Southern Nevada Business Community to Recognize Guinn Center Executive Director
The Guinn Center is proud to announce the Southern Nevada business community will recognize its executive director, Dr. Nancy E. Brune, this month with two separate distinctions for her efforts to help advance Nevada through policy research and analysis. On May 14, the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Southern Nevada will recognize Brune as a finalist for the 2015 Annual Women of Distinction Awards. NAWBO’s Annual Women of Distinction Awards “honors Southern Nevada’s most dynamic female entrepreneurs for excellence in their field and for ‘inspiring success’ in future generations of community leaders.” In addition, the Las Vegas Business Press will recognize Brune this month as one of the 2015 Women Who Mean Business in Southern Nevada. Brune is one of 15 women, “who are both blazing career trails in diverse fields and volunteering their free time to the community’s residents,” to be recognized with this prestigious award. Click here for more information. More information about the NAWBO Southern Nevada’s Women of Distinction Awards ceremony on May 14 can be found here. Details about the Las Vegas Business Press Women Who Mean Business Celebration on May 21 can be found here.
Nevada’s Citizen Legislature
A new Fact Sheet from the Research Division of LCB provides a Membership Profile of the 2015 Nevada Legislature which demonstrates its representative, “citizen” nature. Consistent with the State’s growth, diversity and long-time attractiveness to newcomers, Nevada has the lowest percentage in the nation of residents born within the State at 25 percent. This ratio is reflected in the composition of the Legislature in which 17 of the 63 members (27 percent) were born in the State. The Fact Sheet further shows the wide range of legislators’ occupations among 17 different categories, along with an age breakdown of the members.
Has K-12 funding recovered from the recession?
The Guinn Center has released a new infographic showing the state of K-12 funding in Nevada. Check out our interactive chart that shows the change in State and local tax revenue for each school district from FY 2007 to FY 2014. On a statewide basis, per pupil revenue in FY 2014 was still 11 percent below the peak which occurred in FY 2008. The infographic also includes charts showing total State, local, and Federal revenue per pupil in FY 2014 and categorical funding disparities between charter schools and school districts.
Bipartisanship
By the end of the fourteenth week, 486 Assembly bills and 510 Senate bills had been introduced. Of the total 996 bills introduced in the Legislature at this time, 422 were committee introductions that essentially are controlled by the majority party in each House, and 574 were introduced by individual Legislators.
The bills introduced by Legislators may be co-sponsored by other lawmakers. An indicator of bipartisanship is the number of bills that attract co-sponsors from the other party. Among the current, total 574 legislator bills, 123 (21.4 percent) were bipartisan in that they included one or more co-sponsors from the opposite party. Among the 294 Senate bills in that category, 52 (17.7 percent) were bipartisan. Among the similar 280 Assembly bills, there were 71 (25.4 percent) that featured bipartisan support.
Note: Bills going forward may be designated as (R1), (R2), and so forth to indicate the First or Second Reprints, etc. that reflect the latest amended versions that were adopted by the respective Houses during the legislative process.
Committee Hearings and Actions (Fourteenth Week)
On Monday, May 4
AWM/SFIN in its Subcommittee on Public Safety, Natural Resources, and Transportation closed certain budgets in the Department of Public Safety that included the Highway Patrol, Parole and Probation, Emergency Management, Capitol Police, and Highway Safety.
SFIN/AWM in its Subcommittee on K-12/Higher Education/CIPS, closed budgets in the Department of Education and the State Public Charter School Authority. These budgets include new State positions to implement the Governor’s proposed education initiatives, as well as funds for evaluation of these initiatives. Most new positions were approved, but several were not approved based on the recommendation of the Fiscal Analysis Division of the LCB.
