Assembly Bill No. 259–Assemblymen Parks, McClain, Giunchigliani, Leslie, Gibbons, Anderson, Arberry, Atkinson, Buckley, Chowning, Claborn, Conklin, Goldwater, Grady, Horne, Koivisto, Manendo, McCleary, Mortenson, Oceguera, Perkins, Pierce and Williams (by request)

 

March 6, 2003

____________

 

Joint Sponsors: Senators Titus, Rawson,
Wiener and Coffin

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

 

SUMMARY—Creates Advisory Committee on Homelessness. (BDR 38‑752)

 

FISCAL NOTE:  Effect on Local Government: No.

                           Effect on the State: Contains Appropriation not included in Executive Budget.

 

~

 

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

 

AN ACT relating to public welfare; creating the Advisory Committee on Homelessness; 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:

 

1-1  Section 1. Chapter 428A of NRS is hereby amended by

1-2  adding thereto the provisions set forth as sections 2 to 9, inclusive,

1-3  of this act.

1-4  Sec. 2.  As used in sections 2 to 9, inclusive, of this act, unless

1-5  the context otherwise requires, the words and terms defined in

1-6  sections 3 and 4 of this act have the meanings ascribed to them in

1-7  those sections.

2-1  Sec. 3.  “Advisory Committee” means the Advisory

2-2  Committee on Homelessness created pursuant to section 5 of this

2-3  act.

2-4  Sec. 4.  “Department” means the Department of Human

2-5  Resources.

2-6  Sec. 5.  1.  The Advisory Committee on Homelessness is

2-7  hereby created.

2-8  2.  The Advisory Committee consists of the following

2-9  members:

2-10      (a) One member of the Senate who is appointed by the

2-11  Legislative Commission.

2-12      (b) One member of the Assembly who is appointed by the

2-13  Legislative Commission.

2-14      (c) The Director of the Department or his designee.

2-15      (d) The Director of the Department of Employment, Training

2-16  and Rehabilitation or his designee.

2-17      (e) The Superintendent of Public Instruction of the

2-18  Department of Education or his designee.

2-19      (f) The Administrator of the Division of Mental Health and

2-20  Developmental Services of the Department.

2-21      (g) The Administrator of the Division of Health Care

2-22  Financing and Policy of the Department.

2-23      (h) The State Welfare Administrator.

2-24      (i) The Administrator of the Housing Division of the

2-25  Department of Business and Industry.

2-26      (j) An employee of the Health Division of the Department who

2-27  administers the comprehensive state plan for alcohol and drug

2-28  abuse programs who is appointed to the Advisory Committee by

2-29  the Administrator of the Health Division.

2-30      (k) The Project Director in the State of Nevada of the Head

2-31  Start-State Collaboration Project within the Department

2-32  established in accordance with the Head Start Bureau of the

2-33  Administration for Children and Families within the United States

2-34  Department of Health and Human Services.

2-35      (l) Two members of a governing body of a local government in

2-36  a county whose population is 400,000 or more who are appointed

2-37  by the Governor.

2-38      (m) One member of a governing body of a local government in

2-39  a county whose population is 100,000 or more but less than

2-40  400,000 who is appointed by the Governor.

2-41      (n) One representative from a county whose population is less

2-42  than 100,000 who is appointed by the Governor.

2-43      (o) Three representatives from charitable or nonprofit

2-44  organizations that support programs for or provide services to

2-45  persons who are homeless, who are appointed by the Governor.

3-1  Not more than two of the members appointed pursuant to this

3-2  paragraph may be from the same county.

3-3  (p) One member of the public who has experienced

3-4  homelessness, who is appointed by the Governor.

3-5  (q) Any other person or persons who have training, experience

3-6  or knowledge in matters relating to homelessness, who are

3-7  appointed by the Governor to serve as nonvoting members of the

3-8  Advisory Committee.

3-9  3.  The Governor shall appoint the Chair of the Advisory

3-10  Committee from among the voting members of the Advisory

3-11  Committee.

3-12      4.  Within the limits of available funding, the Department

3-13  shall provide necessary staff to assist the Advisory Committee in

3-14  performing its duties.

