[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6531160,"mediaKeyId","3555990-f8b0002091ed84a35122a6bde2f2b946","parentId",3555990,"title","Bill to expand pharmacy drug take‑back bins advances amid debate over added CLIA testing amendment","audioSeconds",2097,"startMs",6654000,"endMs",8751000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3555990-f8b0002091ed84a35122a6bde2f2b946&start=6654&end=8751","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3555990-f8b0002091ed84a35122a6bde2f2b946/thumbnail_6654000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6531160/Nevada/Bill-to-expand-pharmacy-drug-takeback-bins-advances-amid-debate-over-added-CLIA-testing-amendment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6531160-70eab1b1e70f1336c00a9b255add6f0f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770514510&Signature=hZ5S3O6u0djUSJhO1qElNepKE7kFulaifJW2iYjyvnWyKSs9MG0yhBHfAVgX2Y-TDcrLXydfNLmm1~ggH87yHWZNI57aKO7MWjH2BGg7tkplBXInU8qhX50A9EuKDN-KjMIe~GsItitZvXiriE~qmrGKnSvDbs8HLc7wtGIixF1T1snmIeWqYChdDFopLDcBqqqHzEvcs7mXnJpolt9z87lBBo82lRE8~aWgllsnbHJ5ZGslZGtPJc9HVLZDNesCJfk3vsrWQ~GVZxfx3zWsnUV52mb5qvmD~GzlUTOtDfK7mDbg7tv85BhDPYC8gDtD~2bbUflg8BjtSu5uTN9UYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Nevada Legislature","date","2025-05-26T22:38:47Z","article","Senate Bill 231, as presented Wednesday, would encourage — but not require — pharmacies in Nevada to install secure drug take‑back bins for home‑generated pharmaceuticals and would create operational and recordkeeping standards for those voluntary bins. The sponsor proposed a $500,000 grant from the state's opioid settlement fund to the State Board of Pharmacy to support program setup.

Sen. Jeff Stone said the measure would expand convenient options to dispose of unused or expired medications to reduce diversion and protect landfills and water supplies. He described existing take‑back bin counts in Nevada and compared them to Sacramento, California, to argue Nevada is underserved. The measure would require that take‑back bins be monitored during posted hours, that conspicuous signage list prohibited items (for example, syringes and schedule I substances), that collectors keep inspection records and that collectors notify law enforcement of suspected tampering within one business day. The bill is explicitly voluntary for pharmacies.

During the hearing, stakeholders offered a friendly amendment that would also authorize community pharmacists to serve as laboratory directors for CLIA‑waived testing and to continue point‑of‑care testing after a federal PREP waiver expires — an item proponents said was already common practice during and after the COVID pandemic and is operational in many other states. Pharmacy and health‑system pharmacist witnesses said the change is needed so pharmacists can continue to perform simple CLIA‑waived tests (e.g., rapid influenza, COVID and strep tests) and, in some cases, order lab work and connect patients to care. Supporters said the amendment does not expand pharmacist prescribing authority and that pharmacists would be regulated by the board of pharmacy.

Opponents and neutral testifiers raised concerns about the amendment’s scope: the Nevada State Medical Association and the Nevada Psychiatric Association said the amendment was provided late and asked for more study, noting the CLIA waived list contains many different tests and some require specimen types beyond a simple nasal or oral swab. They also flagged questions about training, liability and patient protection procedures. The bill’s sponsor said he would work with interested parties on the amendment language.

Other testimony in support of the take‑back provisions came from the Nevada Board of Pharmacy, Stericycle (medical-waste disposal) and pharmacists across the state. Testimony from a disability‑rights representative requested consistent placement of bins inside pharmacies for accessibility.

The committee closed the hearing on SB 231 after discussion; an amendment and the implications for point‑of‑care testing were the primary subjects of dispute during testimony.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","5/28/2025 - Assembly Committee on Commerce and Labor","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 231 would encourage pharmacies to install secure drug take‑back bins and set operational requirements; an amendment to allow community pharmacists to serve as lab directors for CLIA‑waived tests prompted medical‑community concerns.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature NV, Nevada","taxId",78440,"location","Nevada","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6531166,"Panel hears bill to require insurers cover noninvasive prenatal testing without prior authorization",699,5619000,6318000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3555990-f8b0002091ed84a35122a6bde2f2b946&start=5619&end=6318","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3555990-f8b0002091ed84a35122a6bde2f2b946/thumbnail_5619000.jpg","/articles/6531166/Nevada/Panel-hears-bill-to-require-insurers-cover-noninvasive-prenatal-testing-without-prior-authorization","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6531166-cf1e0f9fc2d3aa682b9dd076df30ac0d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770514510&Signature=TXobRmPPK899UZcEucV3QBKkMmJemkWnSSpss89B-KVlPQEEgrXHajMd67ItpI9pNvHrakSL8mbEgovB3nmgmpnyb0vG9za0MPNrUyHyfBS7vxGBkpwfFjsjqbFrKTBBQjbSmpKm2nYZj45figtUcVqO456wbCW1ppNvKjvT1oZ~ReukJ1AJeV7uR7De7HqFhOFpHmeFFv5L1XH1edfZqEXKhZXWu9TkktVXCyYNz-UACg80Hu4k8C~UrKBEuobq6REXzzJSQPnxhLwbNdXeFMTn6AcTrPUE3qEIXsfEA2ZbD-lfTuSfxE0xsUCoHDvrI7vWaQO-K5dzjsHQOAQXdg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 344 would require certain health insurers to cover noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT, or cell‑free DNA testing) and would prohibit prior‑authorization requirements for that screening, majority leader Sen. Nicole Cannizzaro told the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee.

