Committee hears corrections bill clarifying women's screenings, notary ID and removing 'boot camp' language

The Assembly Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Assembly Bill 25, presented by James Renda, director of the Nevada Department of Corrections, to clarify and update several statutory provisions relating to health care for women in custody, notary identification requirements and obsolete statutory language about "boot camps."

Renda told the committee the bill has two principal goals: (1) bring statutory language into alignment with national standards and community medical guidelines for provision of pelvic exams and mammography to women in correctional custody; and (2) permit the Department of Corrections' official identification card to be used when a notary must verify identity (because incarcerated people do not have driver's licenses). The bill also proposes removing statutory references to boot camps, which department staff said have not been operated by the department since 2013.

The department submitted a conceptual amendment during the hearing that would: require annual pelvic examinations for women age 21 and older and permit pelvic exams for women under 21 when a provider recommends the exam based on the woman's personal or family medical history or other risk factors; allow women age 40–44 to receive mammography upon request and provide mammography to women older than 45, while permitting mammography for women under 40 if a provider recommends it based on risk. Director Renda and Dr. Kenneth Williams, the department's medical director, said the department already provides pelvic exams and works with local hospitals and gynecologists to meet community standards.

Renda explained the proposed notary change would allow correctional staff to present a DOC-issued identification card that includes name and photo and is tied to court records (judgment of conviction) in lieu of a driver's license when a notary verifies an offender's identity. On the boot camp provision, Renda told the committee that boot camps were discontinued after 2013 following national corrections guidance and that language referencing them in statute leads to administrative complications because courts sometimes sentence people to boot camps that no longer exist.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about whether services are currently provided (Dr. Williams confirmed regular pelvic exams and arrangements with community providers), how adopted or unknown family medical histories would be handled (Dr. Williams said screening services would be made available upon request), and why the change was placed in statute rather than exclusively in administrative directives (department officials said the bill references nationally accepted guidelines and that medical directives will be used to implement practice details). Several members, including female legislators on the dais, expressed support for ensuring incarcerated women receive medical care consistent with community standards.

Supporters who called in included advocates for dignity in care and Planned Parenthood Votes Nevada; no organized opposition testimony was recorded. The department closed by thanking the committee for consideration and noting ongoing efforts to improve correctional health care and operations. No committee vote was recorded during the hearing.