Senate Bill No. 329–Senator Rhoads

March 8, 1999

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Joint Sponsor: Assemblyman Carpenter

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Referred to Committee on Finance

 

SUMMARY—Makes prospective contingent appropriation to Division of State Parks of State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to assist in construction of California Immigrant Trail Interpretive Center in Elko County. (BDR S-1254)

FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.

Effect on the State or on Industrial Insurance: 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. Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

 

AN ACT making a prospective contingent appropriation to the Division of State Parks of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to assist in the construction of a California Immigrant Trail Interpretive Center in Elko County; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

Whereas, There is a strong movement in the United States today to

recognize and understand the history of our country and the events that

contributed to the development of the United States; and

Whereas, From 1840 to the completion of the transcontinental railroad

in 1869, over 300,000 people traveled across this state on the route known

as the California Trail; and

Whereas, The immigrants traveling on the California Trail added to the

population base for the development of the western area of the American

continent and in so doing, their numbers discouraged England and Russia

in their efforts to colonize the Pacific Coast of the Continent; and

Whereas, The early settlers of the State of Nevada were direct

descendants of the immigrants who traveled the California Trail; and

Whereas, Even today visual evidence of portions of the California

Trail remain, and from the borders of Idaho and Utah to the eastern border

of California, the trail and its subtrails are identifiable; and

Whereas, In order to preserve, demonstrate and display the historical

significance of the California Trail, an Interpretive Center for the California

Trail is needed at a site in Elko County, designated the "Hastings Cutoff,"

that is adjacent to the trail and subtrail of the Donner-Reed Party; and

Whereas, It has been demonstrated that other trail interpretive centers

in the West have contributed significantly to the tourism industry in the

populated centers along their respective trails; and

Whereas, Other trail interpretive centers have been built with the

primary funding coming from the Federal Government after a

demonstration of local and state governmental support; and

Whereas, The Board of County Commissioners of Elko County has

committed $1,000,000 to assist in the construction of a California

Immigrant Trail Interpretive Center in Elko County, contingent upon the

commitments required by subsection 2 of section 1 of this act; and

Whereas, The Board of Supervisors of the City of Elko has committed

$2,000,000 to assist in the construction of a California Immigrant Trail

Interpretive Center in Elko County, contingent upon the commitments

required by subsection 2 of section 1 of this act; and now, therefore,

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

2-1 Section 1. 1. There is hereby appropriated from the state general

2-2 fund to the Division of State Parks of the State Department of Conservation

2-3 and Natural Resources the sum of $3,000,000 to assist in the construction

2-4 of a California Immigrant Trail Interpretive Center in Elko County.

2-5 2. The appropriation made by subsection 1 is contingent upon:

2-6 (a) An authorization and appropriation of money by the Federal

2-7 Government to build the California Immigrant Trail Interpretive Center in

2-8 Elko County; and

2-9 (b) An agreement by the Federal Government to own and operate the

2-10 California Immigrant Trail Interpretive Center in Elko County.

2-11 Sec. 2. Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by section 1

2-12 of this act must not be committed for expenditure after the project is

2-13 completed and reverts to the state general fund as soon as all payments of

2-14 money committed have been made.

2-15 Sec. 3. This act becomes effective on July 1, 2001.

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