Read the full stored bill text
- 83rd Session (2025)
Assembly Bill No. 19–Committee on
Health and Human Services
CHAPTER..........
AN ACT relating to substance use disorders; revising the
membership of the Statewide Substance Use Response
Working Group; revising the date by which the Working
Group must su bmit a certain report; and providing other
matters properly relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing law creates the Statewide Substance Use Response Working Group in
the Office of the Attorney General to leverage and expand efforts by sta te and local
governmental entities to reduce the use of substances which are associated with
substance use disorders. Existing law further : (1) provides that the membership of
the Working Group consists of 18 members, 12 of whom are appointed by the
Attorney General; and (2) requires the Working Group to submit to the Governor,
the Attorney General and the Legislature on or before January 31 of e ach year a
report which includes recommendations for programs to address substance misuse
and substance use disorders. (NRS 458.460, 458.480) Section 1 of this bill provides
that, for purposes of membership of the Working Group, the designee of the
Director of the Department of Health and Human Services must be a person from
within the Division of Public and Behavioral Health of the Department. Section 1
also adds to the membership of the Working Group: (1) the Executive Director of
the Department of Indige nt Defense Services, or his or her designee; and (2) four
members appointed by the Attorney General. Section 1.5 of this bill requires the
Working Group to submit the report on or before August 1 of each year, rather than
on or before January 31 of each year.
EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. NRS 458.460 is hereby amended to read as follows:
458.460 1. The Statewide Substance Use Response Working
Group is hereby created in the Office of the Attorney General.
2. The Working Group consists of the following members:
(a) The Attorney General or his or her designee;
(b) The Director of the Department of Health and Human
Services, or his or her designee [;] from within the Division;
(c) The Executive Director of the Department of Indigent
Defense Services, or his or her designee;
(d) One member of the Senate who is appointed by the Senate
Majority Leader;
[(d)] (e) One member of the Senate who is appointed by the
Senate Minority Leader;
– 2 –
- 83rd Session (2025)
[(e)] (f) One member of the Assembly who is appointed by th e
Speaker of the Assembly;
[(f)] (g) One member of the Assembly who is appointed by the
Assembly Minority Leader; and
[(g)] (h) The following members, appointed by the Attorney
General:
(1) One representative of a local governmental entity that
provides or oversees the provision of human services in a county
whose population is 700,000 or more;
(2) One representative of a local governmental entity that
provides or oversees the provision of human services in a county
whose population is 100,000 or more but less than 700,000;
(3) One representative of a local governmental entity that
provides or oversees the provision of human services in a county
whose population is less than 100,000;
(4) One provider of health care with expertise in medicine
for the treatment of substance use disorders;
(5) One representative of the Nevada Sheriffs’ and Chiefs’
Association, or its successor organization;
(6) One advocate for persons who have substance use
disorders and family members of such persons;
(7) One person who is in recovery from a substance use
disorder;
(8) One person who provides services relating to the
treatment of substance use disorders;
(9) One representative of a substance use disorder prevention
coalition;
(10) One representativ e of a program to reduce the harm
caused by substance misuse;
(11) One representative of a hospital; [and]
(12) One representative of a school district [.] ;
(13) One member of the general public , with preference
given to a person who is fluent in more than one language and
resides in a household where more than one language is spoken;
(14) One person who is an emergency response employee;
(15) One representative of the Division of Child and Family
Services of the Department of Health and Human Services; and
(16) One representative of the Nevada District Attorneys
Association, or its successor organization.
3. After the initial terms, members of the Working Group serve
terms of 2 years and serve at the pleasure of the appointing
authority. Members may be reappointed for additional terms of 2
years in the same manner as the original appointments.
– 3 –
- 83rd Session (2025)
4. If a vacancy occurs during a member’s term, the appointing
authority shall appoint a replacement for the remainder of the
unexpired term. A vacancy must be filled in the same manner as the
original appointment.
5. Members of the Working Group serve without compensation
and are not entitled to receive the per diem allowance and travel
expenses provided for state officers and employees generally.
