[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6558630,"mediaKeyId","3237848-f695f3995d535e008953c76f145d5123","parentId",3237848,"title","Nevada lawmakers hear support for resolution urging federal moratorium on underground nuclear explosive testing","audioSeconds",1207,"startMs",125000,"endMs",1332000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3237848-f695f3995d535e008953c76f145d5123&start=125&end=1332","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3237848-f695f3995d535e008953c76f145d5123/thumbnail_125000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6558630/Nevada/Nevada-lawmakers-hear-support-for-resolution-urging-federal-moratorium-on-underground-nuclear-explosive-testing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6558630-24b793b35447b30d8cc8f4e7c73f872b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773397169&Signature=Oq7q85oVWOS1YTmcQqSMwulewYSWD6umSlTVRLiMrVAGVIbU7F7~BB-ekEaT50n2V41x41VYgXnCLw2vmkTJIUd5lVYL6nkvMB9DEWY9kuJqnOEduIxl3duSikbdb-yqlGIgZzS4g8ianxWsSzmlViiVH4BbTF3FLix9-NNzJM3V6GHINNwWXXdx1M~HqVkjhcrPnhIJfZZxBs~Beo9ZEPYzlu1wryq7KgwJKoD5OYY1aW9T0R-p68adrlHmQF24Vcg7PyLncPYnJm0kdtCqzRYCEDvd4RYx9AiscsTneoAm9MBoRW5c9KiKVmg66iFOCt1dqaYswilnEHKg1LXzqA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Nevada State Legislature","date","2025-05-09T12:30:27Z","article","Assembly Joint Resolution 13, introduced by Assemblymember Joe Dalia, was presented Tuesday to the Nevada Senate Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections as an effort to urge the federal government to maintain its moratorium on explosive nuclear testing, particularly at the Nevada test site outside Clark County.

The measure, Assembly Joint Resolution 13, seeks only to express Nevada’s opposition to a resumption of explosive nuclear tests and to communicate the state’s preference that such testing not again be conducted in Nevada. Assemblymember Joe Dalia, representing Assembly District 29, said the resolution aims to keep families and children safe from the health and environmental risks associated with explosive nuclear testing.

Experts and community groups urged committee members to support the measure. Mark Malamed, identified in the hearing as a deputy vice president with the Nuclear Threat Initiative, told the committee that the United States has maintained the safety and reliability of its nuclear stockpile for decades through non‑explosive methods such as the stockpile stewardship program and subcritical testing at the Nevada National Security Site. “Nuclear tests that decades ago sent tremors through Las Vegas and contaminated Nevada’s environment are not needed to ensure a safe, reliable, and effective U.S. nuclear deterrent,” Malamed said.

Local business and conservation groups also testified in favor. Trevor Parrish of the Vegas Chamber said the chamber supports AJR 13, citing potential economic and environmental harm if testing resumed. Tristan Saint Denis of the Nevada Conservation League highlighted ongoing concerns about radioactive contamination in groundwater near the Nevada National Security Site and warned that Nevada’s scarce water resources could be further threatened. Tom Clark of the Reno‑Sparks Chamber of Commerce cited possible damage to the state’s tourism and renewable energy development image and economic prospects if testing resumed.

Members of the public who said they lived or served near past test sites described long‑term health impacts. Dave Crete, who identified himself as chairman of the board of a group he called the Invisible Enemy and said he had served on the Nevada test and training range, told the committee he and other service members have experienced health problems and birth defects and urged lawmakers to press the federal government to keep testing out of Nevada.

Committee members asked presenters for technical and policy context. Senator Steinbeck asked whether any countries currently conduct underground testing; Malamed said North Korea has conducted underground tests most recently in 2017, and no other country has tested this century. Senator Krasner asked whether the resolution would apply to the entire United States or focus on Nevada; Dalia said the core intent is to preserve the moratorium for the Nevada test site outside Clark County.

No formal committee vote was recorded during the hearing; the committee opened and then closed the public hearing on AJR 13 after invited testimony and public comment.