AED heard SB463(R2) regarding privacy of pupil data obtained by providers of electronic applications used for educational purposes. Senator Becky Harris (R-LV) presented an amendment that changes the age at which a pupil can review personally identifiable information from 13 to 16. AED held a work session on three bills. The Committee amended and approved SB208(R1), which requires new and expanding charter schools to provide notice to parents and legal guardians who live within a certain distance of the charter school. The amendment requires that the notice be provided in other languages when applicable, and clarifies that the notice requirement only applies to an expansion of enrollment of at least 10 percent. AED approved SB390(R1), which creates new charter school enrollment preferences for pupils currently attending schools with either: (a) enrollment over 25 percent of intended capacity, or (b) a rating of one or two stars under the Nevada School Performance Framework. In addition, the Committee approved SB313(R1), which addresses distance education, and authorizes a university school for profoundly gifted pupils (the Davidson School) to provide a program of distance education and receive funds from the State Distributive School Account for students enrolled full-time in the program.
ACL heard several bills that included AB481 which provides additional authority for the enforcement of the laws prohibiting deceptive trade practices and creates the Consumer Affairs Unit in the Department of Business and Industry. The committee also heard SB242(R1) that requires payday lenders to use best practices. Additionally, ACL considered SB241(R3) which makes various changes relating to collective bargaining. Among other things, the measure establishes certain accountability procedures for school administrators that include (a) making a school principal an at-will employee for the first three years; (b) providing that a post probationary principal becomes an at-will employee again if the school’s rating in the statewide accountability system is reduced one or more levels and 50 percent or more of the school’s teachers request a transfer; and (c) that post probationary administrators must reapply to the school district superintendent every five years for reappointment to their positions.
SLOE heard AB177(R1) which revises the legal rules, standards and procedures that apply to a person who becomes an ineligible candidate during an election; and AB461(R1), sponsored by the Secretary of State that increases the penalty for willfully and knowingly filing false candidacy documents. In work session, SLOE amended and approved AB23(R1) to change certain municipal election dates to the second Tuesday in June and make other election law changes.
The Legislative Commission’s Audit Subcommittee reviewed and accepted an audit report of the Division of Health Care Financing and Policy that sought to determine if sufficient controls were in place to prevent fraud, abuse, and billing errors that result in Medicaid overpayments. The audit revealed a total of more than $1 million in overpayments from behavioral health and dental claims, and made corrective recommendations.
On Tuesday, May 5
SFIN/AWM in its Subcommittee on Public Safety, Natural Resources, and Transportation closed certain budgets for the Colorado River Commission, the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) that included its computer System Modernization project. The Subcommittee approved the Governor’s recommendation to appropriate $37.7 million from the Highway Fund and $9.8 million from the new proposed Technology Fee over the 2015-2017 biennium, with oversight by the Interim Finance Committee, to begin funding replacement of the DMV’s computer system. This project is expected to be implemented over the next five years at a total estimated cost of $109.4 million. The NDOT closings included its capital expenditures for major highway projects; a new Environmental Division for the storm water program, created with 42 new and 17 reallocated positions, due to a settlement agreement with the Federal Environmental Protection Agency; a statewide fueling system upgrade; and certain other enhancements, among which funding for certain rest stops was not approved.
ATAX considered SB411(R1), which allows school districts to create a Public Schools Overcrowding and Repair Needs Committee. The Committee can recommend one or more statutory taxes for consideration by the voters at the 2016 General Election to fund the capital projects of the school district. The Guinn Center testified based on our report: Expanding Financing Options for Nevada’s K-12 Facilities and suggested amending the bill to clarify that the proposed committees can recommend exceeding the current property tax cap and exempting the tax from the property tax abatements. The committee also heard SB74(R1) that revises provisions governing the partial abatement of taxes for new or expanding businesses in the State. The Governor’s Office of Economic Development provided an explanatory presentation on the measure which clarifies language; increases the period from four to eight quarters to create jobs due to audit timing and to allow time for facility construction; and makes certain policy changes on the abatements based on the unemployment rate in the applicable county.
SED considered three bills. AB447 revises provisions relating to the teacher performance evaluation system. Amendments were proposed by the Nevada Department of Education, the Teachers and Leaders Council, the Clark County School District, and the Nevada State Education Association. Key issues include whether implementation of the evaluation system should be delayed, whether the percentage of the evaluation attributed to student test scores should remain at 50 percent, whether the student assessments used for teacher evaluation should be expanded to include district assessments, how to evaluate other licensed personnel who do not teach classes, and how often probationary teachers should be observed versus evaluated. The Committee also considered SB332, which makes an appropriation of $1 million per year to the Clark County School District to carry out a program of peer evaluations of teachers. This appropriation is not included in the Governor’s budget. Several stakeholders submitted testimony in support of the measure and the Nevada State Education Association submitted a technical amendment. Lastly, the Committee considered AB226(R1), which requires the Board of Regents to pay fees and expenses for a dependent child of a public employee who was killed in the performance of his or her duty.
SREV in work session discussed SB483 that removes the expiration of the “sunset” taxes, increases the cigarette tax, and makes other revenue changes to finance the Governor’s budget proposal. The LCB Fiscal Division provided two charts that summarized and compared the Economic Forum forecasts and the consensus estimates for the taxes included in SB483. An amendment was proposed from Senator Michael Roberson (R-Henderson) to change the increase for the cigarette tax from 40 cents to $1 per pack to help address the revenue shortfall for the proposed budget, and from the Governor’s Office to provide for the collection of data on sales of services from business licensees. No action was taken to allow time for consideration of the amendment until the Committee’s next meeting. SREV also heard AB57 which is a bill from the Department of Taxation to provide conforming language for the Streamlined Sales Tax Agreement relating to direct mail purchases.
AWM heard AB448(R1), which places low-performing schools into a new Achievement School District and converts them to charter schools. The cost to administer the program is approximately $200,000 per year and would come from Federal School Improvement Grant funds, private funds and other legislatively approved appropriations. No additional money from the General Fund is being requested. The Guinn Center testified on this measure based on our report: Examining Nevada’s Education Priorities: Which Initiatives are Worth the Investment? AWM closed certain budget issues for the Office of Attorney General relating to the Special Assistant Attorney General position for a new Office of Military Legal Assistance which included a position description, and for a budget amendment for the Controller’s Office to add appropriations for audit expenses dealing with pension plans. The committee heard, suspended the rules, and approved two bills: SB469 to make a supplemental appropriation of $588,000 to the Supreme Court for an unanticipated shortfall in current revenue resulting from a deficit in the collection of administrative assessments, so that its payroll could be paid at the end of the month; and SB427 to make a supplemental appropriation of $169,000 to the Office of the Attorney General for projected extradition costs. Additionally, AWM considered AB485 that revises provisions governing the duties and structure of the Office of Science, Innovation and Technology in the Office of the Governor. The measure revises the duties to include coordinating broadband service activities, providing support to the Advisory Council on STEM, and administering grants. The bill also makes permanent, imposes certain duties, and reduces the membership of the Advisory Council. Finally, the Committee closed the budgets for the LCB with certain adjustments.
SFIN conducted a work session on four of the Governor’s major education initiatives. The Committee amended and approved SB391(R1), which creates the Read by 3 program. This bill aims to help students achieve reading proficiency by grade three and requires students to be retained in grade three if they do not meet this goal. The amendment removed the appropriation from the bill since it will be included in the budget bill. The Committee also amended and approved SB405(R1), which expands the Zoom School program to provide programs for English Language Learners. The amendment: (1) allows middle and high schools to use funds for one or more of the eligible uses instead of being required to use funds for all of the eligible uses; (2) deletes the appropriation since it will be included in the budget bill; and (3) places a 2 percent cap on professional development, parental involvement, and recruitment and retention for all districts and charter schools. SFIN also amended and approved SB432(R1), which creates Victory Schools for students in high poverty areas. The amendment: (1) adds reading skills centers as an eligible use of funds; (2) deletes the appropriation since it will be included in the budget bill; and (3) makes technical changes. A draft list of Victory Schools was provided to the Committee. Lastly, the Committee amended and approved SB474(R1) on a party-line vote. This bill creates the Great Teaching and Leading Fund to provide a competitive grant for professional development and teacher recruitment. As proposed by the Governor, a portion of the funding for this initiative would come from the Regional Professional Development Programs (RPDPs) in the second year of the biennium. The amendment: (1) creates a maintenance of effort provision for the RPDPs so that they would not receive a reduction in funding; (2) clarifies that the RPDPs would be under the Great Teaching and Leading Fund, so priorities for use of funds would be determined by the State Board of Education; (3) establishes a maximum grant of 25 percent of the fund from the non-RPDP allocations; and (4) makes technical changes.
On Wednesday, May 6
AWM/SFIN in its Subcommittee on Human Services closed certain budgets for the Division of Public and Behavioral Health. The actions included certain staff transfers, increased staff and contract positions for the Rural Clinics program to reduce caseload ratios, and approval of budget amendments that provide for various expenditure reductions to address the funding shortfall due to decreased Medicaid Managed Care reimbursements.
SFIN/AWM in its Subcommittee on General Government closed budgets for the Judicial Branch and Department of Taxation. Most of the judicial budgets were closed as recommended except for a proposal to reclassify all unclassified to non-classified positions in that Branch, and the Subcommittee voted to discontinue the Foreclosure Mediation Program. For Taxation, the Subcommittee approved (a) actions contingent upon enactment of the tax reform proposals, (b) new positions that included four more auditors to reduce the cycle to five years for Net Proceeds of Minerals’ audits of mines, and (c) the transfer of the State Demographer position from UNR to the Department of Taxation.
AGA heard AB364(R1) to revise provisions relating to the State business portal, which is a priority of the Southern Nevada Forum. The measure allows for cooperative efforts among state and local governments and agencies to streamline the SilverFlume portal for the collection and sharing of common business registration information. A conceptual amendment is under development to deal with certain legal considerations.
AED heard SB394(R1), which is based on the recommendations of the Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children. The bill: (1) removes the current provisions prohibiting a guardian ad litem from receiving compensation; (2) requires pupils in public schools to be provided with age-appropriate instruction in personal safety; and (3) gives the Department until July 1, 2016, to develop the age-appropriate curriculum standards, and gives each school district and charter school until July 1, 2020, to begin providing this instruction. The Committee also heard SB330(R1) regarding interscholastic sports.
AED conducted a work session on three bills. The Committee approved SB75(R1), which requires the State Board of Education to prescribe the minimum number of school days that must take place prior to administration of State-required exams, in lieu of current law which requires the exams to be administered in the spring. An amendment previously discussed by the committee to allow parents to opt their children out of testing was not approved. The Committee made a technical amendment to SB13(R1) and approved the bill. The bill aligns State law with the Federal definition of a pupil with a disability, removes reference to an adjusted diploma, and requires minimum standards for pupils with hearing impairments to comply with Federal law. Lastly, the Committee approved SB212, which authorizes each school superintendent to waive requirements to suspend or expel pupils from public school for certain acts; and revises provisions governing the crimes of disturbing the peace at a public school and assault on a pupil or school employee.
