Nevada 2025 Regular Session

Nevada Senate Bill SB19 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	S.B. 19
4	4
5	5	- SB19
6	6
7	7	SENATE BILL NO. 19–COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
8	8
9	9	(ON BEHALF OF THE JOINT INTERIM STANDING
10	10	COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES)
11	11
12	12	PREFILED NOVEMBER 5, 2024
13	13	____________
14	14
15	15	Referred to Committee on Natural Resources
16	16
17	17	SUMMARY—Authorizes the Governor to enter into certain
18	18	interstate fire compacts. (BDR 47-381)
19	19
20	20	FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.
21	21	Effect on the State: Yes.
22	22
23	23	~
24	24
25	25	EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
26	26
27	27
28	28	AN ACT relating to interstate fire compacts; ratifying the Great
29	29	Plains Wildland Fire Protection Compact upon a
30	30	declaration by the Governor; ratifying the Northwest
31	31	Wildland Fire Protection Agreement upon a declaration
32	32	by the Governor; and providing other matters properly
33	33	relating thereto.
34	34	Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
35	35	In 2007, the United States Congress approved the Great Plains Wildland Fire 1
36	36	Protection Compact. The Compact: (1) authorizes the state forester or officer 2
37	37	holding the equivalent position who is responsible for forest fire control to consult 3
38	38	with like officials of other member states and implement cooperation between the 4
39	39	states in forest fire prevention and control; (2) authorizes member states to provide 5
40	40	reciprocal aid in fighting forest fires among the compacting states if the state forest 6
41	41	fire control agency of a member state requests aid; (3) provides that the fire fighting 7
42	42	forces of any member state that renders outside aid at the request of another 8
43	43	member state have, with certain exceptions, the same powers, duties, rights, 9
44	44	privileges and immunities as comparable employees of the state to which they are 10
45	45	rendering aid; (4) provides that a member state is not liable for any act or omission 11
46	46	of its fire fighting forces made in connection with rendering outside aid to a 12
47	47	member state; (5) provides that any liability that may arise is assumed by the 13
48	48	member state that requests aid; (6) requires a member state that receives aid from 14
49	49	another member state to reimburse the member state that provided the aid; (7) 15
50	50	requires each member state to maintain adequate forest fire fighting forces and 16
51	51	equipment to meet the demands for forest fire protection within its borders; and (8) 17
52	52	provides that the Compact is effective and binding on each state ratifying it until 18
53	53	the legislature or the governor of the state takes action to withdraw from the 19
54	54	– 2 –
55	55
56	56
57	57	- SB19
58	58	Compact. (Pub. L. No. 110-79) Section 2 of this bill ratifies the Compact. Section 20
59	59	4 of this bill requires the Governor to notify the member states of the Compact that 21
60	60	Nevada has ratified the Compact. Section 5 of this bill makes the ratification of the 22
61	61	Compact effective on the date on which the Governor of this State declares that this 23
62	62	State has ratified the Compact and the State’s entry has been approved. 24
63	63	In 1998, the United States Congress approved the Northwest Wildland Fire 25
64	64	Protection Agreement. The Agreement: (1) provides that the role of the members is 26
65	65	to coordinate the plans and work of the appropriate agencies and to coordinate the 27
66	66	rendering of aid to members in fighting wildland fires; (2) provides that the 28
67	67	members agree to render aid when any other member requests aid in controlling or 29
68	68	preventing wildland fires; (3) requires the employees of any member providing aid 30
69	69	to operate under the direction of the officers of the member to whom the aid is 31
70	70	rendered; (4) provides that the employees of any members providing aid have the 32
71	71	same privileges and immunities as comparable employees of the member to whom 33
72	72	they are rendering aid; (5) provides that a member is not liable for any act or 34
73	73	omission of its fire fighting forces made in connection with rendering aid to a 35
74	74	member; (6) requires a member that receives aid from another member to 36
75	75	reimburse the member that provided the aid; (7) requires each member to keep 37
76	76	accurate books of account showing receipts and disbursements which are open to 38
77	77	inspection of representatives of a member; (8) requires the members to hold an 39
78	78	annual meeting to review the terms of the Agreement and any applicable operating 40
