SB 160 Nevada Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Revises provisions relating to the Nevada Equal Rights Commission. (BDR 18-82)

SB 160 moves Nevada's Equal Rights Commission from the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation to the Office of the Attorney General. It requires the Attorney General to appoint five Commission members and an Administrator by July 1, 2025, with members mandated to represent diverse groups including race, disability, and gender identity. The bill updates Nevada's anti-discrimination laws to explicitly protect "protective hairstyles" (like braids and afros) and define "race" to include hair texture, while setting an 18-month deadline for resolving housing discrimination complaints. These changes affect the Commission's structure, appointment process, and enforcement of protections in housing, employment, and public accommodations.
Bill status vetoed 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
Assembly Passage
May 2025
Vetoed
Jun 2025
Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Vetoed Jun 5, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Reprint 1 As Enrolled · 4 edits
MODERATE
This bill moves the Nevada Equal Rights Commission from the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation to the Office of the Attorney General. It also adds 'protective hairstyles' and 'hair texture' to the legal definition of race to prevent discrimination, extends the deadline for resolving housing complaints from one year to 18 months, and requires an attorney to review every discrimination complaint.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of protected characteristics to include specific hairstyles and hair textures, and shifts the administrative oversight of the Equal Rights Commission to the Attorney General's office.
DEFINITION

Added a new provision declaring it public policy to prevent discrimination in employment, and explicitly defined 'protective hairstyles' (e.g., afros, braids) and 'hair texture' as traits associated with race.

TIMELINE

Extended the required time for the Commission to make a final decision on housing discrimination complaints from 1 year to 18 months.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the Commission's structure by moving it from the Department of Employment to the Office of the Attorney General and requiring an attorney to review all complaints.

ENFORCEMENT

Added a rule prohibiting the Commission from closing a complaint without a final decision unless the complainant has abused or threatened a Commission member.

Floor votes · Assembly May 28, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
13
Key actions
6
Committee
4
Jun 5, 2025
Vetoed
Vetoed by the Governor. (Return to 84th Session.)
executive
May 29, 2025
Upper · Passed
In Senate. To enrollment.
upper
May 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read third time. Passed. Title approved. (Yeas: 27, Nays: 15.) To Senate.
lower
May 27, 2025
Lower · Passed
From committee: Do pass. Placed on Second Reading File. Read second time.
lower
May 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
From committee: Do pass. Placed on General File. Read third time. Passed, as amended. Title approved, as amended. (Yeas: 13, Nays: 8.) To Assembly.
upper
Apr 23, 2025
Upper · Passed
From printer. To engrossment. Engrossed. First reprint. To committee.
upper
Apr 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. Placed on Second Reading File.
upper
Feb 3, 2025
Introduced
Prefiled. Referred to Committee on Government Affairs.
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Dina Neal
Dina Neal
DDemocratic
NV
4