CARSON CITY, NV – April 26, 2023
This afternoon, the Lombardo administration presented SB 431, the Government Modernization and Efficiency Act, which was introduced by Governor Joe Lombardo last month.
Governor Lombardo’s Chief of Staff Ben Kieckhefer presented the bill, alongside other administration officials, including Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Wells, Director of Administration Jack Robb, DETR Director Chris Sewell, and Director of the Department of Business and Industry Terry Reynolds. In addition to administration officials, several statewide organizations testified in support of the bill, including the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, the Nevada Taxpayers Association, and the Council for a Better Nevada.
In a tweet, Governor Joe Lombardo reiterated the chief purpose of the legislation, saying, “I strongly believe that government is a service agency. At its core, the goal of our government is to serve Nevadans effectively. SB 431 will enable my administration to serve Nevadans in the most accessible and efficient way possible moving forward.”
Background on SB 431
SB 431 Summary
- SB 431 is Governor Lombardo’s Government Modernization and Efficiency Act.
- SB 431 is divided into five main categories: State Employee Management, State Fiscal Management, Governor’s Office Management, Workforce Management, and Other.
State Employee Management
- Eliminates the salary cap of 95% of the Governor’s salary
- Overhauls Chapter 284 to streamline hiring
- Doubles leave accrual limit to 60 days
- Allows leave within the first six months of hire
State Fiscal Management
- Increases Rainy Day Fund cap from 20% to 30%
- Revises calculation for RDF fund deposits
- Creates Nevada Way Account - up to 5% of RDF
- Creates Nevada Way Advisory Committee
- Clarifies the function of IFC not to interfere with the Executive Branch
- Legislature pledges not to require “Sec. 7 reversions” of GF
- Increases IFC thresholds:
- $30k to $100k initial changes
- 10% or $75k to 25% and $500k cumulative changes
- Federal grant receipts trigger IFC at $100k from $20k
- Removes IFC from non-executive budget account grants
- Clarifies the role of the Governor’s Finance Office action under the direction of the Governor
- Requires the Economic Forum to create stress test for future RDF deposits
Governor’s Office Management
- Requires the appointment of a Chief Information Officer
- Creates and requires the appointment of a Chief Innovation Officer
Workforce Management
- Revamps DETR to the Department of Workforce with three divisions:
- Workforce Innovation
- Reemployment Division
- Workforce Rehabilitation Division
- Creates transitional period for Director to come back in 2025
Other
- Creates the Office of Boards, Commissions, and Councils
- Limits the Governor’s emergency powers to 90 days
- Eliminates numerous boards and commissions
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