Nevada Senate Commerce and Labor advances amendments and gives do-pass recommendations on multiple bills

At a special work session, the Nevada Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor advanced amendments and gave do-pass recommendations on seven bills, moving each to the Senate floor with assigned floor sponsors.

Committee members said the bills addressed a range of issues from rental-property security to insurer rules and health-screening guidance. Patrick Ashton, Research Division, Legislative Counsel Bureau, summarized each bill and the committee considered conceptual amendments attached to the work-session packet.

The committee approved an amendment to Senate Bill 114 to require landlords of properties with at least 100 dwelling units to adopt written policies and procedures and maintain a log tracking issuance and return of keys for staff positions that entail access to unit keys. The original bill applied to properties with 200 or more units; the amendment reduced that threshold to 100 units. The motion to amend and do pass was moved by Senator Flores and seconded by Senator Scheibel; the motion carried.

Senate Bill 130 was amended to direct the State Contractors Board to establish, by regulation, a restricted license permitting a person to perform residential remodeling work if specified conditions and qualifications are met. Senator Flores moved to amend and do pass; Senator Scheibel seconded. Senator Ellison said, "Yes, ma'am. I'm gonna vote this out. I still haven't been able to get a hold of this sponsor, but I will. So I'm gonna vote yes to get it out and I reserve my right." The committee's motion carried.

Senate Bill 166, which addresses insurer treatment of properties based on dog breed and allows supportive-housing tenants to keep at least one pet subject to applicable state laws and local ordinances, was amended to remove the term "solely" from language limiting insurer actions and to add the state/local-law caveat for supportive housing. Senator Flores moved to amend and do pass; Senator Lang seconded. Senator Rogich said, "Right now, I do that? Okay. I will be voting a no, but I reserve the right to change my vote on the floor, please." Senator Steinbeck said, "Iwanna commend, senator Scheibel for this bill... I'm also gonna vote no and reserve my right, to change it, but, this is a real problem... I'm still really concerned with the property owner's rights as well." The motion carried; the record shows Senators Rogich and Steinbeck voted no and reserved the right to change their floor votes.

Senate Bill 246 was amended to expand existing insurer requirements so that some public and private health plans would authorize covered gynecological and obstetrical services without prior authorization or a referral from a primary care physician. Senator Flores moved to do pass; Senator Scheibel seconded. The committee voted to send the bill forward.

Senate Bill 292 would let people under 65 who are enrolled in Medicare due to disability or end-stage renal disease purchase Medicare supplemental policies at the same premium rate offered to new insureds 65 or older, and would bar insurers from imposing coverage limitations, terms, conditions, or exclusions based on preexisting conditions for those insureds. Senator Flores moved to do pass; Senator Scheibel seconded and the motion carried.

Senate Bill 387 was amended to remove several sections that would have mandated lung cancer screening across certain public insurers and instead require commercial health insurers that cover lung cancer treatment to provide screening in accordance with guidelines published by the American Cancer Society (or other such guidelines or reports). The amendment also replaced references to the United States Preventive Services Task Force with the American Cancer Society in the bill text. Senator Flores moved to amend and do pass; a second was recorded and the motion carried.

No members of the public offered testimony during the session. Chair Pesina closed the work session after the committee finished the agenda and confirmed three bill hearings were scheduled the following day.

Votes at a glance (committee actions recorded in the work session): - SB114: Motion to amend and do pass (revised threshold from 200 to 100 dwelling units); mover: Senator Flores; second: Senator Scheibel; outcome: motion carries. - SB130: Motion to amend and do pass (State Contractors Board restricted license for residential remodeling); mover: Senator Flores; second: Senator Scheibel; outcome: motion carries. - SB166: Motion to amend and do pass (insurer actions re: dog breed; supportive housing pet allowance subject to state/local law); mover: Senator Flores; second: Senator Lang; recorded nays: Senator Rogich, Senator Steinbeck (both reserved right to change vote on floor); outcome: motion carries. - SB246: Motion to do pass (require insurers to cover certain gynecological and obstetrical services without prior authorization/referral); mover: Senator Flores; second: Senator Scheibel; outcome: motion carries. - SB292: Motion to do pass (Medicare supplemental policy premium parity for disabled enrollees under 65; limits on insurer actions re: preexisting conditions); mover: Senator Flores; second: Senator Scheibel; outcome: motion carries. - SB387: Motion to amend and do pass (replace screening standard with American Cancer Society guidelines; remove some mandates for public insurers); mover: Senator Flores; second: (recorded); outcome: motion carries.

Committee discussion was generally brief; several measures advanced with conceptual amendments provided by staff. When members recorded reservations to their committee vote, they said they might change their votes on the Senate floor. The work session packet and conceptual amendments were attached to the meeting materials on NELIS, the Legislature's online system.

Chair Pesina adjourned the work session after confirming the schedule for the next day's hearings.