The sponsors and supporters said the resolution is designed as a clear statement to federal officials that explosive nuclear testing should not resume in Nevada.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","5/8/2025 - Senate Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections","oneSentenceSummary","Assembly Joint Resolution 13, introduced by Assemblymember Joe Dalia, was presented to the Senate Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections as a request that the federal government maintain its moratorium on explosive nuclear testing outside Clark County.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature NV, Nevada","taxId",78440,"location","Nevada","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6558616,"AB547 would reduce degree barriers for state jobs and recognize federal experience; sponsor says bill opens pathways to state employment",740,5736000,6476000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3237848-f695f3995d535e008953c76f145d5123&start=5736&end=6476","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3237848-f695f3995d535e008953c76f145d5123/thumbnail_5736000.jpg","/articles/6558616/Nevada/AB547-would-reduce-degree-barriers-for-state-jobs-and-recognize-federal-experience-sponsor-says-bill-opens-pathways-to-state-employment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6558616-ce383439a8be473f3112dc469c8baae9/orig.mp4?Expires=1773397169&Signature=HMxXR51h4BdHCdeDaVuvWASSIOfMjGTuo2cnR3OZImPM7IoiLPlkrLM4pGRoqtsKfghmzI5ein9bLrQtFs5jrbuMRuTFjxA8hhwE8B0gSFKeNvAtDa0tk4RKEpfKIAXK0ItJ3J49~cdf1WptGEnZoXr1RSiqxMXxG5uiujE3aakgtHX~RmpxG~IsXBM1ygsH9rQc0bdiLYd79LaQcK8~jwloHOpHdX3trM1XCPjIR7Q7bpoD5pX4aFJnK0d713pmiAcG5FAycCEpUVb3Jzl3KJabooyuG7RewyNXGkSd5ODXrrBIrzW84-ie23N77w7rgZVAGLqeuv3xacvWKV8ORQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Assembly Bill 547, presented by Speaker Steve Yeager, would change state public employment rules to (1) allow appointing authorities to recognize relevant federal government experience as equivalent to state government experience for recruitment, selection, promotion and pay; and (2) prohibit, with stated exceptions, an appointing authority from requiring a bachelor’s degree as a prerequisite for positions in the classified or unclassified service.

Yeager said the bill is intended to reduce “degree inflation” and open opportunities for candidates who have long‑relevant work experience but lack a formal bachelor’s degree. He cited national trends among employers and several states that have taken steps to relax degree requirements and noted particular urgency for federal employees who had recently lost positions and may seek state employment.

Under AB547, appointing authorities could still require a bachelor’s degree when the position objectively requires knowledge and skills that are attainable only through such a degree (Yeager used attorney positions that require a J.D. as an example). The bill would require the division of human resources management to allow substitution of equivalent federal experience when preparing classification and qualification plans.

Senators asked whether the experience equivalency is already possible under current practice. Yeager said some federal experience may be accepted informally today but that the proposed statutory change would make the equivalency explicit and help standardize hiring and pay determinations across state agencies. Senator Steinbeck said the policy was sound; Yeager and supporters pointed to Maryland and Pennsylvania actions—mostly by executive order—as inspiration for the bill.

Kimberly Fergus testified in support, telling the committee the bill removes unnecessary barriers and recognizes practical on‑the‑job experience.

The committee closed the hearing after testimony and discussion; no committee vote was recorded.","Assembly Bill 547 would prohibit most appointing authorities from requiring a bachelor's degree as a prerequisite for state employment and require recognition of equivalent federal government experience for state classification and pay; supporters said the measure addresses degree inflation and provides hiring flexibility for experienced federal",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6558622,"Panel weighs AB499 to add online voter services, DMV data matching and signature‑curing changes; privacy and security concerns raised",2545,3174000,5719000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3237848-f695f3995d535e008953c76f145d5123&start=3174&end=5719","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3237848-f695f3995d535e008953c76f145d5123/thumbnail_3174000.jpg","/articles/6558622/Nevada/Panel-weighs-AB499-to-add-online-voter-services-DMV-data-matching-and-signaturecuring-changes-privacy-and-security-concerns-raised","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6558622-aeae201b14a0f2802cbb9873fbdc48bf/orig.mp4?Expires=1773397169&Signature=Sq1DRlIcyO6V-HFEklJA5rMfejAYu0brpOwNGtKyU3ZCDw7BW8GAWdwy~~GnuqtnwbW3eoYY5OzYUCCY18lLcv1EL9faEXferLHiNgf~-QxRzaugLFI8LMQ11a02AJGG0~8qXAHyg3tEVzin40SnDl~PBSWs4tEl7nUw5LxB3ZOT9UkBzHUalpQfCPjzOMxPzjYwUVDN7QPEtIP4qUGn~heLf6lO6lsg4zTkb-S-SK9h6B5Dl9Y5Al8gz3HdxCEIOuTZXk0UuUJNuxNop~LFCHQD3Vnovr~21~pqAC-i1of-7OMzQYuQ~nY~EI74FYMC~y2e-OGc5pLQ3xea6Tq1lw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Assembly Bill 499, presented Tuesday by Speaker Steve Yeager, would create a statewide voter services portal, require periodic data transfers from the Department of Motor Vehicles to the Secretary of State, add a QR/machine‑readable code to mail ballot envelopes linking to voter help, and change signature‑curing procedures by permitting voters to include voluntary identifying information (the last four digits of a driver’s license or Social Security number, or a voter identification number) on return envelopes.

