Nevada Press Association The best in Nevada journalism since 1924
By Brian J. Allfrey
Executive Director, Nevada Press Association & Nevada Press Foundation
With only about 4 weeks left in the 2023 Legislative Session, I wanted to update the membership on where we are at. We have had a very successful session so far.
The Nevada Press Association has been tracking 45 bills this Legislative Session that are of interest to our members. 15 of those bills died in April and another was pulled this week, leaving us with 29 bills that we are currently tracking.
Nine of the bills that we are tracking were initially opposed by NPA and we have been working to either change or defeat them. Here is a quick look at those bills with a current status:
SB6 DMV bill trying to restrict access to bulk information requests.
We worked to amend this language to exempt NPA members from any restriction, but the bill has been pulled by the sponsor and is no dead for this session.
SB22 NACO bill that allows digital publication (paid) of a public notice to meet a deadline for the meeting notice, but that notice must also still run in a printed publication.
We worked with the Committee to clarify the language that the digital notice is in addition to the printed notice. We are also working on making another slight change that would change the words “printed and published” to “circulated”. This is a clean up of the language since not every county has a printing facility.
SB396 Imposes a tax on digital subscriptions.
We have been working with the sponsor who claims that Newspapers are exempt from this bill, however, we are working to add clarifying language that makes that a little clearer.
The following bills are being opposed by NPA in conjunction with the Nevada Open Government Coalition. We are supporting their opposition, but they are taking the lead in proposing amendments to protect open records.
AB179 Establishes the Perinatal Quality Control Collaborative.
Opposition Letter submitted
AB258 Enacts certain provisions governing the confidentiality of certain personal information of a donor, member or volunteer of a nonprofit organization.
Amendment language submitted
AB415 Revises provisions relating to dispensing opticians.
Amendment language submitted
SB10 Revises provisions related to the Nevada State Infrastructure Bank.
Amendment Language submitted
SB83 Revises provisions governing the confidentiality of the personal information of certain civilian employees of law enforcement agencies.
SB431 Revises provisions relating to governmental administration.
Amendment eliminated open government issues
Nevada Press Association is supporting the following bills:
AB219 Makes various changes to the Open Meeting Law.
Strengthens public comment periods.
AB266 Revises provisions relating to governmental administration.
Requires public notices in multiple languages.
AB350 Revises provisions governing forfeiture of property.
Increases transparency on seized property.
AB373 Revises provisions relating to language access.
Requires each agency under the State Executive Department to provide vital information in the most used 12 languages.
Nevada Press Association is monitoring the following bills:
AB52 Makes various changes to the Open Meeting Law.
AB225 Revises provisions concerning the confidentiality of certain personal information of members of the military.
SB407 Revises provisions relating to personal financial administration.
SB417 Revises provisions governing common-interest communities.
SB419 Makes revisions relating to public health.
SB 439 Revises provisions relating to communicable diseases.
Nevada Press Association has taken a neutral stance on the following bills:
AB34 Revises provisions relating to water.
AB119 Creates the Vulnerable Adult Fatality Review Committee.
AB160 Revises provisions governing the sealing of certain criminal records.
AB275 Revises provisions governing the sealing of criminal records.
AB302 Revises provisions governing state-issued identification.
AB441 Revises provisions relating to industrial insurance.
SB55 Revises various provisions relating to courts.
SB192 Revises provisions relating to county hospitals.
SB239 Establishes provisions governing the prescribing, dispensing and administering of medication designed to end the life of a patient
SB272 Revises provisions relating to governmental administration
SB305 Provides for the establishment of a retirement savings program for private sector employees.
If you have any questions, please feel to reach out to me or a NPA Board Member. You can reach me at ballfrey@nevadapress.com or call my mobile phone 801-541-9517.