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Assembly committee hears bill to raise constable and sheriff service fees
Summary
The Assembly Committee on Government Affairs heard Senate Bill 210, presented by Sen. Jeff Stone, which would raise fees sheriffs and constables may charge for services. Proponents said fees have not been updated since 2002 and that some offices are effectively subsidized by county budgets; opponents did not appear at the hearing.
Senate Bill 210, which would revise fees that sheriffs and constables may charge for specific services, was presented Tuesday to the Assembly Committee on Government Affairs by Sen. Jeff Stone (R–Senate District 20). The bill would increase a range of charges for law-enforcement services, including service of summons, taking bonds and executing writs.
Supporters told the committee the fee schedules have not been updated in about 20 years and no opponents appeared for the hearing. "These haven't been raised since 02/2002," said Constable Kenny Taylor of Henderson, who described constable offices as funded primarily by fees rather than tax revenue. Jeff Rogan, representing Clark County, said the county currently subsidizes constable work and estimated the subsidy at about $1.2 million a year.
Proponents said the increases are intended to offset inflation and higher operating costs. "The cost of doing business has gone up every year since 02/2002," Taylor testified, citing higher fuel costs and a recent spike in vehicle-insurance premiums. Jordan Ross, constable of Laughlin, explained that some fees previously capped statutory ceilings prevent offices from recovering actual mileage or repeated-service costs.
Committee members asked how the new figures were calculated and whether fees stack (for example, mileage plus service). Sen. Stone said Metro conducted a cost study and recommended the increases; Jordan Ross said mileage is charged when travel is required and that the existing statute created a patchwork of differing fee levels. Ross described differences in how funds are held: "In the urban constabularies, they go into an enterprise fund. In the rural constabularies, they'll go into an operating fund that the constable is personally responsible and liable for," and said rural constables are often paid a flat annual salary of $1,750 and depend on fees for operations.
No members of the public registered opposition or neutral testimony by phone or in person during the hearing. After questions, Sen. Stone and the presenters offered brief closing remarks and the chair closed the SB 210 hearing and moved to the next bill.
Procedure note: the hearing was informational; no committee vote on SB 210 was recorded during the session.
