Sen. Nicole Cannizzaro

Maddy summarySB 245 creates the Advisory Council on Civics Education within Nevada's Department of Education to help develop and implement the State Seal of Civics Program. The Council, composed of educators, administrators, and civic engagement staff, will establish program criteria and assist the Superintendent in recognizing high school students who demonstrate civics proficiency through revised GPA and examination requirements. The bill appropriates $1.5 million to the Nevada Center for Civic Engagement to raise awareness of civics education and create related awards. This directly affects Nevada high school students, teachers, and schools participating in the civics recognition program.

Maddy summarySB 282 creates a Grocery Initiative within Nevada's Department of Health and Human Services to provide grants and technical assistance to grocery stores in designated food deserts. The initiative aims to expand access to healthy foods in areas meeting specific criteria, such as high poverty rates and limited grocery store proximity (defined as rural tracts with 33% of residents >10 miles from a store or urban tracts with similar metrics). It appropriates $10 million for the program and requires the Council on Food Security to research food insecurity in these areas and submit a legislative report. The bill directly affects grocery stores in qualifying census tracts, not general residents.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds a new exemption to Nevada's tuition policy, prohibiting the University of Nevada Board of Regents from charging out-of-state tuition to surviving spouses or children of first responders killed while performing their duties in Nevada. It directly affects these family members of fallen police officers, firefighters, or emergency medical personnel who qualify under Nevada law (NRS 193.1678). The key mechanism amends existing law (NRS 396.540) to explicitly include this group among those exempt from tuition charges at Nevada's public universities. This change applies to all campuses within the Nevada System of Higher Education and does not require residency verification.

Maddy summaryAB 480 updates Nevada's Fair Housing Law to allow discrimination claims based on the *effects* of housing practices, not just the *intent* behind them. It directly affects landlords, housing providers, and individuals filing complaints by establishing that a practice may be discriminatory if it causes a disproportionate negative impact on protected groups (like race, disability, or sexual orientation), even without intentional bias. The bill sets clear rules: complainants must first prove a practice causes disparate impact, then the housing provider must show the practice is necessary for legitimate reasons and no less discriminatory alternative exists. This change aligns Nevada law with federal standards for addressing systemic housing bias while maintaining due process for providers.

Maddy summarySB 193 establishes a state pilot program to reduce mortgage interest rates for eligible first-time homebuyers. The program, administered by the Housing Division, provides interest rate buy-downs for owner-occupied homes to families meeting specific criteria: household income at or below 160% of the county median, first-time homebuyer status (with defined exceptions for displaced homemakers and single parents), and mortgage loan eligibility. Participants can apply through the Division, with the program covering up to the full duration of the mortgage loan. The bill includes an appropriation for program implementation but does not affect local or state government budgets beyond the specified funding.

Maddy summarySB 434 creates a state grant program to address shortages of health care providers by funding projects in underserved areas and specialties. The program, managed by the Department of Health and Human Services, awards competitive grants to eligible entities (like hospitals, clinics, or nonprofits) that propose solutions to identified shortages, requiring applicants to provide matching funds equal to the grant amount. Funds come from a new account funded by 0.5% annual state revenue transfers (capped at $60 million), with biennial assessments identifying critical shortages. Grantees must submit progress reports and comply with funding agreements, and the state may terminate grants for noncompliance or misuse of funds. This directly affects communities with provider shortages and health care organizations seeking to expand services.

Maddy summarySB 413 allocates $2 million annually for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 fiscal years to fund Nevada’s Nonprofit Security Grant Pilot Program. The program provides grants to tax-exempt nonprofits (501(c)(3) organizations) in Nevada facing threats of violence, covering up to $10,000 for security personnel or $50,000 for security equipment. Priority is given to nonprofits at highest risk and those not receiving federal security funding in the prior two years. Unspent funds must revert to the state general fund by September 2026/2027, with no more than 5% of funds used for program administration.

Maddy summarySB 435 requires manufacturers of vapor products containing nicotine to submit certifications to Nevada's Attorney General proving compliance with federal marketing rules. The Attorney General must create and maintain a public directory of approved products, making it unlawful to sell any vapor product not listed in this directory after its publication. Retailers, distributors, and wholesalers of these products will face annual unannounced inspections, and violations carry civil penalties. The bill directly affects nicotine product manufacturers, retailers, and distributors operating in Nevada.

Maddy summarySB 301 expands collective bargaining rights to include specific state peace officers. It revises Nevada law to define "employee" for bargaining purposes to cover category I, II, and III peace officers working in the unclassified service of the State. This directly affects those peace officers, who were previously excluded from collective bargaining under existing law (NRS 288.400-288.630). The bill’s key mechanism is amending the definition of "employee" in state law, allowing these officers to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions with the Executive Department. The change applies solely to state-level employees and has a fiscal impact on the state, per the bill's note.

Maddy summarySB 196 allows heavy equipment rental companies operating in Nevada to charge a 2% recovery fee on rentals to offset property taxes on their equipment. The fee must be listed separately on invoices, held in a dedicated account, and used exclusively to cover the companies' property taxes. If the collected fees exceed the taxes owed, companies must pay the excess to county treasurers, who then distribute it to state and local governments as property taxes would be. This bill directly affects rental companies (not end-users) and requires annual reporting to the Department of Taxation, with penalties for false reporting.