Senate Bill No. 329–Senator Rhoads

March 8, 1999

____________

Joint Sponsors: Assemblymen Carpenter and Marvel

____________

Referred to Committee on Finance

 

SUMMARY—Authorizes issuance of general obligation bonds under certain circumstances 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.

~

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 relating to state financial administration; authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds under certain circumstances 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

other commitments required by subparagraph (3) of paragraph (a) of

subsection 3 of section 1 of this act and paragraph (b) of subsection 3 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 other commitments

required by subsection 3 of section 1 of this act; now, therefore,

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

2-1 Section 1. 1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, the State

2-2 Board of Finance shall issue general obligation bonds of the State of

2-3 Nevada in the face amount of not more than $3,000,000. The proceeds of

2-4 the bonds must be allocated to the Division of State Parks of the State

2-5 Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to assist in the

2-6 construction of a California Immigrant Trail Interpretive Center in Elko

2-7 County.

2-8 2. The expenses related to the issuance of bonds pursuant to this

2-9 section must be paid from the proceeds of the bonds and must not exceed 2

2-10 percent of the face amount of the bonds sold.

2-11 3. The State Board of Finance shall not issue the general obligation

2-12 bonds pursuant to subsection 1 unless on or before June 30, 2003:

2-13 (a) The Division of State Parks of the State Department of Conservation

2-14 and Natural Resources has received commitments of at least:

2-15 (1) One million dollars from Elko County;

2-16 (2) Two million dollars from the City of Elko; and

3-1 (3) Six million dollars from the Federal Government and other

3-2 available sources of grant money,

3-3 for the construction of the California Immigrant Trail Interpretive Center in

3-4 Elko County; and

3-5 (b) The Federal Government has agreed to own and operate the

3-6 California Immigrant Trail Interpretive Center in Elko County.

3-7 Sec. 2. This act becomes effective on July 1, 2001.

~