Senate Bill No. 537–Committee on Natural Resources

 

March 26, 2001

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Referred to Committee on Finance

 

SUMMARY—Revises provisions governing personnel of state department of agriculture. (BDR 50‑1472)

 

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 the state department of agriculture; requiring the director of the department to appoint a person to manage certain activities relating to the department; providing that the person appointed is in the unclassified service of the state and has the powers of a peace officer; prescribing his duties; 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 561 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto a

1-2  new section to read as follows:

1-3    1.  The director shall appoint a person to manage the activities of the

1-4  department relating to interagency relations, coordination of law

1-5  enforcement activities and public relations. The person appointed is in

1-6  the unclassified service of the state and must be appointed on the basis of

1-7  merit. To be eligible for appointment to this position, a person must be

1-8  certified by the peace officers’ standards and training commission as a

1-9  category I peace officer.

1-10    2.  The director may remove the appointed person from office with

1-11  the approval of the board.

1-12    3.  The person appointed shall:

1-13    (a) Establish and carry out a program to develop working

1-14  relationships with and facilitate communication between the department

1-15  and federal, state and local governmental agencies and entities that are

1-16  involved with the department or use the services provided by the

1-17  department.

1-18    (b) Establish and carry out a program to improve public relations for

1-19  the department, including, without limitation:

1-20      (1) Serving as a public relations liaison for the department;

2-1       (2) Providing the members of the general public with information

2-2  relating to the activities and services of the department; and

2-3       (3) Identifying issues of concern to the general public regarding the

2-4  provision of services by the department and taking such action as is

2-5  necessary to mitigate any adverse public perceptions of those services.

2-6    (c) Coordinate all law enforcement activity within the jurisdiction of

2-7  the department, including, without limitation, criminal investigations and

2-8  the establishment of related training programs.

2-9    (d) Establish and carry out programs of education and training

2-10  relating to the identification and inspection of brands.

2-11    (e) Present testimony, conduct research and prepare reports for use by

2-12  the governor, the legislature, the director, the department and any other

2-13  person or governmental entity as required by the director, including,

2-14  without limitation, reports on issues pertaining to the rural areas of

2-15  Nevada.

2-16    (f) Develop and carry out an emergency management policy for the

2-17  department.

2-18    (g) Perform such other duties as are required by the director.

2-19    Sec. 2.  NRS 289.290 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2-20    289.290  1.  A person designated by the director of the state

2-21  department of agriculture as a field agent or an inspector pursuant to

2-22  subsection 2 of NRS 561.225 has the powers of a peace officer to make

2-23  investigations and arrests and to execute warrants of search and seizure,

2-24  and may temporarily stop the movement of livestock and carcasses for the

2-25  purpose of inspection.

2-26    2.  An inspector of the state board of sheep commissioners and his

2-27  deputies have the powers of a peace officer.

2-28    3.  An officer appointed by the Nevada junior livestock show board

2-29  pursuant to NRS 563.120 has the powers of a peace officer for the

2-30  preservation of order and peace on the grounds and in the buildings and the

2-31  approaches thereto of the livestock shows and exhibitions that the board

2-32  conducts.

2-33    4.  In carrying out the provisions of chapter 565 of NRS, an inspector

2-34  of the state department of agriculture has the powers of a peace officer to

2-35  make investigations and arrests and to execute warrants of search and

2-36  seizure. The provisions of this subsection do not authorize any inspector to

2-37  retire under the public employees’ retirement system before having

2-38  attained the minimum service age of 60 years.

2-39    5. In carrying out the provisions of section 1 of this act, the person

2-40  appointed pursuant to that section has the powers of a peace officer.

2-41    Sec. 3.  The person appointed pursuant to section 1 of this act is

2-42  entitled to receive a salary of not more than $65,000 per fiscal year for the

2-43  fiscal years 2001-2002 and 2002-2003.

2-44    Sec. 4.  1.  There is hereby appropriated from the state general fund

2-45  to the state department of agriculture for the costs to carry out the

2-46  provisions of this act:

2-47  For the fiscal year 2001-2002............... $98,000

2-48  For the fiscal year 2002-2003............... $86,000

3-1    2.  Any balance of the sums appropriated by subsection 1 remaining at

3-2  the end of the respective fiscal years must not be committed for

3-3  expenditure after June 30 of the respective fiscal years and reverts to the

3-4  state general fund as soon as all payments of money committed have been

3-5  made.

3-6    Sec. 5.  This act becomes effective on July 1, 2001.

 

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