SB 89 Nevada Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Revises provisions relating to firearms. (BDR 15-174)

SB 89 prohibits individuals convicted within the past 10 years of crimes motivated by a victim’s race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity from purchasing, owning, or possessing firearms. It applies to both Nevada offenses classified as gross misdemeanors due to bias and out-of-state/federal crimes requiring bias-motivated conduct or enhanced penalties. The bill also adds a grandfather clause protecting those convicted before July 1, 2025, from losing firearms they legally owned prior to that date. This expands existing Nevada law (NRS 202.360) by adding bias-motivated crimes as grounds for firearm prohibition, without altering current restrictions for domestic violence or felony convictions.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status vetoed 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

Senate Passage

May 2025

Assembly Passage

May 2025

Vetoed

Jun 2025

Introduced Jan 13, 2025 Vetoed Jun 2, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

As Introduced → As Enrolled · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Nevada's firearm prohibition laws to explicitly ban firearm possession by individuals convicted of hate crimes involving violence, while also clarifying existing prohibitions for those convicted of domestic violence, felonies, or mental health adjudications. The changes expand the definition of prohibited conduct to include hate crimes motivated by characteristics such as race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity, and establish specific felony penalties for violations.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of firearm prohibitions to explicitly include hate crimes involving violence, which were previously covered under broader hate crime statutes but not clearly specified in firearm prohibition language.

ELIGIBILITY

Added explicit prohibition against firearm possession for individuals convicted of committing or attempting to commit hate crimes involving violence, including those motivated by race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected characteristics.

DEFINITION

Defined 'hate crime' to include offenses punishable as gross misdemeanors under NRS 207.185 and offenses under federal or other state laws where conduct was motivated by victim characteristics or resulted in additional penalties based on such findings.

Added definitions for 'controlled substance' (per federal law) and 'firearm' (including loaded, unloaded, operable, or inoperable firearms).

ENFORCEMENT

Established that violating hate crime firearm prohibitions constitutes a category D felony, with penalties governed by NRS 193.130.

REQUIREMENT

Added new subsection prohibiting firearm use or possession during commission of certain drug-related offenses (NRS 453.321, 453.322, 453.337, 453.3385, 453.401), punishable as a category B felony.

Floor votes · Assembly May 23, 2025

How they voted

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

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 2, 2025

Vetoed

Vetoed by the Governor. Returned to Senate with Governor's veto message.

executive

May 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Title approved. (Yeas: 27, Nays: 15.) To Senate. In Senate. In Senate. To enrollment.

lower

May 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. Placed on Second Reading File. Read second time.

lower

May 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Title approved. (Yeas: 12, Nays: 8, Excused: 1.) To Assembly.

upper

Apr 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass.

upper

Jan 13, 2025

Introduced

Prefiled. Referred to Committee on Judiciary. To printer.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors