LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – After briefly dying, Reba’s Law is back.
If signed into law, Assembly Bill 381, known as “Reba’s Law”, would increase penalties for animal cruelty in Nevada. The bill was inspired by Reba the Bulldog, who was found in a taped container near a dumpster on July 26, 2024.
Reba was alive when rescued, but died days later due to complications.
READ MORE: Push for stricter animal cruelty laws ignites after tragic dog’s death in Las Vegas
AB381 was introduced during this legislative session, but died in committee after failing to meet a deadline on Friday.
Over the weekend, outraged animal advocates shared a petition calling out the lawmakers who let it die. The petition’s creator, John Waudby, said he knew he had to try and resurrect the bill.
“I was angry, heartbroken that our elected leaders had turned their backs on us, turned their backs on our animals,” Waudby said.
On Monday, a legislative waiver sent the bill into a work session.
“Upon request, our Speaker and Senate Majority leaders are able to waive a bill… And basically, it brought the bill back to life,” explained Assembly Judiciary Chair Brittney Miller.
If a bill doesn’t make it past a deadline, it dies, but a committee member can ask for a waiver, according to Assembly-Senate rules for legislative sessions. Both the Senate Majority Leader and the Assembly Speaker have to sign off on the waiver.
In the case of Reba’s Law, Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager and State Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro did, bringing the bill back from the dead and into a work session.
Assemblywoman Miller said it does not happen often, but it happens a few times each legislative session.
“I appreciate that Speaker Yeager, instead of waiting… you know, let’s do it now. While it’s still on everyone’s mind. Let’s just go ahead. And because he has the ability to do so, granted the waiver,” Miller continued. “So we got together, legislators are very creative and came up with a really an impressive piece of legislation.”
Vice Chair Elaine Marzola said AB 381 initially died because committee members needed more time to work through the 17 amendments added the day before the deadline. The now-updated Reba’s Bill clarifies some definitions and explains penalties. Someone convicted of purposefully torturing or killing an animal could face up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
“A lot of work went into it,” Vice Chair Marzola clarified. “We wanted to make sure that there was a domestic violence portion in there. We wanted to make sure that the different categories of felonies were very specific, and that the misdemeanors were very specific.”
She added, “We also wanted to make sure that if you were charged or convicted of animal abuse, you are not going to be able to turn around and buy or adopt another animal.”
Waudy believes that if he hadn’t created the petition calling out the lawmakers, Reba’s Bill would still be dead on the committee floor.
“I threatened their jobs. I’m like, ‘Look, you work for us. We put you in that position. We can take you out of that position’,” Waudby recalled. “I don’t know if I could’ve been any more direct.”
From here, Reba’s Bill has to pass a House floor vote and move into the Senate by Tuesday, April 22.
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