Senate committee hears bill to expand Nevada State Seal of Civics, lower GPA and test cutoff

Senate Bill 245, presented to the Senate Committee on Education in Carson City with remote testimony from Las Vegas, would expand Nevada’s State Seal of Civics program, create a volunteer advisory council to administer it and appropriate funds to the Nevada Center for Civic Engagement to pay for seals and cords.

Senator Roberta Lang, sponsor, said SB245 "builds upon the work this body has done to strengthen civics literacy" and described provisions to create a council, "develop an application process for students that are interested in receiving the State Seal," and to allow the Superintendent of Public Instruction to accept grants and donations to support the program. Assemblymember Nathe Anderson, a 28‑year teacher, told the committee the bill also would require the council to "develop a rubric to identify a satisfactory score" and to set criteria for a service‑learning project required for the seal.

The bill would change academic eligibility: it would lower the minimum grade‑point average required for the seal from 3.25 to 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, and reduce the passing score on the civics exam from 90% to 80%. Christine Hull, executive director of the Nevada Center for Civic Engagement, told the committee the requested appropriation would be used "entirely for the purchase of the seals and the cords," and said implementation currently relies on a small staff or volunteers and that a council would create capacity to manage recognition across the state’s more than 700 schools.

Students and alumni testified in support. Abigail Negrete, a student testifying from Las Vegas, said many students are blocked from civic programs by costs and urged the committee to invest in access. Sebastian Rios, a student leader and former Nevada Youth Legislature chair, said lowering the GPA would "open the door for a larger number of students to be eligible for the seal." Ainsley Hull, a student who narrowly missed the seal under existing testing rules, described testing anxiety and urged a lower cutoff so more students who demonstrate civic engagement can qualify.

Business and education groups offered support. Trevor Parrish of the Las Vegas Chamber said the advisory council would "ensure that our civics curriculum remains relevant and effective." The Reno‑Sparks Chamber and the Nevada Association of School Superintendents also testified in favor.

Committee members asked about the need for a new advisory council, given a general state policy preference to reduce advisory bodies. Senator Titus asked whether the Department of Education (NDE) might absorb the work or hire staff. Lang and Hull responded that NDE lacks capacity and that a volunteer council plus a modest appropriation (Lang referenced a roughly $20,000 cost for seals and cords in discussion) would be more cost‑effective than hiring a new full‑time employee. Amanda Hughes of NDE confirmed the department is part of prior conversations and that current recordkeeping for the seal varies by district, with NDE working with Infinite Campus to create statewide tracking.

Committee members also raised makeup of the proposed council. Senator Buck asked about including a Washoe Education Association or a charter school representative; Assemblymember Anderson and Senator Lang said they were willing to further discuss council membership. Senator Cruz Crawford and others expressed support for expanding access and noted civic engagement can improve attendance and academic outcomes.

No formal vote was recorded in the hearing. Sponsors said they would work with NDE and stakeholders on technical changes to implementation, council membership and tracking before the bill moves forward.

Ending: The committee closed the public testimony portion of the SB245 hearing and moved on to the next agenda item. No committee action or vote on SB245 is recorded in the transcript.