Students, law enforcement and interest groups renew debate over SB156 and gun‑violence prevention office

UNLV students who survived a December 2023 campus shooting returned to the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Government Affairs to press for renewed legislative attention to gun violence prevention and to seek sponsorship of SB156 as a committee bill. Alastair Dias and Emer Cesar Barado described SB156’s aim to create a special counsel for prevention inside the attorney general’s office to coordinate research, public awareness, grant programs and evidence‑informed community interventions. The students said the office should emphasize data, evaluation, and culturally competent, community‑based programs while adding transparent oversight for any private funding.

Law‑enforcement presenters supplied the committee with local crime data and operational context. Captain Joshua Martinez (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department) reported declines in key categories in 2025 — violent crime down 4.3%, property crime down 9.4% and homicides falling to 90 — and described new units and tactics: a Crime Gun Intelligence Center that works NIBIN leads and a Violent Gun Crime Unit formed in 2024 that posted high solve rates for cases it handled. Martinez and Captain Joseph Colacurcio (Washoe County Sheriff’s Office) both flagged juvenile possession as a recurring issue; Metro urged lawmakers to consider elevating illegal juvenile possession from a misdemeanor to a gross misdemeanor, paired with counseling and wraparound services, to reduce adults using juveniles to carry weapons.

Student presenters and the committee discussed SB156’s controversial funding authority. SB156, as introduced in 2025, allowed a special counsel to apply for and accept gifts and grants; public commenters and the Nevada Firearms Coalition warned this creates risk of partisan influence. Randy Thompson of the Nevada Firearms Coalition argued the governor’s 2025 veto was correct, saying a special‑counsel office risks politicizing policymaking and that mental‑health and targeted enforcement programs would be better uses of resources. Student presenters said they would consider clarifying language to require bipartisan oversight, donor caps or other transparency measures.

School safety data underscored the committee’s concerns about juvenile access. Mike Black (Clark County School District Police) and Detective Christopher Knight said CCSD recovered 17 firearms on campus in the current school year and 27 across recent school years; many juvenile‑possession cases were tied to gang activity or students reporting they carried weapons “for protection.” CCSD described random weapon screening, single point of entry, GoGuardian/Beacon monitoring, campus social workers and other prevention measures; detectives said pneumatic (BB) guns and non‑firearm weapons are also commonly recovered.

No bill vote occurred. Committee members pressed for evidence on whether tougher juvenile penalties would deter possession versus investment in wraparound services; Metro offered to supply research and to host committee members for field visits to observe outreach and pastoral calls in the community. Students said they will revise the proposal to address transparency and oversight concerns and welcomed continued dialogue with stakeholder groups including the Nevada Firearms Coalition, Metro and counties.

The committee asked staff to compile additional evidence and to coordinate follow‑up briefings with Metro and Washoe officials, CCSD, and student representatives to refine the policy approach before any bill is reintroduced.