Legislature approves slow start for UNLV medical school

CARSON CITY — A joint legislative budget subcommittee signed off on a new medical school for UNLV on Thursday with a low level of initial funding, as recommended by Gov. Brian Sandoval in his proposed budget.

But that could change by June 1.

Senate Majority Leader Michael Roberson, R-Henderson, said he will work over the remaining days of the 2015 session to find another $19 million sought by the Board of Regents to allow the school to begin operating in the fall of 2017. Roberson, a subcommittee member, said he expects to secure the funding before the session ends June 1.

“It’s important to the entire state; it’s a big economic engine for Southern Nevada and the state; we have great health care needs in this state, especially so in Southern Nevada; its a top priority and we will fund it before we leave the session,” he said.

Later in the day, the Senate amended a bill authorizing ride-hailing companies like Uber to operate in Nevada. The bill also imposes a 3 percent excise tax on fares of ride-sharing companies, taxi’s and limousines. Roberson said revenue from those funds will be used to fully fund the medical school’s start-up costs.

For the time being, the subcommittee approved Sandoval’s budget recommendation for $1.2 million in Fiscal Year 2016 and $7.1 million in 2017 to start development of the medical school.

The Board of Regents had asked for a total of $26.7 million over the two-year budget so operations could start as early as 2017.

Nevada System of Higher Education officials said Sandoval’s recommendation would delay the first class of 60 students by one to four years, depending on funding levels set by lawmakers in 2017.

Sandoval’s recommendation would continue planning efforts in 2016, with the higher funding level in 2017 intended to provide start-up costs for development of the “full-scale, research-intensive allopathic” medical school.

The new medical school would be built on Clark County land in the Las Vegas Medical District, immediately north of the UNLV Shadow Lane Campus. The building is planned as a 150,000-square-foot facility with an estimated budget of $80 million. System officials plan to fund the construction through donor funding. It would be ready for occupancy in August 2019.

In the meantime, the fledgling school would rent space in the North Las Vegas VA Medical Center.

UNLV President Len Jessup earlier testified that the plan for the medical school is credible and the two-year time frame is doable.

At the earlier hearing on the school, Higher Education Chancellor Dan Klaich said the goal of opening the school in 2017, “is an aggressive plan but it is a solid plan.”

“We know we can do it,” he said. “We know we can fully utilize the funds.”

Klaich said the goal of the new medical school is threefold: to improve health care for Nevadans; assist in the economic development of the state; and improve the academic and achievement level of UNLV.

Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Find him on Twitter: @seanw801.