1. Subject to the limits provided in paragraph (n) of subsection 1 of NRS 417.090, the Director shall:

(a) Appoint an administrator for each veterans’ home in this State. Each administrator must be licensed as a nursing facility administrator or health services executive pursuant to NRS 654.170;

(b) Take such other actions as are necessary for the establishment, management, maintenance and operation of veterans’ homes in this State, including, without limitation, establishing and implementing rules, policies and procedures for such management, maintenance and operation; and

(c) Apply for federal grants and other sources of money available for establishing veterans’ homes. A federal grant must be used only as permitted by the terms of the grant.

2. With the advice of the Nevada Veterans Services Commission, the Director shall, on or before April 1 of each calendar year, recommend to the State Board of Examiners a schedule of rates to be charged for occupancy of rooms at each veterans’ home in this State during the following fiscal year. The State Board of Examiners shall establish the schedule of rates. In setting the rates, the State Board of Examiners shall consider the recommendations of the Director, but is not bound to follow the recommendations of the Director.

3. The first veterans’ home that is established in this State must be established at a location in southern Nevada determined to be appropriate by the Interim Finance Committee. The Interim Finance Committee shall give preference to a site that is zoned appropriately for the establishment of a veterans’ home, that affords minimum costs of maintenance and that is located in an area where the members of the families of the veterans can easily visit the veterans’ home. The site for the construction of the veterans’ home in southern Nevada must be:

(a) Located in reasonable proximity to:

(1) A public transportation system;

(2) Shopping centers; and

(3) A major hospital that has a center for the treatment of trauma which is designated as a level II center by the Administrator of the Division of Public and Behavioral Health of the Department of Health and Human Services.

(b) Not less than 5 acres in area.

4. If an additional veterans’ home is authorized, it must be established in northern Nevada.

(Added to NRS by 1997, 2582; A 1999, 1957; 2001, 1121; 2005, 531; 2013, 2503; 2017, 602; 2019, 130)