Nevada Legislature hits 2nd deadline, but less drama expected this time
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The second major deadline arrives today for the Nevada Legislature, but it's unlikely to produce the kind of shockwaves that followed the first deadline.
'Reba's Law,' which would toughen the penalties in animal abuse crimes, caused an uproar when it didn't get a committee vote at the April 11 deadline. Since then, lawmakers have given it an exemption, and it is safe at the April 22 deadline. The law is named for an English bulldog that died after it was sealed inside a plastic tub and left outside next to a dumpster on a July 2024 day that reached 110 degrees.
No such drama is expected today as the Nevada Legislature hits the deadline for bills to pass a vote. Unless they are exempt, bills that originated in the Assembly must pass a vote of the full Assembly; bills that originated in the Senate must pass a vote of the full Senate. Exemptions are generally given to bills that make an appropriation. Those bills require work by the finance committees, and extra time is provided for that process.
The April 11 deadline killed more than 280 bills, but only a handful of bills are in danger this time.
Some of those bills could get last-minute action as the floor sessions in the Assembly and Senate plod along in Carson City. And that might require lawmakers to revive legislation that has been set aside. Agendas could changing rapidly right to the end of today's actions.
PET STORES: AB487 would stop retail stores from selling dogs and cats. Advocates say the ban will help stop animal abuse, consumer fraud and practices that put animals' health in danger. With shelters overflowing with dogs and cats, advocates are trying to combat puppy mills from flourishing. The bill passed 32-9 on Monday, advancing to the Senate. It was sponsored by the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.
BALLOON BAN: AB194 takes a dim view of the tradition of balloon releases at outdoor birthday parties and other celebrations. The bill would outlaw releasing balloons filled with helium or other lighter-than-air gases. It passed 26-15 on Monday, advancing to the Senate. The bill was sponsored by Democratic Assem. Sandra Jauregui.
SHIELDING DOCTORS: SB171 would prevent protect medical professionals from having their license stripped or other punitive actions for providing or assisting in medically necessary gender-affirming health care services. Professionals who are licensed in multiple states wouldn't be penalized in Nevada if another state acted to discipline them. The bill passed on a 13-8 vote on Tuesday, advancing to the Assembly. Democratic Sen. James Ohrenschall sponsored the bill.
AI-MODIFIED IMAGES: AB73 would require campaign materials to disclose if photos or video are modified by artificial intelligence. The bill is aimed at 'deep fakes' and other uses of AI images that misrepresent facts and erode trust in elections. The bill has passed out of the Assembly Legislative Operations and Elections Committee, but has not received a vote yet in the full Assembly.
GUN OWNERSHIP: AB 245 would ban anyone under the age of 21 from owning a semi-automatic shotgun or center-fire rifle. A violation would be punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000. The bill also criminalizes letting someone under 21 handle those types of weapons. The bill passed in the Assembly Judiciary Committee on Monday. Democratic Assem. Sandra Jauregui sponsored the bill. Similar legislation was vetoed by Gov. Joe Lombardo in 2023.
'INTIMATE IMAGES': SB213 would add AI-modified or AI-created photos/videos to materials addressed in existing law about unlawfully distributing intimate images. It would be a category D felony to blackmail someone with these types of images — the same as if they were real images. The bill hasn't received action since it was passed in committee on April 17 and placed on General File the next day. Republican Sen. Jeff Stone sponsored the bill.
STREET VENDORS: SB295 requires the health district to come up with pre-approved carts that people can buy to get licensed. It's a solution that lawmakers believe is needed after only six vendors in the Las Vegas valley actually went through the process to get a license since the legislation was originally passed in 2023. Many vendors say the requirements are too expensive. The bill passed in the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services on Monday, but needs a vote of the full Senate to advance. Democratic Sen. Fabian Doñate is the bill's sponsor.
