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- 83rd Session (2025)
Senate Bill No. 27–Committee on Government Affairs
CHAPTER..........
AN ACT relating to museums; changing the name of the Nevada
State Museum to the Nevada State Museum Carson City;
revising the powers and duties of the Board of Museums and
History; and providing other matters properly relating
thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing law establishes certain museums and historical societies as institutions
of the Division of Museums and History of the Department of Tourism and Cultural
Affairs. (NRS 381.004) Section 1 of this bill revises the name of one such museum
by changing the name of the Nevada State Museum to the Nevada State Museum
Carson City . Sections 4-11 of this bil l make conforming changes to reflect the
change in name.
Existing law creates the Board of Museums and History and prescribes certain
powers and duties of the Board relating to the functions of the Division. (NRS
381.002, 381.0045) Section 2 of this bill requires the Board to establish policies
and charges for certain services provided by the Division and its institutions .
Existing law requires the Administrator of the Division to authorize or require a
museum director to: (1) establish certain programs deemed proper and necessary by
the Administrator and the Board; and (2) house, preserve, care for and display or
exhibit property received by an institution administered by the museum director.
(NRS 381.0063) Section 3 of this bill removes the authority of the Board to make
determinations regarding such programs and eliminates the requirement that actions
related to property received by an institution be subject to the sole discretion of the
Board.
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:
Section 1. NRS 381.004 is hereby amended to read as follows:
381.004 1. The Division of Museums and History is hereby
created in the Department.
2. The Division consists of the Office of the Adminis trator and
a state system of museums consisting of the following museums and
historical societies, which are hereby established as institutions of
the Division:
(a) The Nevada State Museum [;] Carson City;
(b) The Lost City Museum;
(c) The Nevada State Museum Las Vegas;
(d) The Nevada Historical Society;
(e) The East Ely Depot Museum;
(f) The Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City; and
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(g) The Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City.
3. Each institution shall, in accordance with the duties assigned
to it by the Administrator, collect, preserve and interpret the history,
prehistory and natural history of this State.
Sec. 2. NRS 381.0045 is hereby amended to read as follows:
381.0045 The Board shall establish:
1. Categories of memberships in the institutions and the fees to
be charged for the memberships.
2. Fees for admission to the institutions. Children under the age
of 18 years must be admitted free of charge.
3. Fees for train rides provided by an institution.
4. Policies and charges for the incidental use, rental and lease
of the buildings, equipment, fixtures and other property of the
Division and its institutions.
5. Policies and charges for services provided by the Division
and its institutions, including, withou t limitation, storage,
curation, repair and conducting studies.
Sec. 3. NRS 381.0063 is hereby amended to read as follows:
381.0063 1. The Administrator shall, in accordance with any
directive received from the Director pursuant to NRS 232.005,
authorize or require each museum director to perform such duties
set forth in subsections 2 and 3 as are necessary for the operation of
the institution administered by the museum director, after giving
consideration to:
(a) The size and complexity of the progra ms the museum
director is required to administer;
(b) The number of personnel needed to carry out those
programs;
(c) Requirements for accreditation; and
(d) Such other factors as are relevant to the needs of the
institution and the Division.
2. The Administrator may authorize or require a museum
director to:
(a) Oversee duties related to the auditing and approval of all
bills, claims and accounts of the institution administered by the
museum director.
(b) Receive, collect, exchange, preserve, house , care for,
document, interpret, display and exhibit, particularly, but not
exclusively, respecting the State of Nevada:
(1) Samples of the useful and fine arts, sciences and
industries, relics, memorabilia, products, works, records, rare and
valuable articles and objects, including, without limitation,
drawings, etchings, lithographs, photographs, paintings, statuary,
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sculpture, fabrics, furniture, implements, machines, geological and
mineral specimens, precious, semiprecious and commercial
minerals, metals, earths, gems and stones.
(2) Books, papers, records and documents of historic, artistic,
literary or industrial value or interest by reason of rarity,
representative character or otherwise.
(c) Collect, gather and prepare the natural history of Nevada and
the Great Basin.
(d) Establish such programs in history, archeology,
anthropology, paleontology, mineralogy, ethnology, ornithology and
such other programs as in the judgment of the [Board and ]
Administrator may be proper and necessary to carry out the objects
and purposes appropriate to the institution administered by the
museum director.
(e) Receive and collect property from any appropriate agency of
the State of Nevada, or from accessions, gifts, exchanges, loans or
purchases from any other agencies, persons or sources.
