[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6357382,"mediaKeyId","2215135-23f07a8f1b060fc2006bab6964eb3972","parentId",2215135,"title","Conservation department seeks bond funding, IT consolidation and more park staff","audioSeconds",2093,"startMs",8248000,"endMs",10341000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215135-23f07a8f1b060fc2006bab6964eb3972&start=8248&end=10341","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2215135-23f07a8f1b060fc2006bab6964eb3972/thumbnail_8248000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6357382/Nevada/Conservation-department-seeks-bond-funding-IT-consolidation-and-more-park-staff","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6357382-d990ad105efc054af9f05e05c70e2671/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150566&Signature=C8UnfyPjD7IR5uM9Rgux5F4e1v~5LeX4sLgYGsJrWz1ZPjc8WpjxsNMKWdaohSdneriLRMVMPT9k5EbadGj8-Jkc0KgHS3zhOmmiEW3he1b-QNzhr2JiyF0n2B0XSa3N3oleixy5a0h5a11Jsb8IOmao4tQabyCqBa5gFuuDH-g~NtACQVdsPfhOTLYmCorwBGCRmOeCGkeYeh9qMUCBdFm7ZRlna3FPAmQiyrtuHbaepVeRHrUWvuDjoE7Xp9V~KuLwSld~EQkj72IlHeMT9ij4zYBHL0s~y9Y4gZIRZpqFxDrLMDikwPWGiyHJK3er84uKTkHMI7qIsCRhI--n5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Nevada State Legislature","date","2025-01-29T00:00:00Z","article","DCNR Director James Settlemyer told the subcommittee the department seeks to modernize processes, consolidate IT services, and secure bond funding to support parks, habitat restoration and wildfire resilience.

Why it matters: DCNR funds and manages state parks, heritage programs, forestry and water resources; requested IT and bond investments would affect public access, permitting, fire‑risk reduction and grant support for local conservation projects.

Major requests and reforms: Settlemyer outlined a proposed reorganization to create a Bureau of Information Technology Services in the director’s office to centralize IT staff that are now dispersed across divisions; the change is intended to improve accountability, retention and cross‑division implementation of digitization and transparency projects. He said the department had not received approval for additional IT support staff since 2014 and that consolidation would permit clearer career ladders for IT specialists.

Parks and deferred maintenance: DCNR asked for additional state parks staff — a park supervisor and eight park rangers statewide — plus continued funding for the reservation system previously set up with restricted funds. The department said deferred maintenance needs across state parks exceed $100,000,000 and requested $5,000,000 in bond or one‑time funds for high‑priority repairs and improvements; it also requested replacement vehicles and UTVs for field operations and body cameras for park law enforcement following an officer‑involved shooting last year.

Conserve Nevada bonds and competitive grants: DCNR and an outside commenter (Nature Conservancy) emphasized the Conserve Nevada bond program, which funds drought planning, recreation, habitat restoration and resiliency projects. DCNR staff and a later witness said the agency is seeking roughly $63,400,000 in bond packages and flagged that $20,000,000 would be reserved for competitive grants across the state; other line items mentioned included $23,000,000 for Lake Tahoe environmental work and funding for Las Vegas Springs Preserve exhibits.

Forestry, water and environmental protection: DCNR requested $6,000,000 for shared stewardship to reduce catastrophic wildfire risk, replacement crew carriers and additional forestry positions as the division moves away from older conservation camp models. The department also proposed digitization positions in the Division of Water Resources to publish interactive maps and datasets so stakeholders can view the same information the state engineer uses when making water determinations. In environmental protection, DCNR requested additional technical staff for drinking water and underground injection control (UIC) permitting and new monitoring equipment for harmful algae bloom detection.

Questions and context: Committee members asked about positions funded with American Rescue Plan Act dollars and whether those should be continued as ongoing state expenses; Director Settlemyer said some ARPA‑funded positions support programs that remain in demand and described a pragmatic approach to continuing high‑priority functions. Brandon Bishop (DCNR) summarized bond allocations and said about $20,000,000 of the requested bond package would fund the competitive Conserve Nevada grants.

