AB 156 — Revises provisions governing the members of the board of trustees of school districts. (BDR 34-689)

(a) Seven [voting] members must be elected in election districts established pursuant to subsection 1 by the board of trustees.

(b) One [nonvoting] member must be appointed by the board of county commissioners of the county in which the school district is located.

The member appointed pursuant to this paragraph must reside in the county in which the school district is located.

(c) Three [nonvoting] members must be appointed by the governing bodies of the three most populous incorporated cities in the county in which the school district is located, with each governing body appointing one member.

Each member appointed pursuant to this paragraph must reside in the city in which the governing body is required to make the appointment.

3.

In each county school district in which more than 25,000 pupils but not more than 75,000 pupils are enrolled, the board of trustees shall establish seven election districts for school trustees, as follows:

(a) Five districts which are as nearly equal in population as practicable, each of which includes approximately one-fifth of the population of the county;

and (b) Two districts which are as nearly equal in population as practicable, each of which includes approximately one-half of the population of the county.

 The districts must be composed of contiguous territory.

4.

Each elected trustee of a school district to which this section applies must reside in the election district which the trustee represents and be elected by the voters of that election district.

5.

In each school district in which more than 25,000 pupils but not more than 75,000 pupils are enrolled, the board of trustees is composed of seven members who must be elected in an election district established pursuant to subsection 3 by the board of trustees.

- *AB156_R1* – 4 – 6.

The appointing authority shall make an appointment pursuant to subsection 2 at least 30 days but not more than 90 days before the expiration of the term of office of the incumbent member.

7.

The term of office of a school trustee is 4 years, commencing on the first Monday of January thereafter next following the election or appointment of the trustee.

8.

Each trustee shall hold office until his or her successor is appointed or elected and qualified.

9.

The [nonvoting] members of the board of trustees appointed pursuant to subsection 2 [:

(a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b),] shall have the same duties, rights and responsibilities as [voting] elected members of the board of trustees, including, without limitation [, being] :

(a) Being involved in any briefings, interviews, evaluations, closed-door sessions and policy and operational discussions;

[and] (b) [Do not have voting rights for the election of officers or the authority to serve as an officer of] Voting on matters before the board of trustees [.] , including, without limitation, the election of officers;

(c) Making or seconding motions before the board of trustees;

(d) Serving as an officer of the board of trustees;

and (e) Requesting that an item be added to an agenda or appealing a denial of such a request.

10.

The board of trustees of a school district may not adopt any policy, bylaw or practice or take any other action to restrict or curtail the duties, rights or responsibilities of a member of the board of trustees based on whether the member was elected or appointed to the office of trustee.

Sec.

2.

NRS 386.240 is hereby amended to read as follows:

386.240 1.

A candidate for election to the office of trustee of a school district shall:

[1.] (a) Be a qualified elector.

[2.] (b) Have the qualifications of residence within the county school district required for the office for which he or she seeks election.

2.

No person, elected or appointed, may serve as a trustee for any school district or combination of school districts in this State for 12 years or more.

Accordingly, no person may be elected or appointed to the office of trustee of a school district if the person:

(a) Has served as a trustee, or at the expiration of his or her current term if he or she is so serving will have served, 12 years or more, for any school district or combination of school districts in this State;

or - *AB156_R1* – 5 – (b) If elected or appointed, cannot serve the entire term of office without serving 12 years or more for any school district or combination of school districts in this State.

Sec.

3.

NRS 386.270 is hereby amended to read as follows:

386.270 Except as otherwise provided in NRS 386.275:

1.

Any vacancy occurring among the elected members of a board of trustees must be filled by appointment by the remaining [elected] members of the board at a public meeting held after notice of the meeting is published at least once each week for 2 weeks in a newspaper qualified pursuant to the provisions of chapter 238 of NRS.

The appointee shall serve until the next general election, at which time his or her successor must be elected for the balance of the unexpired term.

2.

Any vacancy occurring among the appointed members of a board of trustees must be filled by the appointing authority.

The appointee serves for the balance of the unexpired term and , except as otherwise provided in NRS 386.240, may be reappointed.

3.

Any person appointed to fill a vacancy must have the qualifications provided in NRS 386.165 or 386.240, as applicable.

Sec.

4.

NRS 386.310 is hereby amended to read as follows:

386.310 1.

The board of trustees shall meet and organize by:

(a) Electing one of its [elected] members as president.

(b) Electing one of its [elected] members as clerk, or by selecting some other qualified person as clerk.

(c) Electing additional officers from its [elected] members as may be deemed necessary.

(d) Fixing the term of office for each of its officers.

2.