79	79	plans; and (9) provides that the Agreement is effective on each member until such 41
80	80	member takes action to withdraw from the Agreement. (Pub. L. No. 105-377) 42
81	81	Section 3 of this bill ratifies the Agreement. Section 4 requires the Governor to 43
82	82	notify the members of the Agreement that Nevada has ratified the Agreement. 44
83	83	Section 5 makes the ratification of the Agreement effective on the date on which 45
84	84	the Governor of this State declares that this State has ratified the Agreement and the 46
85	85	State’s entry has been approved. 47
86	86
87	87
88	88	THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
89	89	SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
90	90
91	91	Section 1. Chapter 527 of NRS is hereby amended by adding 1
92	92	thereto the provisions set forth as sections 2 and 3, inclusive, of this 2
93	93	act. 3
94	94	Sec. 2. The Great Plains Wildland Fire Protection Compact 4
95	95	is hereby ratified, enacted into law and entered into with all 5
96	96	jurisdictions legally joining in the Compact, in substantially the 6
97	97	form set forth in this section: 7
98	98	8
99	99	THE GREAT PLAINS WILDLAND FIRE 9
100	100	PROTECTION AGREEMENT 10
101	101	11
102	102	THIS AGREEMENT is entered into by and between the State, 12
103	103	Provincial and Territorial wildland fire protection agencies 13
104	104	signatory hereto, hereinafter referred to as ‘Members’. 14
105	105	FOR, AND IN CONSIDERATION OF the following terms and 15
106	106	conditions, the Members agree: 16
107	107
108	108	– 3 –
109	109
110	110
111	111	- SB19
112	112	ARTICLE I 1
113	113	2
114	114	The purpose of this compact is to promote effective prevention 3
115	115	and control of forest fires in the Great Plains region of the United 4
116	116	States by the maintenance of adequate forest fire fighting services 5
117	117	by the member states, and by providing for reciprocal aid in 6
118	118	fighting forest fires among the compacting states of the region, 7
119	119	including South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, and 8
120	120	any adjoining state of a current member state. 9
121	121	10
122	122	ARTICLE II 11
123	123	12
124	124	This compact is operative immediately as to those states 13
125	125	ratifying it if any two or more of the member states have ratified it. 14
126	126	15
127	127	ARTICLE III 16
128	128	17
129	129	In each state, the state forester or officer holding the equivalent 18
130	130	position who is responsible for forest fire control may act as 19
131	131	compact administrator for that state and may consult with like 20
132	132	officials of the other member states and may implement 21
133	133	cooperation between the states in forest fire prevention and 22
134	134	control. The compact administrators of the member states may 23
135	135	organize to coordinate the services of the member states and 24
136	136	provide administrative integration in carrying out the purposes of 25
137	137	this compact. Each member state may formulate and put in effect 26
138	138	a forest fire plan for that state. 27
139	139	28
140	140	ARTICLE IV 29
141	141	30
142	142	If the state forest fire control agency of a member state requests 31
143	143	aid from the state forest fire control agency of any other member 32
144	144	state in combating, controlling, or preventing forest fires, the state 33
145	145	forest fire control agency of that state may render all possible aid 34
146	146	to the requesting agency, consonant with the maintenance of 35
147	147	protection at home. 36
148	148	37
149	149	ARTICLE V 38
150	150	39
151	151	If the forces of any member state are rendering outside aid 40
152	152	pursuant to the request of another member state under this 41
153	153	compact, the employees of the state shall, under the direction of 42
154	154	the officers of the state to which they are rendering aid, have the 43
155	155	same powers (except the power of arrest), duties, rights, privileges, 44
156	156	– 4 –
157	157
158	158
159	159	- SB19
160	160	and immunities as comparable employees of the state to which 1
161	161	they are rendering aid. 2
162	162	No member state or its officers or employees rendering outside 3
163	163	aid pursuant to this compact is liable on account of any act or 4
164	164	omission on the part of such forces while so engaged, or on 5
165	165	account of the maintenance or use of any equipment or supplies in 6
166	166	connection with rendering the outside aid. 7
167	167	All liability, except as otherwise provided in this compact, that 8
168	168	may arise either under the laws of the requesting state or under 9
169	169	the laws of the aiding state or under the laws of a third state on 10
