SB343 - Revises provisions relating to governmental administration. (BDR 49-972)

- 83rd Session (2025) Senate Bill No. 343–Committee on Natural Resources CHAPTER.......... AN ACT relating to governmental administration; revising the name of the Agricultural Extension Department of the Public Service Division of the Nevada System of Higher Education; revising the purpose of the State 4-H Camp; revising the membership and duties of the State 4-H Camp Advisory Council; prohibiting the lease, exchange or sale of certain property without the express authority of the Legislature; abolishing and transferring the duties of the Technological Crime Advisory Board; abolishing the Council to Establish Academic Standards for Public Schools; exempting certain applicants for employment or contracts with a postsecondary educational institution from certain background investigations; abolishing and transferring the duties of the Advisory Committee on Medicaid Innovation in the Division of Health Care Financing and Policy of the Department of Health and Human Services; requiring the terms of the appointed members of the Rangeland Resources Commission to be staggered; abolishing the Commission to Review the Compensation of Constitutional Officers, Legislators, Supreme Court Justices, Judges of the Court of Appeals, District Judges and Elected County Officers; eliminating the requirement for the Division of Environmental Protection of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to establish certain working groups; abolishing the Advisory Board on Automotive Affairs; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: Existing law establishes the Agricultural Extension Department in the Public Service Division of the Nevada System of Higher Education. (NRS 396.600) Sections 1-5, 11-14, 20, 21, 44 and 45 of this bill change the name of the Agricultural Extension Department to the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. Existing law continues the State 4-H Camp Institute and Exhibit located in Douglas County, Nevada, and establishes branches in the respective counties of this State, as part of the cooperative extension work of this State. (NRS 550.020) Section 6 of this bill provides that the purpose of the State 4-H Camp is to provide a living and learning environment in a natural setting where members of the 4-H clubs and other youth groups may learn life skills, leadership, citizenship and an appreciation for nature. Existing law creates the State 4-H Camp Advisory Council, which consists of 12 members who serve terms of 3 years. The members include: (1) four members from the leaders of 4-H clubs in this State, elected by the leaders; (2) two members appointed by the President of the University of Nevada, Reno; (3) four members designated from among its members by the Nevada Farm Bureau; and (4) two members from the Agricultural Extension Service, elected by county agents. (NRS 550.035) Section 7 of this bill instead provides that four members are designated by the Nevada Farm Bureau and two members are designated by the – 2 – - 83rd Session (2025) Director of the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. Section 7 further: (1) requires, to the extent practicable, that the terms of the members be staggered; (2) prohibits, with certain exceptions, a member from serving more than two consecutive terms unless there is a break in service of not less than 1 year; and (3) authorizes a member to serve three consecutive terms with the approval of the Director. Existing law requires the Director of the Agricultural Extension Department to cooperate with the State 4-H Camp Advisory Council, the State 4-H Leaders’ Council, youth organizations, farm organizations, counties and cities in this State, and other private or government organizations or individuals for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of law governing the State 4-H Camp. (NRS 550.050) Section 8 of this bill eliminates this requirement. Existing law grants the title to the site of the State 4-H Camp in Douglas County, Nevada, to the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada. (NRS 550.100) Further, existing law authorizes the Board of Regents, upon the recommendation of the Director of the Agricultural Extension Department and the State 4-H Camp Advisory Council, with the approval of the Governor, to lease, exchange or sell any parcel or parcels of real property composing the State 4-H Camp when such land can no longer serve certain purposes. (NRS 550.070) Section 9 of this bill instead provides that any parcel or parcels of the State 4-H Camp may not be leased, exchanged or sold without express authority from the Legislature. Section 9 further authorizes the Board of Regents, upon the recommendation of the Director of the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and the State 4-H Camp Advisory Council, with the approval of the Governor, to submit a recommendation to the Legislative Commission that such property composing the State 4-H Camp be leased, exchanged or sold. Existing law authorizes the Director of the Agricultural Extension Department, with the approval of the Board of Regents and the 4-H Camp Advisory Council, to conduct negotiations with public or private agencies for certain rights, adjustments or services relating to real property. Under existing law, such negotiations are not binding on the Board of Regents unless or until the negotiations are ratified and authorized by the Board of Regents. (NRS 550.080) Section 10 of this bill additionally provides that such negotiations are not binding on the State unless or until the negotiations are ratified and authorized by the Legislature. Sections 8-10 authorize a designee of the Director of the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension to perform certain duties of the Director. Existing law creates the Technological Crime Advisory Board to, among certain other duties, facilitate cooperation between state, local and federal officers in detecting, investigating and prosecuting technological crimes. (NRS 205A.010- 205A.100) Section 51 of this bill abolishes the Advisory Board. Section 15 of this bill makes a technical change to reorganize the definition of “technological crime” into certain existing provisions governing the forfeiture of property relating to technological crimes. (NRS 179.1217) Sections 17, 48 and 49 of this bill revise references to the definition of “technological crime.” Section 19 of this bill eliminates a reference to the Advisory Board. Existing law also creates the Account for the Technological Crime Advisory Board and requires, with certain exceptions, money from the disposition of certain property acquired through the commission of a technological crime to be deposited into the Account. Such proceeds are required to be: (1) used to carry out the duties of the Advisory Board; and (2) distributed to the federal, state and local law enforcement agencies that participated in the investigation of the unlawful act giving rise to the criminal or civil forfeiture. (NRS 179.1233, 205A.090) Section 51 abolishes the Account. Section 16 of this bill: (1) requires that the proceeds of – 3 – - 83rd Session (2025) such forfeitures be deposited in the State Treasury and accounted for separately in State General Fund; and (2) transfers