Revises provisions relating to offenders. (BDR 16-1015)

- 83rd Session (2025)
Assembly Bill No. 321–Assemblymembers Jackson, D’Silva,
González, O’Neill; Dalia, Nadeem, Orentlicher and Roth

CHAPTER..........

AN ACT relating to offenders; authorizing the Director of the
Department of Corrections to establish a transitional housing
program for certain offenders to develop skills and training
relating to forestry management and conservation; requiring
the State Forester Firewarden to establish a hiring program to
appoint certain former offenders to firefighting positions; and
providing other matters properly relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Under existing law, the Director of the Department of Corrections is authorized
to enter into one or more contracts with one or more public or private entities to
provide certain services to offender s, including transitional housing. (NRS
209.4889) Section 4.5 of this bill authorizes the Director to establish, in
coordination with the Division of Forestry of the State Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources , a transitional housing program to provide training in
forestry management and conservation for certain offenders who: (1) are committed
to the custody of the Department and eligible for assignment to an institution or
facility of minimum security; and (2) have previously been denied parole solely due
to a lack of other available transitional housing.
Under existing law, the State Forester Firewarden, in cooperation with the
Department of Corrections, is required to establish and carry out a program for
operating conservation camps in this State which may use offenders who meet
certain requirements to perform certain work, including firefighting. (NRS
209.457) Section 5 of this bill requires the State Forester Firewarden to establish a
hiring program to appoint former offenders who performed firefighting work in
such conservation camps to firefighting positions in the Division of Forestry of the
State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

Sections 1-4. (Deleted by amendment.)
Sec. 4.5. Chapter 209 of NRS is hereby amended by adding
thereto a new section to read as follows:
The Director may establish, in coordination with the Division
of Forestry of the State Department of Conserv ation and Natural
Resources, a transitional housing program to provide training in
forestry management and conservation for offenders who:
1. Are committed to the custody of the Department and
eligible for assignment to an institution or facility of mini mum
security pursuant to the provisions of NRS 209.481; and

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- 83rd Session (2025)
2. Have previously been denied parole solely due to a lack of
other available transitional housing.
Sec. 5. Chapter 472 of NRS is hereby amended by adding
thereto a new section to read as follows:
1. The State Forester Firewarden shall establish a hiring
program to provide a pathway to hire for firefighting positions
within this State. Under the hiring program, the State Forester
Firewarden may appoint a person to fill a position in the classified
service as a firefighter with the Division of Forestry of the State
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources if the person:
(a) Was a former offender assigned to work in a program for
operating conservation camps established pursuant to NRS
209.457 and performed work relating to firefighting;
(b) Successfully completed the training necessary to prepare
the offenders assigned to the conservation camp to assist in
firefighting pursuant to NRS 209.457;
(c) Has obtained any certifications required for employment as
a firefighter with the Division of Forestry; and
(d) Meets any other qualifications established by the State
Forester Firewarden.
2. The State Forester Firewarden may adopt regulations to
carry out the provisions of this section.
Sec. 6. (Deleted by amendment.)

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