AB321 - Revises provisions relating to offenders. (BDR 16-1015)

- 83rd Session (2025) Assembly Bill No. 321–Assemblymembers Jackson, D’Silva, González, O’Neill; Dalia, Nadeem, Orentlicher and Roth CHAPTER.......... AN ACT relating to offenders; authorizing the Director of the Department of Corrections to establish a transitional housing program for certain offenders to develop skills and training relating to forestry management and conservation; requiring the State Forester Firewarden to establish a hiring program to appoint certain former offenders to firefighting positions; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: Under existing law, the Director of the Department of Corrections is authorized to enter into one or more contracts with one or more public or private entities to provide certain services to offenders, including transitional housing. (NRS 209.4889) Section 4.5 of this bill authorizes the Director to establish, in coordination with the Division of Forestry of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, a transitional housing program to provide training in forestry management and conservation for certain offenders who: (1) are committed to the custody of the Department and eligible for assignment to an institution or facility of minimum security; and (2) have previously been denied parole solely due to a lack of other available transitional housing. Under existing law, the State Forester Firewarden, in cooperation with the Department of Corrections, is required to establish and carry out a program for operating conservation camps in this State which may use offenders who meet certain requirements to perform certain work, including firefighting. (NRS 209.457) Section 5 of this bill requires the State Forester Firewarden to establish a hiring program to appoint former offenders who performed firefighting work in such conservation camps to firefighting positions in the Division of Forestry of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Sections 1-4. (Deleted by amendment.) Sec. 4.5. Chapter 209 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto a new section to read as follows: The Director may establish, in coordination with the Division of Forestry of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, a transitional housing program to provide training in forestry management and conservation for offenders who: 1. Are committed to the custody of the Department and eligible for assignment to an institution or facility of minimum security pursuant to the provisions of NRS 209.481; and – 2 – - 83rd Session (2025) 2. Have previously been denied parole solely due to a lack of other available transitional housing. Sec. 5. Chapter 472 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto a new section to read as follows: 1. The State Forester Firewarden shall establish a hiring program to provide a pathway to hire for firefighting positions within this State. Under the hiring program, the State Forester Firewarden may appoint a person to fill a position in the classified service as a firefighter with the Division of Forestry of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources if the person: (a) Was a former offender assigned to work in a program for operating conservation camps established pursuant to NRS 209.457 and performed work relating to firefighting; (b) Successfully completed the training necessary to prepare the offenders assigned to the conservation camp to assist in firefighting pursuant to NRS 209.457; (c) Has obtained any certifications required for employment as a firefighter with the Division of Forestry; and (d) Meets any other qualifications established by the State Forester Firewarden. 2. The State Forester Firewarden may adopt regulations to carry out the provisions of this section. Sec. 6. (Deleted by amendment.) 20 ~~~~~ 25