WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

AB 165

Revises provisions relating to outdoor education. (BDR 35-633)

2025 Regular Session

Creates a permanent Nevada Outdoor Education Council to develop standards, designate schools, train staff, and provide targeted support for outdoor education in public schools.

Approved by the Governor. Chapter 370.
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · AB 165

AB 165 — Summary: Outdoor Education Council (BDR 35-633)

Status
- Approved by the Governor (Chapter 370), June 6, 2025.
- Passed Assembly March 20, 2025; passed Senate May 31, 2025; enrolled June 4, 2025.
- Fiscal effect: No effect on local government; effect on the State: Yes.

Purpose / intent
- Establish a permanent, state-level Outdoor Education Council to promote, support, grow and sustain outdoor education in Nevada public schools and to create standards, recognition, training and technical assistance for school-based outdoor education.

Key provisions
- Creation and placement
- Establishes the Outdoor Education Council within the Division of Outdoor Recreation of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (the Division).

  • Membership and organization

    • Ten voting members: representative of the Division (appointed by the Administrator); representative of the Department of Education (appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction); representative of the Department of Wildlife (appointed by the Director); one school district superintendent (appointed by the Nevada Association of School Superintendents); two licensed teachers (appointed by the Governor); two providers of nature‑based education (one must primarily serve a historically underserved community) (appointed by the Governor); one Senator (appointed by the Senate Majority Leader); one Assembly member (appointed by the Assembly Speaker).
    • One nonvoting member: a public school pupil (appointed by the Governor).
    • Terms: 3 years; members serve without compensation. A quorum is a majority; Council elects Chair and Vice Chair annually.
    • State/political‑subdivision employees who serve are to be relieved from duties to attend Council meetings without loss of compensation, and need not make up time or use leave.

  • Duties and programs

    • Develop voluntary standards for school outdoor education programs (including interdisciplinary curricula and standards for climate‑resilient "living schoolyards").
    • Establish and administer a designation program to recognize:
    • Schools whose outdoor education programs meet the Council's standards; and
    • A teacher as "Outdoor Educator of the Year" (Council must provide a nonmonetary award to the teacher).
    • Provide or identify opportunities for educator training in outdoor education.
    • Provide technical assistance to schools and districts (with priority to schools with least access to nature).
    • Identify sources of federal funding and grants to support outdoor education.
    • Accept gifts, grants, and donations to support Council work.
    • Authority to adopt regulations necessary to implement the programs.

  • Administrative support and funding

    • The Division is required to provide administrative support “to the extent possible.”
    • Final enacted version includes an appropriation to the Division for travel expenses to provide administrative support to the Council (authority added during amendments). No specific dollar amount is given in the provided documents.
    • The Council may accept external grants and donations; earlier drafts that expressly authorized the Council to provide monetary awards to designated schools were amended out.

Major amendments and evolution
- Original bill included authority for the Council to award monetary grants to designated schools “to the extent that money is available.” Later amendments removed that authority and limited school awards to designation (nonmonetary recognition).
- Membership expanded from 8 to 10 voting members to add legislative representation (one Senator and one Assembly member).
- Language requiring the Division to provide administrative support was changed to “to the extent possible.”
- An appropriation for travel expenses to support Council administrative activities was added in a later reprint.

Who is affected / likely impact
- State agencies: Division of Outdoor Recreation, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Department of Education, Department of Wildlife.
- Public schools and districts: eligible to seek Council school designation, receive technical assistance and training resources; prioritized support for schools with limited access to nature.
- Teachers: eligible for recognition as Outdoor Educator of the Year.
- Providers of nature‑based education and community organizations: potential partners and appointees; potential recipients of identified federal grants or gifts.
- No direct new obligations for local governments; state fiscal impact anticipated (administrative support and travel appropriation).

Procedural/next steps
- Council authorized to adopt implementing regulations. Following appointments and administrative setup, the Council will develop standards, launch the designation program, and begin training/technical assistance and grant‑identification work.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.