Assembly Bill No. 537

Assembly Bill No. 537-Committee on Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Mining

May 27, 1997
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Referred to Committee on Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Mining

SUMMARY--Creates alternative to existing agricultural extension programs. (BDR 49-1662)

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 agricultural extension programs; revising provisions governing such programs; authorizing counties, as an alternative to such programs, to enter into cooperative agreements with certain organizations to provide continued education and training in agriculture, home economics and rural welfare; 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 Chapter 549 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto the provisions set forth as sections 2 and 3 of this act.
Sec. 2 To provide for continued education and training in agriculture, home economics and rural welfare in this state, an organization formed to provide such continued education and training and the board of county commissioners of any county in this state may enter into cooperative agreements and activities subject to section 3 of this act.
Sec. 3 1. The organization formed to provide continued education and training in agriculture, home economics and rural welfare shall prepare and submit to the board of county commissioners of each county participating:
(a) A detailed outline of the proposed program to be offered.
(b) An annual financial budget covering:
(1) The planned costs of the proposed program; and
(2) The county money that will be used to pay the cost of the proposed program.
2. The budget and proposed program must be adopted by the board of county commissioners and the budget must be certified as a part of the annual county budget, and the county tax levy provided for continued education and training in agriculture, home economics and rural welfare in the annual county budget must include a levy of not less than 1 cent on each $100 of taxable property. If the proceeds of the county tax levy of 1 cent are insufficient to meet the county's share of the program, as provided in the combined annual financial budget, the board of county commissioners may, by unanimous vote, levy an additional tax so that the total in no instance exceeds 5 cents on each $100 of the county tax rate.
3. The proceeds of such a tax must be placed in a separate fund in the county treasury and must be paid out on claims drawn by the treasurer of the organization formed to provide continued education and training in agriculture, home economics and rural welfare if the claim is approved and countersigned by the chief executive officer of the organization.
4. A record of all such claims approved and paid, segregated by county, must be kept by the organization formed to provide continued education and training in agriculture, home economics and rural welfare.
Sec. 4 NRS 549.010 is hereby amended to read as follows:
549.010 To provide for continued extension work in agriculture, home economics and rural welfare in [the State of Nevada,] this state, the director of the agricultural extension department of the public service division of the University and Community College System of Nevada and the [boards] board of county commissioners of any [or all of the respective counties of the State of Nevada] county in this state may enter into cooperative agreements and activities subject to the provisions of [this chapter.] NRS 549.020 to 549.060, inclusive.
Sec. 5 NRS 549.020 is hereby amended to read as follows:
549.020 1. The director of the agricultural extension department of the public service division of the University and Community College System of Nevada shall prepare and submit to the board of county commissioners [, for] of each county participating [, an] :
(a) A detailed outline of the proposed program to be offered.
(b) An annual financial budget covering [the] :
(1) The planned costs of the proposed program; and
(2) The county, state and federal [funds cooperating in] money that will be used to pay the cost of [cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics.] the proposed program.
2. The budget and proposed program must be adopted by the board of county commissioners and the budget must be certified as a part of the annual county budget, and the county tax levy provided for agricultural extension work in the annual county budget must include a levy of not less than 1 cent on each $100 of taxable property. If the proceeds of the county tax levy of 1 cent are insufficient to meet the county's share of the cooperative agricultural extension work, as provided in the combined annual financial budget, the board of county commissioners may, by unanimous vote, levy an additional tax so that the total in no instance exceeds 5 cents on each $100 of the county tax rate.
3. The proceeds of such a tax must be placed in the agricultural extension fund in [each] the county treasury and must be paid out on claims drawn by the agricultural extension agent of the county as designated by the director of the agricultural extension department of the public service division of the University and Community College System of Nevada, [when] if the claim is approved by the director and countersigned by the treasurer of the University and Community College System of Nevada.
4. A record of all such claims approved and paid, segregated by [counties,] county, must be kept by the treasurer of the University and Community College System of Nevada. The cost of maintaining the record must be paid from state [funds] money provided for by [this chapter.] NRS 549.010 to 549.060, inclusive.
5. The state's cooperative share of the cost of such agricultural extension work, as entered in the budget described in this section, must not [be more than] exceed a sum equal to the proceeds of 1 cent of such county tax rate . [; but when]
6. If the proceeds of a 1-cent tax rate are insufficient to carry out the provisions of the budget previously adopted, the director of the agricultural extension department of the public service division of the University and Community College System of Nevada is authorized to supplement the state's cooperative share from the [funds as may be] money made available in the public service division fund of the University and Community College System of Nevada.
Sec. 6 NRS 549.040 is hereby amended to read as follows:
549.040 [Funds] Money to carry out the provisions of [this chapter shall] NRS 549.010 to 549.060, inclusive, must be provided by direct legislative appropriation from the general fund.
Sec. 7 NRS 549.060 is hereby amended to read as follows:
549.060 [Any]
1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, any county in the state which has agreed or [shall agree] agrees to participate in cooperative work in agricultural extension [under the provisions of this chapter or acts] pursuant to NRS 549.010 to 549.060, inclusive, or an act previously passed by the legislature and approved by the governor [shall, by the provisions hereof, come under this chapter.] , is subject to the provisions of NRS 549.010 to 549.060, inclusive.
2. Any county may, in lieu of being subject to the provisions of NRS 549.010 to 549.060, inclusive, elect to be subject to the provisions of sections 2 and 3 of this act by entering into a cooperative agreement or activity pursuant to section 2 of this act.