Nevada senators hear bill to form Transit-to-Trails task force to improve public transit access to outdoor recreation

Carson City — Lawmakers on the Nevada Senate Committee on Natural Resources heard testimony on Senate Bill 405 on Oct. 27, 2025, a proposal to create a Transit-to-Trails task force to study and recommend ways to connect public transit with trailheads and outdoor recreation sites across Nevada.

Senator Julie Pizzina, sponsor of the measure, told the committee the task force aims to “bridge the gap between public transportation and trail access,” citing problems such as limited transportation options that prevent many Nevadans from reaching outdoor spaces and create public-safety and parking pressures in busy areas such as the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The bill’s sponsors and supporters said the task force would be charged with identifying transit-location priorities, coordinating with regional transit agencies and federal land managers, and helping apply for grant funding to expand equitable access to outdoor recreation. Olivia Tanager, director of the Sierra Club's Toiyabe chapter, described the proposed membership as including representatives of the governor's office, law enforcement, regional transportation commissions for Southern Nevada and Washoe County, the Division of Outdoor Recreation, two public members, and representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service. A conceptual amendment submitted adds a seat for the Tahoe Transportation District and broadens the language from "trails" to "outdoor recreation areas."

Supporters emphasized equity and youth access. James Mortensen, a student who spoke in support, said, “Having a car shouldn't stop you from accessing a trail,” and described outdoor access as a formative, family experience. Olivia Tanager said the Sierra Club runs "Inspiring Connections Outdoors" (ICO) programs in Reno and Las Vegas and that transportation is the biggest hurdle keeping students and inner-city residents from participating.

Representatives of regional agencies and conservation organizations offered testimony for the bill. Devin Middlebrook of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency said the agency supported inclusion of a Tahoe seat and noted that 3.6% of Tahoe residents live in zero-vehicle households, a population the task force could help serve. Christy Cabrera Georgeson, deputy director of the Nevada Conservation League, and Jayna Moan, Nevada external affairs director for The Nature Conservancy, also testified in support, citing public-health and congestion-reduction benefits. The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada said it is prepared to work with the task force to assess needs and contribute planning expertise.

Opposition testimony came from one caller, Fred Boltz, who said SB 405 "lacks merit, fails to demonstrate need and cannot support a viable service schedule to attract sufficient outdoor seekers," and questioned the fiscal assumptions and composition of the task force. Boltz also argued that transit agencies already pursue federal funding through existing grant programs and that agencies are facing service and funding pressures.

Several youth and community speakers described personal barriers that public transit to outdoor spaces would address. Ebony Martinez and other students described occasions when lack of a car kept them from attending hikes, while spokespeople from Nevada Bugs and Butterflies and the Nevada Outdoor Business Coalition said improved transit could also support community science and the outdoor recreation economy.

No fiscal note was attached to the bill at the time of the hearing, and committee members asked about models from other states. Olivia Tanager mentioned rail-to-trail and transit-to-trail efforts in states such as New Jersey and Illinois as examples that advocates have used in framing the policy.

Senator Pizzina and bill presenters said they would continue to work with stakeholders on the conceptual amendment and on details of task-force membership and scope. The committee did not take a final vote during the hearing.

The hearing record shows broad support among environmental and recreation groups, regional planning agencies and youth advocates, balanced by one caller who raised concerns about cost and demonstrated demand. Proponents asked the panel to view the task force as a first step to coordinate existing authorities, identify priority routes, and pursue grant funding to expand transit service to outdoor recreation sites.

The measure will return for further consideration as sponsors refine the amendment language and continue stakeholder discussions.