Ways and Means

SB 217, vetoed by the Governor on June 12, 2025, establishes new rights for individuals accessing assisted reproduction and requires health insurers to cover infertility treatment and fertility preservation. It prohibits government entities from imposing burdens on access to assisted reproduction, fertility services, or reproductive genetic material, with legal remedies available for violations. The bill mandates that health plans for groups over 50 employees (including public employers) cover infertility treatment and fertility preservation without cost-sharing, while exempting Medicaid managed care plans from these requirements until 2027. It also clarifies that fertilized eggs before implantation are not considered "human beings" under Nevada law.

SB 182 requires hospitals in Clark and Washoe Counties (with populations over 100,000 and more than 70 beds) to establish three new committees: one for nursing staff, one for technical staff (e.g., IT, equipment maintenance), and one for service staff (e.g., food service, housekeeping). It sets specific patient-to-nurse ratio limits for different hospital units and mandates that all committees collaborate to create a documented staffing plan including these ratios. Hospitals must also report annually on all committees’ activities and maintain records to verify compliance with staffing rules. The bill adds enforcement tools, including inspections by the health division and protections for staff reporting violations, while allowing temporary ratio deviations during declared emergencies.

SB 378 requires healthcare providers to give patients their electronic health records within 7 business days at no cost, and prohibits using paid health information exchanges to meet electronic record-keeping requirements. It updates licensing for independent emergency medical centers, mandating no fees for licenses, requiring urgent care during all operating hours, and obligating the state to collect and publicly share data on these centers' operations and patient outcomes. The bill also limits electronic health information exchange rules to specific providers (like doctors and hospitals) while exempting small practices from some requirements, though they must still provide records electronically upon patient request.

SB 460 requires Nevada public elementary schools to develop specific plans to improve student achievement, including measurable goals and consequences for principals who fail to meet them. It updates annual school accountability reports to include details about these improvement plans and revises how teacher vacancies are reported. The bill also creates a School District Oversight Board that can assume management of a struggling school district during a state of emergency, with defined membership and activation requirements. These changes directly affect school districts, elementary school principals, and accountability reporting systems across Nevada.

SB 233 creates a Nevada-grown food and farm product certification program requiring vendors to sell at least 51% Nevada-produced items to qualify. It also establishes a State Department of Agriculture Task Force on Farm Labor to study workforce development and visa programs, with a requirement to submit a report to the 2027 Legislature. The bill appropriates $800,000 for the Home Feeds Nevada Agriculture Food Purchase Program. This directly affects Nevada farmers, food vendors, and agricultural businesses by creating new certification standards and labor workforce studies.