Last update, Friday 10:04 a.m. March 22, 2019.
Carson City – Monday March 18 marks the lawmakers’ deadline for bill introductions, and there are many important new bills on the move this week along with a few interesting events to include addresses from Sen. Jacky Rosen, Rep. Dina Titus and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto. Nevada Chief Justice Mark Gibbons will present the state of the Judiciary on Thursday. Check back for regular updates.
Please note, this is by no means a comprehensive list of all meetings and activities at the Nevada State Legislature but a fluid and subjective look ahead at the legislation, presentations and activities of interest to the Nevada Capital News editorial staff. And be aware, bills are heard and presentations are given at the discretion of committee leadership and are subject to change at any time. We will make updates to this list as we become aware of the need for them. The latest revision time will be listed at the beginning of the report, but nothing is more current than the State Legislature web pages. Our goal is to inspire participation in the state’s lawmaking process.
Monday March 18, 2019, Day 43
The committee is set to hear several important bills regarding child prostitution, the regulations regarding lifetime supervision of sex offenders, and SB7, SB8 and SB9.
The committee is set to consider a measure regarding abortions, SB179, an act relating to abortions; revising provisions relating to informed consent to an abortion; repealing criminal penalties on certain actions relating to the termination of a pregnancy or concealing birth; repealing the prohibition on the excusal of a person on certain grounds from testifying as a witness in a prosecution relating to the termination of a pregnancy; repealing parental notification requirements for abortions performed upon pregnant minors.
The committee is set to work session several bills, one is an omnibus bill regarding the regulation of wildlife in the state, AB83 and another joint resolution that would urge Congress to reject any expansion in the use of land or exercise of jurisdiction by the United States Air Force in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, AJR2.
5:00 – US Senator from Nevada Democrat Jacky Rosen will address a joint session of the Senate and Assembly.
Tuesday March 19, 2019, Day 44
The committee is set to hear a bill regarding sexual assault, AB227.
The committee is expected to hear SB97, an act relating to crimes; prohibiting the use in a criminal case of certain defenses based on the sexual orientation or gender identity or expression of the victim.
The committee is expected to hear AB230, an act relating to historic preservation; providing a procedure for the governing body of a county or city to designate a historic neighborhood; clarifying the authority of the Office of Historic Preservation of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to include landmarks in its list of historic places that are eligible for listing in the State Register of Historic Places.
The committee is expected to work session a few bills of interest. AB54 is an act relating to energy efficiency; repealing obsolete provisions relating to the reduction of grid-based energy purchases for state-owned buildings; repealing provisions relating to the energy efficiency of general purpose lights sold in this state.
SB154 is an act relating to natural gas; requiring the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada to adopt regulations authorizing a public utility which purchases natural gas for resale to engage in renewable natural gas activities and to recover the reasonable and prudent costs of such activities.
SB254 is an act relating to greenhouse gas emissions; requiring the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to issue an annual report concerning greenhouse gas emissions in this State. Read a report and peruse a catalog of testimony on SB254.
The committee is scheduled to hear an interesting cannabis bill, SB238, an act relating to marijuana; requiring a member of the Nevada Tax Commission to have certain experience relating to legalized marijuana; creating the Responsible Use of Marijuana Public Education Committee within the Department of Taxation; establishing the powers and duties of the Committee; requiring the establishment of a statewide hotline to report suspected unlicensed sales of marijuana; authorizing the transfer of a medical marijuana establishment registration certificate and a license to operate a marijuana establishment in certain circumstances; revising provisions relating to inventory control systems; prohibiting the use of a third party by a medical marijuana dispensary or retail marijuana store to sell marijuana and related products; establishing requirements relating to the delivery of marijuana and related products to a consumer.
This committee is scheduled to hear an interesting water bill with bi-partisan support, SB236, an act relating to water; establishing requirements relating to certain changes in the place of diversion of water already appropriated; providing a penalty.
5:00 – Nevada Representative for Nevada’s congressional district 1, Dina Tutus will address a joint session of the Senate and Assembly.
Wednesday March 20, 2019, Day 45
This committee is expected to hear a few interesting presentations:
Overview of Truckee-Carson Irrigation District from Rusty D. Jardine, Esq., District Manager and General Counsel
Carson Water Subconservancy District, Ed James, P.E., General Manager
Division of Emergency Management, Caleb S. Cage, Chief and Homeland Security Advisor
This committee will workshop several interesting and important bills.
SB165 is an act relating to public health; revising provisions concerning medical certificates of death relating to a person who self-administers a controlled substance designed to end his or her life; authorizing a physician to prescribe a controlled substance that is designed to end the life of a patient under certain circumstances; prohibiting persons other than a patient from administering a controlled substance that is designed to end the life of the patient; imposing requirements on certain providers of health care relating to the records of a patient who requests a controlled substance that is designed to end his or her life; providing immunity to certain providers of health care who take certain actions relating to prescribing or dispensing a controlled substance that is designed to end the life of a patient; prohibiting certain fraudulent or coercive acts for the purpose of causing a person to self-administer a controlled substance that is designed to end the life of the person; authorizing the owner or operator of a health care facility to prohibit certain persons from providing certain services relating to a controlled substance that is designed to end the life of a patient; prohibiting a person from conditioning provisions of a will, contract, agreement or policy of life insurance on the request for or acquisition or administration of a controlled substance designed to end the life of the person; prohibiting a person from refusing to sell or provide life insurance or denying benefits to or imposing additional charges against a policyholder or beneficiary because the insured requested or revoked a request for a controlled substance designed to end the life of the person; providing a penalty.
SB228 is an act relating to marijuana; authorizing the medical use of marijuana or industrial hemp by certain licensed professionals or persons who provide wellness services on a patient or client; prohibiting disciplinary action against such professionals for administering or recommending the use of marijuana or industrial hemp; prohibiting certain medical professionals from refusing to prescribe certain controlled substances for the treatment of pain solely because the patient uses marijuana; creating the Cannabis Control Commission; prohibiting the Department of Taxation from issuing certain licenses related to marijuana without the approval of the Commission.
6:00 – Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto will address a joint session of the Senate and Assembly.
Thursday March 21, 2019, Day 46
The committee is scheduled to hear several bills this afternoon and AB237 regards the reimbursement of teachers for out of pocket expenses, and AB261, a measure regarding school safety and the recognition of threats to student or teacher safety and how to address them.
Hear a presentation regarding the National Security Imperative for Advanced Energy Technologies from Vice Admiral Lee Gunn, USN (Ret.)
The committee will hear SB299, AN ACT relating to vehicles; revising provisions governing the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Demonstration Program.
The committee will also hear SB300, an act relating to electric utilities; requiring electric utilities to share a portion of their earnings with customers under certain circumstances.
The committee is expected to hear SB278, an act relating to marijuana; authorizing a medical marijuana establishment or an association of medical marijuana establishments to participate in a program of workforce development to recruit, assess and train medical marijuana establishment agents; requiring the Office of Economic Development to ensure that minority-owned business enterprises, woman-owned business enterprises and disadvantaged business enterprises are involved in programs of workforce development in which medical marijuana establishments participate.
This committee could vote on AJR2 a resolution that proposes to amend the Nevada Constitution to require the recognition of all marriages regardless of gender.
The committee could vote on SJR3, a resolution that urges Congress to oppose the expansion of the United States Air Force in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada.
5:00 – Nevada Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Gibbons will offer the state of the Judiciary to a joint meeting of the Senate and Assembly.
Friday March 22, 2019, Day 47
The committee is scheduled to hear SB256, an act relating to housing; revising provisions relating to discrimination in housing; revising provisions relating to the return of security deposits; limiting the amount of fees for late rent; revising provisions relating to the recovery of damages by a tenant for a landlord’s failure to maintain a dwelling unit in a habitable condition; requiring a landlord to allow a former tenant to retrieve essential personal effects and establishing an expedited procedure if a landlord acts unreasonably under such circumstances; authorizing a tenant to take certain actions if a landlord abuses the right of access to a dwelling unit or uses that right to harass the tenant; making various other changes to provisions relating to housing.
The committee is scheduled to hear an interesting bill, SB336, an act relating to days of observance; requiring the Governor annually to proclaim Juneteenth Day to be “Buffalo Soldiers Day” in Nevada. The bill proposes that June 19 be designated as Buffalo Soldiers Day in Nevada.
