The Nevada Assembly Committee on Commerce and Labor on May 12 conducted a work session and voted to advance more than two dozen bills to the floor, with committee members assigning floor statements and recording a small number of opposing votes on several measures.

The committee approved routine and policy bills spanning health care licensing, consumer protections, housing and commerce. Most measures were advanced by voice vote with little debate; three items prompted substantive discussion: Senate Bill 171 (a shield law to protect transgender communities), Senate Bill 292 (an amendment to Medicare supplemental policy protections), and Assembly Bill 540 (changes to the Attainable Housing Fund and related administrative protections).

Why it matters: the committee’s actions send the measures to the full Assembly for further consideration or floor votes, and the recorded debates identified specific concerns—legal coordination with licensure compacts, the potential impact of Medigap-like protections on premiums, and protections to prioritize Nevada residents and geographic distribution for housing funds.

Most important developments

Shield law (Senate Bill 171): The committee voted to advance SB171 after a short but substantive exchange about unintended consequences. Assemblymember Yorick said his concern was “not in the underlying policy, but on the unintended potential unintended consequences,” specifically whether the bill’s protections could hinder cooperation on disciplinary matters tied to interstate licensure compacts. Yorick said he did not feel he received sufficient answers to fully resolve that concern and said he would note that on the record. The motion to do pass carried; nays were recorded from Assemblymembers O'Neil, Kasama, Urick and Cole and Hardy.

Medicare supplemental amendment (Senate Bill 292): Committee members discussed an amendment that narrows the policies covered and adds premium protections. Assemblymember Urich praised the senator and the amendment, saying it addressed concerns about “unintended consequences” and that he would vote yes in committee while reserving the right to change his vote on the floor. Assemblymember Monroe Moreno asked for more detail on the amendment’s scope and potential impact on current enrollees. Paige Barnes (Fratto Company), speaking for Fresenius Medical Care, described the amendment as reflective of Indiana’s approach and said the state implementation there had not produced “significant impacts” on rates; she offered to share supporting data and a written breakdown emailed to the committee. The committee voted to amend and do pass; the motion carried.

Attainable Housing Fund changes (Assembly Bill 540): Vice Chair Houdegui summarized an amendment developed with the Housing Division, the governor’s legal office and other stakeholders to add protections that funds from the Attainable Housing Fund be used for units occupied by Nevadans, require reporting on how funds are spent, and promote geographic representation of spending across the state. Houdegui said the amendment also included provisions to help rural Nevada build housing and noted a second friendly amendment being worked on by labor (including Local 872 and the Southern Nevada Building Trades) that was expected to be filed before the Ways and Means hearing. Speaker Yeager thanked Houdegui for negotiating the changes and said the bill “has come a long way” and “works for everybody.” The motion to amend and do pass carried.

Votes at a glance (selected outcomes and recorded nays where provided):
- SB124 (health care): motion to do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Gonzales.
- SB128 (health care; 2 amendments): motion to amend and do pass — motion carried; nays recorded: Assemblymembers O'Neil, Kasama, Urich, Cole, Hardy; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Torres Fawcett.
- SB130 (restricted license for contractors; 4 amendments): motion to amend and do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Cole.
- SB166 (housing): motion to do pass — motion carried; nays recorded: Assemblymembers Kasama, Yurek and Cole; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Carter.
- SB167 (prohibits import/sale of animal-tested cosmetics): motion to do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Hardy.
- SB169 (third-party reservation platforms; 1 amendment): motion to amend and do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Anderson.
- SB171 (shield law to protect transgender communities): motion to do pass — motion carried; nays recorded: Assemblymembers O'Neil, Kasama, Urick, Cole, Hardy; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Roth.
- SB189 (licensure/regulation of genetic counselors): motion to do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Kasama.
- SB191 (court reporters; fee regulation amendments): motion to amend and do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Cole. (Committee discussion noted the amendment deletes most provisions except sections 16 and 16.3 and sets fee-regulation parameters tied to existing fees as of 12/31/2025.)
- SB198 (wage/payment requirements): motion to do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Torres Fawcett; nays recorded: Assemblymembers O'Neil, Kasama, Urich, Cole, Hardy.
- SB251 (psychological interns/trainees): motion to do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Hardy.
- SB268 (dental insurance coverage): motion to do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Carter.
- SB292 (Medicare supplemental policy amendment): motion to amend and do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Anderson. Committee discussion included technical questions about affected populations, dual-eligible enrollment rates, and Indiana’s experience.
- SB327 (contractor provisions): motion to do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Roth; recorded nays from O'Neil, Kasama, Yurek, Cole, Hardy noted at vote.
- SB338 (sale of live event tickets): motion to do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Cole.
- SB370 (manufactured housing): motion to do pass — motion carried; Assemblymember O'Neil announced he would vote no, saying titles are being issued within two weeks and additional fees or services are unnecessary; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Torres Fawcett.
- SB375 (credit unions): motion to do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Kasama.
- SB379 (commerce; 7 amendments): motion to amend and do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Moore.
- SB386 (massage therapy licensing): motion to do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Yurek.
- SB387 (lung cancer prevention/early detection): motion to do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Carter.
- SB437 (internet consumer lenders): motion to do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Assemblymember Hardy.
- AB540 (governmental administration; 10 proposed amendments, mock up): motion to amend and do pass — motion carried; floor statement assigned to Vice Chair Houdegui. Committee discussion emphasized protections steering funds to Nevada residents, reporting requirements, geographic representation, and an expected additional labor-backed amendment for Ways and Means.

Quotations from the meeting reflect committee members and witnesses: Assemblymember Yorick said his concern with SB171 was “not in the underlying policy, but on the unintended potential unintended consequences,” particularly regarding coordination with licensure compacts. Assemblymember Urich praised SB292’s amendment and said he would “be a yes” in committee while reserving his right to change his vote on the floor. Paige Barnes, representing Fratto Company on behalf of Fresenius Medical Care, said of the SB292 approach that Indiana “has not produced significant impacts” on rates and offered to provide supporting numbers and emailed materials to the committee. Vice Chair Houdegui described the AB540 amendment as adding “protections around making sure that the units that were being billed with the funds from the attainable housing fund would go to Nevadans” and to ensure “geographic representation throughout the state.” Speaker Yeager said of the housing work, “it’s a bill right now that we can be really proud of.”

Process and next steps

The committee followed standard work-session procedure: most items were advanced without public testimony; the chair said witnesses may be invited for clarification if needed. Floor statements were assigned for each advanced bill; those bills will next proceed to floor action or additional committee consideration according to the Assembly calendar. Several members recorded reservations about changing their floor vote after committee consideration, and staff witnesses offered to provide supplemental data where requested.

Ending note: Committee members closed the work session and opened for public comment; none was offered on the public line. The chair adjourned the meeting.