In a county whose population is 700,000 or more (currently Clark County), existing law authorizes the board of county commissioners and the city council of each of at least the three largest cities in the county to establish a regional planning coalition by cooperative agreement and, if established, develop a comprehensive regional policy plan for the region. (NRS 278.02514, 278.02528) Section 2 of this bill provides that, for the purposes of certain requirements and procedures relating to the annexation or detachment of territory, if a regional planning coalition has not been established, the board of county commissioners must appoint a similar public body that is responsible for the development of comprehensive policy planning in the region to carry out certain duties established for a regional planning coalition. Existing law authorizes the governing body of a city located in a county whose population is 700,000 or more to extend the corporate limits of the city by annexing territory using certain procedures. (NRS 268.570-268.608) In a city located in a county whose population is less than 700,000 (currently all counties other than Clark County), existing law: (1) creates a city annexation commission which reviews proposals for the annexation of territory and adopts procedures for evaluating proposals to annex territory; and (2) authorizes a governing body of the city to diminish, reduce or contract the corporate limits of the city by detaching territory using certain procedures. (NRS 268.626-268.634, 268.664) Section 4 of this bill creates a city annexation and detachment commission in each county whose population is 700,000 or more, consisting of two members representing the county and one member representing each city. Section 5 of this bill establishes the powers and duties of the commission. Section 26 of this bill requires the initial members of the commission to be appointed not later than January 1, 2026, and to serve until December 31, 2026. Section 3 of this bill requires the governing body of each city in such a county to adopt a program of annexation. Section 15 of this bill authorizes the governing body of an incorporated city in a county whose population is 700,000 or more (Cities of Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Mesquite and Boulder City) to detach territory from the corporate limits of the city using certain procedures. Section 18 of this bill authorizes the governing body of the city to initiate detachment proceedings on its own motion or upon the petition of the board of county commissioners or a majority of the owners of real property of the territory sought to be detached. To initiate detachment proceedings, section 6 of this bill requires the governing body of the city to: (1) prepare a plan for the detachment of services and file a report of the plan with the city clerk; and (2) file a petition for detachment with the board of county commissioners. Section 6 requires the board of county commissioners to pass a resolution approving, approving with conditions or disapproving the petition and notify the city clerk of the resolution. If approved or approved with conditions, section 6 requires the city clerk to notify the city annexation and detachment commission created by section 4 not later than 7 days after receiving this resolution. Section 7 of this bill sets forth certain requirements for the plan for detachment required by section 6. Under existing law, a city in a county whose population is 700,000 or more that wishes to initiate the annexation of territory must: (1) pass a resolution stating the intent to consider the annexation; and (2) make plans for the extension of services to the territory proposed to be annexed and prepare and file a report setting forth the plans. (NRS 268.578, 268.584) Section 19 of this bill requires the city clerk to transmit a copy of the resolution to the board of county commissioners. Section 16 of this bill requires the city clerk to notify the city annexation and detachment commission created by section 4 of the intention of the governing body to initiate an annexation not later than 7 days after this report setting forth the plans for the extension of services is filed. Section 24 of this bill makes a conforming change to refer to provisions that have been renumbered by section 16. Sections 8 and 9 of this bill establish the process for the regional planning coalition and city annexation and detachment commission to review any proposal to annex or detach territory and requirements for the commission to hold a public hearing on the proposal. Section 10 of this bill sets forth the factors the commission must consider when reviewing a proposal. Section 11 of this bill establishes requirements for the commission to approve or disapprove a proposal. If the city annexation and detachment commission approves a proposal to annex or detach territory, section 20 of this bill requires the city clerk to provide notice for a public hearing on the proposal. Existing law requires the governing body of a city in a county whose population is 700,000 or more to: (1) before a public hearing on a proposal to annex territory, approve the report for the expansion of services and make the report available to the public; and (2) at the public hearing, make an explanation of the report. (NRS 268.588, 268.590) Section 21 of this bill removes the requirement for the governing body to approve the report and instead requires the governing body to make the report and findings of the commission available to the public. Sections 21 and 22 of this bill require the governing body to perform these actions for a proposal to detach territory. Existing law: (1) prohibits the governing body of a city in a county whose population is 700,000 or more from annexing territory if a majority of the property owners protest the annexation; and (2) authorizes the governing body to annex territory if a majority of property owners do not protest the annexation by adopting an ordinance at a regular or special meeting of the governing body. (NRS 268.592) Section 12 of this bill: (1) establishes similar requirements for a proposal to detach territory from a city in a county whose population is 700,000 or more; and (2) requires the city clerk to file a certified copy of the ordinance and the map showing the territory proposed to be detached and the boundaries of the city proposed to be contracted with the county recorder. Section 13 of this bill establishes provisions for the governing body of the city to determine any outstanding general obligations of the city with respect to the detached territory. Existing law establishes a method to determine the number and identity of owners of real property of a territory proposed to be annexed by a city in a county whose population is 700,000 or more. (NRS 268.594) Section 23 of this bill expands this to owners of real property of a territory proposed to be detached. Existing law authorizes certain persons who appear and protest or file a written protest to an annexation by a city in a county whose population is 700,000 or more to apply to a court for judicial relief. (NRS 268.604) Section 25 of this bill provides that any person, city or county that protests an annexation or detachment may apply for judicial relief. Existing law authorizes a governing body of a city in a county whose population is 700,000 or more to annex territory using certain alternative procedures. (NRS 268.597) Section 28 of this bill repeals the provision authorizing such procedures. Section 17 of this bill makes a conforming change to remove a reference to these alternative procedures. Section 14 of this bill defines certain terms relating to annexation and detachment.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 268.574, 268.576, 268.578, 268.581, 268.582, 268.584, 268.586, 268.588, 268.590, 268.594, 268.602, 268.604, 268.597
BDR: 268.574, 268.576, 268.578, 268.581, 268.582, 268.584, 268.586, 268.588, 268.590, 268.594, 268.602, 268.604, 268.597