\"NIPT represents one of the most significant advancements in prenatal care in recent decades,\" Cannizzaro said during her presentation. She and testifying physicians said the screening can be performed as early as 10 weeks of pregnancy with high accuracy and that it lowers the need for later, invasive diagnostic procedures.

Dr. Joseph Adashek, a high‑risk obstetrician and president of the Nevada State Medical Association, told the committee that NIPT can detect fetal chromosomal abnormalities with about 90–95 percent accuracy and can produce results earlier than the prior-standard combined screenings. \"To say that this is a game changer is an understatement,\" Adashek said, noting that the old approach produced many false positives that led to emotional distress and additional invasive testing. He also told the committee that 47 other states cover NIPT broadly and that the testing can replace multiple first‑ and second‑trimester screens and reduce follow‑up invasive tests.

Witnesses from the Nevada State Medical Association, the Nevada section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), ACOG clinicians and other medical professionals testified in support, describing patient and clinical benefits. The Division of Insurance notified the committee that an earlier written concern about federal defrayal was resolved by an amendment that removes the federal-defrayal trigger.

No opposition testimony was offered during the hearing. Supporters urged the committee to pass the measure to align Nevada with the majority of states and expand access to an early, less‑invasive form of prenatal genetic screening. The committee closed the hearing without a recorded vote.","Senate Bill 344 would require insurers to cover noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) without prior authorization, proponents told the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee, arguing the screening is safer and more accurate than older methods.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6531171,"Assembly panel debates bill establishing rights, housing and access standards for agricultural workers",2297,3284000,5581000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3555990-f8b0002091ed84a35122a6bde2f2b946&start=3284&end=5581","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3555990-f8b0002091ed84a35122a6bde2f2b946/thumbnail_3284000.jpg","/articles/6531171/Nevada/Assembly-panel-debates-bill-establishing-rights-housing-and-access-standards-for-agricultural-workers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6531171-ffa9804d089c06327d6a2c8d51fda2a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770514510&Signature=QJbVDlTjc8bQpmmraFbz-Pz8AYxo2iFb3IFGppqys77jMMr00FvJh2qkQhwpCkrHVC5LXR5v3QRMbPGfX9z8sx6Kw8bI~T9SlwTEk6a14uWRX3Tt11hV86eWvRS5vL51kYLuG-1Tx7SgZWdxbwHXxVecSXuFxvo~aAzCjdGqr~vuSD2IAAMJlNNZKbbaNRBPQk4oT-8LCpKQCgMexuy7cGognqoAil-R1oZ999WEr5gKbKb50yE8n4t1hh1C4ZYTiAHetcT3Dngiy3nM1rqeIwZnpI~EOuCTncqr6vpCl8T1B3xmCs7zGkTUlgvsOIjIZytmvnr3cOIt6i0isCC3tw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 172, presented Wednesday to the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee, would create an \"agricultural workers' bill of rights\" that sets minimum standards for meal breaks, housing access and certain worker protections for agricultural employees in Nevada.

Sen. Edgar Flores, the bill sponsor, said he and stakeholders collected testimony during the interim showing problems in some worker housing and work arrangements. Flores told the committee he heard reports that employers held workers' visas, required employees to do nonagricultural work, or provided overcrowded, unheated or uncooled housing. Flores said negotiators removed an overtime provision from the bill and narrowed language after outreach to farms.

The proposal would require a meal break of at least 30 minutes after five continuous hours of work and would remove exemptions that allow employers to value lodging and meals above statutory caps when calculating wages. The bill would grant agricultural workers the right to receive visitors at employer-provided housing, access to key service providers (including health care providers during work hours in some circumstances), visible posting of rights at housing and workplaces, and a civil right of action for workers, whistleblowers and service providers. Sections of the bill reference definitions modeled on federal law (the Fair Labor Standards Act) and make conforming changes to enforcement statutes (testimony referenced NRS 608.007 and similar provisions).

