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SB 3 81 would modernize constable and sheriff civil procedures; sponsors say changes are housekeeping
Summary
Sen. James Orangehall presented SB 3 81 to revise constable and sheriff authorities, add civil enforcement officers, permit online auctions of seized property, and tighten certification/weapon rules for constables. Laughlin Constable Jordan Ross and other stakeholders framed the bill as modernization and housekeeping; committee members asked for
Senator James Orangehall, sponsor of Senate Bill 3 81 (Senate District 21), told the committee the bill “makes various changes related to constables and sheriffs” to update civil procedures and reflect modern operations.
Key provisions described by the sponsor include authorizing sheriffs and constables to appoint civil enforcement officers to perform specific civil duties (service of civil process, execution of writs of garnishment and tenant removal orders) while clarifying those appointees do not possess peace-officer powers; permitting sheriffs and constables to contract with online auction operators to sell real property under execution; revising fee authority; clarifying public-demand procedures when taking property; and revising certification requirements for constables in larger townships.
Jordan Ross, Laughlin constable and chair of the Southern Nevada Rural Constables Alliance, described the bill as largely “housekeeping” and said the changes reflect long-standing field practices and modernization needs. Ross said online auction options were requested by the Clark County sheriff’s civil section to increase sale reach and recovery. He described civil enforcement officers as a common operational tool used in multiple jurisdictions for noncriminal civil duties and said the bill standardizes that practice in statute.
Senators questioned practical issues. Senator Tony Daley asked what civil enforcement officers can do and how online real-property auctions would be conducted, including vetting of bidders and auctioneer arrangements. Ross said most counties would choose whether to use online auctions and that counties would contract with specialized vendors for sale of real or personal property; he said the provision was included at the request of the Clark County sheriff’s civil section. Ross also described the statute cleanup that would allow county boards to appoint sheriffs ex officio as constables and to harmonize certification requirements.
Senator Daley raised concerns about operational detail for online auctions — who pays for the platform, how bidder vetting would work and whether online bidding could invite abusive bidding behavior — and the sponsor said the bill’s language can be coordinated with stakeholders (including a separate bill addressing fee structures).
The committee recessed to allow members to attend floor business and planned to return to continue other bills. The sponsor said he planned further coordination with stakeholders on fee related language; no vote was taken at the subcommittee hearing.
The hearing record shows support for the bill’s modernization aims from constables and civil-operations stakeholders alongside committee questions about operational safeguards and vendor procedures for online property sales.
