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Senate Finance clears K-12 funding bill and two follow-up funding measures
Summary
The Senate Finance Committee approved Senate Bill 500 (K‑12 funding), Senate Bill 501 (authorizations) and Senate Bill 502 (CIP) in a series of committee votes, advancing the state''s primary education funding and related budget bills to the next stage of the legislative process.
The Nevada Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday approved three major funding measures: Senate Bill 500 (the constitutionally required K‑12 funding bill), Senate Bill 501 (authorizations from non‑general and non‑highway funds) and Senate Bill 502 (the capital improvement projects bill). Committee action came after presentations from LCB fiscal staff and floor statements from senators supporting the measures.
Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, a principal proponent of the K‑12 bill, framed SB 500 as the single funding vehicle for public education this session. "This bill represents the 1 and only bill, this legislative session that is funding education throughout the state," Cannizzaro told the committee, urging colleagues to pass the measure so schools, districts and charter schools would have their per‑pupil funding set for the coming biennium.
Cannizzaro and other supporters emphasized that SB 500 provides per‑pupil funding for all 17 school districts and charter schools across Nevada and funds transportation, food services and staff compensation that schools rely on. Opponents on the committee raised objections about details of school funding distribution; three members recorded opposition on the SB 500 vote in committee.
LCB fiscal staff described SB 501 as the authorizations bill that captures agency spending from non‑general and non‑highway funds as approved during budget closing. Senate Bill 502 consolidates capital improvement project authorizations (general obligation bonds, federal funds and agency funds) into a single CIP bill. Wayne Thorley of LCB presented the technical details for all three bills and told the committee the bill language had not changed since the BDR (draft) presentations the night before.
Committee action - SB 500 (K‑12 funding): Motion to pass made and seconded in committee; the motion carried after a roll call in which three senators were recorded as opposed. The committee recorded the outcome as approved and moved the bill forward. - SB 501 (authorizations): Moved and seconded; the committee voted to do pass. - SB 502 (CIP): Moved and seconded; the committee voted to do pass.
Why it matters: Under Nevada''s constitution, the Legislature must fund public education as a first priority. Passage of SB 500 in committee secures the baseline per‑pupil funding framework for school districts and charter operators statewide; SB 501 and SB 502 package other non‑general fund authorizations and capital projects needed by agencies.
What comes next: The three bills move on from Senate Finance per the committee''s action and will follow the regular chamber process for final passage or further floor amendments.
