Senate Bill No. 366–Senator Rhoads

 

March 17, 2003

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Referred to Committee on Finance

 

SUMMARY—Establishes program to award grants of money to school districts for classes in agriculture and natural resource sciences provided pursuant to program of occupational education at secondary level. (BDR 34‑661)

 

FISCAL NOTE:  Effect on Local Government: No.

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

 

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

 

AN ACT relating to occupational education; establishing a program to award grants of money to school districts for classes in agriculture and natural resource sciences at the secondary level; requiring a school district that receives such a grant to provide matching money equal to the amount of the grant; providing exceptions to the requirement of matching money; requiring the State Board for Occupational Education to adopt regulations governing the awarding and distribution of such grants; 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 388 of NRS is hereby amended by adding

1-2  thereto a new section to read as follows:

1-3  1.  If a school district provides a program of occupational

1-4  education at the secondary level pursuant to which classes are

1-5  offered in agriculture and natural resource sciences, the board of

1-6  trustees of the school district may apply to the Executive Officer of

1-7  the State Board for Occupational Education for a grant of money:

2-1  (a) To purchase or lease equipment for use in those classes; or

2-2  (b) For any capital or other expenditure, other than the

2-3  payment of salaries, related to those classes.

2-4  2.  The Account for Agriculture and Natural Resource

2-5  Sciences is hereby created in the State General Fund. The

2-6  Account must be administered by the Executive Officer of the

2-7  State Board for Occupational Education. Money in the Account

2-8  does not revert to the State General Fund at the end of any fiscal

2-9  year but must be carried forward to the next fiscal year.

2-10      3.  The Executive Officer of the State Board for Occupational

2-11  Education may award grants of money to school districts pursuant

2-12  to subsection 1, to the extent money is available for that purpose in

2-13  the Account for Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences, if the

2-14  school district:

2-15      (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 4, provides

2-16  matching money equal to the amount of the grant; and

2-17      (b) Certifies to the Executive Officer of the State Board for

2-18  Occupational Education that the amount of the grant and the

2-19  matching money will be used solely to purchase or lease

2-20  equipment for use in classes in agriculture and natural resource

2-21  sciences, or for any capital or other expenditure, other than the

2-22  payment of salaries, related to those classes.

2-23      4.  The Executive Officer of the State Board for Occupational

2-24  Education may award a grant with less than equal matching

2-25  money provided by a school district if:

2-26      (a) He finds that the school district is financially unable to

2-27  provide equal matching money; or

2-28      (b) The grant is for the development of a new class in

2-29  agriculture and natural resource sciences.

2-30      5.  The State Board for Occupational Education shall adopt

2-31  regulations:

2-32      (a) Governing the awarding and distribution of grants

2-33  pursuant to this section; and

2-34      (b) Establishing criteria to assess the quality of each class in

2-35  agriculture and natural resource sciences that receives equipment

2-36  or otherwise benefits from a grant pursuant to this section.

2-37      6.  If the Department employs a consultant for agricultural

2-38  education, the State Board for Occupational Education must

2-39  consider the advice of the consultant before adopting or amending

2-40  the regulations required by subsection 5.

2-41      Sec. 2.  NRS 388.400 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2-42      388.400  1.  The money for occupational education must be

2-43  provided for and raised in the manner specified in NRS 387.050 and

2-44  388.330 to 388.400, inclusive[.] , and section 1 of this act.

3-1  2.  The State Treasurer is the custodian of the money and shall

3-2  make disbursements therefrom on warrants of the State Controller

3-3  issued upon the order of the Executive Officer of the State Board for

3-4  Occupational Education.

3-5  Sec. 3.  There is hereby appropriated from the State General

3-6  Fund to the Account for Agriculture and Natural Resources for the

3-7  awarding of grants pursuant to section 1 of this act:

3-8  For the Fiscal Year 2003-2004$500,000

3-9  For the Fiscal Year 2004-2005$500,000

3-10      Sec. 4.  This act becomes effective on July 1, 2003.

 

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