SLOE considered two proposed constitutional amendments and conducted a work session on certain elections bills. AJR8 proposes to amend the Nevada Constitution to require approval by a two-thirds vote for an initiative petition that creates, generates or increases any public revenue. There was testimony in support and opposition. AJR10(R1) proposes to amend the Nevada Constitution to provide for a Citizen’s Commission on Salaries for Certain Elected Officers that would include legislators, the constitutional officers, and judges. In work session, SLOE amended (see page 4 of the work session document) and approved AB94(R1) that allows registered voters to elect to receive sample ballots by electronic means and to maintain the confidentiality of email addresses. The committee also amended (see page 19 of the work session document) and approved AB462(R1) that makes clean up language changes for the county clerks and registrars that include: (a) updating the language for electronic means, (b) increasing the maximum number of registered voters in a precinct from 1,500 to 3,000 to help save costs, (c) changing the designation of an independent candidate to no political party, and (d) revising procedures for changing signatures. In response to previous questions, charts were included (see page 21 of the work session document) that show the number of precincts at or approaching the current 1,500 size limit and the number of precincts, with active and inactive voters, in each county. Finally, a conceptual amendment (see page 43 of the work session document) was reviewed for SB434, relating to initiative and referendum procedures, which had already been approved by the Committee.
AWM closed budgets for the Office of the Secretary of State that included a significant technical investment request, additional IT positions and a reduction in contract costs for the State business portal, and the addition of compliance/audit investigation positions to accommodate the workload. The committee considered two military veterans-related bills with fiscal impacts: AB71(R1) concerning certain tax deductions and exemptions for members and relatives of the Nevada National Guard that included an explanation from the Director of Military and Veterans Policy, and AB482 pertaining to the establishment of a Veterans Policy Leadership Institute within NSHE which also had an explanation. In work session, AWM approved AB465 for a supplemental appropriation to the Department of Public Safety; and amended and approved three other supplemental appropriations: AB442 for the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, and AB467 and AB468 for the Department of Corrections.
On Thursday, May 7
SFIN/AWM in its Subcommittee on K-12/Higher Education/ CIPS, closed budgets of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE). The Committee did not approve a request from NSHE to provide additional start-up funding for the UNLV Medical School but several members indicated a willingness to revisit this issue if sufficient revenue is identified.
AWM/SFIN in its Subcommittee on Public Safety, Natural Resources, and Transportation, closed certain budgets for the Department of Corrections (DOC), and for the Criminal History Repository in the Department of Public Safety in which certain positions were added to accommodate workloads. The DOC closing included updated and increased inmate population estimates (see page 14 of the closing budget document), and extensive information and discussion concerning current staff vacancies, shift relief factors, and approval of 100 new corrections officer positions (see pages 15 – 21 of the closing budget document).
SJUD heard AB239(R2) that regulates operators of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Nevada. The sponsor, Assemblyman Elliott Anderson (D-LV), provided a presentation on the homeowner privacy protection aspects of the bill, a section by section overview, a proposed amendment that was developed in consultation with other interested parties, a UNLV research brief on Nevada and U.S. residents’ attitudes toward aerial drone surveillance, and a comparison chart of other states’ laws and proposed legislation. Other testimony was submitted in support and opposition (see Exhibits).
ATAX in work session amended and approved SB170(R1) that provides for a partial abatement of personal property or sales taxes for new or expanding data centers and related collocated businesses in this State. The amendment was proposed in conceptual form by Assemblywoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick (D-NLV) that includes those proposed in the work session document along with further proofs and tracking requirements for the use of Nevada employees in the construction and staffing of these facilities.
ALOE considered SJR1(R1) that urges Congress to enact legislation transferring title to certain public lands to the State in accordance with the report prepared by the Nevada Land Management Task Force. There was extensive testimony in support and opposition.
