AB 247 Nevada Assembly · 2025 Regular Session

Revises provisions relating to persons with disabilities. (BDR 19-574)

AB 247 requires public meetings to provide sign language interpreters and real-time captioning services to accommodate people who are deaf or hard of hearing. It also mandates that all new public buildings (designed on or after July 1, 2025) include equipment and software for real-time captioning. The bill adds American Sign Language (ASL) as an official foreign language course in Nevada public schools and directs the Department of Education to study the need for a specialized school for deaf or hard-of-hearing students. These changes directly affect public meeting attendees, building designers, school curriculum developers, and state education officials.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 17, 2025 Last action Jun 3, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

As Introduced → Reprint 1 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill update changes the requirements for public meetings to better accommodate people with disabilities. The main change is replacing the term 'registered sign language interpreter' with 'qualified interpreter' as defined by federal standards, and allowing interpreters to serve in person or electronically. This broadens access options beyond traditional in-person interpreters.

Scope change

The bill now applies to qualified interpreters meeting federal standards rather than only those registered under state law, and allows for electronic interpretation services in addition to in-person services.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the requirement from 'registered sign language interpreter' to 'qualified interpreter' as defined in federal regulations (28 C.F.R. § 35.104), expanding who can provide interpretation services.

Added option for interpreters to serve 'in person or by electronic means,' allowing remote interpretation services at public meetings.

FISCAL

Updated the unfunded mandate section reference from §§ 2, 3 to §§ 1, 2, reflecting changes in how the bill's provisions are numbered.

Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 16, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. To engrossment. Engrossed. First reprint. To committee.

lower

Apr 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended.

lower

Feb 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. To committee.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors