Assembly committee approves conceptual amendment to SB 460 that cuts and reprioritizes K-12 funding

The Nevada Assembly Committee on Education on Tuesday approved a conceptual amendment to Senate Bill 460 that substantially reduces the bill’s proposed general fund appropriations and revises several policy provisions, including the method for calculating pre‑K funding and limits on transportation grants for open enrollment.

James Malone, fiscal analyst with the Legislative Counsel Bureau, told the committee the amendment reduces the bill’s general fund total from about $135,500,000 to roughly $42,600,000 over the next biennium and described specific line-item changes. "The grand total of all the changes of general fund appropriations... it'd be a $135,500,000 reduced down to $42,600,000 in the proposed amendment," Malone said.

The amendment trims or delays multiple appropriations in the bill. Among the changes Malone outlined: Section 75 (early childhood literacy and readiness grants) would be cut from $50 million to $12 million in the second year of the biennium; Section 75.5 (pre‑K grants) would be removed (originally $50 million in 2026); Section 77 (Department of Education personnel) would remove $41,694 for FY2026; Section 77.5 (transportation for pupils attending low‑performing schools) would shift $7 million from FY2026 to FY2027; and Section 78.3 (Department of Education operations) would reduce a $4 million first‑year appropriation to $2.5 million.

One‑time appropriations were likewise revised: Section 72 (Nevada Institute on teacher and educator preparation) would be reduced from $2 million in FY2026 to $1 million in FY2026 and an additional $1 million in FY2027; Section 73 (facility expansion for early childhood education) would move from $10 million in FY2026 to $4 million in FY2026 and $5 million in FY2027; Section 74 (registered teacher apprenticeship support account) would change from $4 million in FY2026 to $1 million each fiscal year; Section 78.4 (literacy interventionists and tutoring) would split $2 million into $1 million each fiscal year; and Section 78.5 (commission on school funding research contract) would be reduced from $800,000 to $400,000 in FY2026.

Malone also described non‑fiscal wording changes in the conceptual amendment. The amendment would remove Section 11.5 because, committee counsel said, it conflicts with provisions that were enacted in SB 500 (the K‑12 funding bill). Asher Killian, committee counsel, explained the conflict arises from how pupils are classified for the at‑risk weight in the funding formula. "Since the change in the bill currently in that section would change it from quartile to percentage... that change would conflict with the language that's already in the K‑12 funding bill," Killian said.

The amendment would also remove subsection 3 of Section 13.5, which had required using a per‑seat pre‑K cost of $8,410 for both fiscal years of the 2025–27 biennium. It would add language to restrict grants for transportation under Section 14.65 to pupils who demonstrate financial need, with the Department of Education to determine how financial need is shown by regulation. Finally, the amendment would require unspent funds in the new Nevada registered teacher apprenticeship support account to revert each fiscal year (removing current language that the account does not revert).

Committee policy analyst Kelly Lower told members there are additional, separate amendments attached to the work session packet: one proposed by Assemblymember Torres Fawcett with technical changes, and another from Senator Cannizzaro (submitted in consultation with the Nevada Department of Education) that accepts appropriation‑related provisions. Lower also said there is a revision affecting chapter 388GS of the Nevada Revised Statutes concerning alternative school choice language, attached to the packet.

Assemblymember Mosca thanked fiscal staff and committee leadership for the work. During discussion, Chair Danielle Monroe Moreno (Ways and Means) confirmed that the open‑enrollment transportation funding would be available in the second year of the biennium: "That $7,000,000 was moved to the second year of the biennium," she said.

Assemblymember Leroux Hatch registered a no vote and explained her opposition, citing concerns about provisions authorizing a state takeover of schools and governance by a five‑member board that would include the governor. "I have a lot of concerns, most especially about the state takeover of schools, schools being controlled by a 5 member board... and punishing our schools rather than preemptively helping them," Leroux Hatch said. "I am gonna be a no on this bill."

A motion "to amend and do pass, including the language from fiscal as well as the language in the packet in front of you" was made by Assemblymember Koenig and seconded by Assemblymember Hunt. The committee voted to approve the motion; Vice Chair Da Silva and Assemblymember Leroux Hatch were recorded as opposed. The chair assigned the floor statement to herself and adjourned the work session.

The amendment as approved will be part of the committee’s report to the floor; it contains both the fiscal adjustments described by LCB fiscal staff and several statutory and regulatory clarifications intended to align SB 460 with recently enacted K‑12 funding language in SB 500 and other measures.