[{"_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",6629325,"mediaKeyId","2705071-081e7c5c62a475c9af3cb9abe2aaab70","parentId",2705071,"title","Senate hearing on SB298 pits police unions’ push to limit arbitrator inferences against county objections","audioSeconds",1774,"startMs",5150000,"endMs",6924000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2705071-081e7c5c62a475c9af3cb9abe2aaab70&start=5150&end=6924","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2705071-081e7c5c62a475c9af3cb9abe2aaab70/thumbnail_5150000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6629325/Nevada/Senate-hearing-on-SB298-pits-police-unions-push-to-limit-arbitrator-inferences-against-county-objections","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6629325-59da0f570452c50d3d7edf7e45d357be/orig.mp4?Expires=1775830908&Signature=DeHpUSrW9LKP13T2JaH3UItU-Ggw6pDxPg02gznUppMO74qydXTTts0RZ2pNhb4-wC~AQMxX5OoPJGYVd27YMAs8jaGbq01QI2CShHmg~LDN6D1UpLS2BJBAxu7EHBXBE8FCGxy1RXNmjlnF9S5JCXKdDwGlwKvKbJyQurPJjhrNa5xNyjsMWq65TazffaG30KeIbglfLRnswieiwp6JYjJXpV8Clxqu-dAfVxGSoIomU6cZJfUFtLP5EP2vDK3H1wskR9GsLHmW5vxUYtmfrukyD0-ks0I0aj-c1FJBJxyAgznSqxo3vteu6C-ldEPH2r3kuToy9wqmLRVnhmSitA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Nevada State Legislature","date","2025-03-20T00:40:19.32Z","article","Senators on the Senate Committee on Government Affairs heard testimony on Senate Bill 298 on Thursday, a bill addressing how arbitrators may interpret gaps or silence in collective bargaining agreements and adding a definition of “punitive action” that would include denial of increases in seniority or compensation.

Senator Skip Dailey presented the amendment and said the measure grew out of a request to address how fact-finders handle situations not expressly covered by a contract. “There are any number of things, thousands of potential things that are not specifically covered in collective bargaining agreement that come up during arbitration,” Dailey said, arguing a statutory rule would let arbitrators make reasoned decisions without penalizing the party that drafted the contract language.

Supporters included the Police Managers and Supervisors Association (PMSA) and several law-enforcement unions. Troyce Krumme, PMSA chairman, told senators that traditional contract interpretation “states that the term should be construed against the drafter,” and said the bill would “prohibit the fact finder or an arbitrator from drawing an inference that benefits either side.” He said the change would encourage parties to negotiate when ambiguity arises and avoid repeated litigation over issues that negotiators simply did not foresee.

PMSA’s general counsel, Dan Coe, said the measure also seeks to define punitive action to include denial of an increase in seniority or compensation, pointing to a case in which a member’s negotiated step increase was withheld during an administrative investigation and the member later faced a demotion. Coe argued the member suffered multiple punishments for the same circumstances — withheld step increase, demotion and loss of pay tied to rank — and should have stronger statutory protections.

Opponents included the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department labor relations counsel, who argued the bill would rewrite mandatory subjects of bargaining and potentially infringe on the Employee-Management Relations Board (EMRB) jurisdiction. Jamie Frost, labor relations counsel for LVMPD, said the proposal amounts to imposing a negotiated outcome across every public employee contract because pay and promotions are routine subjects of bargaining. “There is no right in which an employee is entitled to an increase in pay,” Frost said, and she warned that the bill could require additional hearings for probationary employees or employees accused of serious misconduct while the employer is determining disciplinary action.

Committee legal counsel clarified an effective-date question: when a bill contains no specific effective date, it becomes effective Oct. 1 of the current year. Heidi Clarkson explained that if enacted without an alternative effective date, parts of SB298 would take effect Oct. 1, 2025.

Supporters including the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers, and Washoe County Sheriff Deputies Association also spoke in favor; callers and union representatives emphasized the change would protect employees from compounded penalties.

