Rep. Greg Hafen

Maddy summaryAB 409 revises Nevada's special license plate program to include veterans of the U.S. Space Force and their families. It requires the DMV to issue these plates to Space Force veterans (and their spouses, parents, or children), expanding eligibility beyond existing military branches like the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. The bill also allows holders of personalized prestige license plates to combine them with military service plates by paying additional fees. This change directly affects Space Force veterans and their immediate family members seeking these specialized plates.

Maddy summaryAB 163 enters Nevada into the Counseling Compact, an agreement allowing licensed professional counselors from member states to practice in Nevada without obtaining a separate Nevada license. The bill requires counselors to maintain current home-state licensure, notify the Compact Commission, meet continuing education standards, and pass state-specific law assessments. It directly affects licensed counselors seeking multistate practice and Nevada’s Board of Examiners, which must share investigatory information with the Compact’s database. Key provisions include enabling telehealth counseling across member states and treating Compact practice as equivalent to Nevada-licensed counseling. This creates a streamlined process for counselors while maintaining public safety through shared disciplinary reporting.

Maddy summaryAB 444 revises Nevada's administrative procedures to better protect small businesses (fewer than 150 employees) from burdensome regulations. It requires state agencies and local governments to notify business associations and owners of proposed rules likely to significantly impact small businesses, include specific impact details in official statements, and conduct workshops before adopting such rules. The bill eliminates previous exemptions for local governments regarding impact fees and sales taxes, extending the same procedural requirements to these areas. It also clarifies that violations of these rules make any affected government action unenforceable. This law, approved by the governor on June 9, 2025, applies to all state agencies and local governments adopting regulations or fees affecting small businesses.

Maddy summaryAB 398 provides additional state-funded compensation for teachers and licensed staff in hard-to-fill positions at public schools, specifically targeting Title I schools and roles in subjects with critical staffing shortages. It requires the State Education Fund to receive new funding (from the State General Fund or Education Stabilization Account) to pay this extra compensation on top of base salaries, distributed monthly to school districts based on legislative apportionment. The bill eliminates the prior use of weighted funding (for at-risk students) to pay for hiring and retention incentives, redirecting those resources to the new compensation program. This temporary measure aims to reduce teacher vacancies, which the bill states harm student outcomes.

Maddy summarySB 505 creates the Nevada Energy Resiliency Task Force to analyze the state's energy and fuel supply chain, specifically addressing Nevada's reliance on California-refined fuel and the risks from declining California output. The 11-member task force - appointed by the Governor (including energy/logistics/economics experts), Senate/Assembly leaders - will investigate alternatives like Permian Basin pipelines or Utah imports and recommend strategies for energy resilience, including emergency protocols and storage solutions. It must submit a final report to the Legislature by February 1, 2027, detailing findings and recommendations. The bill directly affects state energy policy and stakeholders dependent on fuel supply chains, with no direct cost to the state for task force operations.

Maddy summaryAB 300 appropriates $750,000 from Nevada's State General Fund to the Evans-Kendall Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8071 for constructing a veterans and community center in Virginia City. The funds directly support the VFW Post in building a facility serving local veterans and community members. The bill requires the VFW Post to submit two spending reports (by December 2026 and September 2027) and mandates that any unspent funds revert to the state by September 17, 2027. This is a straightforward funding allocation with specific accountability measures, not a policy change affecting broader legislation.

Maddy summaryAB 601 revises Nevada's governance of professional licensing boards and other advisory bodies by centralizing administrative support under the Office of Nevada Boards, Commissions and Councils Standards. It requires the Office to provide accounting, IT, and hearing officer services to all licensed boards - prohibiting boards from paying outside entities for these services - and mandates that all fees collected be deposited into a dedicated state account. The bill also standardizes board operations by requiring annual officer elections, restricting information posting to a single state website, and mandating periodic reviews of all such bodies by the Office. These changes directly affect all professional licensing boards (e.g., for doctors, contractors, cosmetologists) under the Office's purview.

Maddy summaryAB 288 allocates $60 million from the state treasury to White Pine County School District specifically for constructing a new elementary school. The funds must be spent by September 17, 2027, or be returned to the state general fund. This bill directly affects the school district and students in White Pine County by providing dedicated funding for new school infrastructure. It contains no additional policy provisions beyond the funding allocation and spending deadline.

Maddy summaryAB 148 changes Nevada's mail ballot distribution deadlines for in-state voters, shifting the requirement from "20 days before" to "between the fifth and fourth Mondays before" the election. County clerks can now allow voters to request mail ballots earlier than this window, while still requiring sample ballots to be sent to all registered voters before the mail ballot deadline. The bill affects all active registered voters in Nevada, including those voting in-person or by mail, and ensures sample ballots include all election details like candidate information and ballot measures. These changes align mail ballot timing with new scheduling requirements while maintaining existing voter access rules.

Maddy summaryAB 423 revises Nevada business laws to provide specific exemptions and requirements. It allows sole proprietors (businesses with only one owner-employee) to elect not to contribute to the Unemployment Compensation Fund, but they lose eligibility for unemployment benefits. The bill also exempts certain new business license applicants from the $200 initial fee and first renewal fee if they commit to hiring full-time employees or making capital investments within two years, with a review at the second renewal. Additionally, it sets new rules for land use authorities reviewing modifications to personal wireless service facilities.