170	170	account of or in connection with a request for aid, shall be 11
171	171	assumed and borne by the requesting state. 12
172	172	Any member state rendering outside aid pursuant to this 13
173	173	compact shall be reimbursed by the member state receiving the aid 14
174	174	for any loss or damage to, or expense incurred in the operation of 15
175	175	any equipment answering a request for aid, and for the cost of all 16
176	176	materials, transportation, wages, salaries, and maintenance of 17
177	177	employees and equipment incurred in connection with such 18
178	178	request. However, nothing in this compact prevents any assisting 19
179	179	member state from assuming such loss, damage, expense or other 20
180	180	cost or from loaning such equipment or from donating such 21
181	181	services to the receiving member state without charge or cost. 22
182	182	Each member state shall assure that workers compensation 23
183	183	benefits in conformity with the minimum legal requirements of the 24
184	184	state are available to all employees and contract firefighters sent to 25
185	185	a requesting state pursuant to this compact. 26
186	186	For the purposes of this compact the term, employee, includes 27
187	187	any volunteer or auxiliary legally included within the forest fire 28
188	188	fighting forces of the aiding state under the laws of the aiding 29
189	189	state. 30
190	190	The compact administrators may formulate procedures for 31
191	191	claims and reimbursement under the provisions of this article, in 32
192	192	accordance with the laws of the member states. 33
193	193	34
194	194	ARTICLE VI 35
195	195	36
196	196	Ratification of this compact does not affect any existing statute 37
197	197	so as to authorize or permit curtailment or diminution of the forest 38
198	198	fighting forces, equipment, services, or facilities of any member 39
199	199	state. 40
200	200	Nothing in the compact authorizes or permits any member state 41
201	201	to curtail or diminish its forest fire fighting forces, equipment, 42
202	202	services, or facilities. Each member state shall maintain adequate 43
203	203	forest fire fighting forces and equipment to meet demands for 44
204	204	– 5 –
205	205
206	206
207	207	- SB19
208	208	forest fire protection within its borders in the same manner and to 1
209	209	the same extent as if this compact were not operative. 2
210	210	Nothing in this compact limits or restricts the powers of any 3
211	211	state ratifying the compact to provide for the prevention, control, 4
212	212	and extinguishment of forest fires, or to prohibit the enactment or 5
213	213	enforcement of state laws, rules, or regulations intended to aid in 6
214	214	the prevention, control, and extinguishment in the state. 7
215	215	Nothing in this compact affects any existing or future 8
216	216	cooperative relationship or arrangement between the United States 9
217	217	Forest Service and a member state or states. 10
218	218	11
219	219	ARTICLE VII 12
220	220	13
221	221	Representatives of the United States Forest Service may attend 14
222	222	meetings of the compact administrators. 15
223	223	16
224	224	ARTICLE VIII 17
225	225	18
226	226	The provisions of Articles IV and V of this compact that relate 19
227	227	to reciprocal aid in combating, controlling, or preventing forest 20
228	228	fires are operative as between any state party to this compact and 21
229	229	any other state which is party to this compact and any other state 22
230	230	that is party to a regional forest fire protection compact in another 23
231	231	region if the Legislature of the other state has given its assent to 24
232	232	the mutual aid provisions of this compact. 25
233	233	26
234	234	ARTICLE IX 27
235	235	28
236	236	This compact shall continue in force and remain binding on 29
237	237	each state ratifying it until the Legislature or the Governor of the 30
238	238	state takes action to withdraw from the compact. Such action is 31
239	239	not effective until six months after notice of the withdrawal has 32
240	240	been sent by the chief executive of the state desiring to withdraw to 33
241	241	the chief executives of all states then parties to the compact. 34
242	242	Sec. 3. The Northwest Wildland Fire Protection Agreement 35
243	243	is hereby ratified, enacted into law and entered into with all 36
244	244	jurisdictions legally joining in the Agreement, in substantially the 37
245	245	form set forth in this section: 38
246	246	39
247	247	THE NORTHWEST WILDLAND FIRE 40
248	248	PROTECTION AGREEMENT 41
249	249	42
250	250	THIS AGREEMENT is entered into by and between the State, 43
251	251	Provincial, and Territorial wildland fire protection agencies 44
252	252	signatory hereto, hereinafter referred to as “Members”. 45
253	253	– 6 –
254	254
255	255
256	256	- SB19
257	257	FOR AND IN CONSIDERATION OF the following terms and 1
258	258	conditions, the Members agree: 2
259	259	3
260	260	Article I 4
261	261	5
262	262	1.1 The purpose of this Agreement is to promote effective 6
263	263	prevention, presuppression and control of forest fires in the 7
264	264	Northwest wildland region of the United States and adjacent areas 8
265	265	of Canada (by the Members) by providing mutual aid in 9
266	266	prevention, presuppression and control of wildland fires, and by 10
267	267	establishing procedures in operating plans that will facilitate such 11
268	268	aid. 12
269	269	13
270	270	Article II 14
271	271	15
272	272	2.1 The agreement shall become effective for those Members 16
273	273	ratifying it whenever any two or more Members, the States of 17
274	274	Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, or the Yukon 18
275	275	Territory, or the Province of British Columbia, or the Province of 19
276	276	Alberta have ratified it. 20
277	277	2.2 Any State, Province, or Territory not mentioned in this 21
278	278	Article which is contiguous to any Member may become a party to 22
279	279	this Agreement subject to unanimous approval of the Members. 23
280	280	24
281	281	Article III 25
282	282	26
283	283	3.1 The role of the Members is to determine from time to time 27
284	284	such methods, practices, circumstances and conditions as may be 28
285	285	found for enhancing the prevention, presuppression, and control 29
286	286	of forest fires in the area comprising the Member’s territory; to 30
287	287	coordinate the plans and the work of the appropriate agencies of 31
288	288	the Members; and to coordinate the rendering of aid by the 32
289	289	Members to each other in fighting wildland fires. 33
290	290	3.2 The Members may develop cooperative operating plans 34
291	291	for the program covered by this Agreement. Operating plans shall 35
292	292	include definition of terms, fiscal procedures, personnel contacts, 36
293	293	resources available, and standards applicable to the program. 37
294	294	Other sections may be added as necessary. 38
295	295	39
296	296	Article IV 40
297	297	41
298	298	4.1 A majority of Members shall constitute a quorum for the 42
299	299	transaction of its general business. Motions of Members present 43
300	300	shall be carried by a simple majority except as stated in Article II. 44
301	301	Each Member will have one vote on motions brought before them. 45
302	302	– 7 –
303	303
304	304
305	305	- SB19
306	306	Article V 1
307	307	2
308	308	5.1 Whenever a Member requests aid from any other Member 3
309	309	in controlling or preventing wildland fires, the Members agree, to 4
310	310	the extent they possibly can, to render all possible aid. 5
311	311	6
312	312	Article VI 7
313	313	8
314	314	6.1 Whenever the forces of any Member are aiding another 9
315	315	Member under this Agreement, the employees of such Member 10
316	316	shall operate under the direction of the officers of the Member to 11
317	317	which they are rendering aid and be considered agents of the 12
318	318	Member they are rendering aid to and, therefore, have the same 13
319	319	privileges and immunities as comparable employees of the 14
320	320	Member to which they are rendering aid. 15
321	321	6.2 No Member or its officers or employees rendering aid 16
322	322	within another State, Territory, or Province, pursuant to this 17
323	323	Agreement shall be liable on account of any act or omission on the 18
324	324	part of such forces while so engaged, or on account of 19
325	325	maintenance or use of any equipment or supplies in connection 20
326	326	therewith to the extent authorized by the laws of the Member 21
327	327	receiving the assistance. The receiving Member, to the extent 22
328	328	authorized by the laws of the State, Territory, or Province, agrees 23
329	329	to indemnify and save-harmless the assisting Member from any 24
330	330	such liability. 25
331	331	6.3 Any Member rendering outside aid pursuant to this 26
332	332	Agreement shall be reimbursed by the Member receiving such aid 27
333	333	for any loss or damage to, or expense incurred in the operation of 28
334	334	any equipment and for the cost of all materials, transportation, 29
335	335	wages, salaries and maintenance of personnel and equipment 30
336	336	incurred in connection with such request in accordance with the 31
337	337	provisions of the previous section. Nothing contained herein shall 32
338	338	prevent any assisting Member from assuming such loss, damage, 33
339	339	expense or other cost or from loaning such equipment or from 34
