Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legislative Worksession topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate Judiciary Committee advances four bills, introduces traffic BDR
Summary
The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously introduced BDR 43-900 and voted to advance Senate Bills 4, 13 and 140; it also amended and advanced SB 88, which drew three recorded nays and questions about fiscal impact.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to introduce a traffic-related bill draft and to advance four Senate bills during a work session before holding a bill hearing.
The committee unanimously approved a motion to introduce BDR 43-900, described by Chair Melanie Scheibel as a measure that "relates to traffic offenses" and is intended to "improve the process for contesting civil citations and for handling both civil and criminal citations in our courts here in Nevada." The panel then considered four bills in a work session and voted to advance them to the floor, with one amendment adopted.
Senate Bill 4: The committee advanced SB 4, which revises provisions related to consent to adoption and adds caseworkers employed by an authorized agency to the list of witnesses who may attest to consent. Jared McDonald of the Legislative Council Bureau summarized the bill. A motion to give SB 4 a due-pass recommendation was moved by Senator Winn and seconded by Senator Lang; the committee voted unanimously to do pass SB 4.
Senate Bill 13: Jared McDonald said SB 13 revises provisions related to exoneration of bail and was sponsored on behalf of the Nevada Supreme Court. An amendment proposed by John McCormick would allow for an alternate disposition of bail if both defense and prosecution agree. The committee voted, on a motion from Senator Winn and a second from Senator Orenshall, to amend and do pass SB 13 unanimously.
Senate Bill 88: SB 88, sponsored on behalf of the Joint Interim Standing Committee on the Judiciary, would require the Director of the Department of Corrections to discharge any outstanding medical debt owed by an offender to the department upon the offender's release from prison. Chair-proposed language would make that discharge retroactive to previously released offenders. Committee members asked about whether the bill would affect private providers and about the fiscal impact. Russell Alfano, medical administrator for the Nevada Department of Corrections, told the committee that, while the department pays community providers for outside care, the department historically attempts to recover those payments from released offenders and that actual collections have averaged about $6,600 per year. Alfano added the department spends roughly $4,000–$4,500 per year to process those receivables. The amendment to make the discharge retroactive was offered by the chair. A motion to amend and do pass SB 88 was moved by Senator Orenshall and seconded by Senator Winn; the motion passed, with Senators Hansen, Ellison and Krasner recorded as nays. Senators Hansen and Ellison reserved the right to change their votes.
Senate Bill 140: SB 140 expands juvenile-court authority to establish treatment programs for children diagnosed with or suspected of neurobehavioral disorders associated with prenatal exposure to alcohol or controlled substances; it was sponsored by Senator Orenshall and Senator Hurd. The committee voted unanimously to do pass SB 140 on a motion from Senator Wynne and a second from Senator Flores.
Actions noted in the work session included assignment of floor statements for multiple bills (e.g., Senator Orenshall for the floor statement on SB 13; Senator Winn for SB 13; Senator Winn received the floor statement for SB 13 earlier; Chair Scheibel took the floor statement on SB 88). The committee then moved from the work session into a hearing on SB 323.
The committee chair emphasized that the motion to introduce the BDR was procedural: "As a reminder, this is just a motion to introduce the BDR. It doesn't indicate your support or lack thereof for the measure itself," and the committee followed standard practice of introducing the BDR and advancing bills for further consideration on the merits.
Votes at a glance BDR 43-900 (introduce) — Moved: Vice Chair Flores; Second: Senator Orenshall. Outcome: introduced (unanimous aye). SB 4 (consent to adoption) — Moved: Senator Winn; Second: Senator Lang. Outcome: do pass (unanimous aye). SB 13 (exoneration of bail; amendment for alternate disposition) — Moved: Senator Winn; Second: Senator Orenshall. Outcome: amend & do pass (unanimous aye). SB 88 (discharge of offender medical debt; retroactivity amendment) — Moved: Senator Orenshall; Second: Senator Winn. Outcome: amend & do pass. Recorded nays: Senators Hansen, Ellison, Krasner. Chair: assigned floor statement. SB 140 (juvenile treatment programs; prenatal exposure) — Moved: Senator Wynne; Second: Senator Flores. Outcome: do pass (unanimous aye).
Background and context: SB 4 was sponsored by the committee on behalf of the Division of Child and Family Services. SB 13 was sponsored on behalf of the Nevada Supreme Court. SB 88 was sponsored on behalf of the Joint Interim Standing Committee on the Judiciary. SB 140 was sponsored by Senator Orenshall and Senator Hurd.
Ending: The work session concluded and the committee proceeded to a bill hearing on SB 323. Several floor statements were assigned for presentation on the bills that advanced.
