[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-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",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_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",6620218,"mediaKeyId","2813052-20dbe112a73b2c70fcb3ad0fb4a63a58","parentId",2813052,"title","Washoe bill would create framework for regional county fire protection district; study, governance and funding draw scrutiny","audioSeconds",4331,"startMs",4892000,"endMs",9223000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2813052-20dbe112a73b2c70fcb3ad0fb4a63a58&start=4892&end=9223","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2813052-20dbe112a73b2c70fcb3ad0fb4a63a58/thumbnail_4892000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6620218/Nevada/Washoe-bill-would-create-framework-for-regional-county-fire-protection-district-study-governance-and-funding-draw-scrutiny","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620218-f7e18864008be124038b9bab32adfd82/orig.mp4?Expires=1775628922&Signature=dLbZUOtvXUYNZSUHcmrkoy9~20zAhOenOtg~uwCnKXxci3Sh9Po2gtTPm4l3zCsXSTfuqBFzVNcHDRqH48caaNS-omp02sDSOyfN02K8Lb6j5VJCArBd-u-fXC~qYPEm8MXODZ0WwjCEdzKuthXSxxDtUYy4bC6zRPnjgamp3vTkWHQUfmT64PZU3fVU-nTdwFrDu6vC74UZ--1q-mvzEj3bDyUPVPxq7qnwv8kv5GhS7hO-VgMhF6UOEtgooLGwY~iHlkUZNOEjRxV1qDQqeaXSHjxbygPNmLugkZD3N-8~Z9ojOavLCeAnPysNdydJ9Az4AkdR3eiqnQqEBhDFeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Nevada State Legislature","date","2025-03-28T20:42:11.267Z","article","Senate Bill 319 would create statutory authority for the formation of a County Fire Protection District in Washoe County and set a framework for study, governance and possible funding mechanisms, sponsor Skip Daly told the Senate Government Affairs Committee. The bill envisions elected representation from the three local governments, a feasibility study, and potential assessment authority to pay district costs.

\"This is a platform that will allow the three local governments to explore a regional, or consolidated fire district,\" Senator Daly said. Under the bill as amended, a Board of Fire Commissioners would be composed of elected members (the sponsor described two elected members from each of Reno, Sparks and Washoe County, for a total of six). The bill directs the three local governments to conduct a joint study to identify timing, management, funding and implementation; the study period runs through July 1, 2027, giving local officials time to investigate whether consolidation is warranted and how to structure it. If the commission determines an assessment is necessary, the cities of Reno and Sparks must ratify the recommendation before implementation, and the county assessor would enter the assessment on the assessment roll for collection.

Supporters — including Washoe County and city managers, multiple fire chiefs, and Professional Firefighters Nevada — argued the region already shares mutual‑aid and automatic‑aid relationships and that an integrated framework could improve response times, unify training and prevention, and reduce duplicated administrative costs. \"When you combine those all under one umbrella with unified control ... you're going to deliver better public safety for everybody in the region,\" Dave Cochran, Reno fire chief, said.

Fire chiefs described current operational frictions that a unified framework could smooth. Witnesses said the region operates on multiple computer‑aided dispatch (CAD) systems and that moving to a single CAD (an upcoming Hexagon system was discussed) or a regional dispatch center would enable dispatchers to identify the closest, appropriate units regardless of jurisdiction. Speakers also pointed to regional teams — such as a shared hazardous‑materials team — as local examples of effective cooperation.

Opponents — including the Builders Association of Northern Nevada and multiple public callers — focused on funding language. They said the bill's authority to levy an assessment, place it on the county assessment roll, and collect it like ordinary county taxes could amount to a property‑tax‑style increase. Witnesses requested clearer protections: who can modify or veto an assessment; whether the assessment could require county collection and the same penalties applied to property taxes; and how existing debt would be handled.

Sponsor Daly and local officials sought to clarify protections in the amendment. They said assessments are not labeled as property taxes in statute but conceded an assessment entered on the county assessment roll would be collected with the same timing and penalties as other county levies. Daly emphasized that the bill is primarily a study tool and that implementation would require agreement across the three local governing bodies; he also said the board structure requires at least four affirmative votes to pass actions, and at least one affirmative vote must come from each participating entity to avoid two cities outvoting the county.

Committee questions addressed the study's funding (the amendment says the three entities would share the study cost), the timeline for local votes, and whether a new district would increase costs for homeowners. Supporters pointed to Southern Nevada's longstanding regional dispatch and unrestricted automatic‑aid model as an operational example. Several residents and callers opposed the bill citing potential tax increases and requested any consolidation be subject to public votes. The committee closed the hearing after taking testimony; no committee vote was recorded in the session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3/28/2025 - Senate Committee on Government Affairs","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 319 would authorize a County Fire Protection District in Washoe County, require a joint feasibility study by Reno, Sparks and Washoe County, and create a framework for governance and assessments, the sponsor said at a Senate Government Affairs Committee hearing.","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},6620214,"Senator Neal's bill would move Nevada Equal Rights Commission to Attorney General and codify expanded civil‑rights authorities",789,5841000,6630000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2813052-20dbe112a73b2c70fcb3ad0fb4a63a58&start=5841&end=6630","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2813052-20dbe112a73b2c70fcb3ad0fb4a63a58/thumbnail_5841000.jpg","/articles/6620214/Nevada/Senator-Neals-bill-would-move-Nevada-Equal-Rights-Commission-to-Attorney-General-and-codify-expanded-civilrights-authorities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620214-4cf8cc8a092fe0fefadd074e4ba2a779/orig.mp4?Expires=1775628922&Signature=AWle3LyRgppk1BVZgBsPOYcCmCzvbH6AFJHnXdtSUSvHo2pZ2LtqQ6H1~uZurVFVuNGkcJ9f0vQX7NFpNu4J~P~kBr0HvoSkfK2Cgb~UbihaOUPhsV7rcqTTLpFTRuDDuE45pBA5FaPbn1bK277IyMRpSPH24Ct3givsFCiDnS04jl9BcNBH7Dn4yjooJt4A2xHNw0lQMcXcyKxN7bxlNXuHEMhFMl6KbeE7KPVj2yrmzR4JL7rXEJQksD7kuP23mHR-duIGHGrWHgd5WXiilBbYaKabASV7jNRejrAovxnupRF0-fMzm-x~gpmrnicizjj634G~tJx6e3bHw553BA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 160 would transfer administration of the Nevada Equal Rights Commission (NERC) from the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) to the Office of the Attorney General, sponsor Senator Dina Neal said in a Senate Government Affairs hearing. The bill's accompanying amendment would also add authorities to NERC’s statutory charge, including environmental‑justice investigations, mechanisms related to workplace diversity and inclusion, procurement‑related equal‑opportunity provisions, and explicit protections for gender identity and expression consistent with U.S. Supreme Court precedent.

\"I have been on a journey to strengthen NERC for a really long time,\" Senator Dina Neal said, and described the statutory transfer as a way to align oversight and prosecution of complaints with the attorney general's existing role in reviewing and litigating civil‑rights matters. Neal said the amendment drew language from previous executive orders and federal guidance to codify protections she said Nevadans had relied on but which may be at risk from federal or executive changes.

Neal explained that the amendment would authorize NERC to investigate and bring actions related to environmental justice where neighborhoods have suffered long‑term environmental harm; to support workplace diversity and accountability following executive orders dating to 2011; and to incorporate procurement and contractor requirements aligned with prior state executive actions. She also said the amendment is intended to reflect federal developments, including the U.S. Supreme Court’s Bostock v. Clayton County decision (2020), which extended Title VII protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity in employment contexts, and to ensure Nevada’s state statutes preserve related protections.

