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Nevada hearing advances bill to require pet allowances in supportive housing and restrict breed-based insurance underwriting
Summary
Lawmakers heard testimony on SB166, which would bar dog breed from landlord liability underwriting and require supportive housing that receives public funds to allow at least one pet; supporters said the changes reduce housing barriers and shelter surrenders, while insurers and housing authorities helped shape definitions and limits.
Senators and witnesses on the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 166, a measure that would expand existing limits on the use of dog breed in insurance underwriting and require supportive housing financed with public funds to permit at least one pet.
Supporters told the committee the bill is intended to remove a persistent housing barrier: landlords who worry that dog-breed exclusions in their liability policies will leave them exposed. Susan Riggs, senior director of housing policy for the ASPCA, said the bill removes dog breed “from the underwriting criteria for landlord liability policies” so landlords who accept all dogs will not face uncertainty from insurers. Riggs also said the bill’s supportive-housing provision aims to let residents keep pets that provide companionship and stability.
The bill’s backers said the measures are grounded in prior state action and local shelter experience. Mindy Elliott, representing the Nevada Rural Housing Authority and the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority, told the committee supportive housing units typically serve households at about 30 percent of area median income and that allowing a pet can be crucial for residents’ mental health. Rebecca Gough, Nevada state director for Humane World for Animals, and other animal-welfare advocates said lack of pet-friendly rental options contributes to pet surrenders and housing instability.
Committee members asked how the bill addresses potential liability in multifamily housing and what animals qualify as pets. Supporters said code compliance and local leash, vaccination and nuisance laws would remain enforceable; insurers would not be allowed to deny or condition coverage solely on breed, but landlords could adopt “reasonable” limits on the number and size of animals. Senator Melanie Scheibel, presenting the bill, said supportive-housing language uses a housing-authority–requested definition of “pet” as a domesticated animal owned for pleasure or companionship and that the bill focuses on cats and dogs while allowing landlords to set reasonable rules on quantity and size.
Public witnesses, including tenants who described difficulty finding housing after a fire, supported the measure. No formal vote was recorded during the hearing; the committee received both supportive testimony from housing and animal-welfare groups and technical questions from members about implementation and insurance effects.
The bill remains in committee; no formal action was taken during the hearing.
Ending: Committee staff will incorporate stakeholder input into drafting and the bill will return for future consideration as the Legislature proceeds through the session.
