LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — On Day 2 of Nevada’s 36th Special Session, lawmakers continue to advance several high-profile or hotly debated bills.
School zone bill introduced
The bill to strengthen safety measures in school zones was finally introduced in an Assembly Committee. Clark County School District Superintendent Jhone Ebert helped introduce the bill, and said other school districts across the state look forward to changes.
Since August, more than 180 children have been struck by cars going to or from school in Clark County.
“These incidents range from crashes that resulted in no student injury, to crashes that have resulted in fatalities. And sadly, in the span of just six months, we have lost three students while they were on or around our schools,” Ebert said to lawmakers in her presentation.
The bill gives local jurisdictions more control over school zones. It would allow local changes to flashers, from hours of operation to design.
State law only allows flashers to operate 30 minutes before and after school, according to bill presenters.
FOX5 spoke to Ebert before the bill presentation.
“If this bill passes, which we hope it will, the county will have the ability to change the lights when school is in session, or if there are extra things that are happening during a week, they can extend the times,” Ebert said. “We’re really fortunate that the special session is happening and that we can go into the law right now and effectuate change,” she said.
The bill also doubles penalties for traffic violations such as DUIs, speeding and unsafe maneuvers in school zones, mirroring current penalties for construction zones.
E-scooter bill effort dies, study initiated
Lawmakers proposed two amendments to add statewide e-scooter and e-bike regulations to the school zone bill. Legal counsel informed lawmakers that legislators could not advance it: Governor Joe Lombardo did not list it on the agenda for a Special Session, and therefore lawmakers could not consider it in this session.
A study was proposed and advanced to help lawmakers analyze traffic violations and look at options for enforcement. The bill to call for the study was passed by the Assembly, and has been sent to the Nevada Senate.
“It is unlawful to have an e-scooter or an e-bike on the sidewalks on the Las Vegas Strip, but not anywhere else. Small obstacles like potholes or uneven services can cause crashes because these often have small wheels. And there’s a lot of folks with a lack of experience. They may have trouble with the speed control braking or balancing, which are leading to a lot of accidents, especially children,” said Assemblymember Venecia Considine of Clark County.
Film bill advances
The bill for tax credits for Summerlin Studios, backed by Warner Bros. and Sony Pictures, advances out of the Jobs and Economy committee in the Assembly.
FOX5 has covered the support and opposition extensively, last session. The amended bill would now provide $120 million in tax credits a year for 15 years, starting in 2029.
“Our economy has always been too structured, too delicate, balanced on gaming and mining. We’ve tried to diversify and we must continue. We must be proactive,” said Assemblymember PK O’Neill of Carson City, also representing Storey County and part of Washoe County.
After hours reviewing various added amendments, Friday, some lawmakers in committee expressed concerns.
“What’s not fair is being provided an amendment that is eight pages long, with no opportunity to review it except for the time we’re in committee, when we’re looking at millions of dollars worth of investment in a large corporation,” said Assemblymember Selena Torres-Fossett of Clark County.
Thursday, hundreds of workers from numerous trades unions came out in support, filling three rooms in the Las Vegas Legislative building. Plenty of opponents from across Nevada also showed up in Las Vegas or Carson City to speak against fiscal concerns over the bill.
Crime bill advances
The Governor’s Crime Bill advanced through an Assembly Committee. The bill addresses penalties and expands definitions of stalking and social media use, kidnapping in domestic violence charges, property damage caused by smash-and-grab thieves, and provisions for DUI penalties.
The bill also affirms Clark County’s ability to create an “order out” corridor, banning convicted repeat offenders from parts of the Las Vegas Strip to keep thousands of workers and tourists safe.
“We believe that that’s an important part of this piece of legislation that will help combat folks that are re-offenders in the resort corridor. In 2023, we made 1,088 arrests. In 2024, 1,272 arrests. And 2025, 387 arrests for the violation of ‘order out,’” said Joshua Martinez, testifying Thursday on behalf of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Opponents argue, though the “order out” intends to target criminals who prey on tourists, the homeless end up with the bulk of charges and convictions.
“The people who were most heavily impacted by these provisions were people who were homeless. I watched officers walk up to homeless people who were doing nothing more disruptive than sitting on a planter box or stacking rocks and ask them for their name so that they could arrest them if they had an ‘order out,’” said Brennan Bartley, who served as a public defender.
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