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Business & Labor Related Finding Aids

Athletic Commission
Athletic Commission Agency History
Records 1965-2006 1 cu. ft
Purse Sheets 1976-78; Club Reports 1976-79; Yearly Reports 1965-75; Officials Waivers 1995-2006; Personnel Sessions 1980-91; Executive Sessions 1990-93; Medial Advisory Board 1985-2005
Minutes 1967- 2010 4 cu. ft
Correspondence 1997-1998 2 cu. ft
Promoter Files  A-Em 1980-2010 1 cu. ft
Promoter Files En-KO 1980-2010 1 cu.1 ft
Promoter Files Ku-R 1980-2010 1 cu. ft
Promoter Files S-Z 1980-2010 1 cu. ft
Fight Disclosures 2000-2003 1 cu. ft
Fight Disclosures 2004-2011 1 cu. ft
Show Files 2004-06; Promotional Rights Files 1992-2002 1996-2006 1 cu. ft
Amateur Promoters Files A-Z; Arbitration Files 1989-2001 1980-2001 1 cu. ft
Health & Safety Committee Meetings; NSAC Reports; Bout Agreements 1975-2010 1 cu. ft

Board of Architecture, Interior Design and Residential Design
Board of Architecture, Interior Design and Residential Design Agency History

Minutes

1949-1955; 1978-1997

0.75 cu. ft.

Transactions of board meetings include receiving applications for licensing, approval of licensing, disciplinary hearings, and administrative matters. Early minutes document the organization of the Board.

Membership Roster

1949-1954

1 folder

Roster of licensed architects includes name, address, year licensed, type and name of practice and status (retired, deceased, active, expired). Arranged numerically by registration number.

Commission on Equal Rights
Commission on Equal Rights Agency History

Records of the Equal Rights Commission

1958-1997

2.5 cu. ft.

The records of the Equal Rights Commission in the Nevada State Archives consist of three series: Affirmative Action Records, Compliance Reports, and Administrative Records. NRS 233.190 establishes the confidentiality of records of the Commission’s investigations of alleged unlawful discriminatory practice in housing, employment, and public accommodations and specifies conditions under which those case file records are no longer confidential. Those records are scheduled for destruction by the Commission three years from the close of the case. None of those records have been received by the State Archives. Of the records in the State Archives, all are open for research. An in-house database provides folder level access.

Affirmative Action Records

 1958; 1963-1979; bulk 1970-1972

1 cu. ft.

This series contains surveys of and correspondence to and from various types of institutions describing their affirmative action programs. The file contents vary but may include EEO statements, statistics on workforce composition, sample job application forms, rules and regulations of the Civil Service Commission, and newspaper clippings. The records are arranged by type of organization such as banks, cities, businesses, hotels and casinos, construction and unions, and public utilities (including television and radio stations).

Compliance Reports

1965-1984; bulk 1970-1972

1.25 cu. ft.

This series consists of surveys sent to the categories of organizations listed above in the Affirmative Action series description, requesting information about the number of employees; employment policies related to race, color, religion, and national origin; types of interviews and pre-employment tests used; statistics categorizing employees by sex and minority groups; sample job application forms; and newspaper clippings. Also included in ERC-0001 are copies of U.S. Presidential Executive Orders #11246 and #11375 for 1965 and 1967 regarding equal employment opportunity and nondiscrimination in government employment.

Administrative Records

1967; 1977-1988; 1995-1997

0.25 cu. ft

This series includes minutes of commission meetings, reports of the commissioner to the governor and Legislature for 1965 and 1977, biennial budget materials and statistics, detailed responses to requests for information from the Legislative Counsel Bureau regarding Commission operations in 1996, and a policy statement regarding attorney contact with clients (1997).

The minutes for the Commission are incomplete but include the following:

  • December 8, 1977
  • March 8 and December 6, 1979
  • June 19 and December 29, 1980
  • February 6 and October 7, 1981
  • March 3 and June 30, 1982
  • May 11, 1983
  • August 21, 1986
  • January 21, 1988
  • August 3, 1995
  • January 17, 1996

Minutes for the Commission meetings of July 15, 1961 and December 12, 1963 are part of the Nevada Attorney General correspondence files and are located in box AGO-0080, folder 9. Folders 8 and 10 also contain correspondence related to the early days of the Commission and to the months in late 1959 and early 1960 preceding the Winter Olympic Games at Squaw Valley.

Commission on Ethics
Commission on Ethics Agency History

Nevada Commission on Ethics​

1972-1984

1.3 c.f.

Nevada Revised Statutes 281.455 created a State Ethics Commission, establishing a statewide code of ethical standards, and authorizing the establishment of specialized and local ethics codes for public officers and public employees; prohibited specified conflicts of interest, established disclosure requirements, and provided civil and criminal penalties for violations. Established in 1975 as the State Ethics Commission, it became the Nevada Commission on Ethics in 1985.
Public office is a public trust to be held for the sole benefit of the people. The Ethics Commission issues opinions interpreting the code of ethical standards as a guide for the conduct of public officers and employees. It also publishes hypothetical opinions abstracted from advisory opinions. It requires each public officer to file a financial disclosure statement during April of each year.

Administrative Records 1972-1984 .3 c.f.
Minutes, correspondence, appointment papers, and files of legal proceedings against the commission.
Financial Disclosure Statements 1978-1982 .7 c.f.
NRS 281.541 requires each public officer to file a financial disclosure statement on or before March 31 of each year. The files in this series are arranged in alphabetical order.
Advisory Opinions n.d. .3 c.f..
Section 18 of the NRS states that it is the function of the Commission to render advisory opinions interpreting the code of ethical standards, as well as to publish hypothetical opinions abstracted from the advisory opinions. The 15 microfilm reels in this series are confidential.

Department of Business and Industry

 

Department of Business and Industry Archives Resources Agency History

The files pertaining to the Dept. of Business & Industry are extensive. Click on the finding aid title above 

The main function of the Department is to promote the growth and development of commerce and industry for the benefit of the citizens of Nevada. This task is accomplished by means of regulatory, financial, workplace safety, consumer services, and educational programs. These programs are provided to businesses and professions, commercial and industrial enterprises, employees in the work place, and the general public.

The divisions of the Department of Business and Industry are divided between Carson City, Reno, and Las Vegas, and consist of:

Divisions: Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Housing, Industrial Relations, Insurance, Labor Commissioner Manufactured Housing, Minerals, Real Estate, Taxicab Authority, and Unclaimed Property.

Commissions: Athletic Commission, Beef Council, Dairy Commission, Post-secondary Education Commission, Predatory Animal and Rodent Control Committee, Rural Housing Authority, and Sheep Commission.

Special Agencies: Attorney for Injured Workers, Employment Management Relations Board, Grazing Boards, High School Rodeo Association, Industrial Development and Planning Insurance Advocate, Nevada Energy Office, Nevada Junior Livestock Show Board, and  Office of Hospital Patients Protection and Advocacy.

Department of Commerce
Department of Commerce Agency History
Director’s Office Correspondence 1972-1991 3 cu. ft.
This collection consists primarily of the papers of two directors of the Department of Commerce, Michael Melner and Larry Struve. Especially enlightening are the papers of Larry Struve which date from 1983 to 1991.
Legal and Legislative Files 1965-1991 11.5 cu. ft.
The bulk of the legislative files date from 1982 to 1987 with much detail regarding the path of legislative bills related to the Department of Commerce.
Fire Marshal Division Boards 1978-1986 0.5 cu. ft.
This series is made up of records of meetings of the following boards under the Fire Marshal Division: Fire Marshal’s Advisory Board, 1978-1979; Board of Fire Services, 1982-1986; and Board of Fire Safety, 1981-1986.

Department of Insurance
Department of Insurance Agency History

Division General Files

1936-1943; 1953-1969 1966-1970; 1992-1995

11 cu. ft.

The general files of the Insurance Division consist of correspondence, records of licensing, reference information, and other materials of all the insurance companies functioning in the State of Nevada, arranged in alphabetical order, as well as miscellaneous files of the Division.

Service of Process Files

1968

1 cu. ft.

The records in this series pertain to the different procedures in the establishment and licensing of insurance companies, arranged in alphabetical order.

Licensees' Code Numbers

1983

0.5 cu. ft.

A binder of computer printouts, marked Very Important, not to be taken out of the file.

Annual Statements

1953-1969

1 cu.ft.

This record series consists of bound reports to the State, about the Great Basin Insurance Company, 1957-1969; Pioneer Title Insurance Company, 1965; First Life Accident & Health Insurance Company, 1964-1965; and United Mutual Fire Insurance Company, 1953. They are contained in two oversize flat boxes.

Receipt Ledger

1936-1943

0.5 cu. ft.

Financial records. Bound volume.

Cause Files

1987-2002

27 cu. ft.

This record series documents the administrative procedures of the Insurance Commissioner in determinations on suspensions, revocations, and other actions of licensees. Files may include all original documentation of consent orders, hearing notices, certificates of mailing, summary of suspensions, revocations, hearing transcripts, and any other documentation and correspondence which pertains to an individual file. They may also contain copies of selected correspondence for public viewing and Commissioner's hearing notes.

Mark Twain Life Insurance Co.

1963-1967

8 cu. ft.

A binder of computer printouts, marked Very Important, not to be taken out of the file.

Great Basin Insurance Company

1955-1968

2.5 cu.ft.

Another insurance company founded in the State of Nevada; the series includes claims, licensing, examination reports and correspondence.

Gaming Commission
Gaming Commission Agency History

Minutes / Transcripts of Meetings

1959-1992

46 cu. ft.

Fifty percent of the collection is made up of the minutes and transcripts of the meetings of the Commission, where the bulk of the gaming business and practices were discussed and judgments made about gaming issues. The arrangement is chronological.

The following series titles reflect the activities taken up in Commission meetings and were originally filed as separate titles.

Legal Proceedings

1959-1994

29 cu. ft.

The legal files of the Commission consist of the complaints against gambling institutions and/or persons employed thereat, for violations of the gaming policies and regulations in force in the state. The files contain proceedings and exhibits, a number of which are sealed and marked CONFIDENTIAL. The arrangement is alphabetical by name of the institution or person.

Statutes and Regulations/ Misc. Proposals

1959-1982

4 cu. ft.

Statutes and regulations governing the gaming business. The file includes miscellaneous proposals for the interpretation of the regulations in particular cases.

Petitions for Re-determination of Audit Assessment and Claims for Refunds

1975-1992

6 cu. ft.

Records of petitions filed by the various gambling institutions for an audit review and for refunds claimed.

Excluded Persons

1960-1987

4 cu. ft.

Record of persons "whose prior activities pose a threat to the public interest of the State of Nevada and its efforts to effectively regulate and control gaming." Also known popularly as the "Black Book," it lists individuals who are prohibited from entering casinos.

Policy Committee

1960-1984

4 cu. ft.

Files of the Policy Committee, including policy statements issued.

Gaming Control Board
Gaming Control Board Agency History

Minutes of Board Meetings

1955-1986

31 cu. ft.

More than fifty percent of the collection consists of minutes of Control Board meetings, the earliest dating from the first meeting since the creation of the Board in 1955. Included in the files is a note: "For the period June, 1971, through May, 1975, minutes of the State Gaming Control Board meetings were not transcribed in their entirety; except transcriptions of some specific matters may appear in either rough draft or final form. The tape recordings of these proceedings are retained in the Carson City Board Offices for review by interested persons."

Meeting Transcripts

1987-1992

25 cu. ft.

The transcript of meetings is a more comprehensive record of the proceedings of the Board meetings. Usually there is a monthly disposition, an index of the agenda of the meetings of the month, indicating specific item numbers in the agenda and the action taken for each.

The files also include exhibits of the particular cases under consideration. Where these exhibits are confidential, the reporter notes that these are maintained in the office of the executive secretary.

50th Anniversary of Legalized Gambling in Nevada

1981/1984

2 cu. ft.

"Silver Turns to Gold" is the title given to the program celebrating the 50th anniversary of legalized gambling in Nevada. The 2 boxes of materials include slides (2 carousels), script, reports, research materials and notes mainly of Stuart Curtis, as well as photographs used in the promotion of the celebration. The History of Gambling in Nevada written by H. E. Hotchkiss is included in the files

Nevada's Black Book

1960/1975/1986

Gambling was legalized in Nevada in 1931. Initially control and licensing were the responsibility of the individual counties but because of significant revenues to local and state governments, gambling was placed under the authority of the Nevada Tax Commission in 1945. The legislature of 1955 granted sweeping powers to administer the provisions of the act and created the State Gaming Control Board as its enforcement and investigative unit.

In consideration of problems related to the industry, Governor Grant Sawyer requested the 1959 Legislature completely overhaul the gaming control machinery. The Legislature responded with the Nevada Gaming Control Act, passed on March 30, 1959. The act removed the Tax Commission from its role in gaming and in its place established the Nevada Gaming Commission, making the Nevada Gaming Control Board its audit, investigative, and administrative arm.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board devised a number of regulations which gaming establishments were required to follow. Regulation 5, "Operation of Gaming Establishments" was designed to provide tools to ensure "unsuitable" practices were prohibited. Subsections 3/E-I were the basis for issuing the Black Book (later called "Excluded Persons"), a listing of individuals who were prohibited from stepping into, owning, operating, or having any connection with a licensed gaming establishment.

The first Black Book was issued March 29, 1960. It contained a letter issued by the Gaming Control Board to owners and operators of gaming establishments, a copy of Regulation 5, and individual pages of photographs and descriptions of the first eleven persons placed on the list in more or less alphabetical order. The text was mimeographed and photographs were taped onto the pages using cellophane tape that yellowed over time, left yellow marks on the photos, and then lost all tackiness. The photographs themselves were poor images; some were paper copies of photographs. The contents were placed into black paper report covers and then distributed widely to all gaming establishments and employees. The Book was designed to be updated with additional prohibited persons or to reflect the death of former listees.

Industrial Commission
Industrial Commission Agency History
Occupational Safety and Health Review Board 1974-1987 9 cu. ft.
The series includes the Occupational Safety and Health Board review of public and local agencies, arranged by fiscal year.
Accidents and Fatalities 1957-1985 21 cu. ft.
Statewide accident and fatality files, Division of Occupational Safety and Health records of accidents and fatalities from District II (Reno) and District III (Las Vegas). The files include photographs related to the cases reported.
Occupational Safety and Health Enforcement Section Discrimination Files 1975-1992 10 cu. ft.
Occupational Safety and Health Enforcement Section (OSHES) files on discrimination claims. Photographs and audio cassette tapes are included in some of the cases.
Office of Protection and Advocacy 1980-1994 2 cu. ft.
Consist of the correspondence of the Office of Protection and Advocacy, Nevada Disability Advocacy and Law Center, Inc. And Advisory Council Agenda and Minutes.

