Criminal Justice (Drug Policy)

SB 309 revises laws about driving under the influence of alcohol or prohibited substances. It expands the list of banned substances to include fentanyl and MDMA (street name for methylenedioxymethamphetamine), and changes marijuana metabolite rules to apply to misdemeanor cases. The bill lowers the alcohol concentration threshold requiring a substance use disorder evaluation from 0.18% to 0.16%, and modifies treatment program eligibility for repeat offenders. These changes directly affect drivers who operate vehicles while impaired by alcohol or these substances.

AB 209 provides criminal immunity for individuals engaging in prostitution or related offenses (like drug possession in context of sex work) if they are victims or witnesses of serious violent crimes, such as human trafficking. The bill specifically applies when someone commits these acts "during the course of allegedly engaging in prostitution" and seeks certain assistance services. It targets people working in the sex trade who face fear of prosecution for low-level offenses when reporting violence against themselves or others. The immunity covers violations of prostitution laws (NRS 201.353), drug offenses (NRS 453), and vagrancy charges (NRS 207.030), as long as the person qualifies under the bill’s criteria. This aligns with existing law requiring prosecutors to dismiss prostitution charges if a person is a sex trafficking victim.