[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-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",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_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",6542477,"mediaKeyId","3477852-eb8adaf3f069093377e2867df01f44a5","parentId",3477852,"title","Amendment to AB 376 would create insurer 'sandbox' and other options to expand wildfire-related homeowners coverage","audioSeconds",512,"startMs",6729000,"endMs",7241000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3477852-eb8adaf3f069093377e2867df01f44a5&start=6729&end=7241","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3477852-eb8adaf3f069093377e2867df01f44a5/thumbnail_6729000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6542477/Nevada/Amendment-to-AB-376-would-create-insurer-sandbox-and-other-options-to-expand-wildfire-related-homeowners-coverage","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6542477-c6b8979ecd6a61fcbead4bb20d8ed67b/orig.mp4?Expires=1776145041&Signature=JJaNJTypozd7TIvQ6Opq8drtV87ZXaIrM5hsWP9x9pW8mMtjn22tqtM0NIiY6UST4Rn-Isx8lF3U8-Xf~UXXQ27nzVPIcSEDrUS~hPb7uLOa20Xsz4mw~O4JXUEyznk3xpxtVNnWkauqmvPV5VAAt5szXnDrOHvKXnf3sDnGvr9CO9ZFNdo1Bwa74WpfB3oxp0AwvLQTlOud6fW9vcBXFeqyucziSOq7UMDoGaok9~FFKq~F~PAhnlEv3r5aTWJtpLV4ggCX68dPhHsP32zfQ7GqOckqS9VCGX6-B7hhk2EpFtFQ65FJS5wJnJQQg4G944rYfpQKEsHh3tU-TXsk6Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Nevada Legislature","date","2025-05-20T00:00:00Z","article","Sponsor PK O’Neil said AB 376 is intended to increase availability of homeowners insurance in wildfire-prone areas and to provide options for owners and community associations. The sponsor and the Division of Insurance presented a multi-part amendment that Division staff said eliminates the department’s prior fiscal note.

Key elements of the amendment described by Adam Plaine of the Nevada Division of Insurance:

- A sandbox innovation program (sections 2–20) that lets insurers seek narrowly tailored waivers to test products or delivery models intended to expand market offerings while preserving core consumer protections. The amendment expressly prevents waivers of certain consumer-protection statutes (chapters 679B and 686A).

- A flex-rating mechanism (section 20.3 in the amendment) for homeowners coverage that separates thresholds for an insurer’s overall rate impact and an individual policyholder’s rate disruption; the commissioner would set thresholds annually after public comment.

- Authority for insurers to offer policies that either exclude wildfire coverage or cover only wildfire, analogous to separate earthquake coverages in other states (section 25.1).

- Clarifications for reciprocal insurers to encourage entry into Nevada and changes to allow homeowners associations and commercial habitational entities to consider captive insurance arrangements (sections 25.2, 25.4, 25.5). The amendment also removes a statutory clause that prevented unit owners from obtaining individual structure coverage distinct from an association policy (section 25.6).

Support and neutral perspectives: Property/casualty industry groups supported the bill. Leah Cartwright of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association said the legislation could increase premium-tax base and welcomed collaboration between DOI and the sponsor. Washoe County and insurance trade groups also testified in favor, highlighting condo and HOA impacts in wildland-urban interface areas. State Farm and other carriers described the bill as constructive. Douglas County insurance broker Jim DeGraffenreid testified neutral, saying AB 376 may not fully solve availability where carriers have withdrawn from high-risk ZIP codes but that the sandbox and related provisions posed no harm.

Committee discussion and next steps: Committee members asked DOI to provide further detail on how consumer protections would be maintained in sandbox approvals and how the flex-rating thresholds would be set. DOI said insurer applications would need to identify specific statutes or regulations for which a waiver was requested, and the division would evaluate each application individually; there would be no blanket waivers. The amendment contains a sunset (section 27) so the pilot authority expires unless extended by the Legislature.

