Health and Human Services committee advances four bills on behavioral health and emergency care

CARSON CITY — The Assembly Committee on Health and Human Services on Friday approved do-pass motions on four bills moving through the 2025 Nevada legislative session, advancing measures on a statewide substance-use working group, Medicaid reimbursement for nonemergency secure behavioral-health transport, certification and duties for prevention specialists and changes to emergency medical services licensure.

Committee staff summarized each bill before members voted. Davis Florence, committee policy analyst, outlined AB19 as a committee-sponsored bill to expand membership of the statewide substance use response working group, including adding the executive director of the Department of Indigent Defense Services and several attorney-general-appointed seats; the Attorney General’s office proposed amendments to add a DHHS designee from the Division of Public and Behavioral Health and to prefer a bilingual public member.

The measure passed on a motion to amend and do pass. Assemblymember Hibbetts and Assemblymember Gray registered no votes; the chair announced the motion carried.

AB31, sponsored by the committee on behalf of the Southern Regional Behavioral Health Policy Board, would require Medicaid reimbursement for providers of nonemergency secure behavioral-health transport to include distance traveled to pick up and after drop-off and directs the director of DHS to request state-plan amendments increasing rates by at least 15% for counties under 100,000 population and at least 10% elsewhere. The committee moved to amend and do pass; Assemblymember Gray made the motion and Assemblymember Wynne seconded. The committee recorded the motion as carrying unanimously.

AB60, sponsored by the committee for the Northern Regional Behavioral Health Policy Board, would require certification of prevention specialists by the Nevada Certification Board and require coalitions to employ or contract with certified prevention specialists to plan and implement evidence-based prevention programs in schools and communities. The bill also addressed peer recovery support specialist requirements (including minimum age) and included a submitted amendment removing provisions allowing minors to use the peer-recovery-support title. The committee moved to amend and do pass; the motion was offered by Assemblymember Wynne and seconded by Assemblymember Gonzalez and recorded as passing unanimously.

AB102, carried by the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Health and Human Services, would allow a district board of health in a district containing a county with population between 100,000 and 700,000 to elect by majority vote to regulate emergency medical services; it also would lower the minimum age for licensure of ambulance attendants, EMTs, AEMTs or paramedics from 18 to 16, and remove the requirement to licensure an ambulance attendant who participates solely in a training program and does not provide care or drive. The committee moved to amend and do pass; Assemblymember Gray moved and Assemblymember Gonzalez seconded, and members recorded the motion as unanimous.

Why it matters: These measures would affect staffing, certification, reimbursement and oversight across Nevada’s behavioral-health and emergency medical systems — elements lawmakers and advocates say can change access to services in rural and urban counties alike. AB31 contains targeted rate increases tied to county population, and AB102 would change the minimum licensure age for EMS providers, a change advocates said may address workforce shortages.

Committee action summary (work session votes)

- AB19 — Revises membership of the statewide substance use response working group; motion to amend and do pass carried; nays recorded: Assemblymember Hibbetts, Assemblymember Gray; mover/second not specified in transcript.

- AB31 — Authorizes Medicaid reimbursement for nonemergency secure behavioral-health transport and instructs DHS to request rate increases; motion to amend and do pass moved by Assemblymember Gray, seconded by Assemblymember Wynne; motion recorded as unanimous.

- AB60 — Requires certified prevention specialists and revises peer-recovery-support provisions; motion to amend and do pass moved by Assemblymember Wynne, seconded by Assemblymember Gonzalez; motion recorded as unanimous.

- AB102 — Authorizes certain district boards of health to regulate EMS and lowers minimum licensure age for some EMS classifications from 18 to 16; motion to amend and do pass moved by Assemblymember Gray, seconded by Assemblymember Gonzalez; motion recorded as unanimous.

Committee staff noted some measures include amendments submitted by outside stakeholders (for example, an amendment for AB31 moving the effective date to Jan. 1, 2026). Several members asked clarifying questions during the work session; one member expressed general opposition to expanding board size in AB19 and said they would work with the Attorney General’s office for compromise.

The committee assigned floor statements for the advancing bills and moved from the work session into the committee’s bill hearings.

Provenance: Segments of the committee’s work session on AB19, AB31, AB60 and AB102 were provided in the public transcript.