscal Analyst. No bill which has a fiscal impact shall be heard by a committee or considered on General File unless the fiscal note is attached.

(b) In determining the fiscal impact of any bill, the Legislative Fiscal Analyst shall request the appropriate department or other entity of state government or subdivision thereof, or appropriate association which will be affected by the bill, to prepare the fiscal note within five calendar days.

(c) The Legislative Fiscal Analyst shall review the fiscal note so prepared and shall also request a review of such fiscal note by the Budget Division of the Department of Administrative Services. The statement by the Budget Division of the Department of Administrative Services shall be attached to and become a part of the fiscal note. The Legislative Fiscal Analyst shall include in the fiscal note any exceptions to the conclusions of the department or other entity and of the Budget Division of the Department of Administrative Services.

(d) The fiscal note shall be delivered by the Legislative Fiscal Analyst to the Clerk at least twenty-four hours prior to the public hearing on the bill or, in the event the bill is referred directly to General File, twenty-four hours prior to the first consideration of the bill on General File. The Clerk shall present the fiscal note to the principal introducer. If extenuating circumstances prevent the Legislative Fiscal Analyst from meeting this deadline, he or she shall present to the principal introducer an unofficial summary of all available fiscal information on the bill by this deadline and deliver to the Clerk the fiscal note when it is available. The Clerk shall attach the fiscal note to the bill and to all copies prepared for members.

(e) When amendments to a bill are adopted by the Legislature and such amendments would change the fiscal impact of the bill, the appropriate changes shall be made in the fiscal note each time the bill is advanced to Enrollment and Review or upon the written request of a member of the Legislature.

(f) When any bill proposes adoption of a new program or change of an existing program either of which would require an appropriation to implement in the ensuing fiscal year, an appropriation bill for the purposes of funding the provisions of such bill shall be prepared from the information contained in the fiscal note. Such appropriation bill shall be prepared at the direction of the Chairperson of the Appropriations Committee. Such bill shall be placed on General File and considered as introduced by the introducer of the original bill or by the committee which offered the amendments creating the expenditure, and shall bear the number of the original bill with the letter "A" added, and shall accompany the original bill through all stages of the legislative process. All bills for which an "A" bill is prepared shall be bracketed on Final Reading until the "A" bill is advanced to Final Reading.

(g) The authorization bill shall first be considered and if it should be passed on Final Reading then the "A" bill shall be read and voted on for final passage.

(h) The fiscal note shall be factual in nature, as brief and concise as may be, and shall, if possible, provide a reliable estimate in dollars and, in addition, it shall include both the immediate effect and, if determinable or reasonably foreseeable, the long range effect of the measure. If, after investigation, it is determined that no dollar estimate is possible, the fiscal note shall contain a statement to that effect, setting forth the reasons why no dollar estimate can be given.

(i) No comment or opinion shall be included in the fiscal note with regard to the merits of the measure for which the note is prepared, however, technical or mechanical defects may be noted.

(j) The subject matter of bills submitted to boards, commissions, departments, agencies, or other entities of the state by the Fiscal Analyst shall be kept in strict confidence by said agencies and by the office of Fiscal Analyst together with the content of the fiscal note itself and no information relating thereto shall be divulged by any official or employee prior to its introduction in the Legislature.

(k) To implement the provisions of and assure compliance with Art. III, Sec. 22 of the Nebraska Constitution (deficiency appropriations), and Art. IV, Sec. 7 of the Nebraska Constitution (appropriations in excess of Governor's request), the Appropriations Committee shall advise the Legislature of the number of votes required to assure passage of the same.

For creation of position. RRS 50-418.
For duties of position. RRS 50-419.

 

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