Sen. Jeff Stone

Maddy summarySB 316 regulates pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), the companies that manage prescription drug coverage for insurers. It prohibits PBMs from steering patients to affiliated pharmacies, requiring them to disclose fees and rebates to insurers, and mandating that PBMs pass all rebates to insurers. Insurers must then use these rebate funds exclusively to lower premiums or reduce patient cost-sharing for prescriptions, and cannot charge patients more than the insurer pays for a drug. This directly affects PBMs, health insurers, and patients by increasing transparency and reducing out-of-pocket costs.

Maddy summarySB 232 appropriates $750,000 from the State General Fund to the Evans-Kendall Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8071 for constructing a veterans and community center in Virginia City, Nevada. The bill requires the VFW post to submit two reports detailing how the funds are spent - by December 2026 and September 2027 - to the Interim Finance Committee. Any unspent funds must be returned to the State General Fund by September 17, 2027. This bill directly affects the Evans-Kendall VFW Post 8071 and benefits veterans and community members in Virginia City.

Maddy summarySB 146 appropriates $1.4 million from the State General Fund to the United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra for its United Readers Program. The bill requires the United Way to submit two detailed expenditure reports to the Interim Finance Committee by December 2026 and September 2027, and to allow legislative audits of the funds. Any unspent balance must revert to the State General Fund by September 17, 2027. This is a funding bill with no policy changes, directly affecting the United Way organization and its program.

Maddy summarySB 212 appropriates $50 million from the State General Fund to City of Hope for an outpatient cancer treatment clinic in Clark County. It requires City of Hope to partner with the UNLV Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine for clinical training and submit detailed spending reports to oversight committees by specific deadlines (December 2026 and September 2027). The bill creates an Oncology Excellence Committee within the Department of Health and Human Services to verify the training agreement and monitor fund usage, with the committee expiring on October 1, 2027. Funds must be fully spent or reverted to the state by September 17, 2027, and cannot be used for purposes beyond clinic setup (e.g., leases, equipment, staff).

Maddy summarySB 304 removes a requirement that a person must have previously been convicted of at least three offenses to be charged with vehicular homicide in Nevada. The bill amends Nevada Revised Statute 484C.130 to eliminate this prior conviction element, meaning prosecutors no longer need to prove three prior convictions for a vehicular homicide charge. The law now focuses solely on whether the defendant was driving under the influence (including alcohol, controlled substances, or other prohibited substances) and proximately caused a death. This change directly affects individuals charged with vehicular homicide in Nevada, streamlining the legal standard for such cases.

Maddy summarySB 206 requires Nevada's Fiscal Analysis Division to study the cost-effectiveness of state programs during legislative interims. Specifically, it mandates analyzing the potential return on investment for up to two new or revised programs and the annual return on investment for up to three existing programs each year. The division must submit these reports to the Interim Finance Committee by December 1 of even-numbered years, with the option to hire outside experts if funds allow. This procedural change affects how state agencies design and evaluate programs, focusing on fiscal efficiency without altering existing policies. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 95 gives Nevada National Guard service members the right to demand a formal military trial (court-martial) instead of accepting administrative punishment for minor offenses. The bill requires commanding officers to provide written notice of this right and allow at least 48 hours for service members to decide before punishment is imposed. It amends Nevada law to ensure administrative punishment cannot be applied if a service member has demanded a court-martial. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025, directly affecting Nevada National Guard members facing nonjudicial proceedings.

Maddy summarySB 354 prohibits health insurance plans (including Medicaid and government employee plans) from requiring step therapy - where patients must try cheaper drugs first - before covering medications that prevent or treat HIV or hepatitis C. It applies directly to insurers offering health coverage and affects patients needing these specific treatments. The bill removes an existing exception allowing step therapy for these drugs, mandating direct coverage for HIV prevention/treatment medications and related lab tests without prior authorization. This changes how insurers must cover these essential medications, ensuring faster access without unnecessary barriers.

Maddy summarySB 118 requires Nevada's Medicaid program to cover services provided by pharmacists within their scope of practice - such as medication management - if those services are already covered when performed by other healthcare providers like doctors. It mandates that Medicaid reimburse pharmacists at the same rate as physicians, physician assistants, or advanced practice nurses for similar services and prohibits requiring prior authorization for these services when prior authorization isn't needed for the same services provided by other providers. This change ensures Medicaid beneficiaries can access pharmacist-provided care without additional cost barriers or administrative delays. The bill removes outdated coverage requirements for specific pharmacist services, aligning them with the new standard.

Maddy summaryAB 378 creates a pilot program allowing patients diagnosed with mental health conditions to access psychedelic therapy (using psilocybin, psilocin, DMT, ibogaine, or mescaline) under medical supervision in approved clinics. The Division of Public and Behavioral Health administers the program, requiring clinics to operate under strict medical oversight and participant approval. The bill includes confidentiality protections for patient data, liability immunity for program participants, and mandates annual reporting to the legislature. It also establishes an advisory committee and requires compliance with federal controlled substance regulations during the pilot phase.