Senate Judiciary Committee advances multiple justice bills in work session

The Nevada Senate Judiciary Committee held a work session and advanced five bills on the committee’s agenda, amending three and assigning floor statements for each that passed.

The committee voted to amend and do pass the following measures: Senate Bill 30 (parole records), Senate Bill 87 (state payment for forensic medical examinations), Senate Bill 89 (firearms prohibitions tied to recent convictions for certain hate or violent offenses), Senate Bill 350 (procedures and timing for issuing death-penalty warrants), and Senate Bill 407 (creation of two offices within the Department of Indigent Defense Services). Floor statements were volunteered or assigned after each successful motion.

The work session matters were procedural but affect multiple areas of criminal justice administration. SB 30 clarifies public access to parole board decisions for named persons and includes an amendment prohibiting justices from providing character-witness testimony in parole hearings. SB 87, as amended, directs the State General Fund to pay for forensic medical examinations of victims of sexual assault, caps reimbursements to the amount appropriated and clarifies the definition of “medical facility.” SB 89 prohibits purchase or possession of a firearm for certain persons convicted within the prior 10 years of specified hate- or violence-related gross misdemeanors or comparable out-of-state offenses; the bill’s prohibition does not apply to convictions before July 1, 2025, for firearms legally owned prior to that date. SB 350 revises timelines and limits for issuance of warrants following imposition of a death sentence, and includes an amendment restricting issuance of a new warrant while another is pending elsewhere in the state. SB 407 creates an Office of Alternate State Public Defender and an Office of Post Conviction Counsel within the Department of Indigent Defense Services to provide representation in specified circumstances.

Votes and floor statement assignments reported during the work session (committee roll call at start recorded eight members present):

- SB 30 (parole records) — Motion to amend and do pass by Vice Chair Flores, second by Senator Lang; passed unanimously (8–0). Floor statement: Senator Lang.

- SB 87 (forensic medical examinations) — Motion to amend and do pass by Senator Krasner, second by Senator Winn; passed unanimously (8–0). Floor statement: Senator Krasner.

- SB 89 (firearms prohibitions) — Motion to do pass by Senator Lang, second by Senator Orenshall. Senators Krasner, Ellison and Hansen recorded nay votes; the remaining five members voted aye (5–3). Floor statement: Senator Pazzina.

- SB 350 (death penalty timing) — Motion to amend and do pass by Senator Winn, second by Vice Chair Flores; passed (5–3; nays by Senators Krasner, Ellison and Hansen). Floor statement: Senator Orenshall.

- SB 407 (indigent defense offices) — Motion to do pass by Senator Winn, second by Senator Lang; passed unanimously (8–0). Floor statement: Senator Winn.

Committee staff presented the bills and the committee accepted floor-statement volunteers as noted above. The votes recorded in committee will be reported on the floor and in the official minutes.

Ending

The committee concluded the work session and moved into a separate bill hearing (SB 62) later in the meeting. Committee members and staff indicated these measures will proceed to the floor with the assigned floor statements and recorded committee actions.