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Jan 03, 2024

'Fake electors' bill passes Nevada Legislature, goes to Gov. Lombardo's desk

Legislature passes 66 bills on Tuesday as pace quickens by: Greg Haas

Legislature passes 66 bills on Tuesday as pace quickens

by: Greg Haas

Posted: May 23, 2023 / 05:46 PM PDT

Updated: May 23, 2023 / 11:09 PM PDT

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Nevada lawmakers in Carson City voted Tuesday to criminalize fake presidential electors.

Senate Bill 133 (SB133) passed on a 28-14 party-line vote, advancing to Gov. Joe Lombardo's desk. The legislation follows an effort by a group of Republican electors that falsely claimed former President Donal Trump won the 2020 election in Nevada. They sent a fake electoral certificate to Washington, D.C.

Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford said there was no state law he could use to charge them.

SB133, if signed into law, establishes a felony that carries a prison sentence of 4-10 years. Offenders would be banned from holding public office.

It was one of 66 bills that passed in the Legislature on the busiest day approaching Friday's deadline for legislation to receive final passage. Evening sessions could add to the list of bills headed to Lombardo. Only two weeks remain before the Legislature is scheduled to adjourn.

Here's a look at other prominent bills that were approved Tuesday:

CATALYTIC CONVERTERS: SB243 passed unanimously (42-0) in the Assembly, giving police and prosecutors tools to stop thieves. Previously, police couldn't do anything unless they caught someone in the act. SB243 makes possession of catalytic converters a crime unless the person is licensed. Depending on the number of devices involved, fines and prison terms go higher. If a thief is caught with 10 or more devices, it's a Category C felony. The bill prohibits recyclers from buying a catalytic converter unless they are licensed. The seller must provide documentation proving they own the device.

PRISON POLICIES: SB153 mandates that the Nevada Department of Corrections address standards for handling housing for inmates who are transgender, gender non-conforming, gender non-binary and intersex. The bill requires each prison or other NDOC facility to establish standards for the supervision, custody, care, security, housing and health care — both mental and physical — for inmates who fit into these categories. It also requires training for prison staff on how to accommodate different individuals. SB153 passed on a 28-14 party-line vote in the Assembly.

TEACHER COMPACT: SB442 makes it easier for a teacher with a license in another state to get a license in Nevada, reducing the number of required classes. States will also share information on teachers’ backgrounds if they have been disciplined or investigated. The compact would only kick in when 10 states have joined — Nevada would be the third state to sign. SB442 passed by unanimous votes in the Senate and Assembly.

MONORAIL WORK: SB299 eliminates the exemption to pay prevailing wages for "work, construction, alteration, repair or other employment" related to the Las Vegas Monorail. SB299 takes a further step, eliminating the exemption for "any railroad company." The expense of upkeep for the monorail could affect how officials move forward in developing it or shutting it down.

HUMAN COMPOSTING: AB289 classifies human composting as a form of cremation, eliminating legal barriers. Natural organic reduction involves putting the human body into a container with biodegradable materials that speed the transformation into nutrient-dense soil. It has become more popular as attention to the "carbon footprint" has grown. Republican Sen. Robin Titus read "Reincarnation," a work by cowboy poet Wallace McCrae just before the Senate passed the bill, 19-1.

RENTAL FEES: A pair of bills regarding fees charged to tenants passed. SB381 prohibits a landlord from requiring a tenant "to pay any fee or other charge for the performance of certain repairs, maintenance tasks or other work for which the landlord has a duty to perform to maintain the habitability of a dwelling unit." It passed on a 42-0 vote in the Assembly. AB298 requires a clear disclosure of all fees tenants must pay, and prohibits landlords from creating fees not already disclosed to the tenant. The bill would also require landlords to refund application fees to prospective tenants who are rejected, along with other provisions surrounding minors. It passed in the Senate on a 12-8 vote.

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