2-101. Nebraska State Fair Board; purpose; meetings; state fair; location; plan to relocate.

(1) The Nebraska State Fair Board, formerly known as the State Board of Agriculture, shall hold an annual meeting for the purpose of deliberating and consulting as to the wants, prospects, and conditions of the agricultural, horticultural, industrial, mechanical, and other interests throughout the state, as well as those interests in the encouragement and perpetuation of the arts, skilled crafts, and sciences.

(2) The Nebraska State Fair Board may provide in its constitution and bylaws for the qualification and participation of delegates at the annual meeting from such associations incorporated under the laws of the state for purposes of promoting and furthering the interests of participants in agricultural, horticultural, industrial, mechanical, or other pursuits or for the encouragement and perpetuation of the arts, skilled crafts, and sciences, and from such associations as provide for the training, encouragement, and competition of the youth of Nebraska in such endeavors. The annual meeting shall be held in every odd-numbered year at the capital of the state and in every even-numbered year at such location as the board determines. The chairperson of the board shall also have the power to call meetings of the board whenever he or she may deem it expedient. All meetings of the board shall be conducted in accordance with the Open Meetings Act.

(3) The Nebraska State Fair shall be under the direction and supervision of the Nebraska State Fair Board. The board may, at its discretion, hold or dispense with the holding of the fair, in any year.

(4)(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that no later than 2010 the Nebraska State Fair be permanently located within the city of Grand Island upon the site and tract of land owned by the Hall County Livestock Improvement Association and known as Fonner Park and, as available and necessary, upon other parcels of land adjacent to Fonner Park. The Nebraska State Fair Board shall cooperate and coordinate with the Hall County Livestock Improvement Association, the city of Grand Island, and other appropriate entities to provide for and carry out any plan of improvements to such location, including the construction of buildings and other capital facilities, the relocation of existing improvements, and other enhancements, necessary to develop the site as a location suitable for conducting the Nebraska State Fair. Such cooperation and coordination may include financial participation in the costs of site development, new construction, and other capital improvements upon such location and includes the execution of any agreement for site governance, revenue sharing, and facility utilization between and among the Nebraska State Fair Board, the Hall County Livestock Improvement Association, and other appropriate entities.

(b) The Nebraska State Fair Board, the Department of Administrative Services, and the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska shall cooperate with each other and with other appropriate entities to provide for and carry out the plan to relocate the Nebraska State Fair and transfer the Nebraska State Fairgrounds in Lancaster County to the Board of Regents, including activities by the Board of Regents to obtain due diligence surveys, reports, and site assessments at the Nebraska State Fairgrounds in Lancaster County and by the Nebraska State Fair Board in connection with providing marketable title to the same in a form acceptable to the Board of Regents.

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Annotations

The Nebraska State Board of Agriculture is essentially a private corporation possessing no exemption from suit or liability. The Crete Mills v. Nebraska State Board of Agriculture, 132 Neb. 244, 271 N.W. 684 (1937).

State Board of Agriculture has duty to provide rules and regulations agreeable to which the constitution and bylaws of county agricultural societies must be framed. State ex rel. Otoe County Agricultural Assn. v. Wallen, 117 Neb. 397, 220 N.W. 688 (1928).