6. A member of the Working Group who is an officer or
employee of this State or a political subdivision of this State must be
relieved from his or her duties without loss of regular compensation
to prepare for and attend meetings of the Working Group and
perform any work necessary to carry out the duties of the Working
Group in the most timely manner practicable. A state agency or
political subdivision of this State shall not require an officer or
employee who is a member of the Working Group to:
(a) Make up the time he or she is absent from work to carry out
his or her duties as a member of the Working Group; or
(b) Take annual leave or compensatory time for the absence.
7. As used in this section [, “substance] :
(a) “Attendant” has the meaning ascribed to it in
NRS 450B.050.
(b) “Emergency response employee” means a firefighter,
attendant, volunteer attendant, emergency medical technician,
advanced emergency medical technician, emergency medical
dispatcher, paramedi c, law enforcement officer, correctional
officer, other peace officer or person who is employed by an
agency of criminal justice, including, without limitation, a law
enforcement dispatcher, county coroner or medical examiner or
any of their employees, or any other person who, in the course of
his or her professional duties, responds to emergencies in this
State.
(c) “Substance use disorder prevention coalition” means a
coalition of persons and entities who possess knowledge and
experience related to the p revention of substance misuse and
substance use disorders in a region of this State.
Sec. 1.5. NRS 458.480 is hereby amended to read as follows:
458.480 1. The Working Group shall:
(a) Leverage and expand efforts by state and local governmental
entities to reduce the use of substances which are associated with
substance use disorders, including, without limitation, heroin, other
synthetic and non -synthetic opioids and stimulants, and identify
ways to enhance those eff orts through coordination and
collaboration.
– 4 –
- 83rd Session (2025)
(b) Assess evidence -based strategies for preventing substance
use and intervening to stop substance use, including, without
limitation, the use of heroin, other synthetic and non -synthetic
opioids and stimulant s. Such strategies must include, without
limitation, strategies to:
(1) Help persons at risk of a substance use disorder avoid
developing a substance use disorder;
(2) Discover potentially problematic substance use in a
person and intervene before the person develops a substance use
disorder;
(3) Treat the medical consequences of a substance use
disorder in a person and facilitate the treatment of the substance use
disorder to minimize further harm; and
(4) Reduce the harm caused by substance use, i ncluding,
without limitation, by preventing overdoses.
(c) Assess and evaluate existing pathways to treatment and
recovery for persons with substance use disorders, including,
without limitation, such persons who are members of special
populations.
(d) Work to understand how residents of this State who are
involved in the criminal justice system access supports for treatment
of and recovery from substance use disorders at various points,
including, without limitation, by reviewing existing diversion,
deflection and reentry programs for such persons.
(e) Evaluate ways to improve and expand evidence -based or
evidence-informed programs, procedures and strategies to treat and
support recovery from opioid use disorder and any co -occurring
substance use disorde r, including, without limitation, among
members of special populations.
(f) Examine support systems and programs for persons who are
in recovery from opioid use disorder and any co-occurring substance
use disorder.
(g) Make recommendations to entities in cluding, without
limitation, the State Board of Pharmacy, professional licensing
boards that license practitioners, other than veterinarians, the State
Board of Health, the Division, the Governor and the Legislature, to
ensure that controlled substances ar e appropriately prescribed in
accordance with the provisions of NRS 639.2391 to 639.23916,
inclusive.
(h) Examine qualitative and quantitative data to understand the
risk factors that contribute to substance use and the rates of
substance use and substanc e use disorders, focusing on special
populations.
– 5 –
- 83rd Session (2025)
(i) Develop strategies for local, state and federal law
enforcement and public health agencies to respond to and prevent
overdoses and plans for implementing those strategies.
(j) Study the efficacy and e xpand the implementation of
programs to:
(1) Educate youth and families about the effects of substance
use and substance use disorders; and
(2) Reduce the harms associated with substance use and
substance use disorders while referring persons with subs tance use
disorders to evidence-based treatment.
(k) Recommend strategies to improve coordination between
local, state and federal law enforcement and public health agencies
to enhance the communication of timely and relevant information
relating to substance use and reduce duplicative data collection and
research.
(l) Evaluate current systems for sharing information between
agencies regarding the trafficking and distribution of legal and
illegal substances which are associated with substance use disorders,
including, without limitation, heroin, other synthetic and non -
synthetic opioids and stimulants.
(m) Study the effects of substance use disorders on the criminal
justice system, including, without limitation, law enforcement
agencies and correctional institutions.
(n) Study the sources and manufacturers of substances which are
associated with substance use disorders, including, without
limitation, heroin, other synthetic and non -synthetic opioids and
stimulants, and methods and resources for preventing the
manufacture, trafficking and sale of such substances.
(o) Study the effectiveness of criminal and civil penalties at
preventing the misuse of substances and substance use disorders and
the manufacture, trafficking and sale of substances which are
associated with substance use disorders, including, without
limitation, heroin, other synthetic and non -synthetic opioids and
stimulants.
(p) Evaluate the effects of substance use disorders on the
economy of this State.
(q) Study, evaluate and make recommendations to the
Department of Health and Human Services concerning the use of
the money described in NRS 458.490 to address substance use
disorders, with a focus on:
(1) The use of the money described in subsections 1, 2 and 3
of NRS 458.490 to supplement rather than supplant existing state or
local spending;
– 6 –
- 83rd Session (2025)
(2) The use of the money described in NRS 458.490 to
support programs that use evidence-based interventions;
(3) The use of the money described in NRS 458.490 to
support programs for the p revention of substance use disorders in
youth;
(4) The use of the money described in NRS 458.490 to
improve racial equity; and
(5) Reporting by state and local agencies to the public
concerning the funding of programs to address substance misuse and
substance use disorders.
2. On or before [January 31 ] August 1 of each year, the
Working Group shall:
(a) Compile a report which includes, without limitation,
recommendations for the establishment, maintenance, expansion or
improvement of programs to address substance misuse and
substance use disorders based on the evaluations conducted pursuant
to subsection 1; and
(b) Submit the report to the Governor, the Attorney General, any
other entities deemed appropriate by the Attorney General and the
Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to:
(1) During an even -numbered year, the Joint Interim
Standing Committee on Health and Human Services, the Joint
Interim Standing Committee on the Judiciary and the Interim
Finance Committee; or
(2) During an odd-numbered year, the next regular session of
the Legislature.
3. As used in this section:
(a) “Practitioner” has the meaning ascribed to it in
NRS 639.0125.
(b) “Special populations” includes, without limitation:
(1) Veterans, elderly persons and youth;
(2) Persons who are incarcerated, persons who have
committed nonviolent crimes primarily driven by a substance use
disorder and other persons involved in the criminal justice or
juvenile justice systems;
(3) Pregnant women and the parents of dependent children;
(4) Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning
persons;
(5) Intravenous drug users;
(6) Children who are involved with the child welfare system;
and
(7) Other populations disproportionately impacted by
substance use disorders.
– 7 –
- 83rd Session (2025)
(c) “Substance use disorder prevention coalition” means a
coalition of persons and entities who possess knowledge and
experience related to the prevention of substance misuse and
substance use disorders in a region of this State.
Sec. 2. As soon as practicable after October 1, 2025, the
Attorney General shall appoint to the Statewide Substance Use
Response Working Group:
1. The members described in subparagraphs (13) and (14) of
paragraph (h) of subsect ion 2 of NRS 458.460, as amended by
section 1 of this act, to initial terms that expire on January 1, 2027;
and
2. The members described in subparagraphs (15) and (16) of
paragraph (h) of subsection 2 of NRS 458.460, as amended by
section 1 of this act, to initial terms that expire on January 1, 2028.
Sec. 3. 1. This section and s ections 1 and 2 of this act
become effective on October 1, 2025.
2. Section 1.5 of this act becomes effective on July 1, 2026.
20 ~~~~~ 25