Assembly Judiciary advances multiple bills, moving firearm, hemp and other measures to the floor

The Nevada Assembly Judiciary Committee voted to advance eight bills out of committee during a work session in Carson City, approving amendments and assigning floor statements for consideration on the Assembly floor.

The committee, chaired by Chairman Miller and assisted by committee policy analyst Cesar Mogarejo, considered Assembly Bill 3, 66, 105, 194, 203, 239, 321 and 504. Members approved motions to amend and “do pass” on each measure, with several recorded no votes on a subset of bills. The votes will send the bills to the full Assembly for floor debate and possible further amendment.

Assembly Bill 3 — arbitration threshold Assembly Bill 3, sponsored on behalf of the Supreme Court, would increase the monetary threshold that determines mandatory nonbinding arbitration in civil actions. Committee staff noted two submitted amendments: one from Andres Moses of the Eighth Judicial District Court proposing an effective date of Jan. 1, 2026, applying to civil actions filed on or after that date, and one from the Nevada Justice Association adjusting arbitration and short-trial procedures, including fee awards and award disclosures. The committee voted to amend and do pass; the motion passed unanimously and the committee assigned the floor statement to Assemblymember LaRue Hatch.

Assembly Bill 66 — district courts Assembly Bill 66, sponsored on behalf of the Supreme Court, was amended to delete several sections so the bill would only leave provisions affecting the First and Tenth Judicial Districts. The amendment was submitted by John McCormack, assistant court administrator, Administrative Office of the Courts. The committee voted to amend and do pass; the motion passed unanimously and the floor statement was assigned to Assemblymember Delia.

Assembly Bill 105 — firearms and election sites Assembly Bill 105, sponsored by Assemblymember Hategui, would revise provisions governing firearms. The amendment discussed would (1) exempt off‑duty law enforcement officers carrying concealed firearms from restrictions at certain election sites that include active polling places; (2) require signage for 100‑foot firearm no‑carry zones; and (3) establish an affirmative defense for individuals legally traveling with firearms near ballot drop boxes provided there is no voter intimidation or election interference. The committee approved an amendment and moved the bill out of committee; the motion passed with recorded no votes from Assemblymembers Urich, Hansen, Cole, Gray and Hardy. The floor statement was assigned to the bill sponsor.

Assembly Bill 194 — balloon release prohibition and penalty Assembly Bill 194, sponsored by Assemblymember Houdegui, would prohibit the intentional release of balloons inflated with lighter‑than‑air gas and would set a single civil penalty of $250 per violation. The sponsor’s amendment removed separate violations for multiple simultaneous releases and set the single civil penalty amount. The committee voted to amend and do pass; the motion passed with recorded no votes from Assemblymembers Cole, Urich, Hansen, Gray and Hardy. The floor statement was assigned to Assemblymember Gonzales.

Assembly Bill 203 — cannabis proximity rules Assembly Bill 203 (sponsored by Assemblymember Curtis Carter) makes multiple technical changes to cannabis provisions. Late amendments removed certain subsections from the work session packet and adjusted distance rules: one change specified that a private residence located within 1,500 feet of a property that holds a nonrestricted gaming license is treated consistently with other 1,500‑foot gaming distance rules; committee staff and a representative for the resorts confirmed the change was technical and intended to align distances. The committee voted to amend and do pass; the motion passed with recorded no votes from Assemblymembers Urich, Hansen and Hardy. The floor statement was assigned to Assemblymember Carter.

Assembly Bill 239 — business entities and governance Assembly Bill 239, sponsored by Assemblymember Dahlia, would revise provisions relating to business entities, including clarifying definitions, voting requirements and stakeholder approvals; expanding provisions on fiduciary duties; and adding forum‑selection provisions. The executive committee of the State Bar of Nevada’s Business Law Section submitted amendments to clarify definitions and governance and to make the bill effective upon passage. The committee voted to amend and do pass unanimously and assigned the floor statement to Assemblymember Dahlia.

Assembly Bill 321 — offenders and transitional housing Assembly Bill 321, sponsored by Assemblymember Jackson, contains provisions relating to offenders. The sponsor submitted an amendment removing provisions related to a “certificate of second chance,” requiring competitive selection for former offenders appointed by the state forester/fire warden, and establishing a transitional housing program for offenders nearing parole eligibility intended as a pathway to firefighting careers. Some members said the amendment gave them pause about scope and oversight; the motion to amend and do pass carried with recorded no votes from Assemblymembers Hardy, Gray, Cole, Urich and Hansen. The floor statement was assigned to Assemblymember Jackson.

Assembly Bill 504 — hemp product claims and signage Assembly Bill 504, sponsored by the committee, would prohibit deceptive trade practices in the sale or offer of certain hemp products. The amendment discussed would prohibit claims that hemp products will produce intoxicating effects and would require regulatory bodies to establish signage letting customers know sellers of certain hemp products are not licensed cannabis establishments. The committee voted to amend and do pass unanimously and assigned the floor statement to Assemblymember Dahlia.

Procedure, timing and next steps Committee staff and members repeatedly noted that numerous late amendments were being submitted and that the session was moving quickly. Chairman Miller said the Judiciary Committee aimed to complete its work in a single session the next day, acknowledging the Legislature’s deadline day would be fast‑moving.

Votes at a glance — motions to amend and do pass - AB3 — amended and do pass; unanimous; floor statement: Assemblymember LaRue Hatch. - AB66 — amended and do pass; unanimous; floor statement: Assemblymember Delia. - AB105 — amended and do pass; recorded no votes: Urich, Hansen, Cole, Gray, Hardy; floor statement: sponsor. - AB194 — amended and do pass; recorded no votes: Cole, Urich, Hansen, Gray, Hardy; floor statement: Assemblymember Gonzales. - AB203 — amended and do pass; recorded no votes: Urich, Hansen, Hardy; floor statement: Assemblymember Carter. - AB239 — amended and do pass; unanimous; floor statement: Assemblymember Dahlia. - AB321 — amended and do pass; recorded no votes: Hardy, Gray, Cole, Urich, Hansen; floor statement: Assemblymember Jackson. - AB504 — amended and do pass; unanimous; floor statement: Assemblymember Dahlia.

The measures will appear on the Assembly floor for further consideration; committee members’ recorded opposition and the late arrival of amendments indicate there may be additional debate or changes during floor action.