1. The Nevada Sentencing Commission is hereby created within the Department. The Sentencing Commission consists of:

(a) One member appointed by the Governor;

(b) One member who is a justice of the Supreme Court of Nevada or a retired justice of the Supreme Court of Nevada, appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nevada;

(c) Two members who are judges appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nevada;

(d) One member who is a representative of the Administrative Office of the Courts appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nevada;

(e) The Director of the Department of Corrections;

(f) One member who is a representative of the Office of the Attorney General, appointed by the Attorney General;

(g) One member who is a district attorney, appointed by the governing body of the Nevada District Attorneys Association;

(h) One member who is a representative of the Office of the Clark County Public Defender, appointed by the head of the Office of the Clark County Public Defender;

(i) One member who is a representative of the Office of the Washoe County Public Defender, appointed by the head of the Office of the Washoe County Public Defender;

(j) One member who is an attorney in private practice, experienced in defending criminal actions, appointed by the governing body of the State Bar of Nevada;

(k) One member who has been a victim of a crime or is a representative of an organization supporting the rights of victims of crime, appointed by the Governor;

(l) One member who is a member of the State Board of Parole Commissioners, appointed by the State Board of Parole Commissioners;

(m) One member who is a representative of the Division of Parole and Probation of the Department of Public Safety, appointed by the Governor;

(n) One member who is a representative of the Nevada Sheriffs’ and Chiefs’ Association, appointed by the Nevada Sheriffs’ and Chiefs’ Association;

(o) One member who is a representative of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, appointed by the Sheriff of Clark County;

(p) One member who is a representative of the Division of Public and Behavioral Health of the Department of Health and Human Services;

(q) One member who is a representative of an organization that advocates on behalf of inmates, appointed by the Governor;

(r) Two members who are Senators, one of whom is appointed by the Majority Leader of the Senate and one of whom is appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

(s) Two members who are members of the Assembly, one of whom is appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly and one of whom is appointed by the Minority Leader of the Assembly;

(t) The Director of the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation; and

(u) One member who is a representative of an organization that works with offenders upon release from incarceration to assist in reentry into the community appointed by the Chair of the Legislative Commission.

2. The Executive Director shall serve as the Executive Secretary of the Sentencing Commission.

3. If any organization listed in subsection 1 ceases to exist, the appointment required pursuant to that subsection must be made by the association’s successor in interest, or, if there is no successor in interest, by the Governor.

4. Each appointed member serves a term of 2 years. Members may be reappointed for additional terms of 2 years in the same manner as the original appointments. Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the Sentencing Commission must be filled in the same manner as the original appointment not later than 30 days after the vacancy occurs.

5. The Legislators who are members of the Sentencing Commission are entitled to receive the salary provided for a majority of the members of the Legislature during the first 60 days of the preceding session for each day’s attendance at a meeting of the Sentencing Commission.

6. At the first regular meeting of each odd-numbered year, the members of the Sentencing Commission shall elect a Chair by majority vote who shall serve until the next Chair is elected.

7. The Sentencing Commission shall:

(a) Hold its first meeting on or before September 1 of each odd-numbered year; and

(b) Meet at least once every 3 months and may meet at such further times as deemed necessary by the Chair.

8. A member of the Sentencing Commission may designate a nonvoting alternate to attend a meeting in his or her place.

9. A majority of the members of the Sentencing Commission constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business, and a majority of those members present at any meeting is sufficient for any official action taken by the Sentencing Commission. A nonvoting alternate designated by a member pursuant to subsection 8 who attends a meeting of the Sentencing Commission for which the alternate is designated shall be deemed to be a member of the Sentencing Commission for the purpose of determining whether a quorum exists.

10. While engaged in the business of the Sentencing Commission, to the extent of legislative appropriation, each member of the Sentencing Commission is entitled to receive the per diem allowance and travel expenses provided for state officers and employees generally.

(Added to NRS by 2017, 4187; A 2019, 2873)