Ending: The committee closed the hearing on AB 376. Division staff said the amendment removes the fiscal note; DOI offered to provide follow-up answers about rate and consumer-protection details at the committee’s request.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","5/20/2025 Assembly Committee on Ways and Means","oneSentenceSummary","Sponsor PK O’Neil and the Division of Insurance offered an amended AB 376 that creates a temporary insurer 'sandbox,' flexible-rate authority for homeowners coverage and other changes aimed at improving wildfire-related insurance availability.","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},6542481,"Ways and Means hears AB 352 to shift cottage-food oversight to Agriculture, raise sales cap to $100,000",369,5980000,6349000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3477852-eb8adaf3f069093377e2867df01f44a5&start=5980&end=6349","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3477852-eb8adaf3f069093377e2867df01f44a5/thumbnail_5980000.jpg","/articles/6542481/Nevada/Ways-and-Means-hears-AB-352-to-shift-cottage-food-oversight-to-Agriculture-raise-sales-cap-to-100000","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6542481-8380eeb754c45096082970ed169b6eb4/orig.mp4?Expires=1776145041&Signature=nlq9NOJ5gQ7nkI9ufZJqdZXI6FLIM0JFvrHiJ6HkbdhU69MPYDvAn8sY7HOtnxG1FyuGoW4WykmsERyojOQoPShWFZRVbl2l228urguQ4R4LsY-ATgEiFUwSfyD-SNDTiZVljwKXakCCmktVGWji1nhkWuuC5Cpo2WFvjY-QQveOFR0ThzEM1XCTVZRDh0NfTKVGjRZVgMNs66Iu8m-mnQdtjzSFri2A281FNbIr86wN~YAQCnxvGOpb71w6wkKGoNhfpn-lhZchr-~1G~XHO3dLyHR49HQ2ynnG1rQ2zhTrlgwKOgkivTkfVbwY0bLuqGkoSB5pa1CgVH8iykb4uw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sponsor presentation and goals: The committee heard from the bill sponsor (speaker identified in the transcript as the bill's author) that AB 352 would move oversight of cottage food operations to the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA), create a cottage-cosmetics program and raise the gross-sales cap for cottage food producers from the existing $35,000 per year to $100,000 per year to reflect higher prices and broaden eligibility.

Agency fiscal notes and responses: The Department of Agriculture director told the committee the agency can absorb the authority and that inspector positions in the department’s fiscal note would not be necessary if related language in SB 466 and the department’s budget actions are adopted; the director said the Department will remove its fiscal note following that coordination. Lisa Swearingen, deputy administrator with the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services (DWSS), said her division’s fiscal note (to build an interface to check child-support compliance) would be covered with child-support incentive funds and thus would not require general fund dollars.

Counties and revenue shift: Sponsors and witnesses explained the bill centralizes licensing and recordkeeping at the state level. That change will shift current small revenues from local health districts and counties to the state because application and registry fees currently collected in some counties would be retained by the NDA under the bill. Sponsors described the move as intended to create consistency across jurisdictions and reduce inconsistent local enforcement cited by some producers.

Support and opposition testimony: The Nevada Farm Bureau and other agricultural and small-business stakeholders testified in support, saying the change would reduce inconsistent local enforcement and help small producers access markets. No written opposition was presented in Ways and Means during the hearing. Clark and Southern Nevada public health district revenue concerns were mentioned in the bill presentation, and the sponsor invited the NDA and DWSS representatives to address those points; NDA and DWSS representatives said they can implement the program with existing or reallocated funds.

Clarifying details: The transcript records the explicit policy change raising the annual gross-sales cap for cottage food operations from $35,000 to $100,000. The bill also includes registration and permitting language to be administered by NDA and creates a new cottage-cosmetics category requiring oversight and standards administered by the NDA.