SED considered four bills. AB278(R1) makes revisions to the K-3 Class Size Reduction (CSR) program. Assemblyman Elliot Anderson (D-LV) presented an audit of the CSR program performed by the LCB. The bill requires the Department of Education to develop certain policies, procedures and guidance related to class-size reduction and requires the Legislative Auditor to conduct an audit concerning the use of money by each school district for the class-size reduction program. The Committee also considered AB328(R1), which revises provisions related to selection of hearing officers for special education hearings and requires the Department of Education to post certain information about special education hearings on its website. SED also considered AB341(R1), which creates requirements for screening and services for students with dyslexia. Several stakeholders provided testimony in support of the measure. The Clark County School District presented a friendly amendment to strike language requiring that all teachers have training on how to identify pupils with dyslexia. Lastly, the Committee considered AB421(R1), which creates the Spending and Government Efficiency (SAGE) Commission to study K-12 and higher education. Assemblyman Ira Hansen (R-Sparks) presented the bill and discussed the previous SAGE Commission, which evaluated other sectors of State government and completed its report in 2010. NSHE opposed the bill and argued that the work of the SAGE Commission would overstep the constitutional authority of the Board of Regents.
SREV heard, amended and approved AB191, a priority of the Southern Nevada Forum, to allow for a county ballot question to authorize additional motor vehicle taxes and the continuation of fuel revenue indexing to finance transportation construction projects. The amendment is a technical legal change to clarify an effective date. The Committee also amended and approved, on a party-line vote, SB483 that removes the expiration of the “sunset” taxes, increases the cigarette tax, and makes other revenue changes to help finance the Governor’s budget proposal (see SREV on Tuesday, May 5, above for further documentation). An additional chart was provided comparing the Economic Forum forecasts with estimates for the amended, increased cigarette tax rate in the bill.
SFIN in work session amended and approved SB429 to provide a supplemental appropriation to the State Distributive School Account for a shortfall from an unanticipated increase in K-12 enrollment for the current biennium. The amendment reduced the appropriation from $77.7 million to $62 million due to updated information.
On Friday, May 8
AWM/SFIN, meeting separately, both discussed and approved an appropriation of $100,000 in each year of the biennium to the Fund for Aviation that would leverage $1.5 million in Federal Aviation Administration funds through the State Aviation Office in NDOT for maintenance projects at rural airports. A presentation was provided on rural airports in the State, along with the results from a former similar appropriation in 2005 that included lists of previous funding by airport and county. The appropriation will be included in the back language of the Appropriations Act. Both committees also separately closed certain budgets for the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), Public Employees’ Retirement System, Colorado River Commission (CRC), the Subcommittee’s closing on the general CRC budget, and a final remaining issue with the budget for the Department of Agriculture. There was significant discussion in AWM on the CRC budget closing, and similar discussion and extensive opposition in SFIN during its hearing on SB46 relating to an exemption from the State Budget Act for the CRC and PUC to allow the agencies to set their own employee’s salaries. SFIN also heard SB125(R1) that creates the Nevada Air Service Development Commission and Fund, with an appropriation of $1 million in each year of the biennium, to provide matching grants for recruiting, retaining, stabilizing and expanding regional commercial air service in Nevada.
AJUD in work session amended and approved SB59(R1) from the Secretary of State to establish and use common business registration information by State and local agencies and health districts, and provide for applicable integration of their electronic systems with the State business portal. The amendment changes the “State business license” to the” State business registration” to avoid confusion with local government licensing.
SREV approved AB380(R1) since it is identical to SB382(R1), already passed by the Senate, relating to the collection of sales taxes by retailers located outside this State. The committee heard AB366(R1) that provides roadwork flexibility for local governments in the use of motor vehicle fuel taxes for the construction, maintenance and repair of projects within the right of way. SREV also considered AB83(R1) on behalf of the Attorney General to conform with Federal law and the tobacco Master Settlement Agreement to allow for the licensing and inspection of manufacturers that use commercial grade cigarette rolling machines. Lastly, the committee heard AB32(R1) which is a DMV bill to provide consistency in the reporting and taxation of liquefied petroleum gas (propane) and compressed natural gas. There was no opposition to these measures.
Floor Actions (Fourteenth Week)
Floor sessions this week included certain ceremonies and continued to be relatively brief, while actions were taken on a number of their own bills and measures from the other House. Some selected adopted bills include the following:
The Assembly passed SB2(R1) authorizing an 80 mph speed limit, and SB473 relating to grants management.
