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- 83rd Session (2025)
Senate Bill No. 325 –Senators Doñate, Cruz -Crawford, Scheible,
Steinbeck, Stone; Ellison, Krasner, Nguyen, Pazina and
Taylor
Joint Sponsors: Assemblymembers D’Silva,
Gallant and Gray
CHAPTER..........
AN ACT relating to animals; authorizing the governing body of
certain counties and incorporated cities to establish a program
to waive the adoption fee of certain animals adopted by a
person who is a veteran, law enforcement officer or first
responder; and providing other matters properly relating
thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing law authorizes a board of county commissioners and city council to
exercise certain powers relating to the control of animals. (NRS 244.359, 266.325)
Sections 1 and 2 of this bill authorize the governing body of a county or
incorporated city, respectively, that owns and operates an animal shelter , or
appropriates money to an animal shelter, to establish a program to waive the
adoption fee of certain animals adopted by a person who is a veteran, law
enforcement officer or first responder.
Sections 1 and 2 require that , if established, these programs: (1) waive the
adoption fee for not more than one eligible animal from the animal shelter for a
period of 6 months for each veteran, law enforcement officer or first responder who
adopts an animal; (2) require such a veteran, law enforcement officer or first
responder to provide a valid form of identification; (3) require the animal shelter to
report to the governing body of the county or city, as applicable, certain
information concerning the program; and (4) require the animal shelter to maintain
records of each adoption made under the program. On or before October 1 of each
even-numbered year, after the governing body of a county or city establishes such a
program, the governing body of the county or city is required to submit a report to
the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmi ttal to the next regular
session of the Legislature containing certain information concerning the program.
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. Chapter 244 of NRS is hereby amended by adding
thereto a new section to read as follows:
1. If a county owns and operates an animal shelter or the
board of county commissioners appropriates money to an animal
shelter to provide care and shelter to animals, the board of county
commissioners may establish a program to waive the adoption fee
of an animal that is 6 months or older, has been at the animal
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- 83rd Session (2025)
shelter for at least 7 consecutive days and is adopted from the
animal shelter by a person who is a veteran, law enforcement
officer or first responder.
2. A program established pursuant to subsection 1 must:
(a) Waive the adoption fee for not more than one animal that
meets the requirements of subsection 1 for a period of 6 months
for each veteran, law enforcement officer or first responder who
adopts such an animal from the animal shelter;
(b) Require a veteran, law enforcement officer or fir st
responder who wishes to adopt an animal under the program to
present a valid form of identification that confirms that he or she
is a veteran, law enforcement officer or first responder;
(c) Report to the board of county commissioners the number of
animals adopted under the program and whether each animal was
adopted by a veteran, law enforcement officer or first responder;
and
(d) Require the animal shelter to maintain records of each
adoption made under the program.
3. On or before October 1 of ea ch even-numbered year after
the board of county commissioners establishes a program
pursuant to subsection 1, the board of county commissioners shall
submit a report to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau
for transmittal to the next regular sess ion of the Legislature that
includes the number of animals adopted under a program
established pursuant to subsection 1 and whether each animal was
adopted by a veteran, law enforcement officer or first responder.
4. As used in this section:
(a) “Adoption fee” does not include a licensing fee,
vaccination fee or any fees for the medical treatment of the
animal.
(b) “Emergency medical provider” has the meaning ascribed
to it in NRS 450B.199.
(c) “Firefighter” has the meaning ascribed to it in
NRS 450B.071.
(d) “First responder” means a firefighter or emergency
medical provider.
(e) “Law enforcement officer” means any officer of the United
States or this State or a political subdivision thereof who is
empowered by law to conduct investigations or make arrests.
(f) “Veteran” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 417.125.
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Sec. 2. Chapter 268 of NRS is hereby amended by adding
thereto a new section to read as follows:
1. If an incorporated city owns and operates an animal
shelter or the governing body of an incorporated city appropriates
money to an animal shelter to provide care and shelter to animals,
the governing body of the city may establish a program to waive
the adoption fee of an animal that is 6 months or older, has been
at the animal shelter for at least 7 consecutive days and is adopted
from the animal shelter by a person who is a veteran, law
enforcement officer or first responder.
2. A program established pursuant to subsection 1 must:
(a) Waive the adoption fee for not more than one animal that
meets the requirements of subsection 1 for a period of 6 months
for each veteran, law enforcement officer or first responder who
adopts such an animal from the animal shelter;
(b) Require a veteran, law enfo rcement officer or first
responder who wishes to adopt an animal under the program to
present a valid form of identification that confirms that he or she
is a veteran, law enforcement officer or first responder;
(c) Report to the governing body of the city the number of
animals adopted under the program and whether each animal was
adopted by a veteran, law enforcement officer or first responder;
and
(d) Require the animal shelter to maintain records of each
adoption made under the program.
3. On or before October 1 of each even-numbered year after a
governing body of an incorporated city establishes a program
pursuant to subsection 1, the governing body of an incorporated
city shall submit a report to the Director of the Legislative Counsel
Bureau for transmittal to the next regular session of the
Legislature that includes the number of animals adopted under a
program established pursuant to subsection 1 and whether each
animal was adopted by a veteran, law enforcement officer or first
responder.
4. As used in this section:
(a) “Adoption fee” does not include a licensing fee,
vaccination fee or any fees for the medical treatment of the
animal.
(b) “Emergency medical provider” has the meaning ascribed
to it in NRS 450B.199.
(c) “Firefighter” has the meaning ascribed to it in
NRS 450B.071.
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- 83rd Session (2025)
(d) “First responder” means a firefighter or emergency
medical provider.
(e) “Law enforcement officer” means any officer of the United
States or this State or a political subdivision thereof who is
empowered by law to conduct investigations or make arrests.
(f) “Veteran” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 417.125.
Secs. 3-5. (Deleted by amendment.)
Sec. 6. The provisions of NRS 218D.380 do not apply to any
provision of this act which adds or revises a requirement to submit a
report to the Legislature.
Sec. 7. (Deleted by amendment.)
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