AB 71 amends Nevada law to explicitly exclude the subcutaneous implantation of identification microchips in animals from the definition of "practice of veterinary medicine." This change means individuals or organizations performing microchipping - such as shelters, groomers, or veterinary staff - no longer need a veterinary license to do so. The bill updates Section 638.008 of Nevada Revised Statutes to add microchip implantation to the list of activities that do not constitute veterinary practice. This policy change simplifies access to a common animal identification service without altering requirements for other veterinary care.
AB 538 revises Nevada's process for approving tax incentives like credits and abatements for businesses. It requires the Board of Economic Development to approve applications exceeding $500,000 for partial tax abatements or $100,000 for new businesses, and mandates that the Office of Economic Development notify local governments in rural counties (population under 100,000) within 15 days of receiving such applications. Local entities - county governments, cities, school districts, and community colleges - must appoint temporary voting members to the Board for specific applications, though these members don’t count toward quorum or receive compensation. The bill ensures rural communities have input on economic development projects while maintaining the Board’s final approval authority.
AB 390 establishes the right for task workers (e.g., app-based gig workers) to form unions and collectively bargain with task delivery platforms like Uber or TaskRabbit. It requires platforms to pay at least minimum wage per hour, provide quarterly reports to the Labor Relations Board, and negotiate terms like pay and hours. The bill renames the Government Employee-Management Relations Board to the Labor Relations Board to handle these cases and sets up procedures for union certification, bargaining, and dispute resolution. These changes directly affect task workers, platforms, and the Board’s administrative processes.
AB 485 revises water assessment rules by prohibiting counties from using special assessments or general funds to pay for state employees (well supervisors and assistants) who are subject to public employee laws. It eliminates a $1 minimum charge for agricultural groundwater assessments and replaces it with a maximum charge that adjusts annually based on inflation, allowing the State Engineer to increase it with county commission approval. The bill also appropriates funds for updating groundwater basin water budgets, monitoring water resources, digitizing records, and hiring staff for water rights adjudication. These changes primarily affect agricultural water users and county governments managing water assessments.
AB 77 revises tax abatement rules for businesses in Nevada, allowing them to qualify for property and business tax breaks under new or expanded criteria. It increases the required full-time employee threshold for paid leave policy compliance from 50 to 500 employees, removes restrictions on multiple expansions receiving tax breaks, and adds eligibility for businesses creating "import substitution jobs" (making goods locally instead of importing them) or operating in rural health care or specialty health care. The bill also expands eligibility to businesses recycling materials for energy production or manufacturing biofuels from recycled materials. These changes directly affect businesses seeking tax abatements for expansion, recycling operations, or health care services in rural areas.
AB 54 increases penalties for drivers who fail to take required precautions when approaching traffic incidents, specifically if their failure causes death or serious injury to a first responder. The bill upgrades the offense from a misdemeanor to a category B felony, imposing a prison term of 1-6 years and a fine of $2,000-$5,000. It applies to drivers who do not slow down, proceed cautiously, prepare to stop, or avoid adjacent lanes near incidents involving first responders like police, firefighters, EMTs, tow operators, or transportation personnel. The law targets drivers endangering those responding to crashes, stalled vehicles, or roadway hazards, with penalties taking effect after passage.
AB 23 exempts the Office of the Military from needing the State Public Works Division to provide engineering and architectural services for buildings it constructs on state property or using state funds. The bill amends Nevada law (NRS 341.141) to add the Military Office as a specific exception to this requirement, which already excludes entities like higher education and highway maintenance. This means the Military Office can now choose its own engineering services without going through the Public Works Division for eligible projects. The change takes effect July 1, 2025.
AB 126 updates Nevada law to criminalize creating, distributing, or possessing artificial intelligence-generated images depicting minors in sexual acts, as well as digitally altered images of real minors in such content. It expands existing felony penalties for pornography involving minors to cover these new forms of material, including AI-generated depictions that appear realistic. Individuals convicted under this law would now be required to register as sex offenders. The bill directly affects anyone producing, sharing, or distributing such content, with penalties ranging from category B to A felonies.
AB 410 clarifies Nevada's definition of assault by explicitly including threats of sexual violence as a form of assault. The bill amends NRS 200.471 to state that intentionally causing "reasonable apprehension of immediate bodily harm" includes making oral or written threats to commit a sexual offense. This change directly affects individuals who make such threats, ensuring they can be charged under assault laws. The amendment does not create new penalties or change existing enforcement procedures - it only makes the legal definition clearer and more specific. The bill has no fiscal impact on state or local government.
AB 349 sets maximum rates hospitals can charge for services to public employees covered by Nevada’s Public Employees’ Benefits Program. It caps in-network rates at 175% of Medicare rates and out-of-network rates at 160%, with potential increases if hospitals face Medicaid reimbursement-related financial hardship (requiring Interim Finance Committee approval). Local governments may opt into the program, and all Nevada hospitals must comply with federal transparency rules requiring public posting of standard charges. The bill aims to control healthcare costs for state-covered patients while maintaining hospital financial stability.
AB 118 prohibits courts from requiring children to participate in family reunification programs under specific conditions, such as if the program involves moving a child from home, changing custody, using force, or isolating them from family. The bill defines these programs as services meant to reconnect children with estranged parents or family members (including camps or workshops) and bans court orders that meet the prohibited conditions. Additionally, it mandates annual training for judges and court staff involved in child custody or domestic violence cases on recognizing abuse and prioritizing child safety, with an annual report to the legislature detailing training attendance and course content. These changes directly affect courts, children in custody cases, and court personnel handling family law matters.
AB 294 requires online platforms whose primary business is publishing material deemed harmful to minors (under existing Nevada law) to implement age verification systems before minors can access such content. Platforms must verify users are 18+ using government ID, transactional data, or third-party services, and cannot retain collected data beyond age verification or compliance proof. Violations incur $10,000 civil penalties per offense (enforced by Nevada’s Attorney General) or allow parents/guardians to sue for damages. The law excludes internet service providers, search engines, and cloud services from these requirements. It takes effect January 1, 2026.