Labor Commissioner
Labor Commissioner Office History
General Files 1918 - 2003; bulk 1932-1993 9 cu. ft.
The collection of the Nevada Labor Commissioner consists of records created and received in the administration of the office. The variety of records reflects the variety of responsibilities of the office: arbitration of labor claims, agreements and disputes; the determination of wage rates/scales in all Nevada counties; enforcement of labor laws; and granting of licenses to private employment agencies. The types of records include correspondence, reports, and censuses of various kinds of businesses/labor organizations. There are a fair nunber of reports and correspondence related to labor for the construction of Boulder Dam, including the employment of Blacks, and reports and photos documenting the humanitarian relief of migratory farm laborers in the Las Vegas area in 1959. Also included are minutes of the Nevada Apprenticeship Council, 1977-1996, in both paper and audio formats; and a series of photographs of migrant labor living conditions near Overton, 1959.

Office of Secretary of State

 

The office of Secretary of State was created by the Nevada State Constitution. The Secretary of State is an elected position within the Executive branch of state government. Secretaries serve four-year terms and are elected in the same general elections as the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Treasurer, and Controller. An executive officer may serve no more than two terms of office or more than once if he has previously held the office by election or appointment. The Secretary is required to maintain his office in the seat of government (Carson City).

The Secretary is responsible for maintaining the official records of the acts of the Nevada Legislature and of the executive branch of state government, and for providing access to those records. In addition, the Secretary serves as a member of the State Board of Prison Commissioners, the State Board of Examiners, the State Records Committee, the State Advisory Committee on Participatory Democracy, and the Executive Branch Audit Committee.

The current Secretary of State is Barbara Cegavske (2015-   ).

Public Utilities Commission
Public Utilities Commission Agency History
General Files Inclusive dates: 1909-1989. 

81 cu. ft.

Arranged by type of business (transportation, utilities), then by year, and finally in alphabetical order by business name.

Most of the records consist of the required annual reports of motor carrier and utilities companies subject to Commission regulation, 1946-1989. They are then divided into subgroups for "Transportation" and "Utilities". Transportation businesses include bus, taxicab, limousine, towing, moving and storage, delivery, trucking, and other motor carriers. Utilities include gas, water, sewer, power and light, telephone, and telegraph companies.

Transportation (motor carrier) company reports contain data on officers, revenues, expenses, assets, property and equipment, liabilities and equity/capital, tonnage, mileage, and depreciation.

Utility reports include: company officer names, income and earned surplus, debits and credits, revenues and expenses, capital stock, operating expenses, employee compensation, depreciation, notes and accounts payable, and plants.

The earliest records contain monthly or annual reports for railroads, telephone, and telegraph companies. Reporting railroads include the: Central Pacific, Southern Pacific, Union Pacific and its leased lines, Western Pacific, Virginia & Truckee, Tonopah &Tidewater, and Northern Nevada. Railroad accidents and railroad-related enterprises such as the Pullman Company and express agencies are also included. These reports contain information about corporate officers, assets and liabilities, road and equipment property, reserve funds, securities, investments, funded debt, depreciation, operating revenues and expenses.

Other records include: Minutes of Meetings, January 28, 1935 to January 10, 1950; an Index to Register of Actions, 1935-1939; Register of Actions, 1935-1939; Opinions and Orders, 1935-1939. A volume of incoming and outgoing Railroad Commission correspondence, 1914-1916, can be found in box 0050.

The Public Service Commission also dealt with Federal agencies such as the Interstate Commerce Commission, Federal Power Commission, Federal Communications Commission, and Department of Transportation, but little relating to these agencies are included in the records.

Racing Commission
Racing Commission Agency History
Records 1915-1977 1 Hollinger Box
Bank Statements 1918-18 & 1931-43; Correspondence 1915-16 & 1933-35; Applications for Trainers 1931; Applications for Jockeys 1931; Reno Rodeo Poster 1939; Licenses - Trainers & Jockeys 1915-16; Applications for Apprentice License 1931;  Certificate of Foal Registration 1915-16; Horse Race Wagers 1916; Minutes 1977; Proceedings American State Racing Commissioners 1936; Notice of Adoption of Rules & Regulations 1940.