Yeager said the bill’s intent is to make voter services more accessible and to reduce the number of mail ballots rejected for signature mismatch. He described a conceptual amendment to centralize a voter services portal with the Secretary of State rather than requiring each county clerk to create separate portals.

The Secretary of State’s office, through Chief Deputy Gabriel De Cara, supported the bill and said the state’s top‑down voter registration modernization project (VRMS) has the technical capacity to support the requested features. Bradley Schrager, counsel to the sponsor, said the changes aim to reduce manual signature‑curing burdens: under the proposal, if a voter voluntarily provides a listed identifier on the return envelope and that identifier is verified by the clerk, a signature match would not be required and the ballot would be counted. The bill would also require clerks to offer assistance by phone during evening hours while ballots are being cured and allow small counties to contract for text‑message curing programs.

County election officials described practical implementation issues. Cadence Matijevich, government affairs liaison for Washoe County, said that including supplemental identifiers on the outside of an envelope could help cure ballots but that operationally the counties rely on signature verification as a primary, often automated, process; reversing the order to check identifying numbers first would require more manual processing. Ashley Kennedy of Clark County emphasized volume challenges: Clark handled over a million ballots in the last general election, and 42 percent were mail ballots.

Opponents and privacy advocates raised data‑security and privacy concerns. Joshua Skaggs of the Nevada Republican Party said the data‑matching provision (Section 3) was troubling and risked creating a central collection of sensitive personal data. Penny Brock of the Nevada Voter Alliance and Janine Hanson of the Independent American Party opposed the bill, arguing the Secretary of State should not receive expanded DMV data and warning of identity theft risks. Multiple witnesses cited recent data‑breach statistics and warned that consolidating partial Social Security numbers, driver license numbers and other personally identifiable information would create a target for attackers. Several witnesses also opposed replacing signature verification with identifying numbers on the outside of envelopes, saying signatures should continue to be verified.

Proponents and county clerks said the bill seeks to reduce the tens of thousands of ballots that required signature curing in the last election—witnesses cited roughly 30,000 signatures sent to cure and about 12,000 ballots that were not cured—and to increase the number of ballots counted. The sponsor and the Secretary of State said they would work with county clerks on implementation details; county officials said they and the sponsor had been consulting and that more work remained on operational sequencing and funding.