to the Attorney General the duty of the distribution of the proceeds to certain federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Existing law creates the Council to Establish Academic Standards for Public Schools to establish standards of content and performance for certain courses of study. Additionally, existing law requires the board of trustees of each school district to conduct a periodic review of the courses of study offered in the public schools of the school district to determine compliance with the standards of content and performance established by the Council. (NRS 389.500-389.540) Section 51 abolishes the Council and the requirement for the board of trustees to review the courses of study for compliance with the standards established by the Council. Sections 18, 22, 23, 26-35 and 37-41 of this bill eliminate references to the standards established by the Council. Sections 36 and 43 of this bill eliminate references to the Council. Existing law requires, with certain exceptions, an applicant for certain positions or contracts with a postsecondary educational institution to submit certain information to the Administrator of the Commission on Postsecondary Education for the purposes of conducting a background investigation. (NRS 394.465) Section 42 of this bill exempts an applicant from this requirement if the applicant holds a professional or occupational license in this State for which a background investigation was required. Existing law creates the Advisory Committee on Medicaid Innovation in the Division of Health Care Financing and Policy of the Department of Health and Human Services. The Advisory Committee is required to provide certain recommendations to the Director of the Department, including, without limitation, to create or expand public or private prescription purchasing coalitions, encourage access to employer-based health insurance plans and waivers the State may apply for from the Federal Government relating to Medicaid. (NRS 422.162, 422.165) Section 51 abolishes the Advisory Committee. Section 46 of this bill transfers the duties of the Advisory Committee to the Division of Health Care Financing and Policy. Existing law requires the Division of Environmental Protection of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to establish a working group to study issues relating to environmental contamination resulting from perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in this State. (NRS 459.686) Section 51 abolishes the working group. Section 47 of this bill eliminates a reference to the repealed section that establishes the working group. Existing law creates the Rangeland Resources Commission. Under existing law, the Commission: (1) may establish programs to provide information to the residents of this State concerning livestock industry on grazing lands; (2) may support the responsible control, management or use of grazing lands; and (3) is required to charge and collect a fee from each person who grazed cattle or sheep on grazing lands under the authorization of the United States Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management. The Commission consists of one member from each state grazing board and the president of: (1) the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association or its successor organization; (2) the Nevada Woolgrowers’ Association or its successor organization; and (3) the Nevada Farm Bureau or its successor organization. Each member who is appointed by a state grazing board serves a term of 4 years. (NRS 563.290, 563.320, 563.340) Section 50 of this bill requires, to the extent practicable, that the terms of the appointed members of the Commission are staggered. – 4 – - 83rd Session (2025) Existing law creates the Nevada High-Speed Rail Authority and requires the Authority to select a franchisee for the construction and operation of a high-speed rail system. (NRS 705.850, 705.870) Section 51 abolishes the Nevada High-Speed Rail Authority. Existing law creates the Advisory Committee on Rights of Survivors of Sexual Assault. The Advisory Committee is required to study certain practices and make recommendations relating to sexual assault victims’ advocates, the rights of survivors of sexual assault and the effectiveness of a certain statewide program to track sexual assault forensic evidence kits. (NRS 178A.300-178A.330) Section 51 abolishes the Advisory Committee. Existing law creates the Commission to Review the Compensation of Constitutional Officers, Legislators, Supreme Court Justices, Judges of the Court of Appeals, District Judges and Elected County Officers to make recommendations concerning the compensation of such positions. (NRS 281.1571-281.1575) Section 51 abolishes the Commission. Existing law creates the Advisory Board on Automotive Affairs to study and analyze certain regulations and consumer complaints relating to automotive affairs. (NRS 487.002) Section 51 abolishes the Advisory Board. 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 549.010 is hereby amended to read as follows: 549.010 To provide for continued educational, research, outreach and service programs pertaining to agriculture, community development, health and nutrition, horticulture, personal and family development, and natural resources in the rural and urban communities in the State of Nevada, the Director of the [Agricultural] University of Nevada Cooperative Extension [Department] of the Public Service Division of the Nevada System of Higher Education and the boards of county commissioners of any or all of the respective counties of the State of Nevada may enter into cooperative agreements and activities subject to the provisions of this chapter. Sec. 2. NRS 549.020 is hereby amended to read as follows: 549.020 1. The Director of the [Agricultural] University of Nevada Cooperative Extension [Department] of the Public Service Division of the Nevada System of Higher Education shall prepare and submit to the board of county commissioners, for each county participating, an annual financial budget covering the county, state and federal funds cooperating in the cost of educational, research, outreach and service programs pertaining to agriculture, community development, health and nutrition, horticulture, personal and family – 5 – - 83rd Session (2025) development, and natural resources in the rural and urban communities in the State of Nevada. 2. The budget must be adopted by the board of county commissioners and certified as a part of the annual county budget, and the county tax levy provided for agricultural extension work in the annual county budget must include a levy of not less than 1 cent on each $100 of taxable property. If the proceeds of the county tax levy of 1 cent are insufficient to meet the county’s share of the cooperative agricultural extension work, as provided in the combined annual financial budget, the board of county commissioners may, by unanimous vote, levy an additional tax so that the total in no instance exceeds 5 cents on each $100 of the county tax rate. 3. The proceeds of such a tax must be placed in the agricultural extension fund in each county treasury and must be paid out on claims drawn by the agricultural extension agent of the county as de [Text truncated for display. Full text available on LegiScan.]