Sen. Carrie Buck

Maddy summarySB 264 revises Nevada's property crime laws to strengthen penalties and broaden definitions. It removes the requirement that a person must "unlawfully enter" a business to commit burglary, making it a crime simply to enter with intent to commit theft, assault, or other felonies. The bill also expands "organized retail theft" to include single thefts (not just series), buying stolen goods knowing they were stolen, and lowers the felony theft threshold from $1,200 to $650. These changes directly affect businesses (through revised burglary rules), retailers (via expanded theft definitions), and individuals facing new or increased penalties for property crimes.

Maddy summarySB 252 establishes Nevada's Education Savings Account Program, allowing qualifying children (typically those in public school) to receive grants deposited into personal education savings accounts managed by certified organizations. The program directly affects families with eligible children, account-granting organizations (which must apply for state certification), and taxpayers who donate to these organizations to claim a tax credit. Key provisions include funding accounts with public school per-pupil amounts (including weighted funding), requiring organizations to use at least 90% of donations for accounts, exempting account holders from public school attendance requirements, and permitting unused funds for postsecondary education. The bill also creates tax credits for donors and mandates annual reporting and audits for participating organizations.

Maddy summarySB 362 updates Nevada's gaming regulations by creating a new "tavern gaming establishment" license for businesses primarily selling alcohol, allowing up to 25 gaming devices. It expands existing self-limitation programs to let patrons block all marketing channels (mail, text, email, phone) for gaming offers and requires written materials and forms for this process. The bill also explicitly includes sports betting pools within "interactive gaming" and allows out-of-state wagering under new regulations. These changes directly affect taverns seeking gaming licenses, interactive gaming operators, and patrons seeking to limit their gambling access.

Maddy summarySB 209 updates Nevada's rules for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), entities that manage prescription drug coverage for insurers. It expands the definition of "pharmacy benefits plan" to include pharmacist services, requiring PBMs to disclose all fees and rebates to insurers and mandating that rebates be used solely to lower premiums or reduce patient costs. The bill prohibits PBMs from steering patients to affiliated pharmacies, discriminating against nonaffiliated pharmacies, or using deceptive pricing practices. These changes apply to PBMs managing coverage for insurers, Medicaid, and employer plans, with new annual reporting requirements for transparency.

Maddy summarySB 112 requires public and private schools (and colleges) to designate athletic teams based solely on biological sex at birth as "for males," "for females," or "for both," and prohibits allowing participation by members of the opposite sex in single-gender teams. It clarifies that complying with these designations does not constitute sex-based discrimination under state law and protects schools from adverse actions by athletic associations for maintaining separate teams. The bill also establishes civil actions for students or schools to address violations or retaliation related to these provisions. These rules apply to both K-12 schools and institutions of higher education.

Maddy summarySB 221 changes Nevada law to make complaints filed with the Real Estate Division about violations in common-interest communities (like homeowner associations) public records, rather than confidential. This directly affects homeowners who file complaints and the Real Estate Division, which will no longer keep these complaints private. The bill removes all confidentiality protections for complaints, related documents, and investigation materials, requiring them to be publicly accessible. It applies to all such complaints filed under Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 116A, ending the previous exception for keeping these records confidential.

Maddy summarySB 302 allows Nevada county sheriffs to enter written agreements with specific federal agencies, enabling designated federal employees (whose primary role is enforcing federal laws) to enforce state or local laws within the sheriff's jurisdiction. The agreements must last no more than two years, specify which laws apply, identify federal positions covered, and outline revocation conditions. Federal employees covered under these agreements must obtain peace officer certification within six months (instead of the standard one year) and gain full peace officer powers only while performing duties under the agreement. This directly affects sheriffs, federal law enforcement personnel, and local communities where such enforcement occurs.

Maddy summarySB 253 creates two new funds to support charter schools: the Charter School Facilities Account (funded by state general revenue) and the State Public Charter School Facility Fund (funded by local property taxes). It requires the Department of Education to distribute funds to charter schools based on student attendance and meal eligibility ($600 per qualifying student, $300 per other student), with unused funds carried forward annually. The bill also mandates school districts to report on teacher performance evaluations and requires the state to publicly post ranked lists of top-performing schools and teachers. These provisions directly affect charter schools, school districts, and local governments through new funding mechanisms and reporting requirements.

Maddy summarySB 238 increases penalties for hazing that occurs on college or university property in Nevada, raising it from a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor to a category E felony. The bill defines hazing as intentionally or recklessly endangering another person's physical health to join a student group - such as through physical brutality, forced calisthenics, or consumption of substances - and explicitly states that a victim's consent cannot be used as a defense. It applies directly to individuals committing hazing on campus, including fraternity/sorority activities, and excludes school-approved athletic or academic practices. This law aims to strengthen legal consequences for campus hazing incidents while clarifying prohibited conduct.

Maddy summarySB 131 requires Nevada schools to implement age-appropriate human trafficking prevention education for students in grades 6-12 as part of health courses. The bill mandates the Department of Education to develop curriculum standards and training plans for school staff, along with materials for parents about the instruction. Schools must ensure at least one employee per school receives training on human trafficking prevention, and parents can opt their child out of the instruction (except for graduation-required courses). The law also specifies content for the curriculum, including trafficking prevalence, risk reduction strategies, and safe reporting methods, while requiring annual review of the standards. This directly affects public and charter school students, educators, and families in Nevada.