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Bill would move vessel fee-setting to Wildlife Commission, set fixed education deposit
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Summary
Assembly Bill 548 would transfer fee-setting authority for vessel registrations from the Legislature to the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commission, expand allowable uses of vessel-related fees, and replace a percentage-based deposit to the State Education Fund with a fixed $800,000 transfer.
The Senate Finance Committee considered Assembly Bill 548 on May 22, which would move authority to set vessel registration fees from the Legislature to the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commission, expand permitted spending of those fees to include boating education and law-enforcement costs tied to vessels, and change a percentage-based deposit into the State Education Fund to a fixed $800,000 annual deposit.
Sponsors and agency presenters said the change is intended to allow the commission to make inflationary adjustments to vessel registration fees and to stabilize the education-fund deposit. Alan Janae, director of the Nevada Department of Wildlife, told the committee the proposal would allow the commission and agency to address a fee schedule that has not been adjusted in 22 years.
"Part of the concept that has been most talked about is trying to get to that inflationary adjustment," Janae said. He also said the department would participate in commission conversations over fee-setting.
Senator Titus pressed for limits on the commission’s authority, saying the bill gives the commission "carte blanche" to raise registration fees and expressing concern that the Legislature would lose oversight over the amount of fees. "I will be a no on this bill. I am very anxious that it gives carte blanc to the wildlife commission to raise, fees, registration fees, and, I just cannot support that," Titus said later during the work session vote.
Deputy Director Jordan Goshert provided a revenue context for the change during questioning, saying, "when you look at the 10 year average, it's about $745,000 that gets transferred to the education fund." Goshert noted a COVID-era spike near $900,000 and said rounding to a fixed $800,000 was intended to reflect typical collections.
At work session the committee had no public commenters on record for or against the bill. The committee moved to "do pass" the bill; the motion was moved by Senator Wynne and seconded by Senator Cannizzaro. Senators Titus, Stone and Buck recorded "nay" votes in the transcript; the motion carried and the bill advanced.
Key statutory outcomes in the draft include removing the percentage-based deposit mechanism in favor of the $800,000 figure and transferring fee-setting authority to the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commission. The transcript does not include a detailed ceiling or numeric limits on future fee adjustments; several senators requested clarification on oversight mechanisms during questioning.
