Read the full stored bill text
- 83rd Session (2025)
Senate Bill No. 93–Senator Daly
CHAPTER..........
AN ACT relating to broadband; establishing certain requirements
for a state agency that awards grants of federal money for the
development of broadband services and infrastructure; and
providing other matters properly relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing law establishes the Office of Science, Innovation and Technology in
the Office of the Governor and requires: (1) the Director of the Office to establish
and administer a program of infrastructure grants for the development or
improvement of broadband services for persons with low income and persons in
rural areas of this State; and (2) the Office to establish and administer a program to
encourage the deployment of broadband infrastructure in underserved comm unities
in this State. (NRS 223.600, 223.610, 223.670) Section 2 of this bill sets forth a
legislative declaration regarding the importance of using a well -trained workforce
and providing jobs to residents of this State in expending federal money to increa se
the development of broadband services and infrastructure in this State.
Section 3 of this bill requires each state agency that awards grants of federal
money for the development of broadband services and infrastructure to: (1)
evaluate and assign a sco re to each grant application received by the state agency
based on the factors and relative weights assigned to each factor that the state
agency specified in the request for grant applications; and (2) assign a relative
weight of 30 percent to a grant app lication if the applicant submits a signed
certification with his or her application. Section 3 provides that the applicant must
certify that if the applicant or the provider of broadband services will perform some
or all of the work or will subcontract so me or all of the work to a licensed
contractor, the applicant, provider or contractor: (1) is able to provide certain
documentation upon request, meets certain safety and training requirements ,
provides job opportunities with high -quality wages and employs a qualified local
workforce; or (2) is a signatory to a collective bargaining agreement that covers all
non-supervisory employees directly employed by the applicant who will perform
any work financed in whole or in part by the grant money.
Section 3 further requires each state agency to include as a condition of any
grant award that: (1) the certification provided by the applicant is binding upon the
applicant that is awarded the grant money; and (2) if an applicant, provider of
broadband services or contractor performs certain work that requires a contractor’s
license, certain provisions of law governing public works apply to the work
performed by the subcontractor. Lastly, section 3 authorizes any state agency that
awards a grant of federal money fo r the development of broadband services and
infrastructure pursuant to section 3 to adopt regulations to carry out the provisions
of section 3.
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- 83rd Session (2025)
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. Chapter 232 of NRS is hereby amended by adding
thereto the provisions set forth as sections 2 and 3 of this act.
Sec. 2. The Legislature finds and declares that:
1. The State of Nevada is poised to see a once-in-a-generation
wave of federal money resulting from the passage of the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Public Law 117 -58, and
the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Public Law 117 -2, which
will help to close the digital divide and increase the development of
broadband services and infrastructure across the State;
2. The State of Nevada needs to ensure that this historic
investment creates long -lasting broadband infrastructure that is
built by a well-trained workforce;
3. Work performed by an unqualified contractor with a
poorly trained workforce endangers the public and is not in the
best interest of the citizens of this State; and
4. Proper stewardship of public money will require that the
State of Nevada implement appropriate measures to ensure that
any grants of federal money awarded by this State for the
development of broadband services and infrastructure prioritize
issuing grants to applicants that will ensure the work is performed
safely and by a well -trained workforce and that the applicant
provides quality jobs to Nevada workers.
Sec. 3. 1. In awarding any grant of federal money for the
development of broadband services and infrastructure in
accordance with federal law, each state agency shall:
(a) Evaluate and assign a score to each application for the
grant received by the state agency based on the factors and relative
weights assigned to each factor that the state agency specified in
the request for grant applications; and
(b) When ranking the proposals, assign a relative weight of 30
percent to an application if the applicant submits a signed
certification attesting that the applicant meets the requirements of
paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection 2.