The Senate passed SB504(R1) pertaining to bullying and cyber-bullying in public schools, AB179(R1) relating to security for personal information collected by businesses, and SB490(R1) to transfer the balance in the Rainy Day Fund to help cover the 2015 General Fund shortfall.
On Thursday, May 7, the Senate approved a bipartisan amendment to AB175 to allow for the operation of transportation network companies (TNC), such as Uber and Lyft, with certain insurance requirements. The amendment included a 3 percent excise tax on the total fare charged for TNCs and taxicabs, and required a comparison study by the Public Utilities Commission within six months between the current and fingerprint-based background checks. On Friday, May 8, the amended AB175 failed to pass (13–7) by the required two-thirds vote due to concerns about the revenue estimates from the proposed tax.
Signed by the Governor
As of the end of the fourteenth week, 40 bills had passed both Houses and were signed by the Governor. Chapter numbers are assigned based on the order in which the measures are signed by the Governor, for subsequent publication in the Statutes of Nevada, 2015. Selected major enacted and enrolled bills include the following:
AB125, Chapter 2, relating to constructional defects, effective Feb. 24, 2015.
SB207, Chapter 4, bond rollover for school construction, effective Mar. 4, 2015.
SB119, Chapter 5, bond rollover and repeal of prevailing wage for school construction, effective Mar. 6, 2015.
SB101, Chapter 11, reemployment of school district employees, effective Mar. 19, 2015.
AB165, Chapter 22, NV Educational Choice Scholarship Program, effective Apr. 13, 2015.
SB459, Chapter 26, establishes an opioid overdose prevention policy for Nevada, effective Oct. 1, 2015.
AB505, Chapter 35, suspension of agency benefit collections in May and June, 2015, to help address current budget shortfall, effective May 6, 2015.
Fifteenth Week’s Committee Schedule (Monday, May 11—Friday, May 15, 2015)
Please note that committee meetings are added, particularly toward the end of the week, and agendas frequently are changed. Check the Calendar of Meetings or NELIS regularly for such additions and changes as the week progresses. Except for the “money committees,” which will continue to close budgets and consider exempt bills that have possible fiscal impacts, the standing committees primarily are considering measures adopted by the other House through the end of this week with the Second House Committee Passage Deadline on Friday, May 15. The list of current exempt fiscal bills totals 96 in the Assembly, and 115 in the Senate along with one joint resolution. Some highlighted committee meetings and selected bills currently scheduled for the fifteenth week are as follows.
On Monday, May 11
AWM/SFIN (8 am) in its Subcommittee on General Government closes certain budgets in the Department of Business and Industry relating to real estate administration and common interest communities.
SFIN/AWM (8 am) in its Subcommittee on Human Services closes certain budgets in the Director’s Office, Division of Health Care Financing and Policy, and Division of Welfare and Supportive Services in DHHS.
AGA (8:30 am) hears SB70(R1) pertaining to the Open Meeting Law, and SB406(R1) to revise provisions relating to public retirement systems.
ACL (1:30 pm) conducts a work session on a number of bills including SB251 to ratify the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact.
AHHS (1:30 pm) hears bills that include SB35 to ratify and enact the Interstate Compact on Mental Health, and SB314(R1) that came from the Southern Nevada Forum to revise provisions governing the Clark County Health District.
SGA (1:30 pm) considers AB54(R1) relating to local governments existing in a financial emergency.
SLOE (3:30 pm) is scheduled to hear SB269 to establish an interim study committee on the behavioral health and cognitive care of older persons; SJR8 from the 77th Session to amend the Nevada Constitution relating to the State Legislature and annual sessions; AB252(R1) to create the Advisory Commission on Reapportionment and Redistricting; and AB460 to express the intent of the Legislature to increase its membership in the next redistricting cycle.
