New Laws Effective July 1 in Nevada

The 2023 Nevada State Legislature was remarkably productive, passing over 400 laws during its session. As of July 1, 2024, 17 of these laws are now in effect, with a significant portion focusing on education.

Assembly Bill No. 65 covers a variety of subjects, including the actions of the school board of trustees and provisions for reporting on investigations into bullying, cyberbullying, and racial discrimination. The bill revises provisions governing work-based learning programs and mandates that all children must be enrolled in school - public, charter, or home school - if they have had their sixth birthday on or before the start of the school year.

Assembly Bill No. 241 ensures all high school graduates are enrolled in the courses and credits required for college acceptance or a career-ready high school diploma. The bill also provides a flexible approach for students with disabilities, allowing them and school officials to agree on a modified course of study to follow an individualized education program.

Assembly Bill No. 264 applies to approved school absences due to religious holiday observances. The bill prohibits all students from being marked as truant or deprived of perfect attendance awards due to absences based on religious holiday observance.

Assembly Bill No. 428 changes the state’s education standards and requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop a new statewide recruitment plan for teachers and other licensed educational personnel. The law also requires the Commission on Professional Standards on Education to establish standards for professional development training. It requires school districts to provide training on multicultural education and encourage more parental involvement in education.

Senate Bill No. 80 requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to adopt a policy concerning treating head injuries. It revises the content of policies of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, school district boards of trustees, and youth sports organizations concerning the prevention and treatment of head injuries. Parents or guardians of students who wish to participate in an interscholastic sports program must be made aware of these new policies and procedures, including signing an acknowledgment of the plan.

Senate Bill No. 282 clarifies the hiring of staff by a school principal as it pertains to the application of collective bargaining agreements; the bill also requires specific uses of money carried forward at the end of the school year at the local level and revises the selection process to fill a vacancy for a local school principal.

All of these bills contain more additions and revisions than summarized in this article. Information on each new law, not just those on education, is available at https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/82nd2023/Bills/Effective/2024-07-01.