Ending: Committee members asked for clarifications about public-health inspection authority and county revenue shifts; NDA and DWSS said they would administer the program and could do so without general fund support if other budget actions are adopted or incentive funds are used. The committee closed the hearing on AB 352 and did not take a vote during the session.","AB 352 would move cottage food oversight to the Nevada Department of Agriculture, raise the annual gross-sales threshold to $100,000 and create a cottage-cosmetics regulatory path.",{"_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},6542485,"Nevada Ways and Means hears AB 287 recount changes and creation of 'voter access' grant fund amid county concerns",2504,2197000,4701000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3477852-eb8adaf3f069093377e2867df01f44a5&start=2197&end=4701","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3477852-eb8adaf3f069093377e2867df01f44a5/thumbnail_2197000.jpg","/articles/6542485/Nevada/Nevada-Ways-and-Means-hears-AB-287-recount-changes-and-creation-of-voter-access-grant-fund-amid-county-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6542485-7796a0d5e3aba9b4062d82f9f642e185/orig.mp4?Expires=1776145041&Signature=gCdIV39k6-ufwnEd9viB0Z286pA0dehDJSCVAefTNW1NHMC0~vOVWxOFcZnk~5pvYyckzKgcxnosIlnlt5HIp51ojedtsxPJmncPMKhMO~KY2WxrEWPLmtSynq3ZF6343n24QqYoBJJn4SL3pi0tMiSJQJnpK7vdX2d47E2-VpYoQSJEPTCdFnUc5-2NxvKQbSgRZYgQU8wH6VjopG6x-pmt4bLqbaX41Pq5VBMwc502Z4kGwgLvAmVwZXK9f-oukrP4U4Ex8H7jdlBf9HddQfvaFRTa~dnn8oPZfWfyWGnzPHkbgB9lFwxrLFguEjq4LBlnkFJgjgDW310fZkI-sw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Assemblymember Gonzalez (sponsor) told the committee AB 287 revises recount procedures and creates a new Voter Access Fund to help counties administer elections. The sponsor said earlier fiscal notes from counties were removed through amendments; the bill now would require repayment for automatic recounts from the statutory contingency reserve and create a grant program for election support formerly in another bill.

Secretary of State staff explained how the fund and recounts would operate. Gabriel DeCaro, chief deputy secretary of state, and Mark Voloshin, deputy for elections, said the Secretary’s Office expects to use existing staff to identify mandatory recounts and to notify counties; counties would conduct recounts and could be reimbursed for overtime or extraordinary costs. Voloshin said routine activities would not trigger reimbursement, but overtime and temporary staff costs would be eligible; the proposed bill language would make reimbursement come from the statutory contingency reserve.

County officials asked for clearer timelines and cost-allocation rules. Ashley Kennedy (Clark County) and Cadence Matejevich (Washoe County) described the operational burden of recounts in a vote-center, mail-ballot system: recounts often require reopening and reprocessing many ballots, temporary staff and vendor support. They proposed an amendment (dated April 28) that would (a) clarify how to allocate costs when both automatic and candidate-requested recounts occur, (b) require the state to pay costs associated with automatic recounts from the statutory contingency reserve, (c) set a single deadline for recount requests (three working days after the county or Supreme Court canvas as applicable), (d) require recount work to start within five days of the deadline and finish within five working days after start, and (e) move the Supreme Court canvas to the Tuesday after the county canvas so recounts can be processed in a single batch.

Fiscal estimates and concerns: Clark County estimated a typical recount could cost roughly $69,000 (about $50,000 staffing and $19,000 vendor support) with high-end overtime costs up to $87,000 depending on timing; Washoe estimated approximately $30,000 under the proposed streamlining. Clark noted several recounts in recent elections would have met the proposed automatic recount threshold (four races in 2024). Committee members asked how large a contingency reserve increase might be needed; Secretary staff said they would provide an estimate to the committee within hours.

Public testimony split along two main lines: voting access advocates supported the bill and the Voter Access Fund. Ryan Vortish of Silver State Voices and other callers urged passage. Opponents raised constitutional and oversight concerns about the Voter Access Fund: callers and witnesses (Independent American Party, members of Nevada Families for Freedom and others) warned the fund’s broad language could allow partisan or opaque spending; several speakers argued the grant program belongs in a separate bill and cited Article 4, Section 17 of the Nevada Constitution and NRS 218D.100 in saying a bill must embrace a single subject.