CONFISCATING GUNS: SB347 rewrites provisions in the law that allow police to confiscate guns from people placed on a 'Legal 2000' mental health hold. Police approached lawmakers with concerns that the existing law seemed to clash with Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure. The bill, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Melanie Scheible, passed the Senate Judiciary Committee, but needs a vote from the full Senate.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Legislative recap for Wednesday, June 4
Members of the Maine House of Representatives during the first session of 2024 in the State House in Augusta. Jan. 3, 2024. (Photo: Jim Neuger/ Maine Morning Star) Lawmakers are divided on what to do with a proposal to modify the law born out of a 2021 referendum question requiring the Maine Legislature to approve any new high-impact transmission lines. Although legislators who worked on the campaign saw it as an effort to clarify the law, LD 810 fell shy of passage in the House of Representatives on Tuesday with lawmakers voting 72-75 before ultimately killing the bill under the hammer. However, the Senate passed the bill 18-16 on Wednesday. It is now up to the House to determine if it will hold its ground or join the Senate in supporting the bill. With papers shuffling between chambers this week, Maine Morning Star has compiled a slightly more pared down roundup for Wednesday, forgoing the list of all bills voted on and focusing on the biggest items of debates as well as legislation and issues that we've followed all session. Here's an overview of what happened Wednesday. Both chambers The Maine House of Representatives and Senate have now backed LD 1668, which would change the voting requirements to extend the data of adjournment for the Legislature. Currently, a two-thirds vote in each chamber is needed to do so. The bill would change it to only an affirmative vote of a simple majority in both chambers. After the Senate voted 20-14 in favor of the bill on Monday, the House narrowly voted 72-71 in favor on Wednesday. Both chambers also passed a bill that would expand summer school programming, LD 1624, with the Senate approving it without a roll call after it passed the House with a 75-71 vote on Tuesday. The Senate also followed the action taken by the House earlier this week to reject LD 1982, a late-session bill that wanted to change how perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, are defined in state law. (Read more on that proposal here.) After the House backed it, the Senate approved LD 1248, a bill proposing to loosen the restrictions on restraint and seclusion in schools. (Read more about restraint and seclusion here.) Both chambers have also now passed LD 437, which would develop a pilot program to place child care facilities in a few school districts statewide. Legislation (LD 10) that would add political affiliation as a protected class to the Maine Human Rights Act. The House voted against it on Wednesday, after the Senate did on Tuesday. (Read more about this bill here.) The chambers can't agree on LD 1960, which would exempt electronic smoking devices or other tobacco products containing ingestible hemp from the tax imposed on tobacco products. The House voted against the bill on Wednesday after the Senate voted for it on Tuesday. The chambers also still can't agree on a bill submitted by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (LD 402), which would move the Natural Areas Program from the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, among other technical tweaks. Earlier this week, the House passed the bill with one amendment, while the Senate passed it with another. On Wednesday, the House and Senate insisted on their positions, essentially killing the bill. On Wednesday, the House also insisted, 81-61, on its vote against LD 544, aimed to create parity in the taxation of medicine by exempting sales of cannabis for medical use. This position is counter to the committee recommendation and Senate vote in favor of passage. With the Senate insisting on its position Wednesday, this bill is also essentially dead. With a narrow 72-71 vote, the House did change its position on LD 588. The bill seeks to grant agricultural workers the right to engage in concerted activity. After initially voting against its passage, the House on Wednesday receded and concurred with the Senate, which passed it. The bill now heads back to the Senate. Though the Housing and Economic Development Committee was evenly split, the Senate passed a proposed pilot project that would allow 30 small businesses from the farming, fishing and logging industries to set aside up to $250,000 of revenue, sheltered from income tax, to use for capital expenses in the future. Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook) said he introduced this bill again this session because it could provide flexibility for the most critical components of Maine's economy: its heritage industries. LD 195 includes a sunset date of 2029. Sen. Jeff Timberlake (R-Androscoggin),whose family has been farming in Maine since 1803, encouraged his colleagues to let the state try this out because it could help counter the year-to-year financial swings farms experience. The Senate voted 17-16 to reject a bill (LD 1535) that would require the Public Utilities Commission to gather a group of municipal, police and fire officials to discuss the high electricity usage related to illegal cannabis grows in the state. While Sen. Craig Hickman (D-Kennebec) agreed the state should look into that issue, he said the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee is carrying over legislation into the next session that could provide a more comprehensive approach, including this sort of study. The House passed a bill, LD 957, that would require Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander history to be included in the next review of content standards and performance indicators. (Read more about this bill here.) The House passed and enacted LD 1664, a proposal to amend the Dirigo Business Incentives program, which offers eligible businesses the opportunity to greatly reduce state taxes for up to five years. While the bill initially sought to repeal the program, the amended version passed would only change some program criteria. LD 613, a bill supported by the Maine Medical Association that allows terminally ill patients to waive the current 17-day waiting period for access to life-ending medication, also the House 74-64 Wednesday. Several members shared stories about their loved ones' end-of-life care. However, Rep. Kathy Irene Javner (R- Chester) argued the bill 'removes the very pause that gives patients, families and physicians, the opportunity to reflect, to seek counsel to consider alternative palliative options.' After a lot of discussion, lawmakers voted 72-70 to pass LD 1036, which would prohibit landlords from refusing to rent to tenants solely because they rely on programs such as General Assistance or housing vouchers. Some lawmakers objected to the restrictions the bill would put on landlords, but others, including bill co-sponsor Rep. Cheryl Golek (D-Harpswell) said many residents relying on General Assistance are rejected from renting because of stigma, which the bill aims to address. (Read more about the proposal here). 'We as a state can only create fair housing once we take the steps to remove the discrimination within the housing opportunities,' Golek said. 'Protection from source-of-income discrimination, protection is one significant way we can apply and protect this to people.' The House also passed an amended version of LD 396 that would establish a grant program to encourage schools to adopt start times at 8:30 a.m. or later. A heavily amended version of LD 1787, passed the House. The bill initially sought to allow candidates for district attorney, sheriff and county commissioner to participate in the Maine Clean Election Act, but the version now being considered was amended to increase the contribution limits for gubernatorial seed money donations. (Read more about other proposals related to changing Maine's clean elections here.) The House also passed an amended version of LD 1726, which seeks to improve planning for the future of the energy grid, with a 75-69 vote. Legislation (LD 1900) to grant authority to certain Wabanaki Nations to develop tribal power districts and recognizes the authority for child support enforcement passed the HOuse fter heated discussions about the effectiveness of masks in schools during which Rep. John Eder (R-Waterboro) asked Speaker Ryan Fecteau if he would like to apologize for mandating masks, the House voted 73-69 to reject a proposal (LD 1461) to prohibit school boards from instituting future mask mandates. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Budget framework agreed, property tax relief still absent
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — House and Senate leadership reached a framework for the budget, but the details are still being worked on behind closed doors. One major proposal seems to be missing: Governor Ron DeSantis' property tax relief plan. However, that could change as negotiations continue. For months, Governor DeSantis pushed his property tax relief plan, touting potential savings of around $1,000 per homestead property. 'If we do that, we would end up with about $1,000 in property tax cut for every homestead Floridian,' said Governor DeSantis. However, House Speaker Danny Perez has taken a different approach. Rather than fast-tracking DeSantis' proposal, he created a special select committee to take a deeper look. 'I will be appointing a select committee on property taxes to do this important work,' said Speaker Perez. That committee has met twice and is expected to continue meeting through summer and fall. So far, lawmakers have found there's no one-size-fits-all solution to this issue. 'It's complicated,' said State Rep. Adam Anderson, (R-Palm Harbor). 'Every county is different. Every city is different. Special districts are all different. And the percentage of tax revenue that they receive from property taxes varies widely.' Anderson introduced legislation this past year to boost property tax transparency and offer tax relief for homeowners in flood zones making improvements. Though the proposals were overshadowed this session, he plans to revisit them next year. 