In the heat of 36th special session of the Nevada State Legislature the government spent seven days writing unprecedented history – redefining what an emergency means, utilizing previously unutilized clauses of the Constitution, hearing bills that were not publicly available, and voting on matters past midnight. And amidst all the dramatic developments many details might have gone overlooked by the public, so below is Nevada Policy’s breakdown of all the bills that passed, the ones that didn’t, and why each matter.
In this article, we’re going to cover:
- Film Tax Credit
- Corporate Housing Ownership
- Mail-In Ballots
- Separation of Powers
- Safety of Elected Officials
- Lung Disease Compensation
- Silver State General Assistance Program
Film Tax Credit Expansion Failed
As expected, the infamous Hollywood expansion program was added to the Governor’s agenda, bringing an unmatched $1.8 billion worth of tax credit package to the legislator’s debate.
Minutes after the bill was first read on the assembly floor, Assemblymember La Rue Hatch surprisingly objected to move the bill forward, prompting a floor vote on her motion and indicating a deep divide in the majority caucus about the issue. The motion received 21 yes and 21 no votes, ultimately proceeding to the committee hearings. After hours-long hearing AB 5 passed out of the committee with 9-5 vote and numerous small amendments.
On the assembly floor however, the Speaker moved to announce the bill as an emergency measure to allow Assemblymembers Hibbetts and Kasama vote remotely on the measure. This sparked a strong discontent among the legislators who believed that a billion-dollar corporate handout is in no way an emergency for the state. Failing to receive majority votes, Speaker Yeager instead returned to the chambers and stated that after consulting with legal counsel Assemblymembers Hibbetts and Kasama would be permitted to participate and vote remotely due to “exceptional circumstances.”
Ultimately, with the two remote votes, AB 5 passed 22-20 to the Senate. After a similar tedious hearing, the bill however failed receive the needed votes and died in the Senate. While this is a huge victory for Nevadan taxpayers, proponents have stated that Hollywood’s move is “not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when,” so the public should be prepared to see the proposal’s sequel in Carson City for the upcoming sessions.
Corporate Housing Ownership Crackdown
For the first time in state history, legislators used the constitutional petition process to bypass the governor’s proclamation and introduce their own measure. With bipartisan support reaching the required two-thirds supermajority, Senate Republican Leader Ira Hansen and Assemblymember Alexis Hansen joined the Democratic caucus to add SB 10, a housing bill aimed at limiting corporate ownership of residential property.
This measure was brought forward to the legislature by Dina Neal during the 83rd session, and later became a controversial vote as Senator Hansen stated that he could not support it because of pressure from Governor Lombardo.
SB 10 would limit the number of residential units that corporate investors could purchase in the state at 1000 per year. The Attorney General’s office would have been tasked with monitoring and enforcement. With the intention to encourage homeownership, this bill risked to fluctuate the rental market and ultimately discourage any investment in the housing market. Sunk in controversy the bill sparked debate in the Republican caucus and failed to receive the supermajority vote in the Assembly despite the unanimous passage in the Senate. This was the third attempt to bring legislation of this nature to the chambers; hence, it is only reasonable to expect its recurrence in the future.
Mail-in Ballots as a Constitutional Amendment
In the last hour of the special session Senate Majority Leader Cannizzaro introduced Senate Joint Resolution 1, proposing a constitutional amendment to make mail-in ballots mandatory for Nevadans while expanding the drop-off options in the days leading up to election. Importantly, if passed, the mail-in ballots will be mailed to every registered voter unless they choose to opt-out from the program. This raises concerns about election integrity and opens the floor for increased voter fraud. SJR 1 passed through both chambers with all the Republicans in opposition.
Since the measure is a joint resolution and not a bill it does not need gubernatorial approval; instead, it will return to legislative vote in 2027 and later become a ballot measure in 2028.
Separation of Powers and Legislative Security
SB2 was a rewrite of AB600 that was vetoed by the governor earlier this year. The bill initially aimed to clarify the NRS provisions after the 2024 Nevada Supreme Court decision in Nevada Policy Research Institute, Inc. v. Miller, which raised concerns that certain executive agencies—including the Nevada System of Higher Education—might fall outside the state’s constitutionally defined branches of government. This interpretation effectively treated NSHE as a “fourth branch” of government, contrary to the state constitution and longstanding judicial precedent.
By passing Senate Bill 2, the Legislature can prevent misunderstandings that could disrupt the balance of power among the state’s coequal branches and ensure that all agencies, including NSHE, operate under proper constitutional authority. Importantly, the future implications of this legislation can mean that NSHE employees cannot be legislators simultaneously.
Additionally, SB 2 allocated $2.2 million for legislative security and changed the flow of some funds in the Legislative building. These changes were made as after the assassination of Charlie Kirk some legislators have received safety threats.
Safety of Elected Officials and Appointees
AB 3, introduced as a new measure to the special session, allows legislators to spend campaign finances on expenses for security purposes. However, more concerning is the provision that allows the legislators to request Secretary of State, city or county clerks to make their records confidential. Additionally, their driver’s license can now display an alternate address.
While AB 3 will add elected officials to the list of other professionals who already have these privileges, it sets an alarming precedent as they are elected by the public to serve to the public. Instead, this measure risks making it harder to ensure lawmakers’ compliance with residential requirements and creating a protected class of government officials.
Lung Disease Compensation
Under the current law, firefighters and police officers are assumed to have conclusively work-related lung disease if the diagnosis occurs two years after their employment. The treatment of these professionals is covered by taxpayer funds. However, SB 7 introduced during the special session, states that the lung disease does not have to be caused by heat, smoke, fumes, tear gas or other noxious gases to be considered a work-related injury.
This means that someone without previous cause at the workplace will now get taxpayer-funded healthcare. In Nevada Policy’s own research, heart and lung-related disease treatments cost the state nearly a billion dollars. Expanding the scope of professionals who would be eligible for these benefits will instantly pass the costs to the taxpayers.
While the measure is yet to be signed by Governor Lombardo, it passed both chambers with some Republican opposition.
Silver State General Assistance Program
Perhaps the only measure that could be considered a true emergency in this session, was SB 3 – a bill establishing Silver State General Assistance Program as a state safety net in case of federal emergencies. The need of this legislation stems from the recent government shutdown affecting families who rely on programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
Despite the bill’s unique timing after the government shutdown, the final draft allows for flexibility in general emergency situations making sure that Silver State residents can have temporary assistance to service their health and welfare.
The unanimous passage through both Assembly and Senate indicates that lawmakers across the party lines agreed that the issue is truly an emergency that needed to be addressed to ensure the wellbeing of their constituents.