A record of the organization of the board of trustees must be entered in the minutes, together with the amount of salary to be paid to the clerk.

3.

Immediately after the organization of the board of trustees, the clerk shall file the names of the president, the clerk and the members of the board of trustees with the Department and the county auditor of the county whose boundaries are conterminous with the boundaries of the county school district.

Sec.

5.

EachExcept memberas ofotherwise theprovided board of trustees of a school district in asubsection county2: whose population is less than 20,000 must receive a salary of $250 per month.

(a) Each member of the board of trustees of a school district in a county whose population is less than 20,000 must receive a salary of $250 per month.

[2.] (b) Each member of the board of trustees of a school district in a county whose population is 20,000 or more but less than 100,000 must receive a salary of $400 per month.

- *AB156_R1* – 6 – [3.] (c) Each member of the board of trustees of a school district in a county whose population is 100,000 or more but less than 700,000 must receive a salary of $750 per month.

[4.] (d) Each member of the board of trustees of a school district in a county whose population is 700,000 or more must receive a salary:

(1) For an elected member, that is equal to the annual salary for a county commissioner in the county set forth in NRS 245.043.

(2) For an appointed member, of $750 per month.

EachExcept memberas ofotherwise theprovided board of trustees of a school district in asubsections county3 whoseand population4, isthe 20,000salaries orset moreforth butin lessthis thansection 100,000 must receivebe apaid salaryfrom the funds of $400the perschool month.district.

EachIn a county whose population is less than 700,000, the board of county commissioners may, from the general funds of the county, provide additional compensation for each member of the board of trustees of a school district insuch athat countythe whosesalary populationof isthe 100,000members orof morethe butboard lessof thantrustees 700,000is mustequal receiveto athe annual salary offor $750a percounty month.commissioner in the county set forth in NRS 245.043.

EachIn a county whose population is 700,000 or more, an appointing authority described in subsection 2 of NRS 386.165 may, from the general funds of the county or city governed by the appointing authority, provide additional compensation for a member of the board of trustees of a school district inwho ais countyappointed whoseby populationthe isappointing 700,000authority orsuch morethat mustthe receivesalary anof annualthe salarymember that is equal to the annual salary for a county commissioner in the county set forth in NRS 245.043.

2.6.

TheNRS amendatory386.330 provisions of this act apply only to a appointed to a term of office that begins on or after January 1, 2027, including, without limitation, a member who is reelectedhereby oramended reappointed to aread termas thatfollows: begins on or after that date.

386.330 1.

The board of trustees shall hold a regular meeting at least once each month, at such time and place as the board shall determine.

- *AB156_R1* – 7 – 2.

Special meetings of the board of trustees shall be held at the call of the president whenever there is sufficient business to come before the board, or upon the written request of three members of the board.

3.

The clerk of the board of trustees shall give written notice of each special meeting to each member of the board of trustees by personal delivery of the notice of the special meeting to each trustee at least 1 day before the meeting, or by mailing the notice to each trustee’s residence of record, by deposit in the United States mails, postage prepaid, at least 4 days before the meeting.

The notice shall specify the time, place and purpose of the meeting.

If all of the members of the board of trustees are present at a special meeting, the lack of notice shall not invalidate the proceedings of the board of trustees.

4.

A majority of the [elected] members of the board of trustees shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and no action of the board of trustees shall be valid unless such action shall receive, at a regularly called meeting, the approval of a majority of all the [elected] members of the board of trustees.

5.

The election of officers, the appointment of members to fill a vacancy pursuant to subsection 1 of NRS 386.270, the adoption or amendment of any policies governing the operation of the board of trustees and all other business relating to members and their duties may be conducted during a regular or special meeting of the board of trustees, except that such business must not be conducted during a meeting that has been designated as a work session or workshop.

6.

In any county whose population is 55,000 or more, the board of trustees may cause each meeting of the board to be broadcast on a television station created to provide community access to cable television by using the facilities of the school district, county or any city located in the county.

The board of trustees and the county or city shall cooperate fully with each other to determine:

(a) The feasibility of televising the meetings of the board of trustees;

(b) The costs to televise the meetings of the board of trustees for each proposed method of televising;

and (c) The number of potential viewers of the meetings of the board of trustees for each proposed method of televising.

[6.] 7.

Except in an emergency that impacts the school district, the board of trustees shall not take any action or corrective action at a regular meeting or special meeting on an item that has been posted on its agenda pursuant to chapter 241 of NRS after 11:59 p.m.

on the day of the meeting.