'It's not about doing this quickly, it's about doing it correctly and we have plenty of time to make sure that a good solid proposal ends up on the ballot for the voters to approve,' said Anderson. Most lawmakers are eyeing the skies for property taxes to end up on the 2026 ballot, however, some argue this topic requires more time and dedication. 'I'm hoping that we don't get to craft anything for the 2026 ballot, and they push it out a few years because that's not something that you should jump right into and make a decision like that,' said State Rep. Dianne Hart, (D-Tampa). Hart says the committee needs to plan on hearing from constituents all across the state together. And while a game of political tug-of-war plays out behind the scenes with the state budget, Florida homeowners are left with rising bills and only a few answers on the table. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
New York City Democratic mayoral rivals clash in first TV debate
NEW YORK — Two main targets emerged by the end of the two-hour New York City mayoral debate: Frontrunner Andrew Cuomo and Donald Trump. Cuomo's eight opponents — desperate to cut into his consistent polling advantage — attacked him throughout Wednesday night by seizing on the controversies that preceded his fall from power four years ago: Allegations of sexual harassment and a Covid record that's reportedly under federal investigation. Former Assemblymember Michael Blake — polling in the single digits — leveled one of the sharpest barbs at Cuomo linking those controversies: 'The people who don't feel safe are the young women, mothers and grandmothers around Andrew Cuomo — that's the greatest threat to public safety.' The attacks on Cuomo during the first televised debate of the boisterous Big Apple Democratic mayoral primary underscored the strategic need of his opponents to swing hard and fast against the prohibitive favorite to win the party's nomination. They parried with early voting set to begin in 10 days. Nine candidates — Cuomo, Blake, City Comptroller Brad Lander, state Sens. Zellnor Myrie and Jessica Ramos, former City Comptroller Scott Stringer, Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and businessperson Whitney Tilson — squared off in the debate co-sponsored by POLITICO and WNBC. The crowded forum was marked by periods of extensive crosstalk from the candidates mostly trying to pile on Cuomo, who is mounting a comeback bid after scandal-induced resignation four years ago. The candidates all pledged to tackle issues that have resonated with voters, like affordability and housing, while vowing to fight Trump's meddling in his native city — especially with targeting undocumented people for deportation. They uniformly condemned Trump's threats against Columbia University over charges the school failed to protect Jewish students. Lander turned the Trump talk back to Cuomo. 'With all the corruption that's in Washington, we can't have corruption back here in New York City as well,' he said before blasting Cuomo's controversial $5 million contract for a Covid-era memoir. The criticisms of Cuomo flowed forth from there. Attacking Cuomo, who has largely shied away from speaking with reporters and attending candidate forums, was an imperative for his opponents Wednesday as voting fast approaches. But it was the longshot Blake, a former Democratic National Committee vice chair, who frequently laced into Cuomo with cutting criticism. Mamdani accused the former governor of being 'allergic to accountability' when Blake re-surfaced a 2008 Cuomo quote who criticized candidates who 'shuck and jive' as Barack Obama was running for president. Adrienne Adams was incredulous when Cuomo could not name a 'personal regret' in politics, summoning a cinematic rebuke: 'No regrets when it comes to cutting Medicaid or health care? No regrets when it comes to cutting child care? No regrets when it comes to slow walking PPE and vaccinations in the season of Covid in Black and brown communities?' Stringer blasted the former governor's approval of a controversial cashless bail law. The ex-governor counterpunched at points. He accused his opponents of supporting defunding the police and attacked Mamdani's lack of experience in government — saying that it would hinder the democratic socialist's ability to fight Trump. 'Mr. Trump would go through Mr. Mamdani like a hot knife through butter,' Cuomo said. 'He would be Trump's delight.' Hitting back at Lander, Cuomo asserted the city comptroller approved contracts for organizations with ties to Lander's wife. 'Mr. Lander knows corruption,' Cuomo said. Lander called the claim 'a lie.' Trump, who is highly unpopular in this deep blue city, has affected the race during the last several months. Stringer has called him 'a schmuck' while Cuomo — who's been accused of his own overbearing behavior — has said the president is 'a bully.' Democratic Mayor Eric Adams is skipping his party's primary after he announced in April he would run as an independent in the general election. Eric Adams' perceived coziness with Trump before and after the Department of Justice dropped its corruption case against him earlier this year made it politically untenable to seek his party's nomination for a second term. Eric Adams was victorious four years ago running on a public safety platform as voters became preoccupied with Covid-era crime concerns. The mayor was barely mentioned Wednesday night, though Adrienne Adams, who is no relation, said she regretted supporting him in 2021. The Eric Adams-Trump saga has threatened to torch Cuomo as well. The reported Department of Justice probe of Cuomo followed a House GOP criminal referral that alleged the ex-governor lied during congressional testimony about his administration's report on Covid nursing home deaths. Cuomo insisted on the debate stage he didn't lie in his testimony. But asked directly if he had reviewed or edited the report, Cuomo dodged. 