(f) House and preserve, care for and display or exhibit property
received by an institution. This paragraph does not prevent the
permanent or temporary retention, placement, housing or exhibition
of a portion of the property i n other places or locations in or outside
of the State . [at the sole discretion of the Board.]
(g) Make and obtain plans and specifications and let and
supervise contracts for work or have the work done on force account
or day labor, supplying material or labor, or otherwise.
(h) Receive, accept and obtain by exchange in the name of the
State of Nevada all property loaned to the institution administered
by the museum director for preservation, care, display or exhibit, or
decline and reject the property in his or her discretion, and
undertake to be responsible for all property loaned to the institution
or make just payment of any reasonable costs or rentals therefor.
(i) Apply for and expend all gifts and grants that the institution
administered by the m useum director is authorized to accept in
accordance with the terms and conditions of the gift or grant.
(j) Govern, manage and control the exhibit and display of all
property and things of the institution administered by the museum
director at other exhi bits, expositions, world’s fairs and places of
public or private exhibition. Any property of the State of Nevada
that may be placed on display or on exhibition at any world’s fair or
exposition must be taken into custody by the Administrator at the
conclusion of the world’s fair or exposition and placed and kept in
the institution, subject to being removed and again exhibited at the
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discretion of the Administrator or a person designated by the
Administrator.
(k) Negotiate and consult with and agree with ot her institutions,
departments, officers and persons or corporations of and in the State
of Nevada and elsewhere respecting quarters for and the
preservation, care, transportation, storage, custody, documentation,
interpretation, display and exhibit of arti cles and things controlled
by the institutions and respecting the terms and cost, the manner,
time, place and extent, and the return thereof.
(l) Trade, exchange and transfer exhibits and duplicates when
the Administrator deems it proper. Such transaction s shall not be
deemed sales.
(m) Establish the qualifications for life, honorary, annual,
sustaining and such other memberships as are established by the
Board pursuant to NRS 381.0045.
(n) Adopt rules for the internal operations of the institution
administered by the museum director, including, without limitation,
the operation of equipment of the institution.
(o) Establish procedures that enable the accessibility of the
exhibits in an institution administered by the museum director for
persons who are blind or visually impaired, including, without
limitation, by providing audio guides, audio descriptive displays,
tactile displays and experiences, dedicated tours for persons who are
blind or visually impaired, Braille signage and descriptions,
temporary lighting and adapted educational classes.
3. The Administrator shall require a museum director to serve
as, or to designate an employee to serve as, ex officio State
Paleontologist. The State Paleontologist shall, within the limits of
available time, money and staff:
(a) Systematically inventory the paleontological resources
within the State of Nevada;
(b) Compile a database of fossil resources within this State;
(c) Coordinate and promote paleontological research activities
within this State, inclu ding, without limitation, regulating and
issuing permits to engage in such activities;
(d) Disseminate and assist other persons in disseminating
information gained from research conducted by the State
Paleontologist; and
(e) Display and promote, and assi st other persons in displaying
and promoting, the paleontological resources of this State to
enhance education, culture and tourism within this State.
4. The enumeration of the powers and duties that may be
assigned to a museum director pursuant to this section is not
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exclusive of other general objects and purposes appropriate to a
public museum.
5. The provisions of this section do not prohibit the
Administrator from making such administrative and organizational
changes as are necessary for the efficie nt operation of the Division
and its institutions and to ensure that an institution properly carries
out the duties and responsibilities assigned to that institution.
Sec. 4. NRS 381.0068 is hereby amended to read as follows:
381.0068 Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the
contrary:
1. A person is not required to obtain a permit pursuant to NRS
381.196 if the person has obtained a permit pursuant to federal law
for the same purpose; and
2. The Administrator, Museum Director of the Nev ada State
Museum Carson City or the museum director of an institution are
not required to provide notice to, consult with or return items to an
Indian tribe as required pursuant to this chapter if the Administrator,
Museum Director of the Nevada State Muse um Carson City or the
museum director [,] of the institution, as applicable, provides such
notice to, consults with or returns items to the Indian tribe in
accordance with the repatriation process required pursuant to federal
law.
Sec. 5. NRS 381.0069 is hereby amended to read as follows:
381.0069 1. The Museum Director of the Nevada State
Museum Carson City shall adopt regulations as necessary to carry
out the provisions of NRS 381.0066 to 381.0069, inclusive, and
381.195 to 381.227, inclusive, includ ing, without limitation,
regulations which set forth the process for repatriation of prehistoric
native Indian human remains and funerary objects.
