AB 500 establishes a new licensing and regulatory framework for "payments banks" under Nevada’s Commissioner of Financial Institutions. It allows these banks to offer services like sending money, holding deposits, and processing credit card transactions - similar to traditional banks - but explicitly prohibits them from making loans or engaging in loan-related activities. Payments banks must pay a small fee (0.0025% per transaction) on merchant services, maintain FDIC insurance for deposits (or secure alternative coverage), and meet strict capital requirements. The bill directly affects payments banks operating in Nevada, the Commissioner’s office (as regulator), and merchants using these services.
AB 419 changes Nevada's water permit process by requiring the State Engineer to establish a pre-application review for water projects and set strict timelines. It mandates a preliminary determination on applications within 150 days, allows 30 days for objections, and requires hearings for contested objections within 120 days. The bill directly affects water applicants (e.g., farmers, developers) and protestants by streamlining reviews and adding transparency. It also requires the State Engineer to submit a biennial report on applications pending over two years and aligns the State Engineer with Nevada's Administrative Procedure Act for rulemaking. This impacts state-level water management without affecting local governments.
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.
This resolution (SCR 5) recognizes antimicrobial resistance as a public health crisis in Nevada, citing data showing rising MRSA infections and 35,000 annual U.S. deaths linked to resistant bacteria. It does not create new laws but encourages the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services to integrate antimicrobial stewardship into Medicaid programs, promoting evidence-based antibiotic prescribing and diagnostic testing. The resolution also supports public education campaigns about appropriate antibiotic use and urges collaboration between public and private health entities to address the crisis. As a non-binding resolution, it directs state agencies to prioritize these actions without mandating specific policies.
SB 453 appropriates $9,835,522 from Nevada's State General Fund to restore the balance in the Reserve for Statutory Contingency Account, as required by state law (NRS 353.264). This account is used to cover unexpected state expenses, and the bill directly affects Nevada's state budget operations by replenishing funds that had been depleted. The measure provides a specific, one-time funding allocation without creating new policies or altering existing programs. It was passed unanimously by the Senate and signed into law by the Governor on June 2, 2025.
SB 155 amends Nevada law to allow the employment of non-U.S. citizens who are legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law as peace officers (such as police officers and sheriff's deputies), effective January 1, 2026. It directly affects peace officers, law enforcement agencies, and non-citizen residents with valid work authorization who meet all other hiring requirements. The bill prohibits the Peace Officers’ Standards and Training Commission from requiring U.S. citizenship in its regulations for peace officer appointments, voiding any conflicting existing rules. This change modifies the current requirement that only U.S. citizens or wards may be employed as peace officers, expanding eligibility while maintaining other qualification standards.
SB 198 updates Nevada’s wage payment rules for employees who resign, quit, are discharged, or are placed on temporary layoff. It requires employers to pay all owed wages and compensation (including fringe benefits like health insurance) by 5 p.m. the next calendar day after payment is due - tightening the previous 3-day deadline. For late payments, employers must pay an additional amount equal to 1.5 times the employee’s hourly wage for 8 hours per day of delay, up to 30 days. Additionally, cannabis businesses violating labor laws face automatic license revocation instead of settlement agreements, though this provision applies only to cannabis establishments.
SB 410 amends Nevada law to explicitly require local government employers (like cities, counties, and school districts) to negotiate insurance benefits that cover employees' dependents as part of collective bargaining agreements. This change directly affects public employees in local government workplaces, ensuring dependent coverage is included in the mandatory bargaining subjects. The bill revises NRS 288.150 by adding "without limitation" to specify that insurance benefits must include coverage for dependents, clarifying previous ambiguity. This is a concrete policy adjustment to the bargaining process, not a new benefit or procedural change.
SB 142 updates Nevada's property exemption rules to better protect debtors from forced collection. It adjusts key exemption amounts (like $16,150 for personal injury payments and $605,000 for homestead equity) annually starting in 2026 using the Consumer Price Index, ensuring they keep pace with inflation. The bill also changes how disposable earnings exemptions work, replacing percentage-based limits with a fixed $850 base plus 90% or 85% of earnings above that, and increases bank account exemptions from $2,000/$400 to a flat $5,000 regardless of recent deposits. These changes directly affect individuals who owe debts (judgment debtors) and creditors seeking to collect through execution, while the Department of Taxation will manage the annual CPI-based adjustments.
SB 297 designates October as "Menopause Awareness Month" in Nevada each year. The bill requires the Governor to issue an annual proclamation urging news media, healthcare providers, educators, and other entities to share factual information about menopause and promote access to quality health care during this life stage for Nevadans. The bill passed the legislature in May 2025 but was vetoed by the Governor on June 2, 2025, preventing it from becoming law.
SB 167, vetoed by the Governor on June 2, 2025, would have prohibited Nevada manufacturers from importing, selling, or offering for sale household cleaning products (like dish soap, laundry detergent, or glass cleaners) if animal testing was conducted on the product or its ingredients after January 1, 2030. The bill included exceptions for testing required by foreign regulations, when non-animal testing methods don’t exist, or for safety assessments where animal testing is necessary. It also exempted products tested before 2030 or ingredients where suppliers couldn’t verify no animal testing occurred. As a vetoed bill, it has not become law.
SB 141 requires county, city, and town jail operators (sheriffs, police chiefs, or town marshals) to create policies for transgender, gender non-conforming, gender non-binary, and intersex prisoners. These policies must include respectful language, prohibit discrimination, consider prisoner preferences for housing and searches, ensure medical care follows standards, provide access to preferred clothing, and establish grievance processes. The bill does not mandate new facilities or additional staff training beyond existing requirements for state prisons. It directly affects local detention facilities and their staff, aiming to standardize care for these incarcerated individuals. The bill passed the legislature in May 2025 but was vetoed by the governor on June 2, 2025.
