Bills to ban private prisons, shield retiree names on tap in Carson City

CARSON CITY — The Nevada Legislature begins its final month in session Monday with Senate and Assembly finance committees working to resolve budget differences and close budgets, while bills that have passed in one house move through their second round of committee hearings.

Here’s a look at what’s on tap this week. Committee agendas are subject to change, with more meetings likely to be added later in the week.

Monday

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hear Assembly Bill 183, which would ban private prisons in the state (there are none currently) and require the state to end contracts with out-of-state private prisons by mid-2022. It passed the Assembly April 17 on a 29-12 party-line vote.

The same committee hears Assembly Bill 248, which passed in that house April 23 on a 34-7 vote. The bill would ban blanket gag orders in certain civil cases involving allegations of felony sexual offenses, gender discrimination or retaliation. It was amended in the Assembly to exempt settlement agreements negotiated by the state Equal Rights Commission.

The Assembly Government Affairs Committee is expected to take up Senate Bill 224, which would shield the names of retired public employees in pension records. The bill passed the Senate April 22 by just one vote, 11-10.

Assembly Bill 282 is before the Senate Legislative Operations and Elections Committee. The bill would provide for ward-only elections to pick Henderson City Council members. It passed the Assembly 39-2 on April 23 after it was amended to apply only to Henderson and not other cities and allow voters there to make the final call on the change by referendum.

The Senate Government Affairs Committee hears Assembly Bill 136, which aims to reverse changes to the state’s prevailing wage laws enacted in 2015 when Republicans controlled the Legislature and governor’s office. It passed the Assembly April 29 on a 29-12 party-line vote.

And the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee hears Senate Bill 192, which passed unanimously in the Senate on April 22. The bill would set the minimum level of health benefits an employer must provide to an employee who is paid at the lower end of the state’s two-tiered minimum wage.

Tuesday

The Senate Growth and Infrastructure Committee is scheduled to hear Assembly Bill 485, which would regulate electric scooters similar to bicycles and e-bikes, exempt them from DMV licensing requirements, allow local cities and counties to regulate them and prevent business from renting them to minors. It passed the Assembly April 23 on a 40-1 vote.

The Assembly Taxation Committee hears Senate Bill 48, which would let rural counties outside Clark and Washoe implement a 5-cent-per-gallon diesel tax to fund infrastructure improvements if approved locally by the county commission or voter initiative. It passed the Senate April 23 on a 17-4 vote.

Wednesday

The Senate Government Affairs Committee takes up Assembly Bill 70, which would make various revisions to the state open meeting law, including changes to how the attorney general’s office investigates violations of the law. It passed the Assembly 31-9 on April 23.

Contact Bill Dentzer at bdentzer@reviewjournal.com or 775-461-0661. Follow @DentzerNews on Twitter.