The committee closed the hearing without a vote; several opponents urged the committee to reject AB499 unless data‑security, operational sequencing, and cost concerns are addressed.","Assembly Bill 499 would require a centralized online voter services portal, expand DMV-to-election official data transfers, add machine‑readable codes and optional last‑four identification on mail ballot envelopes, and revise signature curing procedures; county election officials and privacy advocates warned of data‑security risks and operational",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6558625,"Committee hears AB497 to clarify PAC spending and allow defeated candidates to retain unspent campaign funds for four years",1800,1364000,3164000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3237848-f695f3995d535e008953c76f145d5123&start=1364&end=3164","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3237848-f695f3995d535e008953c76f145d5123/thumbnail_1364000.jpg","/articles/6558625/Nevada/Committee-hears-AB497-to-clarify-PAC-spending-and-allow-defeated-candidates-to-retain-unspent-campaign-funds-for-four-years","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6558625-0792c9acfb106bc81889ad52555abe7e/orig.mp4?Expires=1773397169&Signature=WRqJxw05tjZr0AofpSwQjoNLwEIN-axs1m9O1DerWXZGScyFBfZsQUMwdG90ZC0YJkwYCa4FUuWnqK2bl5EktnU8UDVQoyk9K4qU~tcDzNSDTQa1WmwCPfQqrUodsK-5~2TVY2P46k6yvls6L-afQIA9KacrmAfU~pj~NkLOXkFlGWHLV1IZA2Msl21MsDPqEHutJHt-24my0jLp41s9OR8hy~h8BG6wOlk5wfhgyCmUHVPBrVpHepIoDslZA6VmpKBJDwBoN5pYEVPZ3FAkagIAaEWCCdQ051E3l7Y9e02kgfoZ8niVI0nRyrOmL5ZkdiCgV~f16y6pK-t1gr8kiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Assembly Bill 497, presented by Speaker Steve Yeager, would revise Nevada’s campaign finance law by (1) enumerating the purposes for which a political action committee may use contributions; (2) excluding nonprofit organizations and corporations from the statutory definition of a committee for political action; and (3) allowing defeated candidates and former public officials to retain unspent campaign contributions for use in a subsequent election if they run within four years.

Speaker Steve Yeager (representing Assembly District 9) said the bill was intended to provide clarity where current law is ambiguous, prevent misuse of PAC funds for personal expenses, and align the law so defeated candidates could reuse funds if they sought office again within a four‑year window. Yeager noted that existing contribution limits (cited in committee) remain unchanged: statutory limits on candidate contributions—$5,000 in a primary and $10,000 in a general election—would continue to apply.

Bradley Schrager, identified as a political law attorney, told the committee that AB497 addresses three areas of longstanding confusion: acceptable PAC expenditures, the definition of a PAC versus nonprofit organizations, and unclear rules on unspent campaign contributions. Schrager said the bill provides a prescriptive list of allowable PAC expenditures and creates a bright‑line rule giving defeated candidates and former officials a four‑year period to retain unspent funds; if they do not file for office or appear on a ballot within that period, they must dispose of unspent funds within 15 days consistent with existing law.

The Secretary of State’s office, represented by Chief Deputy Gabriel De Cara, described the measure as complementary to the office’s own campaign finance proposal and said the changes would further transparency and clarity.

Opponents told the committee they opposed parts of the bill. Joshua Skaggs, legislative affairs director for the Nevada Republican Party, said he would support the unspent funds provision but warned that excluding nonprofits from the PAC definition would expand opportunities for “dark money” by removing disclosure obligations for organizations that engage in political spending. Multiple other witnesses, including Kimberly Fergus and Ellen Gifford, testified in opposition, citing concerns about donor transparency and possible misuse of retained funds.

Committee members asked detailed questions about the nonprofit exclusion and whether nonprofits that engage in political activity should be treated like PACs. Schrager and Speaker Yeager said the bill seeks to separate corporate and nonprofit forms from PACs while still supporting regulation of political activity by those entities; they said entities can and should form PACs to conduct electoral advocacy when appropriate. Senator Daley suggested the committee could work on statutory language to ensure consistent treatment of entities that engage in political expenditures.

Section 4 of the bill, as discussed in committee, would grandfather in persons who held unspent contributions before the bill’s effective date (described in committee as October 1, 2025), giving them four years from the effective date to dispose of unspent contributions. The bill would also keep defeated candidates and former officials subject to continuing campaign finance reporting while they retain unspent funds.

The committee took public testimony for and against the measure and closed the hearing without recording a committee vote. The sponsor indicated willingness to work with opponents and stakeholders on statutory language.","Assembly Bill 497 would clarify permissible expenditures by political action committees, exclude nonprofit corporations from the statutory definition of a PAC, and allow defeated candidates and former public officials to retain unspent campaign contributions for up to four years; supporters said the bill brings clarity, opponents warned it could","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Nevada lawmakers hear support for resolution urging federal moratorium on underground nuclear explosive testing

AB547 would reduce degree barriers for state jobs and recognize federal experience; sponsor says bill opens pathways to state employment

Panel weighs AB499 to add online voter services, DMV data matching and signature‑curing changes; privacy and security concerns raised

Committee hears AB497 to clarify PAC spending and allow defeated candidates to retain unspent campaign funds for four years