(Nevada Policy) – This week, several key bills passed through their committees in their house of origin, meaning they cleared their first major hurdle.
However, a bill’s journey is far from over—it must still pass a vote in the full Assembly or Senate, move to the opposite chamber for further debate, and, if approved there, reach the Governor’s desk before becoming law.
With that in mind, here’s a look at what advanced this week, where we stood, and a new bill that caught our attention!
Strengthening Workforce Mobility: Interstate Compacts Passed Committee
Nevada is making it easier for licensed professionals to work across state lines with these occupational licensure compacts:
- AB 163 – Counseling Compact Allows licensed professional counselors to practice in other member states and offer telehealth services, improving mental health access in rural areas.
- AB 230 – Audiology & Speech Pathology Compact ️ Expands access to speech and hearing services by allowing audiologists and speech pathologists to work across multiple states without additional licensing barriers.
- AB 248 – Physical Therapy Compact Enables physical therapists to practice in Nevada under a compact license, helping address provider shortages and improving patient access.
Wins for Reform: Supported Bills That Cleared Committee
Two common-sense reforms we backed advanced to the next stage in the legislative process:
- AB 148 – Ensuring Timely Sample Ballots Establishes a strict timeline for distributing sample ballots, ensuring voters receive them well before election day to avoid confusion.
- SB 176 – Making Licensure More Accessible ️ Lowers the age requirements for certain professional licenses and allows the state to cover licensure costs for Career & Technical Education (CTE) students, removing financial barriers for young professionals.
More Regulations, More Costs: Bills We Opposed That Advanced
Unfortunately, these bills also cleared their committees:
- AB 93 – Expanding Peace Officer Definition This bill adds several new roles under the definition of peace officers, increasing taxpayer costs as these employees gain expanded benefits and protections.
- SB 229 – Lowering Financial Literacy Standards This bill weakens the criteria for earning the State Seal for Financial Literacy for high school students, reducing the rigor required for high-schoolers to demonstrate real financial competency.
- SB 168 – Restaurant Reservation Regulations ️ Requires third-party platforms (like OpenTable) to have written agreements with restaurants before listing or promoting reservations. Violators face fines of $1,000 per day, adding unnecessary hurdles for small businesses.
A New Bill to Watch: Expanding History & Diversity Education
A new bill introduced this week, AB 464, looks to broaden Nevada’s academic standards in a big way.
It would require history classes to cover genocides and cultural atrocities, while English and arts courses must include works from diverse backgrounds. Plus, science and health instruction must be evidence-based. A step toward a better-rounded curriculum!
That’s a wrap on Week 7! These bills now face further debate and votes in the full Assembly or Senate, with many still needing approval from the opposite chamber before becoming law. We’ll keep you updated as they move forward!
For more details and real-time updates, check out our Bill Tracker! ✅
Best,
Nevada Policy Team
