Senate Bill No. 459

Senate Bill No. 459-Committee on Finance

CHAPTER

321

AN ACT relating to administration of public health; transferring the responsibility for maintaining the state hygienic laboratory from the health division of the department of human resources to the University of Nevada School of Medicine; extending the prospective date for the reversion of an appropriation made the previous session for equipment for the state hygienic laboratory; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

[Approved July 5, 1997]

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. NRS 439.240 is hereby amended to read as follows:
439.2401. The [health division] University of Nevada School of Medicine shall maintain the state hygienic laboratory, heretofore established pursuant to the provisions of chapter 230, Statutes of Nevada 1909, and may establish and maintain such branch laboratories as may be necessary.
2. The purpose of the state hygienic laboratory is:
(a) To make available, at such charges as may be determined upon, to health officials and licensed physicians of the state proper laboratory facilities for the prompt diagnosis of communicable diseases.
(b) To make necessary examinations and analyses of water, natural ice, sewage, milk, food [,] and clinical material.
(c) To conduct research into the nature, cause, diagnosis and control of diseases.
(d) To undertake such other technical and laboratory duties [as the state board of health may direct] as are in the [interests] interest of the [public health.] health of the general public.
3. The person in charge of the state hygienic laboratory [shall] , or his designee, must be a skilled bacteriologist . [, and shall]
4. The person in charge of the state hygienic laboratory may have such technical assistants as [may be appointed by the administrator with the approval of the director.
4.] that person, in cooperation with the University of Nevada School of Medicine, considers necessary.
5. Reports of investigations conducted at the state hygienic laboratory may be published from time to time in bulletins and circulars . [, in the discretion of the state board of health.]
Sec. 2. Section 1 of chapter 235, Statutes of Nevada 1995, at page 383, is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 1. There is hereby appropriated from the state general fund to the [health division of the department of human resources] state hygienic laboratory the sum of $1,361,521 for various equipment.

Sec. 3. Section 2 of chapter 235, Statutes of Nevada 1995, at page 383, is hereby amended to read as follows:

Sec. 2. Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by section 1 of this act must not be committed for expenditure after June 30, [1997,] 1998, and reverts to the state general fund as soon as all payments of money committed have been made.

Sec. 4. 1. This section and sections 2 and 3 of this act become effective upon passage and approval or on June 29, 1997, whichever occurs earlier.
2. Section 1 of this act becomes effective on July 1, 1997.
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