Maddy summaryAB 397 revises Nevada's higher education fee waiver program to provide clearer support for homeless students. It requires the Board of Regents to automatically grant fee waivers (covering registration, lab, and mandatory fees) to students under 25 who: experienced homelessness for at least six months between ages 12-25; received services from Nevada-based homeless support agencies during that time; and completed the federal student aid application annually. The bill replaces the previous "may grant" language with a mandatory "shall grant" requirement and adds documentation verification steps. It also repeals a separate requirement for analyzing natural materials requested by Nevada residents. This directly affects eligible homeless students enrolled in undergraduate programs across Nevada's public universities.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 217, vetoed by the Governor on June 12, 2025, establishes new rights for individuals accessing assisted reproduction and requires health insurers to cover infertility treatment and fertility preservation. It prohibits government entities from imposing burdens on access to assisted reproduction, fertility services, or reproductive genetic material, with legal remedies available for violations. The bill mandates that health plans for groups over 50 employees (including public employers) cover infertility treatment and fertility preservation without cost-sharing, while exempting Medicaid managed care plans from these requirements until 2027. It also clarifies that fertilized eggs before implantation are not considered "human beings" under Nevada law.
Maddy summarySB 207 transfers administration of Nevada's Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) from the Aging and Disability Services Division to the entire Department of Health and Human Services. It requires the Department to establish and run the PACE program, which provides comprehensive medical and social services to Medicare/Medicaid-eligible adults aged 55+ who wish to remain in their communities. The bill updates state law to reflect this change, ensures compliance with federal PACE rules (42 U.S.C. §§ 1395eee, 1396u-4), and directs the Division of Health Care Financing to fund the program. It also revises the Community Advocate's role to coordinate resources related to the new Department-run PACE program.
Maddy summarySB 185 allows Medicaid to reimburse family members who provide personal care services to children under 18 with disabilities or chronic illnesses that prevent them from performing daily activities independently. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to cover these family caregivers under specific conditions: the child must be Medicaid-eligible for personal care services, under 18, and diagnosed with a qualifying disability or chronic illness. The bill appropriates $135,086 for fiscal year 2025-2026 and $414,251 for 2026-2027 to fund this reimbursement program. The law takes effect on January 1, 2027, after initial administrative preparations.
Maddy summarySB 262 transfers administration of Nevada’s Graduate Medical Education Grant Program from the Office of Science to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHS). It requires medical institutions receiving grants to obtain DHS approval before eliminating or reducing residency training programs, with criteria including demonstrating reduced patient need and no negative impact on healthcare provider availability. The bill expands grant eligibility to include programs exceeding Medicare-funded resident slots and allows DHS to provide limited grants for new program development and staffing. It also directs DHS to explore using Medicaid funding to support residency programs, effective as of its passage and signing into law on June 10, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 300 requires Nevada Medicaid to cover mental health services provided by mental health counselors - including substance use and gambling counselors - at federally-qualified health centers, expanding existing coverage that already includes psychiatrists, psychologists, and other specialists. This directly affects Nevada Medicaid beneficiaries who access care at these centers and mental health counselors who can now bill Medicaid for their services. The bill mandates the state to seek federal funding for this expanded coverage and aligns Nevada law with recent federal changes allowing Medicaid reimbursement for these services. It does not change eligibility for beneficiaries but adds specific provider types to covered services under Medicaid.
Maddy summarySB 460 requires Nevada public elementary schools to develop specific plans to improve student achievement, including measurable goals and consequences for principals who fail to meet them. It updates annual school accountability reports to include details about these improvement plans and revises how teacher vacancies are reported. The bill also creates a School District Oversight Board that can assume management of a struggling school district during a state of emergency, with defined membership and activation requirements. These changes directly affect school districts, elementary school principals, and accountability reporting systems across Nevada.
Maddy summarySB 400 ensures continuity of special education services for students with disabilities who transfer schools. It requires schools to provide comparable services to the previous Individualized Education Program (IEP) during transition, until a new IEP is adopted (for in-state transfers) or an evaluation and new IEP are completed (for out-of-state transfers). The bill also mandates that teachers must pass subject-specific competency tests and obtain Department of Education endorsements to teach music or art in most schools, with exceptions for small districts (under 200,000 students) and very small schools (under 500 students), plus temporary exemptions during teacher shortages. These changes align Nevada’s policies with federal special education requirements and update teacher certification standards.
Maddy summarySB 358 requires most Nevada state and local government offices to accept debit cards, credit cards, checks, or electronic payments for business-related fees, taxes, or debts. It directly affects businesses that pay government charges, ensuring they can use modern payment methods instead of cash alone. Exceptions include payments to specific agencies like the Department of Taxation, Cannabis Compliance Board, and courts. Government entities may still offer cash or money orders at their discretion but must accept the mandated electronic options. The bill passed unanimously and was signed into law on June 9, 2025.
Maddy summaryAB 335 requires school districts to appoint an administrator to support English learner students and mandates principals to consult this administrator when creating school improvement plans. The bill specifically directs schools with 10%+ English learners to prioritize closing achievement gaps between these students and proficient peers, setting quantitative goals for their progress. It also requires all teachers to complete English language acquisition training by 2030 and mandates that student data for newcomers be disaggregated without negatively affecting school or staff performance ratings. The bill repeals an outdated requirement for corrective action plans in schools with low English learner achievement. These changes directly affect school districts, principals, teachers, and English learner students across Nevada.