Teresa Benitez Thompson, chief of staff to Attorney General Ford, testified in neutral on behalf of the attorney general’s office. She said the attorney general's office is \"value aligned\" with the bill's goals to protect Nevadans against discrimination and that, if the policy decision is made to move NERC to the attorney general's office, the office would support carrying out the work. Committee members asked about which activities would be new to NERC under the transfer and whether language replicated or altered existing NRS provisions; staff counsel confirmed the bill mostly transfers existing functions and that some administration‑level delegation language in prior law is updated to make the attorney general the designating official where appropriate.

No opponent testimony appeared at the hearing. The committee closed the hearing after taking testimony and did not record a committee vote.","Senate Bill 160 would transfer the Nevada Equal Rights Commission (NERC) from DETR to the Office of the Attorney General and the sponsor's amendment would add statutory authority for environmental‑justice investigations, workplace‑diversity accountability and related provisions, sponsor Dina Neal said.",{"_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},6620211,"Senate committee bill would move Economic Forum meeting earlier and shift contract authority to LCB",764,7694000,8458000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2813052-20dbe112a73b2c70fcb3ad0fb4a63a58&start=7694&end=8458","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2813052-20dbe112a73b2c70fcb3ad0fb4a63a58/thumbnail_7694000.jpg","/articles/6620211/Nevada/Senate-committee-bill-would-move-Economic-Forum-meeting-earlier-and-shift-contract-authority-to-LCB","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620211-5c0f971131e9c2b4b3d0e1be0b3d4c43/orig.mp4?Expires=1775628922&Signature=aIqYTb2nuYPW7ySe0LWI1DIMbLYON4hIAxTBLOQ0G06eEMSkpe2~gBWuRpcZDHt3cflkfP8zaaa41nJebhGzVTpR7uzW7AY0snA36W6POhPt2Vb7oOT8IYXVziu8evXF1Lc68EarnWFTmnHCXFU16mMzyUSL2BC29luO39o4q0ywzd8vVdqGaCdzUhoCBCnrLCiCGyyMc7hQcgEEjJ3zJgmfdPVJgEuEGLUX~6tr6HAXyo7tIkFqYKOKJ3FKZKBNBunGSJtc6M0Fv0Rn1qY3b4un8GpUfE41frMjwdoHbjzMFqzoNN-Sz-YwWLRrNoLa793fI98JkPmMOf-tf4Zn5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 419 would move the statutory date for the Economic Forum’s regular legislative‑session meeting from on or before May 1 to on or before April 1, and would authorize the Legislative Counsel Bureau (LCB) director to enter into contracts to assist the Economic Forum and its Technical Advisory Committee, committee members heard.

Sponsor Senator Marilyn Dondero Loop told the Senate Government Affairs Committee the change is intended to give the Legislature more time between the Economic Forum’s updated general‑fund revenue forecast and the end of a constitutionally limited 120‑day session. \"The current May 1 date was put into statute before the adoption of a 120‑day session limit,\" she said. Moving the date to April 1 would give budget drafters and legislators additional time to adjust appropriations if necessary.

The bill would also shift administration of contracts that assist the Economic Forum — for example, contracts for revenue forecasting and data processing services — from the Executive Branch to the Legislative Counsel Bureau, which currently can and does rely on outside contractors for fiscal work. Fiscal division staff told the committee those forecasting contracts already exist and that the change would move administration of them to LCB rather than creating a new contract load.

Committee members asked whether the governor’s July 1 requirement to impanel the Economic Forum would change; fiscal staff confirmed that July 1 remains unchanged. No opposition testimony was presented during the hearing, and the committee closed the bill’s hearing with technical questions answered by legislative fiscal staff.","Senate Bill 419 would change the Economic Forum’s statutorily required meeting from on or before May 1 to on or before April 1 and authorize the Legislative Counsel Bureau to enter contracts needed to support the Economic Forum and its Technical Advisory Committee, sponsors said in committee.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6620223,"Bill would bar fees for spouses buried in Nevada veterans cemeteries; agency warns of budget shortfall",596,2994000,3590000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2813052-20dbe112a73b2c70fcb3ad0fb4a63a58&start=2994&end=3590","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2813052-20dbe112a73b2c70fcb3ad0fb4a63a58/thumbnail_2994000.jpg","/articles/6620223/Nevada/Bill-would-bar-fees-for-spouses-buried-in-Nevada-veterans-cemeteries-agency-warns-of-budget-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620223-a0f77de600cace1e7f6f99f10b905a27/orig.mp4?Expires=1775628922&Signature=QDM~zjQiWZpfs~qp2LzMDIAWDP7m25Op8LTn-OQ7C7eq9v6cVB61SFTWzwKfVifOIFnX4CFMXQJ9xfw1Z5k8QxYUuot3BESn~xj5EeZkeCnTtfhXx6xeYPufcy0kwXGGMgNDM5R0zGL~kDb1-IdwT5ObxnPmgCyTr2rfVF0y~dPyH~~MzjdgKhshiOaFQqh54DXv2glUtyTUf6AP9AuJe7d3ZQHowhzVYP1-9g8XqFjv0ujOMhDR3tOMuiaoj29mzpZGruecKcLUrSccp8R9PBipgXEd00tJSuIJceAo6-mRz~lcDPw51t4VIPv-0AW~fJYyzCvbs6-P0wWVtiIWAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 399 would prohibit the Director of Nevada Department of Veterans Services from charging a fee for interment of a veteran's spouse at the state's veterans cemeteries, a sponsor said at a Senate Government Affairs Committee hearing. Senator Jeff Stone, sponsor of the bill, said eliminating the spousal fee is a gesture of appreciation for veterans' families.

\"It is essential to recognize the immense sacrifices made by the spouses of veterans,\" Stone said as he described the bill’s intent to eliminate the $450 burial fee charged for spouses; the fee for a grave marker is separate and likewise not federally subsidized, he and witnesses said. The prohibition in SB 399 would apply to the two state veterans memorial cemeteries: Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley and Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City.

Director Devine of the Nevada Department of Veterans Services testified in the neutral position and said the department would be negatively impacted if the fee were eliminated without an offset. The department projected a revenue shortfall of approximately $380,000 per fiscal year and up to $1.5 million across the next two biennia. Devine said those fees are applied to operating costs at both cemeteries, which are among the state's busiest, and that general‑fund support would be required to backfill the revenues if the fee is removed.

Supporters included Todd Inglesby, president of Professional Firefighters Nevada, who said veterans and their families deserve the change, and the Nevada State Education Association, whose representative Brian Wallace noted that the change would protect members enrolled in PERS who are affected when an employer or entity is delinquent in providing retirement contributions. No organized opposition appeared at the hearing.

Committee members asked whether the federal government subsidizes the spousal internment fee; witnesses said the $450 interment fee and marker cost are not covered by federal funding and would be paid by state voters if the state removes them. No committee action or vote was taken during the hearing; the committee closed the public hearing and kept the bill in committee for further consideration.","Senate Bill 399 would prohibit charging a fee for interring the spouse of an eligible veteran in Nevada veterans cemeteries. The Department of Veterans Services said eliminating the fee would create an annual shortfall of about $380,000 unless replaced with general funds.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6620227,"PERS seeks broader tools to collect delinquent employer contributions",1423,1577000,3000000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2813052-20dbe112a73b2c70fcb3ad0fb4a63a58&start=1577&end=3000","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2813052-20dbe112a73b2c70fcb3ad0fb4a63a58/thumbnail_1577000.jpg","/articles/6620227/Nevada/PERS-seeks-broader-tools-to-collect-delinquent-employer-contributions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620227-b0c07178a968deeefe313992e0348a2a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775628922&Signature=i46N~0iRvMYCsA4NuUbtCuRzTG6CMMvazuWc8-4y23oLRuJEjdX1ykRQTcXF93DLvGCx~jNFPZiCILIihic24ZLW6JfGNnTGDr6xeHsiTkdQkKXXBr29Sd8F2dskVYMNXQpeYtfXWc7XtUbesqG61xzqsH2j50nCacQR41sHUFpzQGmQ2j7yv4n2SO4tIxvkEUmAviBzPs4Ps3uWcEJh58wXrhEqPRsQxRWH-2ogHLRlVxUTuzuiJqU9BzB7XcTDcczNjCf1-pUOX20dgXDu5In2Tq0608CGrfy7cjFG-D8DBMo6ATj5ru6Uf0s9dQO91Pmtv0BIZ6sN2huqk-LyTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 418 would give the Nevada Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) additional mechanisms to collect overdue contributions from public employers, PERS officials said at a Senate Government Affairs Committee hearing. Teresa Chalmers, Chief Administrative Analyst for PERS, and Ian Carr, general counsel, outlined how delayed employer payments harm employees' credited service and the retirement trust fund.

The bill would amend existing collection procedures so that when an employer is more than 90 days delinquent PERS would notify the agency that has statutory authority over that employer — for example, the State Board of Examiners for executive-branch entities, the Office of Court Administrator for the judicial branch, the Legislative Counsel Bureau director for the legislative branch, the Department of Taxation for local governments, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction for school districts and charter schools. The measure would also add statutory mechanisms allowing the superintendent to intercept per-pupil allocations to cover charter-school delinquencies and would clarify the State Board of Examiners’ authority to expend contingency funds for certain payments. PERS representatives said the changes aim to protect both employee accounts and the trust fund’s investment base.

PERS officials told the committee that most employers remit contributions on time but that some do not. \"This bill is important for the protection of all public employees' retirement accounts and the trust fund,\" Teresa Chalmers said, explaining that payroll reports and contributions are needed before PERS can credit service or employee contributions. Ian Carr, PERS general counsel, told senators the Department of Taxation’s existing collection route is effective for many local governments but lacks jurisdiction over some employers — notably charter schools and other entities that draw funds from nontraditional sources.

PERS staff described recent delinquencies: over the past two years the system tracked nine public employers that were 90 days to one year late; two charter schools currently are on board‑approved payment plans with a combined balance due of $486,682 (one school: $231,425; the other: $255,257). PERS said late remittances delay employees’ ability to obtain service credit or to withdraw contributions and can reduce the trust fund’s investment opportunities, affecting cash‑flow management.

The bill would amend NRS provisions governing contributions and collections (PERS staff cited NRS chapter 286 provisions on employer and employee contributions and the requirement to report payroll and remit contributions on a monthly basis). PERS described section‑by‑section changes to require notification to the appropriate authority when an employer is delinquent more than 90 days and to authorize interception or other recovery procedures tailored to the employer type. PERS staff said the Department of Taxation has been responsive where it has jurisdiction but that alternative authorities are needed in cases the Department cannot reach.

Witnesses who testified in support included Todd Inglesby, president of Professional Firefighters Nevada and a PERS board member, who said the change is necessary to protect members’ retirement benefits; and Brian Wallace of the Nevada State Education Association, who noted the bill directs the superintendent to deduct delinquent PERS amounts from per‑pupil allocations for charter schools once notified by PERS. No opponent witnesses appeared during the hearing. Committee members asked PERS staff for clarification of current practice, examples of delinquent amounts, and whether payment plans have been honored; PERS said the two charter schools on plans have complied with their payment schedules.

The committee held the bill's public hearing; no committee vote was recorded during the session. PERS staff stood by for questions and indicated they had not received prehearing formal objections from employers. The bill as introduced would be effective on passage and approval.","Public Employees' Retirement System officials told the Senate Government Affairs Committee that Senate Bill 418 would add collection mechanisms and expand which agencies PERS can notify when employers are 90 days delinquent, citing delayed retirements and lost investment earnings for the trust fund.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Washoe bill would create framework for regional county fire protection district; study, governance and funding draw scrutiny

Senator Neal's bill would move Nevada Equal Rights Commission to Attorney General and codify expanded civil‑rights authorities

Senate committee bill would move Economic Forum meeting earlier and shift contract authority to LCB

Bill would bar fees for spouses buried in Nevada veterans cemeteries; agency warns of budget shortfall

PERS seeks broader tools to collect delinquent employer contributions