SB116 - Revises provisions relating to the compensation of elected county officers. (BDR 20-92)

- 83rd Session (2025) Senate Bill No. 116–Senator Daly CHAPTER.......... AN ACT relating to counties; revising provisions relating to the annual compensation of elected county officers; authorizing the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Government Affairs to review certain issues relating to county commissions; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: Existing law sets forth the annual compensation to be paid to county commissioners and certain elected county officers, including district attorneys, sheriffs, county clerks, county assessors, county recorders, county treasurers and public administrators. (NRS 245.043) Section 1 of this bill sets the base amount of compensation of elected county officers for: (1) Fiscal Year 2025-2026 as an amount based on a certain calculation using the base salary that was in effect for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 or 3 percent higher than the highest salary of an employee under the supervision of the elected officer that was in effect on January 1, 2025, whichever is higher; and (2) each fiscal year thereafter as the base salary in effect for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 with certain adjustments or 3 percent higher than the highest salary of an employee under the supervision of the elected officer that has been approved by the board of county commissioners, whichever is higher. Section 1 also authorizes a board of county commissioners to provide, on an annual basis or as the board of county commissioners deems appropriate, a 2 percent cost-of-living increase to the base salary of each elected county officer. Existing law further authorizes the board of county commissioners to determine not to pay the increased salary for all elected county officers if the financial resources of the county are not available to pay the increased salaries in that fiscal year. (NRS 245.043) If the board of county commissioners determines not to pay the increased salary for all elected county officers, including county commissioners, section 1 requires that any reduction in salary be applied to all elected county officers using a calculation that is equally proportional for each elected county officer or using the same reduction calculation applied to any other employee or group of employees of the county, whichever is lower. Section 1 further: (1) establishes the amount of the annual salaries for county commissioners for Fiscal Year 2025-2026; and (2) provides that for the 5 fiscal years following Fiscal Year 2025-2026, each county commissioner is entitled to an increase in the amount of his or her annual salary of 3 percent per fiscal year. Existing law prohibits, with certain exceptions, district attorneys in every county except a county in classification 6 of the table of annual salaries (currently Esmeralda County) from engaging in the private practice of law. (NRS 245.0435, 252.060) Section 1 eliminates the table and related classifications and sections 2 and 4 of this bill replace references to the classifications to apply the exception to a county whose population is less than 3,000 (currently Esmeralda and Eureka Counties). Sections 3 and 5-10 of this bill make conforming changes to account for the change in how compensation for elected county officers is determined in section 1. Section 11 of this bill authorizes the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Government Affairs to review certain issues during the 2025-2026 interim concerning county commissions. – 2 – - 83rd Session (2025) 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: Section 1. NRS 245.043 is hereby amended to read as follows: 245.043 1. As used in this section: (a) “County” includes Carson City. (b) “County commissioner” includes the Mayor and supervisors of Carson City. (c) “Elected officer” means a district attorney, sheriff, county clerk, county assessor, county recorder, county treasurer and public administrator. 