Secretary of State response: Gabriel DeCaro said the office would propose an amendment adding transparency measures, including proportional spending rules, and said he expected to accept the counties’ friendly amendments that streamline timing and cost allocation. The sponsor closed the hearing; committee members did not vote on the bill during the session.

Ending: Committee staff requested a short fiscal estimate on contingency needs; counties said the amendment approach would reduce overtime and other high-cost drivers by synchronizing recounts.","AB 287 would create automatic recounts for very close races and a Voter Access Fund administered by the Secretary of State. County election officials and the Secretary’s office proposed amendments to clarify timelines and cost-sharing; the proposal to create a grant fund drew broad public pushback over oversight and potential partisan use.",{"_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},6542491,"Nevada hearing on AB 186 would let pharmacists treat minor conditions; fiscal questions and medical groups push back",1251,965000,2216000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3477852-eb8adaf3f069093377e2867df01f44a5&start=965&end=2216","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3477852-eb8adaf3f069093377e2867df01f44a5/thumbnail_965000.jpg","/articles/6542491/Nevada/Nevada-hearing-on-AB-186-would-let-pharmacists-treat-minor-conditions-fiscal-questions-and-medical-groups-push-back","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6542491-6fc4cce8a91471e0a05fcc41ef5c13c5/orig.mp4?Expires=1776145041&Signature=ZxPSz97vJ7huqt232by1-s0u59fisefb-Mzn-X7s0xM5r6tW7~CmI0yhJlNTt6yrt4EKfOLkwwA9ggc5v9klpxMQs70QTsIJpBo3keoZuxjzLvnalRX12mn1ZeCjIxQNUKzW49NweTXzD~h1Oq~Je~KanNdPkXgVW-hpunP26BA8X7QkW9cpulzY7JRcWTMW-o8NXcEAQaogUTaM3t3WvBi473ZigtlR1kRHNmCRWCjNUqj9ufW6HarfiGGCGWGsNls~1UTZaxcqi4J-D8E6o2CzmFYzs11hIBa-cAb-xmUInjlV7YpiKM1ucd1-NTwNpsKUWXmWI6vosYMrCiSV5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Assemblymember David Orr-Allen (sponsor) told the Assembly Ways and Means Committee that AB 186 would expand pharmacy practice in Nevada so pharmacists can diagnose and treat specified minor conditions such as strep throat, conjunctivitis and cold sores, a change he said would increase access where doctors and other clinicians are scarce.

The bill’s fiscal implications were central to the hearing. Anne Jensen of Nevada Medicaid told the committee that the Medicaid program expects federal matching dollars to cover the large majority of the state’s share and described an implementation ramp of about 18 months. Jensen said updated estimates posted on NELIS show $1,072,710 total computable for FY 2025–26 and $1,187,541 for FY 2026–27; she also said the state general fund portion would be roughly $296,752 in FY 2026 and $287,774 in FY 2027 under current assumptions.

Supporters told the committee the change is safe and would expand access. Jennifer Lanahan of the Nevada Pharmacy Alliance and Adam Porath of the Nevada Society of Health System Pharmacists urged lawmakers to fund the bill and said pharmacies, federally qualified health centers and other providers support the change. Liz McMenamin of Veil Association in Nevada pointed to national trends and said Nevada would join about two dozen other states allowing expanded pharmacist scope.

Several health-care provider groups opposed AB 186 on safety grounds. Leah Cartwright of the Nevada Psychiatric Association warned that no laboratory tests diagnose mental illness and said the bill risks inappropriate medication refills. Jeannine Packham of the Nevada Advanced Practice Nurses Association described safeguards used in her VA practice and said pharmacists there operate under detailed standard operating procedures that loop in primary care providers; she said those safeguards reflect collaborative clinical oversight that a standalone authorization in statute might not ensure. Sarah Adler representing the Nevada section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said eye redness has many causes and should not be presumed a simple diagnosis without full clinical context. Jacqueline Nguyen, representing the Nevada State Medical Association, said the bill goes “far beyond” current practice and noted that more than 1,400 tests appear on federal CLIA lists, arguing the proposal risks delegating medical diagnosis to clinicians who do not have the full scope of clinical training.

