NevadaSB27683rd Regular Session (2025)SenateWALLET

AN ACT relating to water; establishing provisions governing the reporting and sharing of certain information relating to water by certain governmental entities and Indian tribes; providing a penalty; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

Sponsored By: HowardMajority Whip Watts (Democratic), PK O’Neill (Republican), Carrie Ann Buck (Republican), Edgar Flores (Democratic), Ira Hansen (Republican), JeffAssistant Minority Leader Stone (Republican), LisaMinority Whip Krasner (Republican)

Signed by Governor

BDR 40-750

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Stronger water-pollution enforcement and penalties

To enforce Nevada water laws, the Director or a designee may enter sites, copy required records, inspect equipment, and sample discharges after showing ID. If a person is violating or about to violate the law, the Director can order fixes, sue, or seek criminal charges. For diffuse‑source cases, the Director first issues a corrective order and gives time to comply; failure to obey that order alone brings no civil or criminal fine, but the state can then sue or seek a court order. The Director may ask a court for injunctions, including quick temporary orders without notice; courts may also require a bond. Civil penalties can reach up to $25,000 per day for each violation, and the state may recover cleanup costs and wildlife losses. Knowingly falsifying required records or tampering with monitors is a gross misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $10,000 fine, up to 364 days in jail, or both.

Keeps definitions and State Engineer powers

Existing Nevada water‑law definitions apply to these sections, so common terms keep their current meanings. The act does not change the State Engineer’s separate powers under Title 48 or related rules and orders.

Faster spill reporting and tribal notice

Local cities, counties, towns, and water or wastewater districts must tell the state when sewage, industrial waste, or other illegal discharges reach Nevada waters. They report on the Division’s website or by phone, and the Division posts instructions online. If the Division decides a tribe may be affected, it notifies that tribe under the state’s policy. When a tribe asks for public records on an incident or water‑treatment policy, agencies must provide any records that are public. Local public bodies cannot sign contracts that block this sharing; contracts signed before October 1, 2025 are exempt. Attorney‑client privilege still applies.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

  • HowardMajority Whip Watts

    Democratic • House

  • PK O’Neill

    Republican • House

  • Carrie Ann Buck

    Republican • Senate

  • Edgar Flores

    Democratic • Senate

  • Ira Hansen

    Republican • Senate

  • JeffAssistant Minority Leader Stone

    Republican • Senate

  • LisaMinority Whip Krasner

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Angela D. Taylor

    Democratic • Senate

  • Natha C.Assistant Majority Whip Anderson

    Democratic • House

  • Selena La Rue Hatch

    Democratic • House

  • Venise Karris

    Democratic • House

  • FabianDeputy Majority Whip Doñate

    Democratic • Senate

  • James Ohrenschall

    Democratic • Senate

  • John Ellison

    Republican • Senate

  • John C. Steinbeck

    Republican • Senate

  • Julie Pazina

    Democratic • Senate

  • MelanieChief Majority Whip Scheible

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 63 • No: 0

House vote 5/22/2025

Final Passage - Assembly (1st Reprint)

Yes: 42 • No: 0

Senate vote 4/22/2025

Final Passage - Senate (1st Reprint)

Yes: 21 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Approved by the Governor. Chapter 189.

    5/31/2025legislature
  2. Enrolled and delivered to Governor.

    5/27/2025legislature
  3. To enrollment.

    5/23/2025Senate
  4. In Senate.

    5/22/2025Senate
  5. Read third time. Passed. Title approved. (Yeas: 42, Nays: None.) To Senate.

    5/22/2025House
  6. Taken from General File. Placed on General File for next legislative day.

    5/21/2025House
  7. Read second time.

    5/20/2025House
  8. From committee: Do pass.

    5/19/2025House
  9. Read first time. Referred to Committee on Natural Resources. To committee.

    4/24/2025House
  10. In Assembly.

    4/24/2025House
  11. Read third time. Passed, as amended. Title approved. (Yeas: 21, Nays: None.) To Assembly.

    4/22/2025Senate
  12. Taken from General File. Placed on General File for next legislative day.

    4/21/2025Senate
  13. Taken from General File. Placed on General File for next legislative day.

    4/18/2025Senate
  14. Taken from General File. Placed on General File for next legislative day.

    4/17/2025Senate
  15. Taken from General File. Placed on General File for next legislative day.

    4/16/2025Senate
  16. From printer. To engrossment. Engrossed. First reprint.

    4/16/2025Senate
  17. Read second time. Amended. (Amend. No. 215.) To printer.

    4/15/2025Senate
  18. Placed on Second Reading File.

    4/15/2025Senate
  19. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended.

    4/15/2025Senate
  20. From printer. To committee.

    3/6/2025Senate
  21. Read first time. Referred to Committee on Natural Resources. To printer.

    3/5/2025Senate

Bill Text

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