Senate Bill No. 174–Committee on
Government Affairs

 

CHAPTER..........

 

AN ACT relating to economic development; making various changes concerning the powers and duties of the Commission on Economic Development; 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. NRS 231.064 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    231.064  In addition to its other duties, the Commission on

Economic Development shall:

    1.  Investigate and study conditions affecting Nevada business,

industry and commerce, and engage in technical studies, scientific

investigations, statistical research and educational activities

necessary or useful for the proper execution of the function of the

Division of Economic Development in promoting and developing

Nevada business, industry and commerce, both within and outside

the State.

    2.  Conduct or encourage research designed to further new and

more extensive uses of the natural and other resources of the State

and designed to develop new products and industrial processes.

    3.  Serve as a center of public information for the State of

Nevada by answering general inquiries concerning the resources and

economic[, residential and recreational] advantages of this state and

by furnishing information and data on these and related subjects.

    4.  Prepare , and [publish pamphlets and other descriptive]

disseminate in any medium, informational material designed to

promote community, economic and industrial development in

Nevada . [, including a regularly revised industrial directory for the

State.]

    5.  Plan and develop an effective service for business

information, both for the direct assistance of business and industry

of the State and for the encouragement of business and industry

outside the State to use economic facilities within the State,

including readily accessible information on state and local taxes,

local zoning regulations and environmental standards, the

availability and cost of real estate, labor, energy, transportation and

occupational education and related subjects.

    Sec. 2.  NRS 231.067 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    231.067  The Commission on Economic Development shall:

    1.  Develop a state plan for industrial development and

diversification.

    2.  [Promote,] Except as otherwise provided in this subsection,

promote, encourage and aid the development of commercial,

industrial, agricultural, mining and other vital economic interests of

this state, except for travel and tourism . [, except that in] In a

county whose population is less than 50,000, the county may

include community development and the development of the

nongaming recreation and tourism industry in its economic

development efforts.

    3.  Identify sources of financing [and] to assist businesses and

industries which wish to locate or expand in Nevada . [in obtaining

financing.]

    4.  Provide and administer grants of money to political

subdivisions of the State and to local or regional organizations for

economic development to assist them in promoting the advantages

of their communities , in expanding and retaining businesses in

those communities and in recruiting businesses to [relocate in]

those communities. Each recipient must provide an amount of

money, at least equal to the grant, for the same purpose, except[,] in

a county whose population is less than 50,000, the Commission

may, if convinced that the recipient is financially unable to do so,

provide such a grant with less than equal matching money provided

by the recipient.

    5.  Encourage and assist state, county and city agencies in

planning and preparing projects for community, economic [or] and

industrial development and financing those projects with revenue

bonds[.

    6.  Coordinate] or community development block grants.

    6.  Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, coordinate

and assist the activities of counties, cities, local and regional

organizations for economic development [and fair and recreation

boards] in the State which affect economic and industrial

development, except for travel and tourism . [, except that in] In a

county whose population is less than 50,000, the county may

include community development and the development of the

nongaming recreation and tourism industry in its economic

development efforts.

    7.  Arrange by cooperative agreements with local governments

to serve as the single agency in the State where relocating or

expanding businesses may obtain all required permits.

    8.  Promote close cooperation between public agencies and

private persons who have an interest in industrial development and

diversification in Nevada.

    9.  Organize and coordinate the activities of a group of

volunteers which will aggressively select and recruit businesses and

industries, especially small industries, to locate their offices and

facilities in Nevada.

    10.  As used in this section, “community development block

grant” means a grant administered or made available by the

United States Department of Housing and Urban Development

pursuant to 24 C.F.R. Part 570.

    Sec. 3.  This act becomes effective on July 1, 2003.

 

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