3-15      Sec. 6.  1.  The members of the Advisory Committee who

3-16  are:

3-17      (a) Appointed by the Governor or listed in paragraphs (c) to

3-18  (k), inclusive, of subsection 2 of section 5 of this act serve terms of

3-19  2 years; and

3-20      (b) Legislators serve terms that begin on the third Monday in

3-21  January of odd-numbered years and end the third Monday in

3-22  January of the next odd-numbered year.

3-23      2.  Any member of the Advisory Committee may be

3-24  reappointed for additional terms of 2 years in the same manner as

3-25  the original appointment. A vacancy occurring in the membership

3-26  of the Advisory Committee must be filled in the same manner as

3-27  the original appointment.

3-28      3.  The Advisory Committee shall meet at least quarterly and

3-29  at the times and places specified by the call of the Chair of the

3-30  Advisory Committee.

3-31      4.  A majority of the voting members of the Advisory

3-32  Committee constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business,

3-33  and a majority of a quorum present at any meeting is sufficient for

3-34  any official action taken by the Advisory Committee.

3-35      Sec. 7.  1.  Members of the Advisory Committee serve

3-36  without compensation, except that each member of the Advisory

3-37  Committee is entitled, while engaged in the business of the

3-38  Advisory Committee and within the limits of available funding, to

3-39  receive the per diem allowance and travel expenses provided for

3-40  state officers and employees generally.

3-41      2.  Each member of the Advisory Committee who is an

3-42  employee of the State of Nevada or a local government must be

3-43  relieved from his duties without loss of his regular compensation

3-44  so that he may prepare for and attend meetings of the Advisory

3-45  Committee and perform any work necessary to carry out the duties

4-1  of the Advisory Committee in the most timely manner practicable.

4-2  A state agency or local governmental entity shall not require an

4-3  employee who is a member of the Advisory Committee to make up

4-4  the time that he is absent from work or to take annual vacation or

4-5  compensatory time for the time that he is absent from work to

4-6  carry out his duties as a member of the Advisory Committee.

4-7  Sec. 8.  1.  The Advisory Committee may apply for and

4-8  accept any gifts, grants, bequests and donations from any public

4-9  or private source and may expend the money, subject to any

4-10  limitations contained in the gift, grant, bequest or donation, to

4-11  carry out its functions.

4-12      2.  Money received by the Advisory Committee:

4-13      (a) Must be deposited in the State Treasury and accounted for

4-14  separately in the State General Fund;

4-15      (b) May only be used to carry out the provisions of this

4-16  chapter; and

4-17      (c) Does not revert to the State General Fund at the end of any

4-18  fiscal year.

4-19      3.  Any interest or income earned on the money in the account

4-20  must be credited to the account. Any claims against the account

4-21  must be paid as other claims against the State are paid.

4-22      Sec. 9.  The Advisory Committee shall:

4-23      1.  Coordinate the provision of information to and

4-24  communication between state agencies, local governments and

4-25  private entities concerning matters relating to homelessness;

4-26      2.  Identify the needs of persons and families who are or who

4-27  are at risk of being homeless;

4-28      3.  Develop recommendations to ameliorate homelessness;

4-29      4.  Make grants for the amelioration of homelessness; and

4-30      5.  Provide an annual report concerning the activities and

4-31  findings of the Advisory Committee to the Governor, and to the

4-32  Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to the

4-33  appropriate committee or committees of the Legislature.

4-34      Sec. 10.  1.  There is hereby appropriated from the State

4-35  General Fund to the Department of Human Resources for the

4-36  support of the Advisory Committee on Homelessness:

4-37      (a) For the Fiscal Year 2003-2004$10,000

4-38      (b) For the Fiscal Year 2004-2005$10,000

4-39      2.  The sums appropriated by subsection 1 are available for

4-40  either fiscal year. Any balance of those sums must not be committed

4-41  for expenditure after June 30, 2005, and reverts to the State General

4-42  Fund as soon as all payments of money committed have been made.

4-43      Sec. 11.  This act becomes effective on July 1, 2003.

 

4-44  H