Supporters included labor, environmental justice and worker-advocacy organizations: Make the Road Nevada, Nevada AFL-CIO, AFSCME, PLUM (Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada), Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter, SEIU and others. Noe Orozco of Make the Road Nevada read a first-person account from a farmworker who described overcrowded trailer housing, lack of heat or air conditioning and loss of employment after complaining. Susie Martinez of the Nevada State AFL-CIO framed the bill as honoring \"the people who feed us.\"

Opponents — including representatives of family farms, the Nevada State Board of Agriculture and the Vegas Chamber — argued the state already has enforcement mechanisms through the U.S. Department of Labor and state agencies, warned the measure could add regulatory and cost burdens that would reduce agricultural production and said some provisions (notably a private right of action and a collective-bargaining expansion) were objectionable. Several livestock and range operations told the committee that a requirement to transport range workers to town every three weeks (as drafted) would be impractical and impose significant time and cost burdens on remote ranching operations.

Senator Flores said the bill does not mandate collective bargaining; it would allow agricultural workers the right to organize and bargain if they chose to. He also said negotiators removed the overtime requirement during drafting. The sponsor set an effective date of Oct. 1, 2025.

Committee members asked whether the Labor Commissioner already had authority to investigate mistreatment; Flores said that while enforcement exists, workers often lack awareness of protections and remote seasonal work can make complaints difficult to pursue before employees leave. The committee took no vote at the hearing; testimony will be part of the legislative record.","Senate Bill 172 would establish a statutory agricultural workers’ bill of rights, guaranteeing meal breaks, access to visitors and service providers at employer-provided housing, posted rights and a civil private right of action, supporters told an Assembly committee.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6531176,"Nevada committee hears bill to require annual cancer screenings for firefighters",2026,1167000,3193000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3555990-f8b0002091ed84a35122a6bde2f2b946&start=1167&end=3193","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3555990-f8b0002091ed84a35122a6bde2f2b946/thumbnail_1167000.jpg","/articles/6531176/Nevada/Nevada-committee-hears-bill-to-require-annual-cancer-screenings-for-firefighters","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6531176-f5a4f654e253db1c3c2445d557b0c52c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770514510&Signature=K8OEPrptO9~OCM9BTVPM3vkLD8PCFVD870cPnzSKiVGOYxeEcFcxdATDIaYcSZ8VTykYWyMoJWNHzCWz0KkxUFQVvSGA-Zqmxfs2mNjUEqZVA6XgqVIH6cay5En4I8sdP3hHfR5musweGvFK43Pr7tEmD5ygjRx0Y6KyDCe~i~DHae2YDPFNPXUiH77uvcQIlR9k-n2E2rVm65hWWXBPnbK5nDSOZ3pSwDe2nYkiv2OSOObyNtq8Xdp9dInigzOzs89I4yqDrjVqVeXv0HFH2oVV-6cvwn~4XkqbQuPR~XaFDshb9PS5kumrgPInHZIDEBFKv5YpeX2YPKI2RdllsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senators and witnesses on the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee on Wednesday heard testimony on Senate Bill 170, a measure that would add mandatory annual cancer screening and expanded physicals for firefighters, with employers required to pay the cost.

Sponsor Sen. John Steinbeck (Senate District 18) said the bill \"adds cancer screenings and other provisions to the annual physical exam for firefighters\" and asked the committee to consider the proposal because of the high incidence of occupational cancer in the fire service. \"Firefighting is a very dangerous profession,\" Steinbeck said. \"This bill would establish annual cancer screenings with the objective of ruling out the present presence of cancers so firefighters can have the peace of mind of detecting cancer early on.\"

The bill, as described by Ryan Beeman of Professional Firefighters Nevada, would require annual screenings for career and volunteer firefighters not employed by the executive department of state government. Beeman said screenings must be done by a licensed physician or advanced practice registered nurse and would expand mandatory examinations to include hearing tests, tuberculosis screening, pulmonary function, chest X-ray, cardiac assessment and specified cancer screens. For female firefighters the bill would require mammograms and Pap smears; for men it would require prostate testing; it would require colonoscopy starting at age 45 and a range of blood and urine screenings. Beeman said all required examinations \"must be paid fully by the employer.\"

Firefighters and family members described personal experiences that supporters said show the need for earlier and routine screening. Captain Rochelle Rau of the Clark County Fire Department told the committee she was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer after a mammogram ordered while she was at the department for an unrelated visit. \"Getting early screening saved my life because it was caught early,\" Rau said. Other witnesses described colleagues who died of occupational cancer and urged the committee to adopt the measure.