'I was very aware of the report,' Cuomo said to groans from several of his opponents. 'I stand by the report.' Cuomo's order to require that nursing homes admit Covid-positive patients has been a long running controversy for him. He's maintained that the state followed federal guidance, but reports by the state attorney general and comptroller found Cuomo's gubernatorial administration undercounted thousands of nursing home deaths. Cuomo's campaign has tried to leverage the federal probe into a political benefit to distance himself from Trump — even though as of Sunday he has yet to receive a subpoena or be contacted by investigators. He released an ad last month that highlighted fellow Democrats — including his foe, state Attorney General Letitia James — who are also under investigation by Trump's DOJ. Cuomo resigned in 2021 after James' office released a bombshell report that determined he sexually harassed 11 women. He has subsequently denied any wrongdoing after initially apologizing for his behavior. And he has expressed remorse for resigning — most recently with The New York Times — as the state Assembly was preparing to impeach him. On Wednesday, Cuomo denied the allegations were true: 'I said at the time it was political and it was false.' His name recognition, early endorsements and position in voter surveys — including surveys paid for by a lobbying firm that has provided free services to the ex-governor's campaign — have stoked a Cuomo narrative that his victory is inevitable. But polls have shown the former governor is highly unpopular. And critics have tried to undermine his claim of being a capable manager, pointing to his policies while governor on homelessness and mass transit — policies they assert have hurt the city. Cuomo's advantages remain numerous. A super PAC boosting Cuomo's candidacy, Fix the City, has spent more than $8 million on TV advertising, easily outpacing the other campaigns. The former governor has also received crucial endorsements from politically influential unions like 32BJ SEIU and the Hotel Trades and Gaming Council. The PAC has received donations from Trump supporters like William Ackman and DoorDash, a food delivery app that has lobbied on city regulations. Cuomo defended the support to Fix the City, which has come under scrutiny from campaign finance regulators who have accused him of illegally coordinating with the PAC. 'I work for the people of the state of New York, the people of the city of New York. I don't care who gave me what,' he said. 'I do what is right.' His campaign has portrayed New York as a city in crisis, beset with crime and homelessness that the former governor will be able to solve. Cuomo has leaned on a base that overlaps with Eric Adams: Blue-collar people of color and Jewish New Yorkers — blocs that are crucial to win citywide office. Mamdani, a state assemblymember, has emerged as Cuomo's most persistent electoral threat, placing second in most polls. An Emerson College survey found Cuomo defeating Mamdani by single digits in the final round of a ranked-choice voter simulation. Mamdani has gained attention through slickly produced videos on social media, though his proposals like government-run grocery stores, no-cost child care and free buses would run into cost realities at City Hall. The Queens state lawmaker wants to generate $10 billion in new taxes on rich New Yorkers and businesses, which would require Albany's approval. Mamdani has called for a rent freeze — and faulted Cuomo in the Wednesday debate for less-than-fulsome support for taxing the rich when he was governor. The democratic socialist has also come under scrutiny for his staunch criticisms of Israel and support for the boycott, divest and sanction movement. Courting Jewish voters, Cuomo has criticized Mamdani, along with opponents Lander and Adrienne Adams for what he has framed as less-than-fervent support for Israel. There was a carnival-like atmosphere outside of NBC's studios at 30 Rockefeller Center, where supporters of the candidates cheered their arrival. Mamdani walked in, backed by a brass band dubbed 'Horns for Zohran,' playing 'This Land is Your Land.' Cuomo had the biggest cheering section made up of union members from Laborers Local 79, the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council and the carpenters union. But the former governor kept them waiting. 'You sure he's coming? We're waiting for him,' an HTC member said. Candidates were asked to show up before 5:30 — Cuomo rolled up in his Dodge Charger almost an hour late and greeted the cheering crowd. Jeff Coltin contributed to this report.
