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Assembly Judiciary committee advances forensic DNA, specialty courts and criminal-record bills in unanimous work session
Summary
The Assembly Judiciary Committee approved five bills in a morning work session, including an appropriation for a forensic-DNA testing program and several Senate measures on specialty courts, criminal-history access and post-conviction habeas petitions. Most passed unanimously; one passed with two named no votes.
The Nevada Assembly Judiciary Committee voted to advance five bills during a May 9 work session, approving an appropriation for a forensic DNA testing program and clearing multiple Senate-sponsored criminal-justice measures for further action.
Committee members moved quickly through the agenda during the morning session. Assembly Bill 473, an appropriation to support a forensic DNA testing program sponsored by the committee, was approved with two opposing votes: Assemblymembers Hanson and Gray cast the only nays. The remaining measures—Senate Bill 17 (revising provisions relating to specialty courts), Senate Bill 26 (expanding access to criminal-history records for entities responsible for the safety of children, elderly persons, or persons with disabilities), Senate Bill 30 (provisions relating to prisoners), and Senate Bill 66 (post-conviction petitions for a writ of habeas corpus)—were advanced without recorded opposition.
The bills were presented by the committee policy analyst. For AB 473, the chair called for a motion; Vice Chair Marzola moved to do pass, with Assemblymember Gonzales seconding the motion. When the chair asked for opposition, only Assemblymembers Hanson and Gray registered “nay.” The chair signed the floor statement assigning sponsorship of the floor statement to an Assembly member as part of routine committee processing. For SB 17, SB 26, SB 30 and SB 66 the committee heard the bill explanations from staff, asked no substantive questions, and voted to advance each measure with motions from Vice Chair Marzola and seconds from committee members; the motions passed unanimously in each case.
No amendments were offered for any of the five measures during the work session, and committee staff repeatedly noted that no amendments were pending. Committee staff and the chair indicated these actions were routine work-session votes to place the bills on the next floor calendar.
Votes at a glance
- Assembly Bill 473 (appropriation for a forensic DNA testing program): Motion to do pass carried; nays — Assemblymembers Hanson and Gray; chair assigned floor statement. - Senate Bill 17 (specialty courts, sponsored on behalf of the Nevada Supreme Court): Motion to do pass carried unanimously; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Roth. - Senate Bill 26 (criminal-history records access for entities responsible for children/elderly/disabled): Motion to do pass carried unanimously; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Cole. - Senate Bill 30 (provisions relating to prisoners, sponsored on behalf of the State Board of Parole Commissioners): Motion to do pass carried unanimously; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Nadim. - Senate Bill 66 (post-conviction petitions for writs of habeas corpus, sponsored on behalf of the Attorney General): Motion to do pass carried unanimously; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Hanson.
The committee chair indicated the work session would continue with scheduled bill hearings later in the day.