Committee members asked why the bill excludes firefighters employed by the executive branch. Steinbeck answered that exclusion arose during negotiations because of budget and contract considerations; he said those employees \"are no less at risk\" and that sponsors plan to pursue codifying the benefit for them in a later session as budget and contract issues allow.

Supporters included labor and medical organizations: Nevada State AFL-CIO, Nevada Justice Association, Professional Firefighters Nevada, Nevada Fire Chiefs Association, Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada and the Nevada Cancer Coalition. Several witnesses testified remotely about late-stage diagnoses they said could have been avoided by more extensive or earlier screening.

No opposing testimony was offered in the hearing. The chair limited public testimony across Carson City, Las Vegas and the phone lines to allow more speakers to comment.

If enacted as written, the measure would require employers to pay for the expanded screening and would expand the list of tests covered in statute for covered firefighters. The bill text also makes technical specifications for who may perform the examinations and defines which tests constitute the required cancer screening.

Supporters urged the committee to move the bill forward; sponsors said they would work to address remaining budget and contracting issues that excluded executive-branch firefighters from the immediate statutory change.","Senate Bill 170 would require annual cancer screenings and expanded physicals for career and volunteer firefighters, with employers bearing the cost, supporters told the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6531156,"Bill would let firefighters, officers seek outside specialists and require prompt reimbursement for occupational heart and lung care",995,8775000,9770000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3555990-f8b0002091ed84a35122a6bde2f2b946&start=8775&end=9770","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3555990-f8b0002091ed84a35122a6bde2f2b946/thumbnail_8775000.jpg","/articles/6531156/Nevada/Bill-would-let-firefighters-officers-seek-outside-specialists-and-require-prompt-reimbursement-for-occupational-heart-and-lung-care","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6531156-0f174d7eafd6507cf384912385d41280/orig.mp4?Expires=1770514510&Signature=DSkh5uJrHLIY-jzaInKo96FUOA3wFUm0UgqKo4rz-8t6IPSPfVdy7Uf4Z20w87H6yDRChOaOeNZ9ntJEJAfWySPbRpdZXV0c2vfLNNzDHRVnGPWELGsAevwwfr8Nk7ugKLIWC2INfgtwkMdUDeudExwhTcNvZY6gc9gxhwVFo8-va5IlFeJVQU-KppgUrEDtqKpb3~uDWCI8SjPYem4xAKAthpM5v3LKdwDC3aiZDd22RNvMhheBwS00tJOTiT58OPXjsH-M9VwvBye97IdtBcGOw6oEnknkXFi4XXmjcPFaf9Rael5rRGDK7S8eps9-Y8lf6CrHo7s2XwhPk7IbjA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 376 would expand access to specialty care and reimbursement timelines for firefighters and law-enforcement officers who claim occupational heart or lung disease under Nevada’s industrial insurance laws, supporters told the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee.

Ryan Beeman of Professional Firefighters Nevada said SB 376 would allow an injured employee to seek treatment from a physician of their choice when the Division of Industrial Relations (DIR) panel lacks sufficient specialists, and it would mandate prompt reimbursement for out‑of‑pocket medical costs and set timelines and penalties for delayed payment.

Testimony from a firefighter and claimant, Ryan Orton, described extended delays and a lack of meaningful physician choices from the DIR panel. Orton said a reopening of his occupational disease claim led to an eight‑month fight and that some DIR specialty lists had large numbers of physicians who were not practically available; he described going months without access to a pulmonologist and a six‑month wait to see a cardiologist during the dispute. \"For pulmonology, the wait from time of claim acceptance to seeing a doctor was five months... For ENT, to this day, I still have not been able to see a doctor,\" Orton said.

Sponsors and public-safety groups argued the measure is narrowly targeted and only applies when the statutory panel fails to provide timely, reasonable access to specialists. Supporters — including Professional Firefighters Nevada, the Nevada Fire Chiefs Association and public-safety unions — said timely access to diagnosis and treatment is essential for injured first responders and for returning them to work.

No opposition testimony was recorded at the hearing. Supporters urged the committee to move the bill forward to correct what they described as gaps in the current system that produced long waits and uncertain access to specialists.","Senate Bill 376 would allow injured firefighters and police officers with occupational heart or lung claims to seek treatment from physicians of their choice when the state list of specialists is insufficient, and it would require prompt reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses. Supporters said the current DIR panels often offer too few available ","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bill to expand pharmacy drug take‑back bins advances amid debate over added CLIA testing amendment

Panel hears bill to require insurers cover noninvasive prenatal testing without prior authorization

Assembly panel debates bill establishing rights, housing and access standards for agricultural workers

Nevada committee hears bill to require annual cancer screenings for firefighters

Bill would let firefighters, officers seek outside specialists and require prompt reimbursement for occupational heart and lung care