340	340	donating such services to the receiving Member without charge or 35
341	341	cost. 36
342	342	6.4 For purposes of this Agreement, personnel shall be 37
343	343	considered employees of each sending Member for the payment of 38
344	344	compensation to injured employees and death benefits to the 39
345	345	representatives of deceased employees injured or killed while 40
346	346	rendering aid to another Member pursuant to this Agreement. 41
347	347	6.5 The Members shall formulate procedures for claims and 42
348	348	reimbursement under the provisions of this Article. 43
349	349
350	350
351	351	– 8 –
352	352
353	353
354	354	- SB19
355	355	Article VII 1
356	356	2
357	357	7.1 When appropriations for support of this agreement, or for 3
358	358	the support of common services in executing this agreement, are 4
359	359	needed, costs will be allocated equally among the Members. 5
360	360	7.2 As necessary, Members shall keep accurate books of 6
361	361	account, showing in full, its receipts and disbursements, and the 7
362	362	books of account shall be open at any reasonable time to the 8
363	363	inspection of representatives of the Members. 9
364	364	7.3 The Members may accept any and all donations, gifts, 10
365	365	and grants of money, equipment, supplies, materials and services 11
366	366	from the Federal or any local government, or any agency thereof 12
367	367	and from any person, firm or corporation, for any of its purposes 13
368	368	and functions under this Agreement, and may receive and use the 14
369	369	same subject to the terms, conditions, and regulations governing 15
370	370	such donations, gifts, and grants. 16
371	371	17
372	372	Article VIII 18
373	373	19
374	374	8.1 Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to limit or 20
375	375	restrict the powers of any Member to provide for the prevention, 21
376	376	control, and extinguishment of wildland fires or to prohibit the 22
377	377	enactment or enforcement of State, Territorial, or Provincial laws, 23
378	378	rules or regulations intended to aid in such prevention, control 24
379	379	and extinguishment of wildland fires in such State, Territory, or 25
380	380	Province. 26
381	381	8.2 Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to affect 27
382	382	any existing or future Cooperative Agreement between Members 28
383	383	and/or their respective Federal agencies. 29
384	384	30
385	385	Article IX 31
386	386	32
387	387	9.1 The Members may request the United States Forest 33
388	388	Service to act as the coordinating agency of the Northwest 34
389	389	Wildland Fire Protection Agreement in cooperation with the 35
390	390	appropriate agencies of each Member. 36
391	391	9.2 The Members will hold an annual meeting to review the 37
392	392	terms of this Agreement, any applicable Operating Plans, and 38
393	393	make necessary modifications. 39
394	394	9.3 Amendments to this Agreement can be made by simple 40
395	395	majority vote of the Members and will take effect immediately 41
396	396	upon passage. 42
397	397
398	398
399	399
400	400	– 9 –
401	401
402	402
403	403	- SB19
404	404	Article X 1
405	405	2
406	406	10.1 This Agreement shall continue in force on each Member 3
407	407	until such Member takes action to withdraw therefrom. Such 4
408	408	action shall not be effective until 60 days after notice thereof has 5
409	409	been sent to all other members. 6
410	410	7
411	411	Article XI 8
412	412	9
413	413	11.1 Nothing in this Agreement shall obligate the funds of 10
414	414	any Member beyond those approved by appropriate legislative 11
415	415	action. 12
416	416	Sec. 4. The Governor shall give notice of the ratification of the 13
417	417	Great Plains Wildland Fire Protection Compact and the Northwest 14
418	418	Wildland Fire Protection Agreement by the Legislature of Nevada to 15
419	419	the member states of the Great Plains Wildland Fire Protection 16
420	420	Compact and the members of the Northwest Wildland Fire 17
421	421	Protection Agreement. 18
422	422	Sec. 5. 1. This section and sections 1 and 4 of this act 19
423	423	become effective upon passage and approval. 20
424	424	2. Section 2 of this act becomes effective on the date on which 21
425	425	the Governor of this State declares that this State has ratified the 22
426	426	Great Plains Wildland Fire Protection Compact and the State’s entry 23
427	427	has been approved. 24
428	428	3. Section 3 of this act becomes effective on the date on which 25
429	429	the Governor of this State declares that this State has ratified the 26
430	430	Northwest Wildland Fire Protection Agreement and the State’s entry 27
431	431	has been approved. 28
432	432
433	433	H
434	434
435	435
436	436
437	437
438	438
439	439
440	440