AB 186 Nevada Assembly · 2025 Regular Session

Revises provisions governing pharmacists. (BDR 54-344)

AB 186 expands the scope of practice for Nevada pharmacists by allowing them to prescribe and dispense drugs and devices for specific health conditions, including previously diagnosed or self-limiting illnesses, and to administer certain medications. It removes restrictions on specimen collection methods (no longer limited to fingersticks or swabs), authorizes pharmacists to order and perform certain lab tests related to patient care, and permits pharmacists to serve as directors of exempt laboratories. These changes apply directly to registered pharmacists in Nevada who must comply with FDA-approved treatments and state regulations governing their practice. The bill also updates licensing requirements to align with these expanded responsibilities.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Last action Jun 3, 2025

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What changed between versions

As Introduced → Reprint 1 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill expands the scope of practice for registered pharmacists in Nevada by allowing them to prescribe drugs and devices for certain health conditions and dispense one-time refills without a practitioner's authorization. The changes also broaden laboratory testing authority and remove restrictions on specimen collection methods.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly includes dispensing refills without practitioner authorization as part of the pharmacist's scope of practice, and expands laboratory testing authority to include tests for any drug therapy.

SCOPE

Pharmacists can now dispense one-time refills without practitioner authorization when losing access to medication would threaten patient health.

ELIGIBILITY

Conditions treated by pharmacists are now limited to previously diagnosed, self-limiting, or acute conditions diagnosed after tests, removing the broader 'threaten health' category.

REQUIREMENT

New restrictions prohibit pharmacists from prescribing non-FDA approved drugs, non-opioid controlled substances (except in clinical settings), and opioids except under medication-assisted treatment protocols.

Laboratory testing authority expanded to include tests necessary for any drug therapy or to facilitate patient care within the pharmacist's scope of practice.

Removed requirement that pharmacists use only fingerstick, oral, or nasal swab methods for specimen collection, allowing any available collection method.

DEFINITION

Added specific provisions allowing pharmacists to serve as laboratory directors for exempt laboratories.

Floor votes

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No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. To engrossment. Engrossed. First reprint. To committee.

lower

Apr 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. Placed on Second Reading File. Read second time. Amended. (Amend. No. 445.) Taken from General File. Rereferred to Committee on Ways and Means. Exemption effective. To printer.

lower

Feb 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. To committee.

lower

Feb 3, 2025

Committee

Prefiled. Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors