All Roll Calls
Yes: 63 • No: 0
NevadaSB3683rd Regular Session (2025)Senate
AN ACT relating to water; requiring the State Engineer to retire certain groundwater rights; creating the Nevada Conservation and Recreation Program; creating the Account for Retiring Water Rights; establishing the Nevada Voluntary Water Rights Retirement Program; requiring the Director of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to purchase certain water rights for the purpose of retiring the water rights; revising provisions governing a program to provide grants of money for certain purposes relating to improvements to water systems and to conserve water; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.
Sponsored By: Senate Committee on Natural Resources
Signed by Governor
BDR 48-384
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Retired groundwater rights cannot be restored
Starting July 1, 2025, the State Engineer must permanently retire any decreed or certificated groundwater rights the state buys or receives for this program. Those rights cannot be used again and are retired in the source forever. This applies to purchases or donations approved on or before June 30, 2035. Also beginning July 1, 2025, the State Engineer rejects any permit application that tries to change or reinstate a groundwater right retired under this law.
Fund to buy and retire water rights
Beginning July 1, 2025, the state sets up the Account for Retiring Water Rights. Money in the account runs the program, buys decreed or certificated groundwater rights, and covers required matching funds. The account can take gifts and grants and remains available each year. The account ends June 30, 2035. The Nevada Voluntary Water Rights Retirement Program starts July 1, 2025. It buys rights from willing sellers and accepts donations to retire them, aiming to protect resources, address falling groundwater, and resolve conflicts with existing rights or domestic wells. The Director stops taking applications and donations after June 30, 2035. On July 1, 2035, the law updates how the Director can identify and buy rights, giving broader discretion.
New conservation program with water grants
Starting July 1, 2025, Nevada creates the Conservation and Recreation Program. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources runs it. The program includes grants and a voluntary groundwater rights retirement effort. Grants can pay to buy and permanently retire groundwater rights to protect resources, fix falling groundwater, or resolve conflicts with domestic wells.
New rules for recreation water uses
Starting July 1, 2025, using water for recreation counts as a legal beneficial use. Using Muddy River or Virgin River water to make a developed shortage supply or an intentional surplus also counts as beneficial. In counties with 700,000 or more people, counties and cities can ban or limit recreational use of water or effluent in man-made lakes or streams in their areas. These local limits do not apply to reservoirs for flood control, peak water demands, or sewage treatment; to water used in mining reclamation; or to bodies of water in public recreational facilities owned or run by the United States or Nevada.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Senate Committee on Natural Resources
Affiliation unavailable
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 5/28/2025
Final Passage - Assembly (2nd Reprint)
Yes: 42 • No: 0
Senate vote • 5/22/2025
Final Passage - Senate (2nd Reprint)
Yes: 21 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Chapter 292.
6/6/2025legislatureApproved by the Governor.
6/5/2025legislatureEnrolled and delivered to Governor.
5/31/2025legislatureIn Senate. To enrollment.
5/29/2025SenateRead third time. Passed. Title approved. (Yeas: 42, Nays: None.) To Senate.
5/28/2025HouseRead second time.
5/27/2025HousePlaced on Second Reading File.
5/27/2025HouseFrom committee: Do pass.
5/27/2025HouseRead first time. Referred to Committee on Natural Resources. To committee.
5/26/2025HouseIn Assembly.
5/26/2025HouseFrom printer. To re-engrossment. Re-engrossed. Second reprint. To Assembly.
5/23/2025SenateRead third time. Passed, as amended. Title approved, as amended. (Yeas: 21, Nays: None.) To printer.
5/22/2025SenateReprinting dispensed with.
5/22/2025SenateRead third time. Amended. (Amend. No. 728.)
5/22/2025SenatePlaced on General File.
5/22/2025SenateFrom committee: Amend, and do pass as amended.
5/22/2025SenateTo committee.
4/16/2025SenateFrom printer. To engrossment. Engrossed. First reprint.
4/16/2025SenateTaken from General File. Re-referred to Committee on Finance. Exemption effective. To printer.
4/15/2025SenateRead second time. Amended. (Amend. No. 98.)
4/15/2025SenatePlaced on Second Reading File.
4/15/2025SenateFrom committee: Amend, and do pass as amended.
4/15/2025SenateNotice of eligibility for exemption.
4/3/2025SenateRead first time. To committee.
2/3/2025SenateFrom printer.
11/20/2024Senate
Bill Text
As Enrolled
As Introduced
Reprint 1
Reprint 2
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