Nevada Senate adopts amendments and advances multiple bills; three sent to finance committee

CARSON CITY, Nev. — The Nevada Senate on April 14 adopted committee amendments to multiple bills and advanced several measures toward further consideration, then voted to re-refer three bills to the Senate Finance Committee after determining they carry fiscal impact.

The actions included adoption of amendments to bills on gaming jurisdiction, business licensing fees, juvenile probation, civil liability and higher education, and the advancement of bills on Medicaid pharmacist coverage, care of children, and health professions to the general file. Senator Melanie Scheibel, chair of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, moved and secured adoption of multiple committee amendments on the floor. Later in the session, Senator Heidi (Dondero) Loop moved to re-refer Senate Bills 118, 240 and 425 to the Finance Committee; the motion carried by voice vote.

Why it matters: several of the adopted amendments change regulatory or procedural authority (for example, clarifying board and commission jurisdiction in gaming) and one re-referral reflects a determination that the measures could have budgetary effects requiring review by Finance.

Key floor actions and outcomes

- Senate Bill 46 (Judiciary committee bill on gaming): The Senate adopted Amendment 14, described on the floor as clarifying the board’s jurisdiction to investigate and initiate hearings before the commission and clarifying the commission’s authority to conduct proceedings and impose discipline; it also requires the commission to adopt regulations about divestiture of jurisdiction and surrender or attempted surrender of a license. Senator Melanie Scheibel moved to adopt Amendment 14; the motion carried by voice vote. SB46 was ordered reprinted, engrossed and placed on the general file.

- Senate Bill 118 (coverage under Medicaid for certain pharmacist services, introduced by Senator Stone): The bill was placed on the general file. Later in the session Senator Heidi (Dondero) Loop moved to re-refer SB118 to the Finance Committee after advising the measure was determined to have fiscal impact; that motion carried by voice vote.

- Senate Bill 240 (state business licenses): Amendment 78, offered by the Judiciary Committee, was adopted. The amendment deletes language that would have reduced the fee for corporations organized under chapters 78, 78A or 78B of the Nevada Revised Statutes or for foreign corporations required to file an initial or annual list under chapter 80. Senator Scheibel moved to adopt Amendment 78; the motion carried by voice vote. SB240 was reprinted, engrossed and placed on the general file. Senator Dondero Loop subsequently moved to re-refer SB240 to the Finance Committee; that motion carried by voice vote.

- Senate Bill 241 (juvenile probation, Judiciary committee): Amendment 79 was adopted. The amendment clarifies that when a child is adjudicated delinquent for more than one offense at disposition, terms of probation do not run consecutively for each adjudicated offense; makes unpaid restitution after termination of probation a civil liability remaining under juvenile court jurisdiction; and requires courts to consider the status of any court order and compliance with a case plan developed under the cited Nevada Revised Statutes when determining probation modification, suspension or revocation. Senator Scheibel moved to adopt Amendment 79; the motion carried by voice vote. SB241 was ordered reprinted and engrossed and placed on the general file.

- Senate Bill 372 (care of children, introduced by Senator Steinbeck): SB372 was ordered to the general file with no amendments offered on the floor.

- Senate Bill 406 (civil liability, Judiciary committee): Amendment 143 was adopted. The amendment, as stated on the floor, clarifies that gubernatorial directives may be a good-faith subject of compliance by the Nevada System of Higher Education, aligns the definition of an institution of higher education with provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes cited on the floor, and includes a legislative declaration regarding a compelling state interest. Senator Scheibel moved to adopt Amendment 143; the motion carried by voice vote. SB406 was ordered reprinted, engrossed and placed on the general file.

- Senate Bill 425 (health professions, Health and Human Services committee): SB425 was ordered to the general file. Senator Dondero Loop later moved to re-refer SB425 to the Finance Committee because of a fiscal impact determination; that re-referral motion carried by voice vote.

Floor procedure and votes

Most motions to adopt committee amendments and to advance bills were decided by voice vote; the floor record shows affirmations of “aye” and no recorded roll-call tallies in the transcript. For the re-referral motion, Senator Heidi (Dondero) Loop said on the floor, “I move to re refer senate bills 118 2 40 and 4 25 to the committee on finance as it has been determined they have fiscal impact.” The motion carried by voice vote.

Additional committee reports

Earlier in the day the Senate received committee reports on a number of other bills (for example, Senate Bill 352 from Commerce and Labor; Senate Bill 274 from Government Affairs; multiple bills from Health and Human Services and Judiciary; and multiple bills from Revenue and Economic Development). The Fiscal Analysis Division filed notices of exemption on April 14, 2025, pursuant to Joint Standing Rule 14.6 for Senate Bills 118 and 425; the floor later treated fiscal impact as the reason for re-referral of those bills and SB240 to Finance.

What’s next

Several bills were placed on the general file for further consideration; SB118, SB240 and SB425 were referred to the Finance Committee for fiscal review. The Senate adjourned and scheduled reconvening at 11 a.m. on April 15, 2025.