Public finance; County Economic Development Closing Fund; procedures; expenditures; agreements; emergency.

HB 4312 creates a County Economic Development Closing Fund that counties can establish to support economic development. The fund, financed by county appropriations, grants, and interest, may only be used for projects that would determine the location or retention of high-impact businesses, requiring counties to demonstrate expected benefits like new jobs, job retention, capital investment, or increased tax revenue. Counties must evaluate proposals using specific criteria (e.g., job numbers, investment size, economic impact) and enter written agreements with businesses outlining performance targets, repayment terms if goals aren’t met, and regular progress reporting. All recipients and funding amounts must be publicly disclosed by the county, excluding proprietary business information.