Assemblymember LaMarzola introduced Assembly Bill 174 to the Assembly Committee on Commerce and Labor, saying the bill would revise Nevada Revised Statutes chapter 704 (the provider/last-resort provisions) to recognize satellite technology as an alternative voice service.

Sponsor and industry representatives told the committee that satellite technology has evolved since the statute was last updated in 2013 and that recognizing satellite voice services would help eliminate “dead zones” in national parks, on rural highways and other remote locations.

Omar Salcedo, appearing for AT&T, told the committee that modern satellite systems are designed to operate much like wireless networks. “It is our plan that satellite technology will work exactly like wireless technology,” he said, adding that when providers achieve critical mass in orbit users should be able to make WhatsApp, FaceTime or traditional voice calls over satellite connections.

Supporters included Cox Communications, Verizon and other telecommunication providers, public-safety and first-responder groups, and disability advocates. Katherine Nielsen of the Nevada Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities said improved satellite coverage would help people who are deaf or hard of hearing rely on video remote interpreting and other essential communication tools.

Dan Gordon, president of the Nevada Police Union, urged passage on public-safety grounds, saying, “That expectation shouldn’t be a gamble based on geography,” and recounting incidents in which officers temporarily lost communications in remote areas.

No organized opposition testified; several industry witnesses and law-enforcement associations argued the change modernizes statute without imposing new service mandates. The committee closed the hearing with no vote and the sponsor indicated the bill would move forward for further consideration.