Senate committee reviews bill to ease barriers for work‑based learning; background checks and reimbursement discussed

Senator Fabian Donate presented Senate Bill 446 to the Senate Committee on Education as a response to interim committee findings on barriers to work‑based learning (WBL) such as internships and apprenticeships. “Through work based learning experiences, such as internships and apprenticeships, young people can learn the technical, academic, and interpersonal skills they need to function in a workplace,” Donate said.

The bill would revise pupil participation requirements so that a majority of students who are at least 16 years old are eligible for WBL opportunities, streamline background‑check requirements, and authorize a district board of trustees to reimburse participating businesses or organizations for the costs of criminal background investigations if funds are available.

Sponsor testimony and committee staff said the bill responds to repeated stakeholder concerns: manpower and funding limits, redundant fingerprinting requirements for volunteers, and unclear standards for participation. The proposal permits school districts to exempt volunteers who have already undergone background investigations as part of professional licensing or employment, reducing administrative duplication.

Committee counsel Cameron Newton explained existing statute: volunteers who are likely to have unsupervised contact with pupils must, “before beginning … and at least once every 5 years thereafter, submit … to the school district” for a criminal background check (citing NRS provisions). The bill would authorize districts to require background checks less often than every five years for certain volunteers while still conforming to the statutory minimum.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about the meaning of “volunteer” and the liability and insurance implications for businesses that host students. Senator Dina Titus (committee member) pressed for clarity on whether volunteers who are not employed would be covered by the exemption language; Cameron Newton pointed to the statutory definition of volunteer and the bill sponsor and staff said they would follow up on liability questions and on the policy intent from the interim discussions.

Mary Pruzinsky, representing the Nevada Association of School Superintendents, spoke in support on behalf of superintendents. Jessica Glover, a parent, also testified in support, citing safety concerns and backing the fingerprinting requirements for volunteers who have contact with students.

The hearing recorded no in‑committee amendments and no formal vote. Committee staff said the provision permitting reimbursement is intended to encourage business participation in WBL by offsetting the cost of background investigations when district funds are available.

Sponsor remarks stressed a balance between expanding student access to on‑the‑job learning and maintaining protections for pupil safety. The committee closed the hearing on SB 446 after questions and statements of support; the record shows the committee asked staff and legal counsel to provide additional drafting clarification on liability and the frequency of fingerprinting.