The Assembly Health and Human Services Committee opened and closed the public hearing on Senate Bill 312 on May 28, advancing the measure in work session.

Supporters told the committee SB312 creates a Tribal Health Authority Council to give Nevada tribes a formal voice in statewide health decisions and improve service delivery. Brett Scolera of Strategies360, presenting for the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, summarized the bill and its sections, including presumptive Medicaid eligibility, formation and duties of the council, a tribal health account in the state general fund, and federal-funding coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). He said the joint interim committee on health and human services shepherded the measure to the Legislature.

Angie Wilson, director of the Reno-Sparks Tribal Health Center, said SB312 “marks a monumental step forward in addressing the health care challenges faced by the Nevada tribal communities,” and told the committee the council would help tribes design culturally appropriate services and pursue reinvestment of federal Medicaid funds. Daryl Gardipe, chairman of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, also spoke in support.

Multiple tribal representatives and service organizations called in or appeared to support the measure, including the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Duck Valley Shoshone-Paiute Reservation representatives and the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe. Catherine Nielsen, executive director of the Nevada Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, and other disability- and tribal-service groups said the council would improve outreach and coordination for tribal members with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

No callers or in-room witnesses testified in opposition, and committee members had few substantive technical questions during the hearing. The committee placed SB312 on the work‑session calendar and later voted to advance the bill.

Ending: Sponsors and tribal leaders told the committee the council is intended to provide tribes a standing forum to advise DHHS, pursue technical assistance, and explore reinvestment of Medicaid funds; the committee voted to advance the bill in work session.