Existing law authorizes the board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of a charter school to employ teachers and instructors under teacher exchange programs authorized by federal law. (NRS 391.070) Under existing federal regulations, the participation of the teacher or instructor in the program is prohibited from exceeding 3 years but may be extended for 1 or 2 years under certain circumstances. (22 C.F.R. § 62.24 (j), (k)) Existing law provides that a person who becomes a member of the Public Employees' Retirement System on or after July 1, 2015, other than a police officer or firefighter, is eligible to retire at 65 years of age if he or she has at least 5 years of service, at 62 years of age if he or she has at least 10 years of service, at 55 years of age if he or she has at least 30 years of service, and at any age if he or she has at least 33 1/3 years of service. (NRS 286.510) Section 1.3 of this bill provides that a person who becomes a member of the System on or after July 1, 2023, other than a police officer or firefighter, is eligible to retire at 65 years of age if he or she has at least 3 years of service, at 62 years of age if he or she has at least 10 years of service, at 55 years of age if he or she has at least 30 years of service and at any age if he or she has at least 33 1/3 years of service. Section 1.6 of this bill prohibits a school district that employs, or intends to employ, a J-1 visa holder through a teacher exchange program from entering into a contract or partnering with a person or entity that is a sponsor of such a program or recruits candidates for such a program if the total amount of the fees and costs charged per person who participates in, or applies to be a candidate for, the program exceeds $5,000. Section 2.5 of this bill provides that this prohibition does not apply to a contract or partnership existing on July 1, 2023, but does apply to any renewal or extension of such a contract or partnership after that date.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 286.421
Reprint 1: 286.510
BDR: 286.421