Opponents argued the change would intrude on negotiated bargaining rights, could increase litigation and risk giving employees rights to pay or seniority increases that are a matter of bargaining rather than statute. The committee closed the hearing with senators saying conversations would continue; no committee vote appears in the hearing record provided.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3/19/2025 - Senate Committee on Government Affairs","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Government Affairs Committee heard testimony on SB298, which would limit arbitrators from drawing inferences when collective-bargaining agreements are silent and define denial of an increase in seniority or compensation as a punitive action.","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},6629337,"Nevada Senate committee hears bill to let counties use 911 surcharges for construction, raises county carryover limits",1564,1308000,2872000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2705071-081e7c5c62a475c9af3cb9abe2aaab70&start=1308&end=2872","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2705071-081e7c5c62a475c9af3cb9abe2aaab70/thumbnail_1308000.jpg","/articles/6629337/Nevada/Nevada-Senate-committee-hears-bill-to-let-counties-use-911-surcharges-for-construction-raises-county-carryover-limits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6629337-b5f37c5e498aba662070ebdf7accde69/orig.mp4?Expires=1775830908&Signature=YZehzwxHbn9RTUreuXlWsztyKHOHvMUIfb-qSRcwCcYjLuN17xaUzn3iC~yuIBuZBOu7yQW3SmG0zEL30wS4R7GOWgB9cTIQiarnS3Gr5yJrifb6X5EJwrzXmStmaj6eILcvfppNOirXUhlRJdZfsqYwygFov9b3hkPFSwy1D42KEY87Mu9~DVdzuAKKSCciCX7ODS531cqKwhfoIZrD~tejB5e2hI1~kl29MFwY8Sm~FHjBXgyDdDPGfK31yJyhmXj1twxoXPH039KNO9tzajgOmPKmzurqq0mJ6cyl2aPRz5cwVzugvRgk6FCWjz4H6RoJ51kYMFwTbuIL9cxfOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senators on the Nevada Senate Committee on Government Affairs heard testimony on Senate Bill 208 on Thursday, a bill that would expand how counties may use revenue collected from county telephone surcharges for 911 services and raise the maximum fund balance counties may retain.

Sponsor Senator John Steinbeck, presenting the bill, told the committee SB208 “expands the permissible use of surcharge revenue to include costs associated with construction or upgrading facilities for emergency telephone systems.” He said the change is intended to align Nevada with federal rules and with practice in other states.

Supporters including law-enforcement and fire dispatch officials testified the change would help planned joint communications centers. Rich Hogan, chief financial officer of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, said the allowance to use surcharge revenue “would potentially . . . allow us to use some revenue to offset the cost of constructing that facility.” He and other witnesses told senators it is difficult to manage a multi-year construction project with the present $5 million carryover cap for larger counties.

Ashanti Gray, assistant chief and director of the Combined Communications Center for Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, said the center is among the region’s busiest and described how upgraded technology and colocated facilities could improve response. “This legislation is an investment in public safety. It modernizes our technology, strengthens coordination, and protects our community,” Gray said, noting the center handled “over 600,000 calls” in 2024.

Washoe County presented a friendly amendment to increase the allowable carryover for that county to $7,500,000; the bill as presented would raise the maximum ending balance to $15,000,000 for counties over 700,000 in population and preserve lower thresholds for smaller counties. Cadence Matevich of Washoe County summarized the amendment and said the cap increase recognizes that “the buying power of $5,000,000 when this was originally put into place is not the same as it used to be.”

Committee legal staff and the bill sponsor clarified an amendment addressing portable event recording devices (body-worn cameras). Heidi Clarkson of the Legislative Council Bureau explained the bill as introduced would have removed authority to use 911 surcharge funds for body cameras; the committee’s conceptual amendment keeps those sections of law unchanged so the bill “does not affect those sections.” Senator Steinbeck and counsel reiterated the bill does not raise the per-line surcharge itself; local counties set and collect the fees.

Local governments and public-safety organizations from Clark and Washoe counties and municipal governments testified in support, including Clark County and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department representatives, dispatch supervisors from Reno, and labor organizations for dispatch and public-safety personnel. Witnesses said the changes would allow counties to accumulate funds for large, one-time capital projects; speakers repeatedly emphasized the bill is enabling rather than mandatory — counties would still choose whether to impose and spend the surcharge.

No one testified in opposition during the hearing. Senator Steinbeck closed by thanking the committee and supporters and noting dispatchers are “the unsung heroes” of emergency response.

If adopted, the bill would allow counties that already impose the local 911 telephone surcharge to apply that revenue to construction and facility upgrades for emergency telephone systems, raise specified carryover limits by county population, and leave decisions about actual surcharges and implementation to county authorities.","Senators on the Nevada Senate Committee on Government Affairs heard testimony on SB208, which would allow counties to use 911 telephone-surcharge revenue to fund construction or upgrades of emergency telephone facilities and raise carryover limits for larger counties.",{"_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},6629331,"Senate panel backs expanding student loan-repayment program to include marriage, family and substance-use counselors",2037,2922000,4959000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2705071-081e7c5c62a475c9af3cb9abe2aaab70&start=2922&end=4959","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2705071-081e7c5c62a475c9af3cb9abe2aaab70/thumbnail_2922000.jpg","/articles/6629331/Nevada/Senate-panel-backs-expanding-student-loan-repayment-program-to-include-marriage-family-and-substance-use-counselors","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6629331-5bf7e5c288c2f3c6a9acac1520ac795e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775830908&Signature=UWzaqrKbLCYMFmhPsM5NIxDUu10XVaj2~TxTGYu4qzeolDmQmddJuY50pkorpVrOoH8-Cp9ZMZI~paXli6uXC5qWncr0vYHyZ2BjTAq18-hf8EreO4a7BdSWcX3JsIX1~CrAgjQmc3vy9tgrZz3~IDoHO6xj5WVIyPf08f6o95Ew44DOvaI9PwUryb75yeRDzaUfsuIXZt7mmT1gX~a-fSevUQ8G0i1JhmWiTZRWeYpGgS73RwrE87F2UcFktCo98iZquVYipV80PykyCFuJThNIyrDW1X94HAv~b5WYj6-mD~JCGDUOoqli8VcPfVFdVKJw6PikK-u9U6C9nIHjpQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senators on the Senate Committee on Government Affairs heard testimony on Senate Bill 266 on Thursday, a proposal to expand Nevada’s student loan repayment program for providers who work in underserved communities to include marriage and family therapists and certified alcohol-and-drug counselors.

Senator Angie Taylor, sponsor of SB266, told the committee the bill “revises provisions governing the student loan repayment for providers of health care in underserved communities” to add the two professions. Fiona Perrault, who summarized the bill text for the committee, listed the new provider categories the bill would add.

Clinicians and education and public-health advocates testified in support. Dr. Ruth Ann Wright, a licensed alcohol-and-drug counselor, marriage-and-family therapist and psychologist with decades of supervisory experience, described supervising interns and what she said is the debt burden those trainees carry. “I have been privy to an incredible amount of information about the debt my interns having incurred in their desire to become licensed,” Wright said, arguing the change would help retain clinicians in underserved areas.

Several educational institutions, local governments and health providers also supported the bill and emphasized workforce shortages in rural and underserved communities. Cadence Matevich for Washoe County and representatives of Nevada State University, the University of Nevada, Reno and UNLV said the measure would expand the behavioral-health pipeline. Sarah Adler of Vitality Unlimited, which operates rural treatment programs, said the change addresses a “desperate need” for licensed alcohol-and-drug counselors in rural Nevada.

Legislative counsel clarified program eligibility and service requirements. Heidi Clarkson, legal division, summarized the eligibility rules recorded in the hearing record: to be eligible applicants must be residents of Nevada, be actively licensed, certified or registered in good standing in the state as a provider of health care and must commit to at least five years of clinical practice in an underserved area (which may include rural counties, tribal lands or qualifying census tracts).

Senator Taylor noted the state treasurer’s office administers the program created by the prior session and told the committee the treasurer’s fiscal note for SB266 indicated no fiscal impact. Witnesses said demand for loan-repayment awards exceeds available funding and that the change would add professions that historically were omitted from the original statutory list.

Opposition testimony was limited; a caller argued more fundamental workforce issues such as compensation should be addressed for medical providers. Committee members asked clarifying questions about exactly who may apply and whether applicants must have trained in Nevada; legal counsel said applicants must be current Nevada residents and licensed in Nevada but did not find a requirement in the statute that applicants trained in-state.

The sponsor closed urging support for the small statutory correction and noting the bill is intended to broaden the pool of behavioral-health professionals eligible for loan repayment in underserved areas.","Senate Bill 266 would add marriage-and-family therapists and alcohol-and-drug counselors to the state’s student loan repayment program for providers serving underserved communities; sponsor and multiple university, county and provider witnesses urged passage, and legal counsel clarified eligibility and a five-year service commitment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate hearing on SB298 pits police unions’ push to limit arbitrator inferences against county objections

Nevada Senate committee hears bill to let counties use 911 surcharges for construction, raises county carryover limits

Senate panel backs expanding student loan-repayment program to include marriage, family and substance-use counselors