2023 Nevada Revised Statutes › Chapter 218E - Legislative Investigations and Hearings; Legislative Commission and Other Committees › Appendix - INTERIM STUDIES 2023-2025

Study Concerning Various Matters Relating to Education
SB 72, Chapter 448, Statutes of Nevada 2023
Section 1. Duties of Joint Interim Standing Committee on Education; report.
1.
The Joint Interim Standing Committee on Education shall, during the 2023-2024 interim:
(a)
Conduct a study concerning the mental health and wellness of pupils in this State and programs to improve the mental health and wellness of such pupils, including, without limitation, evidence-based mental health therapies and practices.
(b)
Conduct a study concerning the workload of teachers in this State, including, without limitation, provisions of law and regulations that affect the workload of teachers in this State, to better understand and evaluate the workload of teachers in this State.
(c)
Conduct a study concerning requirements governing the licensing and authorization to work of teachers and administrators in this State, including, without limitation, requirements for the authorization of a holder of a J-1 visa issued pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(15)(J) to work as a teacher or administrator, in order to:
(1)
Identify whether such requirements are barriers to increasing the diversity of teachers or administrators, as applicable, in this State and increasing the number of pupils in the public schools in this State and students at institutions of higher education in this State who eventually become teachers and administrators in this State; and
(2)
Ensure that requirements concerning the competency of applicants for a license as a teacher or administrator, as applicable, are reasonable indicators of the future effectiveness of such an applicant as a teacher or administrator.
(d)
Conduct a study concerning:
(1)
Trends in the graduation rates of, and the types of diplomas awarded to, pupils enrolled in high school in this State, based on the information included in the annual report of accountability pursuant to NRS 385A.260;
(2)
Trends in achievement of pupils enrolled in high school in this State, including, without limitation, information relating to such trends that is included in the annual report of accountability pursuant to NRS 385A.200;
(3)
A comparison of the trends described in subparagraphs (1) and (2); and
(4)
Any factors which may be responsible for the trends described in subparagraphs (1) and (2) and any divergence between the trends described in subparagraph (1) and the trends described in subparagraph (2).
(e)
Conduct a study concerning:
(1)
Groups of pupils who may require additional resources to receive a reasonably equal educational opportunity;
(2)
The specific educational needs of such groups of pupils;
(3)
Policies and strategies that target such groups of pupils, address specific needs and provide specific interventions, including, without limitation, policies and strategies to increase enrollment in postsecondary education or vocational training; and
(4)
Long-term strategies to fund and implement such policies and programs.
(f)
Conduct a study concerning waivers of registration fees, laboratory fees and other fees at institutions within the Nevada System of Higher Education, including, without limitation, any such waivers granted by the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada pursuant to NRS 396.544 to 396.54495, inclusive.
2.
On or before February 1, 2025, for each study listed in subsection 1, the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Education shall submit a report of its findings and any recommendations for legislation to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to the 83rd Session of the Legislature.
(Ch. 448, Stats. 2023 p. 2745)
Study Concerning Certain Subjects Relating to Hydrogen
SB 451, Chapter 439, Statutes of Nevada 2023
Preamble.
Whereas, Senate Bill No. 254 of the 2019 Session of the Nevada Legislature (Chapter 323, Statutes of Nevada 2019, at page 1970) established a statewide goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 28 percent below the 2005 level of such emissions by 2025, to 45 percent below the 2005 level of such emissions by 2030 and to zero or near-zero by 2050; and
Whereas, The State Climate Strategy establishes a plan for achieving the targets established by Senate Bill No. 254 for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and has identified clean hydrogen and clean hydrogen technologies, including, without limitation, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen fueling stations, as opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in this State; and
Whereas, Global economic activity involving the production, processing, delivery, storage and use of clean hydrogen is currently valued at more than $100 billion per year in 2022 and is expected to grow across the world as demand for clean energy increases; and
Whereas, The emergence of end-use applications for energy produced from clean hydrogen, including, without limitation, in transportation, seasonal energy storage and the global energy trade, provide an opportunity for this State to meet its targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions while at the same time enhancing economic development, job creation and the collection of tax revenue in this State; and
Whereas, Encouraging the expansion of the use of clean hydrogen will decrease the emission of greenhouse gases in this State, which will have the effect of improving the health of Nevadans through the improvement of air quality, especially for economically disadvantaged Nevadans and communities of color;
(Ch. 439, Stats. 2023 p. 2704)
Sec. 2. Duties of Joint Interim Standing Committee on Growth and Infrastructure; authority of Committee to enter into contract with University for certain data and analysis; report.
1.
During the 2023-2024 interim, the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Growth and Infrastructure shall conduct a study concerning the production and storage of hydrogen, the use of stored hydrogen as a potential energy resource in this State and the development of hydrogen technologies.
2.
In conducting the study, the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Growth and Infrastructure shall consult with and solicit input from:
(a)
The Nevada System of Higher Education;
(b)
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory;
(c)
Existing energy industries in this State;
(d)
Developers of clean energy;
(e)
Nongovernmental organizations that focus on energy conservation;
(f)
Utilities that provide gas and electric services; and
(g)
Professionals with expertise regarding the use of hydrogen and stored hydrogen and the development of hydrogen technologies.
3.
The study must include, without limitation:
(a)
A review of the opportunities for students enrolled in an institution within the Nevada System of Higher Education to study subjects concerning hydrogen, including, without limitation:
(1)
The process for the production and storage of hydrogen and any methods and technology used in such a process; and
(2)
Hydrogen technologies; and
(b)
An assessment of the feasibility of using hydrogen as an energy resource in this State, including, without limitation, consideration of:
(1)
The potential for hydrogen and stored hydrogen to enable the operation of zero-emission light- and medium-duty vehicles, trucks, buses, locomotives, off-road equipment, aircraft, industrial equipment and watercraft;
(2)
The potential for using wastewater and wastewater treatment facilities for the production of hydrogen;
(3)
Methods for incentivizing the use of hydrogen and stored hydrogen as energy resources in this State;
(4)
Economic and regulatory barriers to the implementation of hydrogen and stored hydrogen as energy resources, including, without limitation, whether policies incentivizing the production and storage of hydrogen as energy resources and hydrogen technologies are comparable to policies incentivizing the production of other energy resources and applicable technologies in this State;
(5)
Opportunities for federal and nongovernmental grants that may be available for the purposes of producing and storing hydrogen in this State;
(6)
The potential for using hydrogen microgrids, stored hydrogen microgrids and hydrogen coupled with distributed energy resources to strengthen the resilience of the electric power grid;
(7)
The impact of hydrogen production on water resources in this State;
(8)
The impact of limited water resources on the production of hydrogen in this State and its potential as an energy resource; and
(9)
The long-term impact of various methods of hydrogen production on the air, water and other natural resources of this State and the potential for hydrogen to assist with efforts to decarbonize this State.
4.
To complete the study, the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Growth and Infrastructure may enter into a contract or other agreement with the University of Nevada, Reno, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or the Desert Research Institute to:
(a)
Gather data concerning the feasibility of hydrogen and stored hydrogen as energy resources; and
(b)
Produce a cost-benefit analysis of hydrogen as an energy resource.
5.
On or before January 1, 2025, the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Growth and Infrastructure shall submit a report of the results of the study, including, without limitation, any recommendations for legislation, to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to the 83rd Session of the Nevada Legislature.
6.
For the purposes of this section, “hydrogen technologies” means technology used in the production, storage and distribution of hydrogen and stored hydrogen.
(Ch. 439, Stats. 2023 p. 2705)
Study Concerning Cost-Effectiveness of Biomarker Testing
AB 155, Chapter 388, Statutes of Nevada 2023
Sec. 29.5. Duties of Joint Interim Standing Committee on Health and Human Services; report; definitions.
1.
During the 2023-2024 interim, the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services, shall study the cost-effectiveness of biomarker testing, including, without limitation, the cost-effectiveness of biomarker testing:
(a)
For the diagnosis, treatment, management or ongoing monitoring of specific diseases or conditions; and
(b)
To screen for specific diseases or conditions or traits associated with specific diseases or conditions.
2.
The Joint Interim Standing Committee on Health and Human Services shall submit a report of the results of the study, including any recommendations for legislation to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmission to the 83rd Session of the Nevada Legislature.
3.
As used in this section:
(a)
“Biomarker” means a characteristic that is objectively measured and evaluated as an indicator of a normal biological process, a pathogenic process or a pharmacological response to a specific therapeutic intervention and includes, without limitation:
(1)
An interaction between a gene and a drug that is being used by or considered for use by the patient;
(2)
A mutation or characteristic of a gene; and
(3)
The expression of a protein.
(b)
“Biomarker testing” means the analysis of the tissue, blood or other biospecimen of a patient for the presentation of a biomarker and includes, without limitation, single-analyte tests, multiplex panel tests and whole genome, whole exome and whole transcriptome sequencing.
(Ch. 388, Stats. 2023 p. 2228)
Study Concerning Upgrading of Forensic Laboratories
SB 35, Chapter 468, Statutes of Nevada 2023
Sec. 14. Duties of Joint Interim Standing Committee on the Judiciary; report.
1.
The Joint Interim Standing Committee on the Judiciary shall conduct a study during the 2023-2024 interim concerning the possible upgrading of forensic laboratories in this State to enable such laboratories to perform quantitative testing involving controlled substances. The study must include, without limitation, an analysis of:
(a)
The costs and benefits of performing such upgrades; and
(b)
The impact of such upgrades on this State.
2.
The Committee shall include its finding and recommendations for legislation relating to the study in the report required by subsection 4 of NRS 218E.330 to be prepared and submitted to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to the 83rd Session of the Legislature.
(Ch. 468, Stats. 2023 p. 2903)
Study Concerning Issues Limiting Persons With Disabilities Access to Certain Museums and Historical Societies
AB 252, Chapter 515, Statutes of Nevada 2023
Sec. 5. Duties of Legislative Committee on Senior Citizens, Veterans and Adults With Special Needs; report.
1.
The Legislative Committee on Senior Citizens, Veterans and Adults With Special Needs created by NRS 218E.750 shall study during the 2023-2024 interim any issues that exist which limit the ability of persons with disabilities, including, without limitation, persons who are blind or visually impaired, to access the museums and historical societies established as institutions of the Division of Museums and History of the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs pursuant to NRS 381.004.
2.
In the report required pursuant to subsection 3 of NRS 218E.760, the Legislative Committee on Senior Citizens, Veterans and Adults With Special Needs shall set forth any recommended legislation for improving the accessibility of the museums and historical societies established as institutions of the Division of Museums and History of the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs pursuant to NRS 381.004 to persons with disabilities, including, without limitation, persons who are blind or visually impaired.
(Ch. 515, Stats. 2023 p. 3352)