2. Except as otherwise provided in [subsection 5 and by any special law, the] this section, each elected [officers] officer of [the counties] a county of this State [are] is entitled to receive [,] for [the appropriate fiscal year,] Fiscal Year 2025-2026, an annual [salaries] salary in the base [amounts specified in the following table commencing on July 1 of the fiscal year.] amount as determined pursuant to subsection 3 or an amount that is calculated to be 3 percent more than the salary of the employee under the supervision of the elected officer who has the highest salary of all employees under the supervision of the elected officer, as determined by the salaries of all employees under the supervision of the elected officer on January 1, 2025, whichever is higher. For each fiscal year thereafter, the annual salary of an elected officer is the base salary for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 as adjusted pursuant to subsection 4 or an amount that is calculated to be 3 percent more than the salary of the employee under the supervision of the elected officer who has the highest salary of all employees under the supervision of the elected officer, as determined by the salaries of all employees under the supervision of the elected officer on July 1 of that fiscal year that have been approved by the board of county commissioners, whichever is higher. The annual [salaries are] salary is in full payment for all services required by law to be performed by such [officers.] elected officer. Except as otherwise provided by law, all fees and commissions collected by [such] elected officers in the performance of their duties must be paid into the county treasury each month without deduction of any nature. For the purposes of this subsection, approval of a salary by a board of county commissioners includes, without limitation, the approval of a salary or pay increase where the board of county commissioners: – 3 – - 83rd Session (2025) (a) Was informed that the salary or pay increase would increase the salary of an elected officer; (b) Approved a collective bargaining agreement; or (c) Approved a range of salaries for the department or division that includes the position of the elected officer. 3. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, the base salary for each elected officer for Fiscal Year 2025-2026, is the base salary that was in effect for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 pursuant to this section, as it existed on July 1, 2015, adjusted for each fiscal year starting with Fiscal Year 2019-2020 and ending with Fiscal Year 2024-2025 by compounding the annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, West Region (All Items), as published by the United States Department of Labor. 4. A board of county commissioners may elect to provide a cost-of-living increase of 2 percent to the base salary of each elected officer. Such an increase may be provided annually or at any time the board of county commissioners deems appropriate. Each time the board of county commissioners provides such an increase, the total increased salary becomes the base salary for that elected officer for purposes of this section. A board of county commissioners shall not use a cost-of-living increase as a one-time pay incentive or bonus to increase the base salary of an elected officer in such a manner that would prevent an increase to the base salary of a person elected to such office at a later date. 5. The base salary of an elected officer as determined pursuant to subsections 2, 3 and 4 does not: (a) Include any increases to the salary of an elected officer for longevity under NRS 245.044; (b) Decrease when a new person is elected to that office; and (c) Decrease when a person who is elected and has a base salary which is more than 3 percent more than the salary of the employee under the supervision of the elected officer who has the highest salary of all employees under the supervision of the elected officer. [ANNUAL SALARIES District County County County County Public Class County Attorney Sheriff Clerk Assessor Recorder Treasurer Administrator 1 Clark FY 2015-2016 $187,563 $161,692 $109,757 $109,757 $109,757 $109,757 $109,757 FY 2016-2017 193,190 166,543 113,050 113,050 113,050 113,050 113,050 FY 2017-2018 198,986 171,540 116,441 116,441 116,441 116,441 116,441 – 4 – - 83rd Session (2025) District County County County County Public Class County Attorney Sheriff Clerk Assessor Recorder Treasurer Administrator FY 2018-2019 $204,955 $176,685 $119,934 $119,934 $119,934 $119,934 $119,934 2 Washoe FY 2015-2016 165,573 133,234 100,610 100,610 100,610 100,610 100,610 FY 2016-2017 170,540 137,231 103,629 103,629 103,629 103,629 103,629 FY 2017-2018 175,656 141,348 106,738 106,738 106,738 106,738 106,738 FY 2018-2019 180,926 145,588 109,940 109,940 109,940 109,940 109,940 3 Carson City FY 2015-2016 118,872 98,567 78,293 78,293 78,293 78,293 -------- FY 2016-2017 122,438 101,524 80,642 80,642 80,642 80,642 -------- FY 2017-2018 126,112 104,570 83,061 83,061 83,061 83,061 -------- FY 2018-2019 129,895 107,707 85,553 85,553 85,553 85,553 -------- Churchill FY 2015-2016 