Asm. Elaine Marzola

Maddy summaryAB 191 authorizes collective bargaining for professional employees of state professional employers (such as the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada with 400+ professional staff) who are in unclassified service or paid outside standard classified pay plans. It establishes new procedures for recognizing professional organizations as exclusive bargaining representatives, requires state employers to negotiate within 60 days of notice, and allows salary deductions for union dues. The bill also grants professional employees the right to representation during disciplinary actions and mandates annual reporting to the Government Employee-Management Relations Board. This directly affects state professional employers and their employees, creating a structured framework for collective bargaining previously limited to other state employee groups.

Maddy summaryAB 98 designates April 10 as "Dolores Huerta Day" in Nevada, requiring the Governor to annually issue a proclamation. The bill directs public schools and educational institutions to recognize and educate students about labor leader Dolores Huerta's life and contributions to labor rights. This is a commemorative measure with no fiscal impact on state or local government.

Maddy summaryAB 480 updates Nevada's Fair Housing Law to allow discrimination claims based on the *effects* of housing practices, not just the *intent* behind them. It directly affects landlords, housing providers, and individuals filing complaints by establishing that a practice may be discriminatory if it causes a disproportionate negative impact on protected groups (like race, disability, or sexual orientation), even without intentional bias. The bill sets clear rules: complainants must first prove a practice causes disparate impact, then the housing provider must show the practice is necessary for legitimate reasons and no less discriminatory alternative exists. This change aligns Nevada law with federal standards for addressing systemic housing bias while maintaining due process for providers.

Maddy summaryAB 270 modifies Nevada's licensing requirements for architects, professional engineers, and land surveyors. It allows Pritzker Architecture Prize laureates to bypass the registration exam through 2026. For engineers and land surveyors, the bill removes the requirement to pass a "fundamentals" exam before taking the "principles and practices" exam and reduces the required experience for exam waivers from 15 to 10 years. Additionally, it shifts exam administration to the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. These changes affect new applicants seeking professional licensure in these fields.

Maddy summarySB 258 updates industrial insurance rules by limiting reductions to workers' compensation only for "economic damages" (medical costs, lost wages, and rehabilitation expenses) when an injured worker receives payment from a third party, such as another company's insurance. It removes the requirement for injured workers to notify insurers before suing third parties and changes court procedures by prohibiting juries from hearing evidence about prior compensation payments. These changes directly affect injured workers, their families, and industrial insurers by ensuring workers are "made whole" before insurers claim any portion of third-party recovery. The bill also restricts insurers' claims to only the economic damages portion of any settlement or judgment.

Maddy summaryAB 266 requires Nevada's Department of Health and Human Services to post online accessible fact sheets about Medicaid breastfeeding coverage (including counseling, supplies, and lactation support) and a directory of community lactation services. It prohibits businesses classified as "public accommodations" from denying service to people breastfeeding their children or publishing conflicting notices, adding breastfeeding to existing anti-discrimination protections under Nevada law. The bill also mandates public education about lactation benefits and enables enforcement through the Nevada Equal Rights Commission, allowing victims to file complaints or civil actions for violations. This law directly affects breastfeeding individuals seeking services in public spaces like restaurants, stores, and healthcare facilities, and businesses serving the public.

Maddy summaryAB 248 ratifies Nevada's participation in the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact, allowing licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants from member states to practice in Nevada without obtaining a separate Nevada license. The bill establishes requirements for practitioners, including holding an active license in their home state, having no recent disciplinary actions, and reporting any adverse actions within 30 days. It also creates a joint Compact Commission to manage the system and requires Nevada’s Physical Therapy Board to share relevant licensing information through a shared data system. This directly affects physical therapy professionals seeking to practice across state lines within the Compact.

Maddy summaryAB 142 expands industrial insurance coverage for stress-related injuries to include civilian support staff working for law enforcement agencies. Currently, only sworn personnel like police officers, firefighters, and EMTs qualified as "first responders" for such claims. The bill adds civilian employees who provide support services to law enforcement to the definition of "first responder" and requires them to prove stress resulted from witnessing violent events (e.g., homicides, mass casualties) with clear medical evidence. This directly affects civilian employees in law enforcement support roles who previously lacked eligibility for this specific coverage under Nevada’s industrial insurance system.

Maddy summaryAB 174 modifies Nevada law to allow satellite-based voice service providers to count toward the requirement for "alternative voice service" when telecommunication companies seek relief from their "provider of last resort" obligations. This change directly affects telecom providers currently required to offer basic service in their territory; they can now apply to the Public Utilities Commission for relief if sufficient alternative providers (including satellite services) exist in the area. The bill removes a prior exclusion that prevented satellite voice services from being counted toward the required number of alternative providers (e.g., two satellite/wireless providers for relief eligibility). It does not create new costs for state or local governments, per the fiscal note. The policy change streamlines the process for telecom companies to exit last-resort obligations when market alternatives are present.

Maddy summaryAJR 14 is a Nevada legislative resolution condemning the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack and criticizing the use of presidential pardons to absolve participants. It specifically denounces President Trump’s pardons and commutations granted on January 20, 2025, for those involved in the riot, including assaults on law enforcement officers. The resolution directs Nevada’s legislature to formally condemn the attack and send copies to the President, U.S. Senate and House leaders, and Nevada’s congressional delegation. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws or impose costs but serves as a symbolic statement of opposition to pardoning Capitol rioters.