Rep. Heidi Kasama

Maddy summaryAB 423 revises Nevada business laws to provide specific exemptions and requirements. It allows sole proprietors (businesses with only one owner-employee) to elect not to contribute to the Unemployment Compensation Fund, but they lose eligibility for unemployment benefits. The bill also exempts certain new business license applicants from the $200 initial fee and first renewal fee if they commit to hiring full-time employees or making capital investments within two years, with a review at the second renewal. Additionally, it sets new rules for land use authorities reviewing modifications to personal wireless service facilities.

Maddy summaryAB 290 revises prior authorization rules for health and dental insurance coverage, affecting all health insurers (including Medicaid and CHIP plans) and the patients and providers who rely on them. It requires insurers to publicly list covered services needing authorization and their clinical criteria, shorten response times (48 hours for urgent care, 7 days for routine care), and prohibit denying claims if prior authorization wasn't required at the time of service. The bill also mandates disclosure of AI use in processing requests, requires physician review for denials, and bans prior authorization for emergency care. These changes aim to increase transparency, reduce delays, and protect patients from unnecessary coverage denials.

Maddy summaryAB 145 strengthens oversight of veterans' benefit assistance and expands state support programs. It requires anyone helping veterans file claims with federal or state agencies (like the VA or Nevada Department of Veterans Services) to be accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, with exceptions for unpaid help or when federal law already applies. The bill also creates a state Veterans Coordinator to manage two new programs: a veteran hiring initiative for state jobs (including spouses of veterans) and a peer mentor program for veterans employed by the state. Additionally, it extends free annual state park permits to surviving spouses, parents, or adult children of service members killed in action. These changes directly affect veterans, their families, state employees, and individuals seeking veterans' benefits.

Maddy summarySB 258 updates industrial insurance rules by limiting reductions to workers' compensation only for "economic damages" (medical costs, lost wages, and rehabilitation expenses) when an injured worker receives payment from a third party, such as another company's insurance. It removes the requirement for injured workers to notify insurers before suing third parties and changes court procedures by prohibiting juries from hearing evidence about prior compensation payments. These changes directly affect injured workers, their families, and industrial insurers by ensuring workers are "made whole" before insurers claim any portion of third-party recovery. The bill also restricts insurers' claims to only the economic damages portion of any settlement or judgment.

Maddy summaryAB 466 modifies notice requirements for insurers selling portable electronics insurance policies. It removes the requirement that insurers follow Commissioner of Insurance regulations when sending notices electronically to customers or vendors. The bill clarifies that existing rules about switching from electronic to physical notices (when addresses are invalid or notices aren't received) now apply to portable electronics insurance policies. This directly affects insurers and customers enrolled in these policies, simplifying the electronic notice process without changing core notice content or timing rules.

Maddy summaryAB 422 creates leave protections for Nevada employees who volunteer with the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). It guarantees up to 10 workdays annually for CAP emergency training and 30 days for actual emergency response, without loss of job position, seniority, or benefits. Employers must accept this leave (treating it as unpaid unless they choose to pay it) and cannot require employees to use other leave first; employees must provide CAP verification, and violations allow lawsuits for lost wages. The bill directly affects CAP members employed in Nevada, ensuring they can serve without workplace penalties.

Maddy summaryAB 547 updates Nevada's public employment rules to make state hiring more flexible. It allows state agencies to count relevant federal government work experience as equivalent to state experience for job qualifications and pay decisions. The bill also restricts requiring a bachelor's degree for most state jobs, except when an agency proves the position genuinely needs that specific education. These changes directly affect state job applicants and employees in both classified (competitive) and unclassified (non-competitive) positions.

Maddy summaryAB 334 removes a requirement that dental hygienists seeking licensure by endorsement in Nevada must have actively practiced in another state for the five years immediately before applying. This change directly affects dental hygienists licensed in other states who want to practice in Nevada without relocating. The bill amends Nevada Revised Statute 622.530 to prohibit the Board of Dental Examiners from requiring applicants to prove recent practice in another state, while maintaining other standard requirements like holding a valid out-of-state license, passing background checks, and paying fees. The bill does not alter other licensure standards or create new obligations for applicants.

Maddy summaryAB 258 requires all brokerage agreements between real estate brokers and clients to be in writing, removing the previous allowance for oral agreements. This affects real estate brokers, broker-salespersons, and their clients by mandating written contracts for services like property sales, rentals, or negotiations. The bill revises Nevada’s real estate law (NRS 645) to eliminate references permitting oral brokerage agreements and updates related provisions to reflect this written requirement. The change clarifies that only written agreements qualify as brokerage agreements under state law.

Maddy summaryAJR 7 proposes amending the Nevada Constitution to establish a Citizens’ Commission that would set salaries and benefits for specific elected officials, including state legislators, the governor, lieutenant governor, and other constitutional officers. The Commission, composed of seven members with diverse backgrounds (including public interest, business, and labor representation), would determine compensation annually based on duties and market comparisons, with a 15% cap on annual changes. It would replace the current legislative authority to set these salaries, requiring the Commission to file initial and subsequent schedules by January 1, 2029, and every odd-numbered year thereafter. This change directly affects the compensation structure for these elected officials without altering existing fiscal impacts on state or local government.