Asm. Selena Torres-Fossett

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 82 requires Nevada's Governor to annually proclaim four specific cultural observances: Diwali Day (15th day of Hindu 8th month), Eid al-Fitr Day (1st day of Islamic 10th month), Vaisakhi Day (1st day of Sikh Vaisakh month), and Vesak Day (first full moon in May). The Governor must issue these proclamations each year, optionally encouraging media, educators, and leaders to highlight the cultural diversity behind these celebrations. The bill has no fiscal impact on state or local government and does not alter existing laws or create new obligations beyond the annual recognition. It is purely ceremonial, aligning with Nevada's existing framework for recognizing cultural observances.

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 83 designates October 25 as "Larry Itliong Day" in Nevada, requiring the Governor to annually declare this date each year. The bill directs the Governor to call on media, educators, and community leaders to highlight Larry Itliong’s contributions to labor rights and the Filipino-American community. This is a ceremonial observance with no new policies or fiscal impact, recognizing Itliong’s role as a co-founder of the United Farm Workers union and his work in the 1965 Delano Grape Strike.

Maddy summarySB 234 requires Nevada's Medicaid program to cover emergency medical care for non-citizens who would otherwise be ineligible due to immigration status. It mandates coverage for emergency transportation, emergency room care, inpatient services directly related to an emergency, and limited follow-up care for kidney disease or cancer (with prior approval from the Department of Health and Human Services). The bill specifically excludes non-emergency care and aligns state Medicaid coverage with existing federal emergency medical condition requirements. This policy change directly affects non-citizens in Nevada facing urgent health crises who previously lacked access to these essential services.

Maddy summarySB 278 revises Nevada education law to impact school districts, administrators, and teacher/licensure candidates. It prohibits school boards from requiring prospective administrators to complete preservice programs before applying for jobs, and mandates that licensing regulations allow individuals to enroll in multiple alternative licensure programs simultaneously. The bill also requires elementary schools to use school-wide or grade-level assessments - where possible - to monitor reading growth for students with reading deficiencies, rather than individualized assessments. These changes aim to streamline administrative hiring and licensure pathways while standardizing reading progress tracking.

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 309 requires temporary orders for protection against domestic violence, when served to someone in custody, to include specific information about their right to contest an extended order. The order must state that if the person remains in custody on the hearing date, they can file an affidavit explaining why the extended order should not be granted, and that failing to file may result in the court granting the order without their input. This change directly affects individuals in jail who are named in such orders, ensuring they are clearly informed of their options before the hearing. The bill does not alter existing procedures for issuing temporary orders but adds these informational requirements for incarcerated defendants.

Maddy summaryAB 236 revises how teachers and education professionals are selected for Nevada state education boards and councils. It changes the nomination process from requiring the Governor to appoint members from lists submitted by the Nevada State Education Association (NSEA) to appointing them from lists submitted by specific employee organizations representing: (1) teachers in large school districts (currently Clark County only) and (2) teachers in other districts, or (1) school counselors/psychologists in large districts and (2) in other districts. The bill maintains the same number of appointments but shifts nomination authority to district-specific employee groups instead of NSEA. This directly affects how educators and support staff are represented on boards like the State Board of Education and the Teachers and Leaders Council. The changes have no fiscal impact on state or local government.