2. Any regulations adopted pursuant to this section must be
developed in consultation with Indian tribes an d incorporate the
values, beliefs and traditions of the Indian tribes as determined and
conveyed by the members of the Indian tribes during the
consultation with the Museum Director.
Sec. 6. NRS 381.195 is hereby amended to read as follows:
381.195 As used in NRS 381.195 to 381.227, inclusive:
1. “Historic” means from the middle of the 18th century until
50 years before the current year.
2. “Historic site” means a site, landmark or monument of
historical significance pertaining to the history of the settlement of
Nevada, or Indian campgrounds, shelters, petroglyphs, pictographs
and burials.
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3. “Museum Director” means the Museum Director of the
Nevada State Museum [.] Carson City.
4. “Prehistoric” means before the middle of the 18th century.
5. “Prehistoric site” means any archeological or
paleontological site, ruin, deposit, fossilized footprints and other
impressions, petroglyphs and pictographs, habitation caves, rock
shelters, natural caves, burial ground or sites of religious or cultural
importance to an Indian tribe.
Sec. 7. NRS 381.207 is hereby amended to read as follows:
381.207 1. The holder of a permit described in NRS 381.197,
except as otherwise provided in subsections 2 and 3, who does work
upon aboriginal mounds and earthworks , ancient burial grounds,
prehistoric sites, deposits of fossil bones or other archeological and
vertebrate paleontological features within the State shall give to the
State 50 percent of all articles, implements and materials found or
discovered of which the holder retained possession after completion
of the process set forth in subsection 4, to be deposited with the
Nevada State Museum [,] Carson City, for exhibition or other use
within the State as determined by the Museum Director. The
Museum Director m ay accept less than 50 percent of such items.
Upon receipt of items pursuant to this subsection, the Museum
Director shall notify the Office of Historic Preservation.
2. The holder of a permit described in NRS 381.197 who does
any such work within the St ate under the authority and direction of
the Nevada Historical Society, the Nevada State Museum Las
Vegas, or an institution or political subdivision of the State shall
give 50 percent of all articles, implements and materials found or
discovered of which the holder retained possession after completion
of the process set forth in subsection 4, to the Society, institution or
political subdivision. The holder of the permit may retain the other
50 percent.
3. If the Nevada Historical Society, the Nevada Stat e Museum
Las Vegas, or an institution or political subdivision of the State is
the holder of the permit, it may retain all articles, implements and
materials found or discovered of which it retained possession after
completion of the process set forth in subsection 4.
4. If any of the articles, implements or materials found or
discovered are prehistoric native Indian human remains or funerary
objects, the Museum Director shall:
(a) Provide notice to and consult with each applicable Indian
tribe in accordance with NRS 381.0066;
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(b) Determine which Indian tribe has the closest cultural
affiliation to the prehistoric native Indian human remains or
funerary objects in accordance with NRS 381.0067; and
(c) Return any prehistoric native Indian human remains o r
funerary objects discovered to the closest culturally affiliated Indian
tribe in accordance with the repatriation process adopted pursuant to
NRS 381.0069, if a request for repatriation is made.
5. Whenever the Office of Historic Preservation acquires
articles, implements and materials under the provisions of this
section, they must be transferred to the Museum Director for
exhibition or other use within the State as determined by the
Museum Director.
Sec. 8. NRS 120A.610 is hereby amended to read as follows:
120A.610 1. Except as otherwise provided in subsections 5 to
9, inclusive, all abandoned property other than money delivered to
the Administrator under this chapter must, within 2 years after the
delivery, be sold by the Administrator to the highest bidder at public
sale in whatever manner affords, in his or her judgment, the most
favorable market for the property. The Administrator may decline
the highest bid and reoffer the property for sale if the Administrator
considers the bid to be insufficient.
2. At least 21 days before a sale held under this section, the
Administrator shall provide notice to the public of the sale by
posting notice of the sale:
(a) At the principal office of the Administrator;
(b) At not less than three other prominent places within this
State;
(c) On the website of the Administrator; and
(d) By press release.
3. The Administrator may provide additional notice of a sale
held under this section at any time and in any manner that the
Administrator selects.
4. The purchaser of property at any sale conducted by the
Administrator pursuant to this chapter takes the property free of all
claims of the owner or previous holder and of all persons claiming
through or under them. The Administrator shall execute all
documents necessary to complete the transfer of ownership.
5. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 6, the
Administrator need not offer any property for sale if the
Administrator considers that the probable cost of the sale will
exceed the proceeds of the sale. The Administrator may destroy or
otherwise dispose of such property or may transfer it to:
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(a) The Nevada State Museum Las Vegas, the Nevada State
Museum Carson City or the Nevada Historical Society, upon its
written request, if the property has, in the opinion of the requ esting
institution, historical, artistic or literary value and is worthy of
preservation; or
(b) A genealogical library, upon its written request, if the
property has genealogical value and is not wanted by the Nevada
State Museum Las Vegas, the Nevada State Museum Carson City or
the Nevada Historical Society.
An action may not be maintained by any person against the
holder of the property because of that transfer, disposal or
destruction.
6. The Administrator shall transfer property to the Department
of Veterans Services, upon its written request, if the property has
military value.
7. Securities delivered to the Administrator pursuant to this
chapter may be sold by the Administrator at any time after the
delivery. Securities listed on an established stock exchange must be
sold at the prevailing price for that security on the exchange at the
time of sale. Other securities not listed on an established stock
exchange may be sold:
(a) Over the counter at the prevailing price for that security at
the time of sale; or
(b) By any other method the Administrator deems acceptable.
8. The Administrator shall hold property that was removed
from a safe -deposit box or other safekeeping repository for 1 year
after the date of the delivery of the property to the Administrator,
unless that property is a will or a codicil to a will, in which case the
Administrator shall hold the property for 10 years after the date of
the delivery of the property to the Administrator. If no claims are
filed for the property within t hat period and the Administrator
determines that the probable cost of the sale of the property will
exceed the proceeds of the sale, it may be destroyed.
9. All proceeds received by the Administrator from abandoned
gift certificates must be accounted for separately in the Abandoned
Property Trust Account in the State General Fund. At the end of
each fiscal year, before any other money in the Abandoned Property
Trust Account is transferred pursuant to NRS 120A.620, the balance
in the subaccount created pursuant to this subsection, less any costs,
service charges or claims chargeable to the subaccount, must be
transferred to the State Education Fund.
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Sec. 9. NRS 331.130 is hereby amended to read as follows:
331.130 1. At all times the maintenance of the Capitol
Building is under the supervision of the Administrator, and it must
be kept clean, orderly and presentable as befitting public property.
2. The former Assembly, Senate and Supreme Court chambers
on the second floor of the Capitol Building are un der the
management of the Museum Director of the Nevada State Museum
Carson City for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a
Government Museum. The remainder of the second floor of the
Capitol Building is under the management of the Administrator.
Sec. 10. NRS 331.133 is hereby amended to read as follows:
331.133 The Museum Director of the Nevada State Museum
Carson City shall:
1. Prepare and present exhibits in the Government Museum.
2. Conduct, in an appropriate manner, tours of the Governme nt
Museum.
3. In cooperation with other state agencies and departments,
provide for the security of the Government Museum.
Sec. 11. NRS 417.090 is hereby amended to read as follows:
417.090 1. The Director shall:
(a) Assist veterans, and those pres ently serving in the Armed
Forces of the United States who are residents of the State of Nevada,
their spouses, domestic partners, widows, widowers, children,
dependents, administrators, executors and personal representatives,
in preparing, submitting and presenting any claim against the United
States, or any state, for insurance, pension, disability compensation,
vocational training, education, rehabilitation or any other benefit to
which they may be entitled under the laws of the United States or of
any of the states, and assist them in obtaining any aid or benefit to
which they may be entitled under the laws of the United States or of
any of the states.
(b) Aid, assist, encourage and cooperate with every service
organization recognized nationally or in t his State insofar as the
activities of such organizations are for the benefit of veterans,
servicemen and servicewomen and the spouses, domestic partners,
widows, widowers, children, dependents, administrators, executors
or personal representatives of such veterans, servicemen and
servicewomen.
(c) Give aid, assistance and counsel to each and every problem,
question and situation, individual as well as collective, affecting any
veteran, serviceman or servicewoman, or their dependents, or any
group of veter ans, servicemen and servicewomen, when in their
opinion such comes within the scope of this chapter.
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(d) Coordinate activities of veterans’ organizations.
(e) Serve as a clearinghouse and disseminate information
relating to veterans’ benefits.
(f) Conduct any studies which will assist veterans to obtain
compensation, insurance, pension, disability compensation,
vocational training, education, rehabilitation or any other benefit to
which veterans may be entitled under the laws of the United States
or of any state.
(g) Aid, assist and cooperate with the office of coordinator of
services for veterans created in a county pursuant to NRS 244.401.
(h) Take possession of any abandoned or unclaimed artifacts or
other property that has military or historica l value for safekeeping.
