Nevada Senate approves wide range of bills April 15; key votes and amendments adopted

The Nevada Senate on April 15, 2025, adopted committee amendments and advanced or passed a slate of bills covering behavioral health, water-rights retirement, municipal charters, veterans services, gun violence prevention, payment acceptance by government agencies, identity-theft protections and changes to rules for student-athlete compensation.

The measures reflect a busy legislative day in Carson City in which senators approved committee-sponsored amendments by voice vote on multiple bills and recorded roll-call votes on many measures that the Senate then ordered to the Assembly. The bills range from technical changes and program authorizations to statutory changes that carry fiscal or policy implications and, in some cases, future effective dates.

Senate committee chairs presented reports and committee amendments throughout the day. Committee-recommended amendments were adopted by voice vote for bills including SB30 (amendment 214), SB36 (amendment 98), SB72 (amendment 490), SB117 (amendment 499), SB156 (amendment 501), SB165 (amendment 34), SB208 (amendment 504), SB297 (amendment 508), SB298 (amendment 509) and SB358 (amendment 513). After adoption of those amendments, the bills were ordered reprinted and engrossed into the general file.

Other bills were taken up and passed on the Senate floor with recorded roll-call votes. Highlights include: - SB137 (Heart Safe Communities): Passed by a 21-0 roll call and ordered to the Assembly; the bill is effective on passage and approval for certain preparatory actions and becomes effective Jan. 1, 2026, for other purposes. - SB142 (exemptions from execution): Passed 13-8; the bill revises monetary exemption amounts and directs periodic adjustment tied to the consumer price index. - SB143 (natural resources committee authorization): Passed 21-0 and ordered to the Assembly; section 3 is effective July 1, 2025. - SB225 (election filing fee for presidential preference primary): Required a two-thirds vote and received the necessary two-thirds majority; recorded as 21-0 and ordered to the Assembly. - SB291 (Department of Motor Vehicles; identity-theft driver's license number change): Passed 21-0; the act becomes effective Jan. 1, 2027. - SB293 (college athlete name-image-and-likeness rules): Passed 15-6; the bill removes certain prohibitions on student-athlete compensation for use of NIL and makes related confidentiality provisions effective July 1, 2025. - SB327 (contractor bonding requirements): Passed 21-0 and ordered to the Assembly. - SB359 (civil infraction and traffic-procedure revisions): Passed 21-0 and ordered to the Assembly. - SB370 (manufactured housing title and ownership certificates): Passed 16-5; among other changes, the bill requires the Housing Division to respond to applications for certificates of ownership within 45 days and requires written notification of denials within 10 days. - SB387 (lung cancer screening coverage): Passed 21-0 and ordered to the Assembly; provisions require certain health plans that cover lung cancer treatment to also cover screening consistent with nationally recognized guidance.

Several bills that carried adopted committee amendments were then re-referred to the Committee on Finance because they may have fiscal impacts (Senator Dondero Loop moved and the Senate approved referring SB36, SB100, SB506 and SB165 to Finance upon reprint as necessary).

Procedure and vote details: committee chairs or bill sponsors typically moved to dispense with the reading of amendments and then moved adoption. Adoption votes on committee amendments were taken by voice vote (recorded as "aye" in the transcript). Final passage or ordering of bills to the Assembly included roll-call tallies when recorded in the transcript; those tallies are listed above where available.

The Senate concluded its day with remarks honoring the late Elaine Wynne and adjourned until 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

Votes at a glance (selected items; amendments shown where adopted on the floor): SB30 — Amendment 214 adopted (committee on judiciary). Amendment removes certain judicial notice/application requirements related to remittance of fines and restores expedited civil-rights-restoration process language. Motion to adopt moved by Senator Scheibel; amendment adopted by voice vote. SB30 ordered reprinted and engrossed. SB36 — Amendment 98 adopted (committee on natural resources). Amendment replaces a proposed advisory committee with a voluntary water-rights retirement program administered through the Nevada conservation and recreation program and creates an account in the state general fund for retiring water rights. Motion to adopt moved by Senator Cruz Crawford; amendment adopted by voice vote. SB36 ordered reprinted and engrossed; later re-referred to Finance per motion. SB72 — Amendment 490 adopted (committee on government affairs). Amendment revises provisions concerning disposal of real property belonging to the city of Henderson. Motion to adopt moved by Senator Flores; amendment adopted by voice vote. SB72 ordered reprinted and engrossed. SB117 — Amendment 499 adopted (committee on government affairs). Amendment changes requirement from developing a training program to including existing informational materials for the Department of Veteran Services. Motion to adopt moved by Senator Flores; amendment adopted by voice vote. SB117 ordered reprinted and engrossed. SB156 — Amendment 501 adopted (committee on government affairs). Amendment creates an "office of the abuzzment" under the attorney general's office (as described in committee amendment language). Motion to adopt moved by Senator Flores; amendment adopted by voice vote. SB156 ordered reprinted and engrossed. SB165 — Amendment 34 adopted (committee on commerce and labor). Amendment excludes private health insurers from the bill's coverage requirements, requires establishment of an advisory group with a sunset, revises definitions and privileges, and reappropriates certain funding among other changes. Motion to adopt moved by Senator Pezzina; amendment adopted by voice vote. SB165 ordered reprinted and engrossed; later re-referred to Finance per motion. SB208 — Amendment 504 adopted (committee on government affairs). Amendment removes county authorization to impose a surcharge for purchasing/maintaining certain recording devices and increases an allowable uncommitted fund balance for certain counties. Motion to adopt moved by Senator Flores; amendment adopted by voice vote. SB208 ordered reprinted and engrossed. SB297, SB298, SB358 — Committee amendments (508, 509, 513) adopted by voice vote; each bill ordered reprinted and engrossed into the general file.

Roll-call passages (selected): SB137 — Passed; yes 21, no 0. SB137 ordered to the Assembly. SB142 — Passed; yes 13, no 8. SB142 ordered to the Assembly. SB143 — Passed; yes 21, no 0. SB143 ordered to the Assembly. SB225 — Passed (required two-thirds); recorded as yes 21, no 0. SB225 ordered to the Assembly. SB291 — Passed; yes 21, no 0. SB291 ordered to the Assembly. Effective Jan. 1, 2027, for the act's provisions that change DMV procedures. SB293 — Passed; yes 15, no 6. SB293 ordered to the Assembly. Effective July 1, 2025, for specified sections. SB327 — Passed; yes 21, no 0. SB327 ordered to the Assembly. SB359 — Passed; yes 21, no 0. SB359 ordered to the Assembly. SB370 — Passed; yes 16, no 5. SB370 ordered to the Assembly. SB387 — Passed; yes 21, no 0. SB387 ordered to the Assembly.

No formal public-comment period or external witnesses were recorded in the transcript excerpt for these items; the day's actions were primarily committee reports, amendment adoptions, and floor votes.

End of report. The Senate adjourned to reconvene at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.