Assembly Natural Resources committee advances four bills on dams, wildlife guzzlers, place names and community gardens

The Nevada Assembly Committee on Natural Resources advanced four bills during a work session in Carson City, approving each measure unanimously and assigning floor statements to committee members.

The measures included Assembly Bill 26, which revises provisions related to dams and had an amendment removing authorized agents from an immunity provision; Assembly Bill 132, which increases the maximum size and pipe length for wildlife water guzzlers; Assembly Bill 354, which revises membership on the Nevada State Board on Geographic Names and changes several federal entities from voting to advisory roles; and Assembly Bill 405, which requires the State Department of Agriculture director to establish a program to assist development of community gardens and urban farms in areas with high levels of food insecurity, including areas designated as food deserts.

Becky Turratt of the Legislative Counsel Bureau summarized the bills for the committee. On AB 26 she said, "Assembly Bill 26 revises provisions related to dams. This includes but is not limited to establishing a liability exemption for the state engineer, assistant, or authorized agents in certain situations, revising provisions related to the construction, reconstruction, or alteration of dams, and the authority of the state engineer to order the removal of certain dams, diversion works, or obstructions." The committee considered an amendment that removed "authorized agents" from the liability exemption.

On AB 132, Turratt said the bill "increases the maximum capacity of guzzlers from 20,000 gallons to 40,000 gallons and increases the maximum pipe length of guzzlers from one-quarter of a mile to one-half of a mile." The committee took no amendments on that bill.

AB 354 was presented as a reconstitution of the State Board on Geographic Names. Committee staff summarized an amendment that would remove federal entities as voting members, but retain the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and United States Forest Service in an advisory capacity and reduce voting membership from 12 to nine. The bill was presented to the committee by Assemblymember Karas at a prior hearing along with Paul White and Christine Johnson, who were noted as presenters during the earlier hearing record.

On AB 405, Turratt said the bill "requires the Director of the State Department of Agriculture to establish a program to assist in the development of community gardens and urban farms in areas of the state with high levels of food insecurity including areas designated as food deserts." There were no amendments to that bill at the work session.

Each motion to advance the measures carried unanimously. Committee members voiced no public testimony at the meeting; the chair reminded members that public comment would occur at the end of the meeting and that speakers would be limited to two minutes. The committee adjourned after assigning floor statements and noting the next meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 31 at 4 p.m.

Votes at a glance: AB 26 (Amend and do pass) — approved unanimously; AB 132 (Do pass) — approved unanimously; AB 354 (Amend and do pass) — approved unanimously; AB 405 (Do pass) — approved unanimously.