SED (3:30 pm) conducts a work session on eight bills: SB332 to make an appropriation to the Clark County School District for a teacher peer evaluation program; AB107(R1) relating to accountability reports for public schools; AB278(R1) governing class size reduction; AB285(R1) concerning the self-administration of certain medications by public school pupils; AB321(R1) relating to school police officers; AB351(R1) for projects to benefit charter schools; AB374(R1) pertaining to pupils meeting with counselors; and AB447 relating to the statewide performance evaluation system.
On Tuesday, May 12
SFIN/AWM (8 am) meeting jointly, closes the budget of the Office of Science, Innovation and Technology in the Governor’s Office, and reviews subcommittee budget closings reports on the Departments of Taxation, Education, Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife, Transportation, and Veterans Services; the State Public Charter School Authority; the Public Employees’ Benefits Program; and the Aging and Disability Services Division in DHHS.
ANRAM (1:30 pm) hears SB305(R1) that authorizes hemp farming in this State under certain circumstances.
ATAX (1:30 pm) conducts a work session on SB94(R1) relating to transferable tax credits for film and other productions, SB155(R1) concerning farm vehicles and implements of husbandry, and SB377 relating to property taxes.
SREV (3:30 pm) hears AB17(R1) relating to economic development, AB116(R1) to revise provisions governing the Regional Business Development Advisory Council for Clark County; and AB451 that continues the UNLV Campus Improvement Authority.
ALOE (4 pm) considers SB5(R1) concerning elections for partisan offices, SB19(R1) to authorize a school district to place an advisory question on the ballot of a general election, SJR3(R1) that proposes to amend the Nevada Constitution to provide for the joint election of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, and SJR17(R1) that proposes to amend the Nevada Constitution to expand the rights guaranteed to victims of crime. ALOE also conducts a work session on SJR1(R1) that urges Congress to enact legislation transferring title to certain public lands to the State in accordance with the report prepared by the Nevada Land Management Task Force.
On Wednesday, May 13
AWM/SFIN (8 am) meeting jointly, reviews subcommittee budget closings reports on the Judicial Branch; the Departments of Administration, Motor Vehicles, and Public Safety; and the Divisions of Public and Behavioral Health, and Child and Family Services in DHHS.
ACL (1:30 pm) conducts a work session on various bills including SB68(R1) that revises provisions governing professions, SB241(R3) relating to collective bargaining, and SB242(R1) that requires payday lenders to use best practices.
AED (3:15 pm) conducts a work session on SB330(R2) relating to education and athletics; SB463(R2) pertaining to education and the collection of personally identifiable information; and SB394(R1) concerning the protection of children.
On Thursday, May 14
SFIN/AWM (8 am) in its Subcommittee on K-12/Higher Education/CIPS has certain budget closings for the Department of Education that include the Distributive School Account and professional development programs.
SFIN/AWM (8 am) in its Subcommittee on Public Safety, Natural Resources, and Transportation conducts a budget closing on Parole and Probation in the Department of Public Safety.
SREV (3:30 pm) hears AB391 concerning the exemption from property taxes of certain property used for religious purposes, and AB452(R1) relating to property tax appeals.
On Friday, May 15
AWM/SFIN (8 am) meeting jointly, reviews certain subcommittee budget closings reports for the Nevada System of Higher Education, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, and the Departments of Administration, Business and Industry, Health and Human Services, Corrections, and Public Safety.
On Saturday, May 16
AWM/SFIN (8 am) meeting jointly, reviews the subcommittee budget closings reports for the Department of Education.
Upcoming Events/Deadlines
May 15 (Friday)—Committee Passage Second House
May 21 (Thursday)—Finish Budget Differences
May 22 (Friday)—Second House Passage
May 27 (Wednesday)—Budget Bills Introduced, Exempt Bills from Committee
June 1 (Monday)—End Date for Regular Session