Nevada Senate approves a slate of assembly bills, adopts human-trafficking study and concurs on forensic-exam funding amendment

CARSON CITY — The Nevada Senate on May 31, 2025, approved a series of assembly bills on final or procedural action, adopted a concurrent resolution directing an interim study on human trafficking and concurred in an amendment to Senate Bill 87 clarifying who pays for certain forensic medical examinations.

Several measures moved through the chamber with brief sponsor remarks and roll-call votes. Assembly Bill 123, which creates a misdemeanor for making threatening or intimidating statements toward a candidate and requires the Secretary of State to investigate certain allegations, drew more debate: the Senate initially passed AB123 (13–8), then reconsidered and approved it on a subsequent roll call (14–7). Senator Cannizzaro moved the reconsideration on the floor.

Senator Melanie Scheibel, speaking for SB87’s amendment, told colleagues the change “clarifies that the Victims of Crime Fund will pay for assault examination kits and similar exams and then if that money runs out the counties will pay for it.” The Senate concurred in the Assembly amendment to SB87 by voice vote and ordered the bill enrolled.

Votes at a glance (bill description followed by Senate result):

- AB 52 (health-insurance claim payments): Passed, roll call 21–0; ordered to the Assembly.

- AB 102 (emergency medical services provisions): Passed, roll call 21–0; ordered to the Assembly.

- AB 117 (special license plates for the Las Vegas Aces; establishes initial and renewal fees, authorizes dealers to accept registration applications): Passed, two-thirds required and received, roll call 21–0; ordered to the Assembly.

- AB 123 (prohibits certain threatening or intimidating communications toward candidates; investigative duties for the Secretary of State): Initially passed 13–8; Senate later reconsidered the earlier vote and, on reconsideration, approved AB 123 14–7; ordered to the Assembly.

- AB 165 (establishes Outdoor Education Council within the Division of Outdoor Recreation): Passed, roll call 21–0; ordered to the Assembly.

- AB 220 (authorizes DHHS to issue identification cards to persons experiencing homelessness, as amended): Passed, roll call 21–0; ordered to the Assembly.

- AB 286 (pilot program for alternative assessment methods for teacher licensing through Nevada System of Higher Education institutions; requires annual reports): Passed, roll call 21–0; ordered to the Assembly. Sponsor remarks said the bill becomes effective upon passage and approval.

- AB 335 (revisions concerning English learners and related school district administrator duties and school performance plans): Passed, roll call 19–2; ordered to the Assembly.

- AB 336 (state purchasing preferences; combines certain Nevada and veteran-owned business preferences into a single 10% preference; eliminates inverse preference; effective 10/01/2025): Passed, roll call 21–0; ordered to the Assembly.

Other formal actions and committee business:

- SB 87 (concurrence in Assembly amendment relating to forensic medical examinations): The Senate concurred in amendment 659; motion carried by voice vote and SB 87 was ordered enrolled and assemblies were to be notified.

- SCR 3 (directs the joint interim standing committee on the judiciary to study human trafficking with survivor participation added in amendment 922): Amendment adopted; the concurrent resolution was adopted by voice vote and ordered transmitted to the Assembly.

- AB 487 (Assembly Bill 4 87 in transcript) — sale of cats and dogs by retail pet stores: The Senate did not recede from its amendment and appointed a conference committee (Senators Cruz-Crawford, Scheibel and Hansen) to meet with a like committee of the Assembly; motion carried.

Procedural notes and context: many other assembly bills were read into the record and referred to committees or ordered to the general file during the session; several committee reports were presented. Several bills passed unanimously by voice or roll call with little floor debate. Where roll-call totals were recorded in the transcript, this article notes them; where the record shows only a voice vote, the transcript records the action as a voice vote and no roll tally was printed on the floor.

The Senate adjourned to reconvene at 12:00 noon on Sunday, June 1, 2025.