Assembly Bill No. 224

Assembly Bill No. 224-Committee on Ways and Means

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AN ACT relating to state financial administration; providing for the proportional matching funding for disaster assistance grants made by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; making an appropriation; 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. As used in this section and sections 2 and 3 of this act, unless the context otherwise requires:
1. "Director" means the director of the department of administration.
2. "Disaster" means the event declared by President Clinton on January 3, 1997, to be a major disaster in the State of Nevada because of the damage resulting from severe storms, flooding, mud slides and landslides beginning on December 20, 1996, and ending on January 17, 1997.
3. "Eligible project" means a project of a public or nonprofit private entity which has been designated and approved as qualifying and eligible to receive federal grant money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and which is related to the disaster.
4. "Grant match" means the 25 percent share of a grant provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency which must be matched by a state or local government.
Sec. 2. The legislature hereby finds and declares that:
1. The State of Nevada shall be responsible for providing the entire grant match for any Federal Emergency Management Agency grant received by a state agency or nonprofit entity for an eligible project for:
(a) Emergency measures undertaken to save lives, protect public health and safety or protect property in a jurisdiction which was proclaimed by the Governor to be in a state of emergency during the disaster.
(b) Debris removal from publicly or privately owned land and waterways, if undertaken in response to the state of emergency declared by the Governor during the disaster. To qualify pursuant to this paragraph, a project, including debris removal from private property, must have been rendered in response to an immediate threat to public health and safety.
(c) The repair or replacement of roads, streets, bridges, water control facilities, public buildings, public utilities, recreational facilities and parks which are owned by the state.
(d) The administration of the disaster assistance program, including not more than 9 full-time equivalent positions. Six of the full-time equivalent positions must be temporary with a duration of not longer than 12 months from the date of employment. Three of the full-time equivalent positions must be temporary with a duration of not later than June 30, 1999.
2. The State of Nevada shall be responsible for providing one-half of the grant match for any Federal Emergency Management Agency grant received by a local government for an eligible project for the repair of damage within the jurisdiction of the local government, and the local government shall be responsible for the remaining one-half of the grant match.
Sec. 3. To carry out the provisions of section 2 of this act, the director shall make such grants of the money appropriated by section 4 of this act as he deems appropriate to:
1. State agencies and nonprofit entities for the entire grant match for projects which meet the requirements of subsection 1 of section 2 of this act; and
2. Local governments for the state's one-half of the grant match for projects which meet the requirements of subsection 2 of section 2 of this act.
Sec. 4. 1. There is hereby appropriated from the state general fund to the department of administration the sum of $3,500,000.
2. Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by subsection 1 must not be committed for expenditure after June 30, 1999, and reverts to the state general fund as soon as all payments of money committed have been made.
Sec. 5. This act becomes effective upon passage and approval.
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