Nevada Senate approves bills targeting public employees, collective bargaining

CARSON CITY — The Nevada Senate on Monday approved two bills targeting public employees and collective bargaining.

Senate Bill 241 sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Michael Roberson, R-Henderson, takes school administrators out of collective bargaining if they make more than $120,000 a year.

It also makes principals “at will” employees for the first three years. Principals who are “reassigned” from their jobs are allowed to return to previous positions they might have held in the school district.

Additionally, principals who complete the probationary period are placed back on probation if within two successive years the school falters by one or more levels in statewide accountability tests and at least 50 percent of teachers request a transfer to another school.

SB241 also requires administrators other than principals and those excluded from collective bargaining to reapply to the district superintendent for reappointment every five years.

The bill passed 15-4 and now moves to the Assembly.

Another measure, Senate Bill 406, changes some eligibility criteria under the Public Employees Retirement System.

Roberson, who also sponsored SB406, said the changes will save the PERS $1 billion every decade once fully implemented. It passed unanimously in the Senate and now moves to the Assembly.

It would strip PERS members of retirement benefits if they are convicted, plead guilty or no contest to a felony, though they would receive back any contributions they made, without interest.

Currently, a public employee other than law enforcement and firefighters are entitled to PERS benefits at age 65 if they have at least five years of service; at 62 with at least 10 years; and at any age with 30 years of service. SB406 allows retirement at any age if a person has 33.5 years of service, and at age 55 with 30 years.

The bill also reduces to 2.25 percent from 2.5 percent the multiplier used to calculate retirement allowance. A public employee’s benefit is currently determined by multiplying average compensation by 2.5 percent for every year of service.

Another provision in the bill makes purchased time ineligible when determining the number of years of service for determining benefits.

Judges under the Judicial Retirement Plan do not currently pay into their own retirement, but will be required to pay 50 percent of the requirement contribution if the bill passes.

The multiplier for determining monthly benefits for judges also will be reduced to 3.1591 percent from 3.4091 percent.

Changes in the bill, should it become law, would only apply to new PERS members after July 1.

Contact Sandra Chereb at schereb@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901. Find her on Twitter: @SandraChereb.