118,872 98,567 78,293 78,293 78,293 78,293 -------- FY 2016-2017 122,438 101,524 80,642 80,642 80,642 80,642 -------- FY 2017-2018 126,112 104,570 83,061 83,061 83,061 83,061 -------- FY 2018-2019 129,895 107,707 85,553 85,553 85,553 85,553 -------- Douglas FY 2015-2016 118,872 98,567 78,293 78,293 78,293 78,293 -------- FY 2016-2017 122,438 101,524 80,642 80,642 80,642 80,642 -------- FY 2017-2018 126,112 104,570 83,061 83,061 83,061 83,061 -------- FY 2018-2019 129,895 107,707 85,553 85,553 85,553 85,553 -------- Elko FY 2015-2016 118,872 98,567 78,293 78,293 78,293 78,293 -------- FY 2016-2017 122,438 101,524 80,642 80,642 80,642 80,642 -------- FY 2017-2018 126,112 104,570 83,061 83,061 83,061 83,061 -------- FY 2018-2019 129,895 107,707 85,553 85,553 85,553 85,553 -------- Humboldt FY 2015-2016 118,872 98,567 78,293 78,293 78,293 78,293 -------- FY 2016-2017 122,438 101,524 80,642 80,642 80,642 80,642 -------- FY 2017-2018 126,112 104,570 83,061 83,061 83,061 83,061 -------- FY 2018-2019 129,895 107,707 85,553 85,553 85,553 85,553 -------- Lyon FY 2015-2016 118,872 98,567 78,293 78,293 78,293 78,293 -------- FY 2016-2017 122,438 101,524 80,642 80,642 80,642 80,642 -------- FY 2017-2018 126,112 104,570 83,061 83,061 83,061 83,061 -------- FY 2018-2019 129,895 107,707 85,553 85,553 85,553 85,553 -------- Nye FY 2015-2016 118,872 98,567 78,293 78,293 78,293 78,293 -------- FY 2016-2017 122,438 101,524 80,642 80,642 80,642 80,642 -------- FY 2017-2018 126,112 104,570 83,061 83,061 83,061 83,061 -------- FY 2018-2019 129,895 107,707 85,553 85,553 85,553 85,553 -------- 4 Lander FY 2015-2016 112,268 88,711 65,305 65,305 65,305 65,305 -------- FY 2016-2017 115,636 91,372 67,264 67,264 67,264 67,264 -------- FY 2017-2018 119,105 94,113 69,282 69,282 69,282 69,282 -------- FY 2018-2019 122,678 96,937 71,361 71,361 71,361 71,361 -------- Storey FY 2015-2016 112,268 88,711 65,305 65,305 65,305 65,305 -------- FY 2016-2017 115,636 91,372 67,264 67,264 67,264 67,264 -------- FY 2017-2018 119,105 94,113 69,282 69,282 69,282 69,282 -------- – 5 – - 83rd Session (2025) District County County County County Public Class County Attorney Sheriff Clerk Assessor Recorder Treasurer Administrator FY 2018-2019 $122,678 $96,937 $71,361 $71,361 $71,361 $71,361 -------- White Pine FY 2015-2016 112,268 88,711 65,305 65,305 65,305 65,305 -------- FY 2016-2017 115,636 91,372 67,264 67,264 67,264 67,264 -------- FY 2017-2018 119,105 94,113 69,282 69,282 69,282 69,282 -------- FY 2018-2019 122,678 96,937 71,361 71,361 71,361 71,361 -------- 5 Eureka FY 2015-2016 99,060 70,968 58,537 58,537 58,537 58,537 -------- FY 2016-2017 102,033 73,097 60,293 60,293 60,293 60,293 -------- FY 2017-2018 105,093 75,290 62,102 62,102 62,102 62,102 -------- FY 2018-2019 108,246 77,549 63,965 63,965 63,965 63,965 -------- Lincoln FY 2015-2016 99,060 70,968 58,537 58,537 58,537 58,537 -------- FY 2016-2017 102,033 73,097 60,293 60,293 60,293 60,293 -------- FY 2017-2018 105,093 75,290 62,102 62,102 62,102 62,102 -------- FY 2018-2019 108,246 77,549 63,965 63,965 63,965 63,965 -------- Mineral FY 2015-2016 99,060 70,968 58,537 58,537 58,537 58,537 -------- FY 2016-2017 102,033 73,097 60,293 60,293 60,293 60,293 -------- FY 2017-2018 105,093 75,290 62,102 62,102 62,102 62,102 -------- FY 2018-2019 108,246 77,549 63,965 63,965 63,965 63,965 -------- Pershing FY 2015-2016 99,060 70,968 58,537 58,537 58,537 58,537 -------- FY 2016-2017 102,033 73,097 60,293 60,293 60,293 60,293 -------- FY 2017-2018 105,093 75,290 62,102 62,102 62,102 62,102 -------- FY 2018-2019 108,246 77,549 63,965 63,965 63,965 63,965 -------- 6 Esmeralda FY 2015-2016 78,657 63,083 51,220 51,220 51,220 -------- -------- FY 2016-2017 81,017 64,976 52,756 52,756 52,756 -------- -------- FY 2017-2018 83,447 66,926 54,339 54,339 54,339 -------- -------- FY 2018-2019 85,951 68,933 55,969 55,969 55,969 -------- --------  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 5, the annual salaries set forth in this subsection for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 are effective for that fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter. 3.] 6. Except as otherwise provided in [subsection 5,] this section, the annual salary for county commissioners commencing on July 1 of [the fiscal year,] Fiscal Year 2025-2026 is: (a) For [Fiscal Year 2015-2016, 103.00 percent;] Clark County, $121,000; (b) For [Fiscal Year 2016-2017, 106.09 percent;] Washoe County, $116,000; (c) For [Fiscal Year 2017-2018, 109.273 percent; and] Lyon County, Carson City, [Text truncated for display. Full text available on LegiScan.]