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Committee approves bill requiring child‑abuse registry screening for staff at certain facilities
Summary
Assembly Bill 521 requires initial and periodic checks of the statewide child abuse and neglect registry (CANS) for employees at HCQC‑licensed facilities that serve children or people with disabilities and mandates termination if a worker has a confirmed substantiation.
Assembly Bill 521, presented by Assemblymember Nathal Anderson, would require facilities licensed by the Bureau of Health Care Quality and Compliance (HCQC) that provide care or housing to children or people with disabilities to perform initial and periodic child abuse and neglect screenings (CANS) by submitting employee names to the statewide central registry prior to hire and on a periodic basis.
Anderson told the committee the legislation responds directly to recommendations from Legislative Auditor reviews that found many inspected facilities were not performing registry checks; she said the audits found that 9 of 15 inspected facilities in one review did not screen employees. Anderson said the bill "would enhance the protection of our children in these facilities" and thanked the auditors who produced the reports.
Supporters including Children's Advocacy Alliance and The Children's Cabinet testified in strong support, saying the measure would prevent individuals with substantiated reports of child abuse or neglect from working with vulnerable children. Riley Svenson of the Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence emphasized the bill's role as "a critical safeguard for children."
After testimony the committee moved the bill to work session. The motion to do pass was made and seconded; a voice vote was taken with the chair calling for those in favor to say "aye," the motion carried, and the chair assigned the floor statement to Senator (S)nyder Titus (per committee record).
The transcript does not record the name of the member who initially moved the motion; the motion was seconded by the committee's vice chair. The committee recorded the motion as carried and directed staff to prepare a work‑session recommendation and floor statement.
The bill's sponsors and supporters said it implements audit recommendations to close a gap in background screening for employees who have direct contact with children in licensed facilities.
