Bill > SB384A

This bill establishes new requirements for Nevada state agencies when awarding federal grants for broadband services and infrastructure development. The legislation aims to ensure that grant recipients prioritize workforce quality, safety, and local employment. Specifically, state agencies must evaluate grant applications and assign a 30 percent scoring weight to applicants who meet certain workforce standards. These standards include having robust training programs with industry-recognized skill codes, implementing safety training and drug testing protocols, providing high-quality wages and benefits, promoting hiring from underrepresented communities, and primarily employing local Nevada workers. Alternatively, applicants can qualify by being signatories to a collective bargaining agreement covering non-supervisory employees. The bill is motivated by the significant federal funding available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the American Rescue Plan Act, with the goal of closing Nevada's digital divide while simultaneously creating quality jobs for state residents. The legislation also includes provisions that may exempt certain broadband infrastructure work from prevailing wage requirements if specific collective bargaining conditions are met, and requires grant applicants' certifications to be publicly available online. The new requirements will take effect on January 1, 2024, giving state agencies time to prepare implementation procedures.

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/83rd2025/Bill/11943/Overview