Sponsor response and next steps: Assemblymember Orr-Allen said he and stakeholders worked to narrow the bill’s scope and that the amended language limits pharmacists to services within their training. Committee members did not take a final vote during the hearing; the committee closed the hearing and left funding and final drafting decisions for subsequent work sessions.

Ending: Committee staff and fiscal witnesses said they would provide additional detail if requested; the committee closed the AB 186 hearing and moved on to other items on the Ways and Means agenda.","A Ways and Means hearing on AB 186 sought funding and fiscal clarity for a proposal to allow pharmacists to diagnose and treat certain minor conditions. Supporters said federal matching dollars would cover much of the cost; several medical groups testified in opposition citing patient-safety concerns and limits of CLIA-waived tests.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6542472,"Ways and Means work sessions: three budget bills approved on unanimous voice votes",493,317000,810000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3477852-eb8adaf3f069093377e2867df01f44a5&start=317&end=810","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3477852-eb8adaf3f069093377e2867df01f44a5/thumbnail_317000.jpg","/articles/6542472/Nevada/Ways-and-Means-work-sessions-three-budget-bills-approved-on-unanimous-voice-votes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6542472-053b921cfab2260fe7f37bf2db8ba7b2/orig.mp4?Expires=1776145041&Signature=f1~tq1ng2Z9zynvS1ttpshExxK6qutN--UtrLGcC6fK011dUwj8nrIt2b84xI3zDTb2ZqEjKzBvl-dOxHvF-Gj7irxP1G4GEFxmmBvP8woaEDUtKEnv9npSPl4aYVvPfgFt3jpyjVMLno9iRnNOGXmJKnHF6878loOpIK7C2FtOGaZSdSDNvQlxSEeuVO0aILMF7RYpV1xF8XRM1XZgVWxBHuTswyCe~pqUZ-ky592vHHfuBwhIrUjklSq-XAStsGlOl5lYwklLaiO7Sgt8Vvdyj336BVDntuv4x3QerirFdNwFRJkW6OSaf-kbKmeYlG7Zu1woUDE7MvRnvQ-ey7A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Assembly Ways and Means Committee held work sessions and approved three budget-related bills that had been previewed at a prior BDR or policy hearing.

AB 591 (Appropriations Act): The chief fiscal analyst said AB 591 implements budget decisions for the state general fund and the highway fund and reported general-fund appropriations for the 2025–27 biennium and highway-fund totals. No amendments were recommended. A motion to waive rules and proceed with the work session was made and the committee approved the bill on a unanimous voice vote; the committee assigned the fiscal statement to the vice chair.

AB 592 (compensation of state employees): Fiscal staff said AB 592 establishes maximum allowed salaries for certain state employees and revises compensation provisions for legislative staff. No amendments were recommended. The committee moved to a work-session motion and approved AB 592 on a unanimous voice vote; the statement was assigned to an assembly member.

AB 583 (public employees benefit program): Fiscal staff indicated AB 583 establishes state subsidies and contributions for active employees’ and retirees’ health-care costs under the public employees benefit program; no amendments were recommended. The committee moved and approved the bill on a unanimous voice vote and assigned the committee statement for the record.

Votes at a glance: The transcript records unanimous committee voice votes on all three work-session items; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the Ways and Means transcript excerpt.","During the morning session the committee took work-session action on three budget bills—AB 591 (Appropriations Act), AB 592 (state employee compensation), and AB 583 (public employees benefit program)—and approved each on unanimous voice votes; committee statements were assigned for the record.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Amendment to AB 376 would create insurer 'sandbox' and other options to expand wildfire-related homeowners coverage

Ways and Means hears AB 352 to shift cottage-food oversight to Agriculture, raise sales cap to $100,000

Nevada Ways and Means hears AB 287 recount changes and creation of 'voter access' grant fund amid county concerns

Nevada hearing on AB 186 would let pharmacists treat minor conditions; fiscal questions and medical groups push back

Ways and Means work sessions: three budget bills approved on unanimous voice votes