2. An applicant for a grant of federal money for the
development of broadband services and infrastru cture shall
submit to a state agency with the application for the grant a signed
statement certifying that:
(a) If the applicant:
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(1) Will perform some or all of the work that is financed in
whole or in part with the grant money or if such work will be
performed by a provider of broadband services, the applicant or
provider, as applicable, meets the requirements set forth in
paragraph (b) or (c); and
(2) Will subcontract some or all of the work that is financed
in whole or in part with the grant money , the subcontractor meets
the requirements set forth in paragraph (b) or (c);
(b) The applicant, provider of broadband services or
contractor, as applicable:
(1) Has a training program that is appropriate for the work
to be performed by the applicant, provider or contractor, as
applicable, and is capable of providing, upon request,
documentation that:
(I) Demonstrates that the applicant, provider or
contractor, as applicable, has the ability and financial means to
provide such a training program;
(II) Shows that the applicant, provider or contractor, as
applicable, has a recruitment policy and an equal opportunity
policy;
(III) Shows that the applicant, provider or contractor, as
applicable, provides , at least twice each year, information
concerning the content of the training program and the times at
which the training program is offered; and
(IV) Demonstrates that the applicant, provider or
contractor, as applicable, has actually provided the training
program before submitting the application;
(2) Requires safety training, including, without limitation,
an OSHA -10 course for employees and an OSHA-30 course for
supervisory employees , that is appropriate for the work to be
performed;
(3) Requires work performed by the applicant, provider or
contractor, as applicable, that is financed in whole or in part with
the grant money will be performed by employees who are directly
employed by the applicant, provider or contractor, as applicable,
and that such workers will receive high -quality wages that are not
less than the appropriate prevailing wage in the region determined
pursuant to NRS 338.030 and a health benefit plan for employees,
which includes coverage for dependents of an employee; and
(4) Employs a qualified local workforce of which not less
than 50 percent of employees are residents of this State and
conducts a program to promote the hiring of residents of this
State; or
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(c) The applicant, provider of broadband services or contractor
licensed pursuant to chapter 624 of NRS that will perform some or
all of the work is a signatory to a collective bargaining agreement
that covers all non-supervisory employees directly employed by the
applicant, provider or contractor, as applicable, who will perform
any work financed in whole or in part with the grant money.
3. Any certification submitted by an applicant for a grant
pursuant to subsection 2 must be made available on the Internet
website of the state agency which awarded the grant.
4. In addition to the requirements of subsections 1 and 2 and
except as otherwise provided in federal law, each state agency
shall require as a condition of any grant of federal money for the
development of broadband services and infrastructure in
accordance with federal law that is awarded by the state ag ency
that:
(a) Any certification provided by the applicant pursuant to
subsection 2 is binding upon the applicant who is awarded the
grant money; and
(b) If an applicant, provider of broadband services or
contractor performs any work that requires a cont ractor’s license
issued pursuant to chapter 624 of NRS and is financed in whole or
in part with the grant money, the provisions of NRS 338.020 to
338.090, inclusive, shall apply.
5. If any federal statute or regulation precludes the granting
of federal assistance or reduces the amount of that assistance for a
particular grant because of the provisions of this section, the
provisions of this section do not apply insofar as their application
would preclude or reduce federal assistance for that work.
6. Any state agency that awards a grant of federal money for
the development of broadband services and infrastructure
pursuant to this section may adopt regulations to carry out the
provisions of this section.
7. As used in this section:
(a) “Health benefit plan for employees ” means a health
benefit plan that is provided by an employer to an employee which
arranges for the payment of, payment for or reimbursement of any
of the costs of health care services.
(b) “OSHA-10 course” means a 10-hour course developed by
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the United
States Department of Labor.
(c) “OSHA-30 course” means a 3 0-hour course developed by
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the United
States Department of Labor.
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(d) “State agency” means every public agency, bureau, board,
commission, department, division, officer or employee of the
Executive Department of the State Government.
(e) “Supervisory employee” has the meaning ascribed to it in
NRS 618.967.
Sec. 4. (Deleted by amendment.)
Sec. 5. 1. This section becomes effective upon passage and
approval.
2. Sections 1 to 4, inclusive, of this act become effective:
(a) Upon passage and approval for the purpose of adopting any
regulations and performing any other preparatory administrative
tasks that are necessary to carry out the provisions of this act; and
(b) On January 1, 2026, for all other purposes.
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