Assembly Bill No. 325

Assembly Bill No. 325-Committee on Elections,
Procedures, and Ethics

April 2, 1997
____________

Referred to Committee on Elections, Procedures, and Ethics

SUMMARY--Creates committee to conduct study of welfare programs provided by state and local governments. (BDR S-299)

FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.

Effect on the State or on Industrial Insurance: Yes.

EXPLANATION - Matter in italics is new; matter in brackets [ ] is material to be omitted.

AN ACT relating to welfare; creating a committee to conduct a study of the welfare programs provided by the state and local governments; 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 1. The Committee to Study the Welfare Programs Provided by the State and Local Governments, consisting of five members, is hereby created. The following persons shall serve as members of the committee:
(a) The Director of the Department of Human Resources;
(b) The Director of the Department of Social Services of Clark County;
(c) The Director of the Department of Social Services of Washoe County;
(d) A member who is appointed by the governing body of the Nevada League of Cities; and
(e) A member of an organization that provides legal services to persons of low income who is appointed by the Director of the Department of Human Resources.
2. The members of the committee serve without additional compensation and are entitled to receive the per diem allowance or travel expenses to which they would otherwise be entitled from their state or local governmental employer for state or local business, if any, for each day or portion thereof on which they conduct business of the committee.
3. The Director of the Department of Human Resources shall provide the necessary staff for the committee.
Sec. 2 The Committee to Study Welfare Programs Provided by the State and Local Governments shall study the welfare programs provided by the state and local governments, including the feasibility of:
1. Requiring that applications for temporary assistance for needy families, formerly known as aid to families with dependent children, be processed within 30 days after the applications are filed.
2. Transferring the responsibility for the operation of certain welfare programs from the state to the counties.
3. Requiring the state or the counties to be responsible for the provision of public health services.
4. Abolishing the requirements imposed by the state concerning indigent care and transferring the responsibility for providing indigent care to the counties.
5. Revising the definitions of "household" and "income" as set forth in NRS 428.015 to increase the number of indigent persons eligible to receive medical assistance.
6. Assigning state employees to work in public health centers and tribal health clinics.
7. Authorizing district courts to order outpatient treatment for former patients of a mental health facility without requiring the patients to be committed to a mental health facility for treatment.
8. Developing a system to report the processing of applications for temporary assistance for needy families, including, without limitation:
(a) The number of applications that were approved and denied;
(b) The average number of days to process an application; and
(c) A summary of the reasons for the denial of applications.
Sec. 3 All agencies of the state shall cooperate with the Committee to Study Welfare Programs Provided by the State and Local Governments and provide to the committee any information or material that the committee requests to conduct its study and prepare its reports.
Sec. 4 The Committee to Study Welfare Programs Provided by the State and Local Governments shall prepare and submit:
1. An initial report to the Legislative Commission not later than 30 days after the effective date of this act. The report must include recommendations, if any, concerning the feasibility of transferring the responsibility for the operation of a specific welfare program from the state to the counties.
2. An intermediate report to the Legislative Commission and the Director of the Department of Administration not later than January 1, 1998. The report must include:
(a) A summary of the progress of the study; and
(b) Any recommendations concerning the study, including any recommendations that may affect the preparation of the executive budget of the state.
3. A final report of its findings and recommendations for legislation to the Legislative Commission before the commencement of the 70th session of the Nevada Legislature.
Sec. 5 This act becomes effective upon passage and approval.