If the board of trustees has not taken action or corrective action, as applicable, on any item that is on its agenda - *AB156_R1* – 8 – before 11:59 p.m.

on the day of the meeting, the board of trustees must not take any further action or corrective action on any item that is on the meeting agenda unless the board of trustees:

(a) Schedules the delayed agenda item at a future meeting by placing the item on its agenda for the future meeting pursuant to chapter 241 of NRS;

or (b) Waits until at least 24 hours after the originally scheduled time of the meeting but not later than 3 business days after the originally scheduled date of the meeting to take action or corrective action.

[7.] 8.

As used in this section, “emergency” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 241.020.

7.

NRS 386.390 is hereby amended to read as follows:

386.390 1.

Each board of trustees shall have the power to accept on behalf of and for the school district:

(a) Any gift or bequest of money or property for a purpose deemed by the board of trustees to be suitable, and to utilize such money or property for the purpose so designated;

and (b) Any donation of surplus personal property of another school district made pursuant to subsection 2 of NRS 332.185.

2.

Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, the board of trustees of each school district shall record each gift or bequest accepted pursuant to this section and prepare a report which includes, for each such gift or bequest:

(a) The amount of the gift or bequest of money or the fair market value of the bequest of property, as applicable;

(b) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 4, the name of the donor of the gift or bequest;

(c) Any instructions provided by the donor concerning the use of the gift or bequest;

and (d) Information concerning any connection between the donor and the board of trustees or any person responsible for the administration of the system of public education in this State, including, without limitation:

(1) Any contract between the donor and the board of trustees;

(2) Any bid by the donor for a contract with the board of trustees;

(3) If the donor is a lobbyist as defined in NRS 218H.080, a statement of whether the donor lobbies on issues of interest to the board of trustees or relating to the system of public education in this State;

and (4) Any service by the donor on a committee to form a charter school created pursuant to NRS 388A.240.

This section does not apply to any gift or bequest:

- *AB156_R1* – 9 – (a) In an amount less than $100,000, unless the cumulative total by the same donor within a 12-month period is equal to or more than $100,000;

or (b) That is intended for a public broadcasting service.

4.

A donor may remain anonymous for purposes of the report prepared pursuant to subsection 2, unless the donor is required to provide information pursuant to paragraph (d) of subsection 2.

5.

The board of trustees of a school district may submit a form to each donor that requires the donor to provide the information required for inclusion in the report prepared pursuant to subsection 2.

If the board of trustees uses such a form, the board of trustees may rely upon the information provided by the donor on the form for purposes of the report required of the school district pursuant to subsection 2 and the board of trustees is not otherwise required to verify the contents of the information provided by the donor on the form.

6.

The board of trustees of each school district shall include the report prepared pursuant to subsection 2 on the agenda of the next regular meeting of the board of trustees held pursuant to NRS 386.330 and review all transactions involving a gift or bequest listed on the report that have taken place since the previous meeting of the board of trustees.

7.

On or before February 1 of each year, the board of trustees of each school district shall transmit each report prepared pursuant to subsection 2 in the immediately preceding year:

(a) In odd-numbered years, to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to the next regular session of the Legislature;

and (b) In even-numbered years, to the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Education.

8.

Subject to the provisions of this section and chapter 281A of NRS, a member of the board of trustees of a school district may solicit a gift or bequest of money or property on behalf of and for the school district.

Sec.

8.

1.

The amendatory provisions of subparagraph (1) of paragraph (d) of subsection 1 of NRS 386.320, as amended by section 5 of this act apply only to a member of the board of trustees of a school district who is elected to a term of office that begins on or after January 1, 2027, including, without limitation, a member who is reelected to a term that begins on or after that date.

2.

An appointing authority must not increase the compensation of a member of the board of trustees of a school district pursuant to subsection 4 of NRS 386.320, as amended by section 5 of this act, during the term of the member being served on January 1, 2027, without the consent of the member.

The appointing authority may - *AB156_R1* – 10 – not remove the member from office for refusing such additional compensation.

Following the end of the term being served on January 1, 2027, the appointing authority may increase the compensation of the member pursuant to subsection 4 of NRS consent of the member.

section 5 of this act, with or without the Sec.

9.

In funding the increase in salaries for members of the board of trustees of a school district in a county whose population is 700,000 or more pursuant to subparagraph (1) of paragraph (d) of subsection 1 of NRS 386.320, as amended by section 5 of this act, a school district must not reduce the compensation for teachers and other educational personnel and support staff, including, without limitation, mental health professionals.

Sec.

10.

4.11.

This1. act becomes effective on January 1, 2027.

HThis -section *AB156*and sections 1 to 4, inclusive, and 6 of this act become effective on January 1, 2025.

2.

Sections 5 and 7 to 10, inclusive, of this act become effective on January 1, 2026.

H - *AB156_R1*