LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A new Nevada law is now in effect requiring larger local governments to plan for extreme heat as part of long-term growth.
Assembly Bill 96 applies to jurisdictions with more than 100,000 people. The law requires that heat mitigation strategies be included in comprehensive master plans, including access to drinking water and public cooling spaces.
“We do need to have our local governments treat extreme heat like the public health issue that it is,” said Jackie Spicer with the Nevada Environmental Justice Coalition.
According to the Southern Nevada Health District, there were nearly 300 heat-associated deaths in 2025. In 2024, there were 513. Spicer said heat mitigation has not previously been a mandatory part of the planning process.
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The bill pushes local governments to outline how communities will respond to extreme heat as they grow, including basic needs like public access to water and cooling.
“They have to explicitly talk about how the public will have access to drinking water,” Spicer said. “How will we have access to public cooling spaces. What does that look like?”
Assemblymember Cinthia Moore, who represents Nevada District 11, said many heat-related deaths happen in areas like hers. She said her district is in the middle of Las Vegas’ urban heat island, where pavement, buildings and limited shade can make temperatures even more dangerous.
“The RTC of Southern Nevada did a heat map a few years ago, and my district sits right in the middle of the urban heat island,” Moore said.
Moore said she supports solutions like more shade, trees and water sources, especially in the parts of Las Vegas hit hardest by extreme heat.
She is also looking at what other cities have done to address the issue. Moore said she wants Nevada to consider creating a statewide Office of Extreme Heat, similar to efforts in cities like Phoenix and Miami.
“Right now, I’m doing my homework,” Moore said. “I have reached out to the Office of Extreme Heat in Phoenix, and we’re working on finding a date to meet — just trying to figure out how it is that they got that office going, what some of the challenges that they encountered, and what are some of the successes. So I want to learn from them.”
Moore said she is currently looking into what funding could be available for a statewide heat office. She said she hopes real-world solutions can help reduce heat-related illnesses and deaths across Nevada.
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