Committee hears bill to create Nevada State Service Corps to recruit recent graduates to state jobs

Assemblymember Mosca presented Assembly Bill 285 to the Assembly Committee on Government Affairs, describing a proposal to create a Nevada State Service Corps to recruit recent college graduates into state service and build a pipeline into state employment. Mosca said the idea is meant to "get NSHE graduates excited to be part of government," and described the measure as a workforce-development and recruitment strategy rather than a large standalone program.

Why it matters: Nevada state agencies are operating with elevated vacancy rates in some offices and a comparatively small share of younger employees. Proponents told the committee the bill would create a visible pathway into state service, expand recruiting, offer professional development and mentorship, and help retain talent in Nevada. Supporters compared the proposal to other states’ service-year initiatives and emphasized the role of AmeriCorps-style service in connecting young people to public-sector careers.

Provisions and sponsor intent: The sponsor described the bill as focusing on three practical elements: - Pilot and recognition: The current draft contemplates a pilot approach to keep initial costs modest; participants would receive a "state service corps" designation and be connected with mentorship and professional development rather than creating a large new standalone agency. - Partnership: Mosca said the Department of Administration (the state's human resources agency) should coordinate with the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) chancellor's workforce office and other partners to recruit and match graduates to open positions. - Job status: The sponsor emphasized the intent that corps participants hold regular full-time classified positions, with the "corps" designation being the recognition element rather than a temporary employment status. Mosca said the recognition could be time-limited while the underlying job would be a standard state position.

Stakeholder support and existing programs: The bill received broad support from higher-education leaders, workforce groups, chambers of commerce and service organizations. Alejandro Rodriguez testified on behalf of NSHE in support; Zanni Marsh, executive director of Nevada Volunteers (the state service commission that administers AmeriCorps), said the bill would help "transform the way Nevada looks" and strengthen talent capture. Randy Robinson (Nevada Volunteers and the city of Las Vegas) and other nonprofit and business groups urged the committee to adopt the pilot approach and highlighted the value of service in creating career pathways. Proponents also cited SB87 (enacted in prior sessions) that created limited hiring pathways for service members into state jobs.

Clarifying details and data cited: The sponsor cited statewide vacancy data and said the state's overall vacancy rate recently was reported as roughly 13%, with some individual offices as high as 27%; Nevada Volunteers and AmeriCorps partners noted existing corps capacity in the state (roughly 100 sites and 1,700 AmeriCorps members across programs). Committee members and the sponsor discussed broadening the bill to include trade-school and nontraditional postsecondary graduates; the sponsor said she would pursue technical amendments and partnerships if the committee sought to broaden eligibility.

Record and next steps: No committee vote was recorded during the hearing. Committee members asked detailed questions about target age groups, eligibility (NSHE graduates vs. trade schools and new Americans), program mechanics and the degree to which the proposal would require additional appropriations. Proponents proposed a scaled, pilot approach and said legislative recognition and a required legislative adviser would be part of initial implementation.

Ending: Supporters positioned AB285 as a recruitment and workforce-development tool intended to help state agencies fill vacancies and retain talent by offering professional development and a visible public-service pathway for recent graduates; the bill will continue through the legislative process without a recorded committee vote at this hearing.