Existing law requires the board of county commissioners of a county to levy a special assessment in an amount necessary to pay the salaries and expenses of well supervisors, assistants of well supervisors and the Well Drillers' Advisory Board, if fees collected for certain licenses are not sufficient to pay such salaries and expenses. Existing law authorizes the board of county commissioners of a county to pay those salaries and expenses by appropriating money from the general fund of the county, if the amount of a special assessment combined with all other taxes and assessments levied upon a property owner is less than the cost of collecting the special assessment. Existing law further provides that well supervisors and assistants of well supervisors employed by the State Engineer are exempt from certain provisions of existing law governing public officers and employees. (NRS 534.040) Sections 1 and 3 of this bill prohibit the use of the money levied from such a special assessment or money appropriated from the general fund of a county to pay the salaries and expenses of a person employed by the State Engineer who is subject to certain provisions of existing law governing public officers and employees. Section 2 of this bill makes a conforming change to account for a change to an internal reference in section 3. Existing law requires such special assessments to be deposited with the State Treasurer for credit to the Water District Account to be accounted for in basin well accounts. (NRS 534.040) Section 3 requires the State Engineer to provide, upon the written request of a board of county commissioners which may be requested not more than once each year, a report on the expenditures and activities from the Water District Account for the particular basin well account of that groundwater basin. Existing law further establishes, subject to certain exceptions, a minimum charge of $1 for a special assessment upon certain areas in which the use of groundwater is predominately for agricultural purposes. (NRS 534.040) Section 3: (1) removes the minimum charge; and (2) establishes a maximum charge that is equal to the existing charge as of June 30, 2023, plus the annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for the preceding year for such assessments. Section 3 further authorizes the State Engineer to increase the amount of the maximum charge with the approval of the board of county commissioners.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 532.210, 534.035, 534.040
Reprint 1: 532.210, 534.035, 534.040
BDR: 532.210, 534.035, 534.040