SUMMARY--Requires establishment of oversight committee for construction and repair of school buildings in certain counties. (BDR 34-873)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.
Effect on the State or on Industrial Insurance: No.
EXPLANATION - Matter in italics is new; matter in brackets [ ] is material to be omitted.
AN ACT relating to education; requiring the boards of trustees of school districts in certain counties to establish an oversight committee for the construction and repair of school buildings; prescribing the membership and duties of the committee; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1 NRS 385.125 is hereby amended to read as follows:
385.1251. The state board may adopt standard plans and specifications for the construction of school buildings by the boards of trustees of the various school districts. If such plans and specifications are adopted, provision [shall] must be made for the production and distribution of such plans and specifications by appropriate rules and regulations. [The board of trustees of a school district may use any such plans and specifications if it determines that they are in the best interests of the district.
2. Prior to] Before the adoption of any such standard plans and specifications, the state board shall submit [them] the plans and specifications to the state public works board, whose written approval thereof [shall] must be obtained [prior to] before any further consideration by the state board.
[3.] 2. The state public works board may charge and collect and the state board may pay a reasonable fee for the costs incurred by the state public works board in approving the standard plans and specifications submitted [.] pursuant to subsection 1.
3. The board of trustees of a school district in a county whose population is less than 400,000 may use any standard plans and specifications adopted by the state board if the board of trustees determines that the plans and specifications are in the best interests of the school district.
4. The board of trustees of a school district in a county whose population is 400,000 or more may use any standard plans and specifications adopted by the state board if the board of trustees:
(a) Submits the plans and specifications to the oversight committee for the construction and repair of school buildings established pursuant to section 2 of this act; and
(b) Determines, after review of the written suggestions and comments submitted by the oversight committee, that the plans and specifications are in the best interests of the school district.
Sec. 2 Chapter 393 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto a new section to read as follows:
1. The board of trustees of a school district in a county whose population is 400,000 or more shall establish an oversight committee for the construction and repair of school buildings and shall appoint members to the committee. The membership of the committee must have a broad range of knowledge and interests and must include at least:
(a) Representatives of the private sector, including, without limitation, representatives of private business, the gaming industry and the construction industry within the county;
(b) Representatives of the public sector, including, without limitation:
(1) A licensed teacher or administrator within the school district;
(2) A member of the board of county commissioners;
(3) A member of the governing body of any city that is incorporated within the county; and
(4) A member of a county or regional planning commission within the county;
(c) A parent of a pupil who is enrolled in the school district; and
(d) A member of the general public.
2. The board of trustees of a school district that establishes an oversight committee:
(a) Shall prescribe the term of office for each member of the committee;
(b) Shall provide administrative support for the committee; and
(c) May provide compensation for each member of the committee if money is available for such a purpose.
3. The oversight committee shall:
(a) Review plans and specifications for the construction and repair of school buildings within the school district, including, without limitation, an assessment of whether the plans and specifications provide for the efficient use of resources;
(b) Not more than 60 days after the receipt of such plans and specifications, submit to the board of trustees of the school district written comments concerning the plans and specifications, including, without limitation, any suggestions for the improvement of the plans and specifications;
(c) Review any plans and specifications submitted to the board of trustees of the school district by the state board pursuant to NRS 385.125; and
(d) Submit written comments concerning the manner in which the construction and repair of school buildings within the school district is conducted, including, without limitation, any suggestions to improve the efficiency of the use of resources for the construction and repair of school buildings.
4. Copies of all written suggestions and comments relating to a project for the construction or repair of a school building made by the members of the oversight committee must be:
(a) Made available to the general public upon request;
(b) If applicable, attached to the plans submitted by the board of trustees of the school district to the state public works board pursuant to NRS 393.110; and
(c) Attached to the final plans for the construction or repair of the school building.
Sec. 3 NRS 393.080 is hereby amended to read as follows:
393.0801. The board of trustees of a school district may:
(a) Build, purchase or rent schoolhouses and other school buildings, including , but not limited to , teacherages, gymnasiums and stadiums, and dormitories and dining halls as provided in NRS 393.090.
(b) Change the location of schools.
(c) Close a school or change the use of the school building to a purpose other than the teaching of kindergarten through 12th grade.
(d) Supervise and inspect the work performed pursuant to a contract to which the provisions of NRS 393.110 apply.
2. [Any] If the board of trustees [which] of a school district proposes to change the location of a school, close a school or change the use of a school building as provided in subsection 1 , the board of trustees shall [give] :
(a) Provide 30 days' written notice to the principal and teachers of the affected school and to the parents of the children attending that school [. In addition the board shall publish] ; and
(b) Publish a notice of the subject, time and place of the meeting at which the matter will be considered, in a newspaper of general circulation in the county at least 10 days before the meeting.
3. If the board of trustees of a school district in a county whose population is 400,000 or more proposes to construct or repair a school building, the board of trustees shall submit the plans and specifications for the construction or repair to the oversight committee for the construction and repair of school buildings established pursuant to section 2 of this act. The board of trustees shall not commence the construction or repair until the board of trustees has reviewed and considered the written suggestions and comments submitted by the oversight committee concerning the plans and specifications.