The Director may:
(1) Transfer such an artifact or other property to:
(I) The Nevada State Museum Carson City or the Nevada
Historical Society, upon its written request, if the artifact or other
property has, in the opinion of the requesting institution, historical
value and is worthy of preservation; or
(II) Any other governmental agency or nonprofit entity,
including, without limitation, a veterans’ organization and the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs, upon it s written
request, if the artifact or other property was not requested by the
Nevada State Museum Carson City or the Nevada Historical
Society; or
(2) Destroy or otherwise dispose of the artifact or other
property.
An action may not be maintained by an y person against the
holder or former holder of an artifact or other property because of
the transfer, destruction or other disposal of the artifact or other
property pursuant to this paragraph.
(i) Develop plans and programs to assist veterans who have
suffered sexual trauma while on active duty or during military
training.
(j) Create and maintain a statewide database of information
relating to veterans to assist the Department in identifying and
communicating with veterans and connecting veterans with b enefits
and opportunities for which they are eligible.
(k) Create and maintain a registry of governmental agencies and
private entities that provide services and resources to veterans,
service members and their families and publish a digital copy of the
registry on the Internet website maintained by the Department.
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(l) Ensure that each generation of veterans is recognized
annually through a ceremony, information campaign or other form
of public acknowledgment.
(m) Establish, operate and maintain veterans ’ cemeteries in this
State, and may, within the limits of legislative authorization, employ
personnel and purchase equipment and supplies necessary for the
operation and maintenance of the cemeteries.
(n) Establish, manage, maintain and operate veterans’ homes in
this State, and may, within the limits of legislative authorization,
employ personnel and purchase equipment and supplies necessary
for the operation and maintenance of veterans’ homes.
(o) If the board of county commissioners of any county makes
the request required pursuant to subsection 2 of NRS 244.401,
provide to the coordinator of services for veterans in the county
training and certification as a veterans service officer.
(p) If training and certification is requested pursuant to
paragraph (o), submit an application, on behalf of the coordinator of
services for veterans, to the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs for accreditation or official recognition as a veterans service
officer.
(q) Serve as the primary public advocate for Nevada veterans.
(r) Ensure that each person who participates as an advocate for
veterans in this State in a volunteer program sponsored by the
Department is:
(1) Offered the opportunity to participate in annual training;
and
(2) If requested by the volunteer, provided mentorship.
(s) Provide quarterly training to each veterans service officer
employed by the Department regarding the benefits, services,
programs and assistance available to veterans.
(t) Additionally offer the quarterly training des cribed in
paragraph (s) to representatives of veterans service organizations
who are accredited by the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs.
(u) Connect veterans experiencing homelessness to housing and
organizations that provide support in housing and other related areas
to decrease homelessness among veterans.
(v) Create, coordinate and support programs and resources for
the prevention of suicide among veterans, including, without
limitation, programs and resources to increase knowledge of how to
recognize the signs of a potentially suicidal veteran and resources to
which veterans who are potentially suicidal may be referred.
2. The Director shall:
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(a) Establish an internal policy for guidance to employees of the
Department regarding the tra nsfer, destruction or other disposal of
artifacts and other property pursuant to paragraph (h) of subsection
1; and
(b) Post the policy on the Internet website maintained by the
Department.
Sec. 12. The Legislative Counsel shall, in preparing
supplements to the Nevada Administrative Code, appropriately
change any references to an officer, agency or other entity whose
name is changed or whose responsibilities are transferred pursuant
to the provisions of this act to refer to the appropriate officer,
agency or other entity.
Sec. 13. 1. Any administrative regulations adopted by an
officer or an agency whose name has been changed or whose
responsibilities have been transferred pursuant to the provisions of
this act to another officer or agency remain in force until amended
by the officer or agency to which the responsibility for the adoption
of the regulations has been transferred.
2. Any contracts or other agreements entered into by an officer
or agency whose name has been changed or whose responsibili ties
have been transferred pursuant to the provisions of this act to
another officer or agency are binding upon the officer or agency to
which the responsibility for the administration of the provisions of
the contract or other agreement has been transferr ed. Such contracts
and other agreements may be enforced by the officer or agency to
which the responsibility for the enforcement of the provisions of the
contract or other agreement has been transferred.
3. Any action taken by an officer or agency whose name has
been changed or whose responsibilities have been transferred
pursuant to the provisions of this act to another officer or agency
remains in effect as if taken by the officer or agency to which the
responsibility for the enforcement of such actions has been
transferred.
Sec. 14. This act becomes effective on July 1, 2025.
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