AB 406 requires public schools to post mental health resources online and hold quarterly mental health education assemblies for students. It bans public schools from using artificial intelligence to perform counseling duties related to student mental health and prohibits unlicensed individuals from claiming expertise in mental or behavioral health care. The bill also deems absences for mental health reasons (including bullying, bereavement, or mental distress) as approved, credits these absences toward attendance requirements, and prevents denial of credit/promotion for students meeting academic standards despite such absences. These changes directly affect public school students, staff, and mental health providers in Nevada.
AB 298 requires every public school in Nevada, including charter schools, to employ a full-time school counselor and develop a comprehensive counseling program. This replaces the previous law that allowed schools to skip these requirements if funding was unavailable. The bill removes the phrase "to the extent that money is available" from Nevada Revised Statute 388.055, making counselor staffing mandatory regardless of budget constraints. It also updates related provisions about school safety teams and trauma response teams to align with the new mandatory counselor requirement. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.
SB 277 requires every public school (including charter schools) to employ a full-time school social worker when funding is available, and prohibits schools from contracting with outside providers for these services when feasible. The bill also updates licensing rules to allow current school social workers or counselors to complete required internship hours while employed, rather than needing to leave their positions. This directly affects public schools, their staffing decisions, and the licensing process for school support staff. The policy changes aim to increase in-school mental health support by mandating dedicated staff and streamlining credentialing.
AB 516 requires Nevada's Department of Health and Human Services to ensure school districts and charter schools can get paid by Medicaid for health services provided on school grounds to children already enrolled in Medicaid. It creates a new School Health Access Resource Center to help schools and health providers navigate Medicaid billing and participation. The bill also mandates applying for federal approval to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates by at least 5% for school-based services and by 10% specifically for primary/preventative care provided by school-based health centers. This directly affects schools, health providers serving students, and Medicaid-eligible children receiving care at school.
SB 314 requires all Nevada public schools to update health education curricula to include evidence-based mental health content, culturally appropriate resources, and alignment with social-emotional learning standards. It mandates that new teachers complete a mental health education course to obtain a teaching license, and requires licensed teachers renewing their licenses after July 2027 to earn two credits or 30 hours of mental health-focused professional development. School districts must partner with specific entities, including the Nevada System of Higher Education, to provide this training, particularly in rural and online settings.
SB 216 provides $3 million annually from the State General Fund to United Citizens Foundation, Inc. for mental health, substance use disorder, and community resource services for K-12 students, families, and school staff. The bill requires the foundation to submit detailed spending reports to the Finance Committee by December 2026 and September 2027, and mandates that unspent funds revert to the state by specific deadlines (September 18, 2026, and September 17, 2027). It directly affects public school students, families, and personnel by funding support services within the education system. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025, and currently has no further action taken.
AB 319 appropriates $43 million from the State General Fund to the Department of Agriculture to provide grants to Nevada school districts for universal free breakfast and lunch for all Nevada pupils. The funding must be spent by September 19, 2025, with unspent balances reverting to the State General Fund. This bill directly affects Nevada public school districts and their students by establishing a state-funded meal program. The program becomes effective July 1, 2024.
AB 268 appropriates $43 million annually for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 from the State General Fund to the State Department of Agriculture. This funding directly enables Nevada school districts to provide universal free breakfast and lunch to all Nevada pupils. The bill requires school districts to spend the funds by specific deadlines (September 18, 2026, and September 17, 2027) or return unused portions to the State General Fund. It becomes effective July 1, 2025, and establishes a concrete funding mechanism for school meal programs.
SB 177 revises school disciplinary procedures for homeless students and those in foster care. It requires principals to hold meetings (not just consult) with relevant parties before suspending these students, and mandates that for suspensions exceeding 5 days, they must assess whether homelessness or foster care status caused the behavior. If so, principals must either end the suspension with support services or place the student in temporary alternative education (up to 45 days, extendable for safety). The bill also requires schools to create annual plans for students removed from classrooms, including academic support and behavioral interventions to prevent disengagement. This law, approved by the Governor on June 5, 2025, aims to reduce punitive actions tied to students' unstable living situations.
SB 403 revises education policies in Nevada, directly affecting public school districts, charter schools, and students in grades 1-8. It mandates career guidance and counseling for all students in grades 6-8 (previously optional for grades 7-12), requires the Department of Education to create career exploration materials for grades 1-5, and establishes a Subcommittee on Metrics to develop school performance standards. The bill also allows schools participating in competency-based learning pilot programs to use alternative schedules and enrollment counting methods for state funding. It includes $137,820 for a Commission staff position and $50,000 for Commission travel expenses over two fiscal years.