Next steps: DCNR will provide additional detail to the committee and to interim and capital budget processes; the department emphasized transparency and digitization as cross‑cutting priorities.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","1/29/2025 - Legislative Commission's Budget Subcommittee","oneSentenceSummary","Director James Settlemyer told the subcommittee DCNR wants to centralize IT, add park staff and press for a bond package that includes competitive Conserve Nevada grants to fund drought planning, park maintenance and habitat restoration.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature NV, Nevada","taxId",78440,"location","Nevada","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6357387,"DETR outlines UI modernization, rising rehabilitation caseloads and workforce initiatives",7723,486000,8209000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215135-23f07a8f1b060fc2006bab6964eb3972&start=486&end=8209","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2215135-23f07a8f1b060fc2006bab6964eb3972/thumbnail_486000.jpg","/articles/6357387/Nevada/DETR-outlines-UI-modernization-rising-rehabilitation-caseloads-and-workforce-initiatives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6357387-f46c74e8526e67af2076a9f657e2f6e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150566&Signature=bPYFRSamllyLPMqLvpgGgjxsoX0LgnH92cc1lK6FjpfwmAMOTkTXQlQKVYliXByuDkLE11ktG~RnVV5SNDMyS5ChAYJMn9eTjTKxQo65IPGLszz6X4A3O6lzdgZyfDEVR4bRn1fouq5QOzygvigvh-CibZPRFpmzkSlp6LJYoVTqTtCcqNAQLelY6ueAIA-7zVI1ma97O0ZaNEqFJ8qNMzAUFTnlE0tOKn-hLxDE68H3ut3-mg8QqbT7uwv3iXlImDfubEFGA2yAYyDdEyGIRskv60fUwCo2koSVMbRjpbJZD9J~5Qj3KY1YTO1NgVkEma2dk6E-k46~oXOVPLeajA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Director Christopher Sewell told the Legislative Commission’s budget subcommittee that the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) is preparing a summer 2025 rollout of the benefits side of the state’s modernized unemployment insurance system (NUI) and continuing work on fraud protections, while also seeking staff and funding to meet growing rehabilitation and workforce demands.

Why it matters: DETR manages Nevada’s unemployment insurance and workforce programs that touch employers, claimants and vulnerable residents; modernization and staffing decisions affect claim timeliness, fraud prevention, and the state’s ability to draw down federal workforce funds.

DETR presented outcomes from the Phase 1 tax side of the UI modernization, saying the upgraded system improved delinquent-tax collection from about $10,000,000 per year historically to roughly $50,000,000 a year because of automated processes. Director Sewell said the department waived 112,776 overpayments since 2020 and described priorities as “continuity, accessibility, and innovation.”

Agency leaders described Phase 2 (benefits and appeals) as on schedule for a summer 2025 go‑live but said implementation dates for ancillary tools — notably an AI-assisted appeals drafting tool — remain under review to avoid overloading staff. Employment Security Division Administrator Christine Nelson told the committee that appeals timeliness now meets U.S. Department of Labor standards and said, “We’re within those standards.” The department said the ID.me identity‑verification contract sharply reduced identity‑theft fraud when it was deployed and that two fraud types now predominate: identity‑theft “algorithmic” attacks and traditional failure to report wage income.

Rehabilitation and workforce programs: Rehabilitation Division Administrator Drazen Neles said applications for Social Security disability determinations and vocational rehabilitation services have grown sharply — from about 19,000 initial disability applications in 2019 to more than 29,000 in the most recent federal fiscal year — while staff levels have not kept pace. He said Nevada has seen over a 200% increase in some application volumes and that VOC‑REHAB (Section 110) federal grants require a non‑federal match (the program is funded roughly 78.7% federal, 21.3% non‑federal). Neles asked for new FTEs, including a grant analyst, and a maintenance position for the Blind Business Enterprise Program to improve vendor and equipment response.

Office of Workforce Innovation (OWIN): Executive Director Marshall Snead described OWIN’s role coordinating statewide career pathways and said AB 428 implementation focuses initially on education, health care and clean energy pathways, with funding awards for internships and work‑based learning to expand opportunities.

IT, data and research: Chief economist David Schmidt reviewed labor market context — slower employment growth and faster wage growth — and highlighted DETR’s district‑level web data tools (Nevadaworkforce.com/legislative-districts) and the state longitudinal data system used to leverage research grants.

Budget and staffing highlights: DETR presented a biennial request that the director said totals roughly $358,000,000 in year one and $343,000,000 in year two; the department noted 46.5% of that is federal funding, roughly 3.5% general fund, and the balance from program fees and other sources. The agency reported 944.5 FTEs and an 8% vacancy rate. DETR requested reclassification of intermittent positions to permanent status for IT and customer‑facing roles and authority to continue intermittent positions that support UI after go‑live.

What the committee pressed on: Members asked for specifics about the appeals backlog, fraud prosecutions and whether modernized systems will reduce processing times. Nelson said non‑fraud appeals are being scheduled into March 2025 and fall within DOL timeliness metrics; Deputy Director Troy Jordan described prosecutions as mostly federal, multi‑state rings and said ID.me and other tools “diminished” identity theft fraud dramatically.

Next steps: No formal action was taken at the hearing. DETR said it would continue monitoring the AI and NUI implementations, coordinate outreach associated with the benefits rollout, and follow up with the committee about fraud, staffing and the vocational rehabilitation match for federal draws.","The Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation told the Legislature it is moving Phase 2 of a modernized unemployment insurance system toward a summer 2025 launch, credited a new system with boosting tax collections and detailed sharp increases in vocational rehabilitation caseloads that require new staff and matching funds.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6357377,"Wildlife agency asks for law‑enforcement funding, habitat restoration support and a centralized data system",2164,10425000,12589000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215135-23f07a8f1b060fc2006bab6964eb3972&start=10425&end=12589","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2215135-23f07a8f1b060fc2006bab6964eb3972/thumbnail_10425000.jpg","/articles/6357377/Nevada/Wildlife-agency-asks-for-lawenforcement-funding-habitat-restoration-support-and-a-centralized-data-system","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6357377-8775be04262f8d62de3f0366710a0c72/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150566&Signature=QyJayxXCk~aznxH7r0Y9EcsS2zCiB1wpQBO6SfiFWf52QunVliimJ86jhs3uWo5XZjErD5oayUzSFVZN2hu2CewxjZvM3KhAAst-faZPQ22bAiDuf15knNlf3wXgSZrDoJD3WPf2znxg8t~Rc3tnvoT6Pt4uZfznYaHkDBjExi-UgGn0AJgGyiiZZkyPOsVLDcPGwv6aCKGpCFp6q9yzhJUIS9kro8PxXs1W4CA1hDMqu6OslCMhtU6TeBwuQ7tx-hi5vSlIemOl9e7c3ukK4mRaRW2sntZ~IQ2Fq-yVgf-En6rUI7uk7Ksb8~cbYA2U5WIO8em3LRVf4l0j4h0J0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Nevada Department of Wildlife Director Alan Janae presented budget requests and program updates to the Legislative Commission’s budget subcommittee, seeking additional law enforcement support, funding for a centralized wildlife database, and continued investment in habitat restoration programs.

Why it matters: NDOW’s work influences hunting and fishing access, public safety on state waters, wildlife habitat health and conservation funding. Agency choices about fees, staffing and data systems will affect sportsmen and women, rural economies and state compliance with federal wildlife and water projects.

Data modernization and database request: NDOW said it needs about $1.26 million annually to develop a centralized wildlife data system that would combine multiple existing databases to support research, public records requests and licensing services.

Law enforcement and public safety: NDOW emphasized that game wardens are category‑1 peace officers and said grant and federal funding constraints limit the department’s ability to use user‑derived sportsperson funds for broad public‑safety missions. The agency requested additional state general fund support to ensure boating and watercraft safety, emergency responses and law enforcement activities do not divert restricted federal excise funds.

Habitat and restoration: NDOW reported treating about 84,000 acres of habitat last year at a cost the agency cited as roughly $3,700,000 and said total restoration since 2017 is about 710,000 acres. The department said sagebrush loss is a major concern — it estimated roughly 50% less sagebrush statewide than in prior decades — and requested continued funding for sagebrush resilience and prescribed treatments.

Youth licensing and outreach: NDOW described a youth licensing initiative that removed a $15 fee and created a donation‑assisted fund; the agency said more than 10,000 youth licenses were obtained through the program and that about 65% of those holders had never previously held a fishing license.

Predator fee split and small projects: NDOW explained last session’s change splitting predator‑fee allocations into habitat/research and lethal management pots; the agency said the initial election by applicants produced roughly 66% selecting lethal management and the remainder selecting habitat/research, creating approximately $373,000 for the habitat/research pot. The agency intends to fund habitat and research projects from that pot in the coming year.

Bills and regulatory proposals: NDOW said it will seek legislation (Senate Bill 79) to allow the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners to set license and tag fees by regulation within legislatively defined inflationary limits. The agency also filed a cleanup bill (Assembly Bill 59) to clarify that game wardens enforce state law as category‑1 peace officers and to update language about antler‑point definitions and feeding prohibitions for rabies‑vector species and cervid bodily fluids.

Risks and surveillance: Director Janae flagged chronic wasting disease (CWD) as a near‑term threat at Nevada’s borders, said NDOW conducts surveillance and prepared contingency planning, and asked for vigilance and funding to respond quickly should CWD be detected in Nevada.

Next steps: NDOW will supply legislative language and program scopes to the Legislature as bills move through committees. No formal votes occurred at the hearing.","The Nevada Department of Wildlife requested state support for law enforcement and facilities, funding for a centralized wildlife database, continued sagebrush habitat work and authority to adjust licensing fees by commission regulation; the agency also flagged chronic wasting disease risk and described a successful youth license program.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Conservation department seeks bond funding, IT consolidation and more park staff

DETR outlines UI modernization, rising rehabilitation caseloads and workforce initiatives

Wildlife agency asks for law‑enforcement funding, habitat restoration support and a centralized data system