AB45 - Revises provisions relating to certain public bodies. (BDR 18-504)

- 83rd Session (2025) Assembly Bill No. 45–Committee on Government Affairs CHAPTER.......... AN ACT relating to public bodies; revising provisions relating to the Victim Information Notification Everyday System in the Office of the Attorney General; renaming the Account for Programs Related to Domestic Violence; revising provisions governing the expenditures authorized from the Account; renaming the Committee on Domestic Violence; revising the membership and duties of the Committee; transferring certain duties from the Sexual Assault Kit Working Group to the Committee; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: Existing law creates in the Office of the Attorney General the Victim Information Notification Everyday System, which consists of a toll-free telephone number and an Internet website through which victims of crime and members of the public may register to receive automated information and notification concerning changes in the custody status of an offender. (NRS 228.205) Section 1 of this bill instead creates a victim notification system in the Office of the Attorney General and replaces references to the Victim Information Notification Everyday System with references to the newly created victim notification system. Existing law creates the Committee on Domestic Violence and requires the Committee to carry out certain duties relating to domestic violence, including increasing awareness, reviewing certain programs provided to peace officers for training related to domestic violence and making recommendations regarding such training, providing financial support to certain programs for the prevention of domestic violence under certain circumstances and studying certain issues relating to domestic violence. (NRS 228.470) Section 4 of this bill requires the Committee to also perform such duties as they relate to sexual assault. Section 4 also requires the Committee to: (1) make recommendations relating to the need for additional sexual assault victims’ advocates; (2) make recommendations relating to the need for ongoing evaluation of the rights of survivors; and (3) review the effectiveness of the statewide program to track sexual assault forensic evidence kits. Section 4 further renames the Committee on Domestic Violence to the Committee on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault to reflect the expansion of the duties of the Committee. Sections 1, 2, 7, 8 and 10-16 of this bill make conforming changes to reflect the renaming of the Committee. Existing law sets forth the membership of the Committee, which consists of: (1) certain persons appointed by the Attorney General, including two survivors of domestic violence; and (2) one member who is a representative of the Division of Public and Behavioral Health of the Department of Health and Human Services who has certain experience and is appointed by the Administrator of the Division. (NRS 228.470) Section 4 revises the membership of the Committee by reducing the number of survivors of domestic violence who are members of the Committee from two to one and requiring the Attorney General to additionally appoint to the Committee: (1) one staff member of a program for victims of sexual assault; (2) – 2 – - 83rd Session (2025) one survivor of sexual assault; and (3) one medical professional with experience in working with sexual assault forensic evidence kits. Existing law requires the Attorney General to designate a department or division of the Executive Department of State Government to establish a statewide program to track sexual assault forensic evidence kits. Existing law further requires such a designation to be made pursuant to the recommendation of the Sexual Assault Kit Working Group, which is the statewide working group led by the Office of the Attorney General to create policies and procedures to address the backlog of sexual assault forensic evidence kits that have not been tested. (NRS 200.3788) Section 9 of this bill requires such a designation to instead be made pursuant to the recommendation of the Committee. Existing law creates the Account for Programs Related to Domestic Violence and authorizes the Ombudsman for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking to expend money in the Account for certain purposes relating to domestic violence, including training certain persons about domestic violence, assisting victims of domestic violence and educating the public on domestic violence. (NRS 228.460) Section 3 of this bill authorizes the Ombudsman to expend money in the Account for such purposes as they relate to sexual assault. Section 3 additionally renames the Account for Programs Related to Domestic Violence as the Account for Programs Related to Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault to reflect the changes made by section 3 to the scope of authorized expenditures from the Account. Sections 5 and 6 of this bill make conforming changes to reflect the renaming of the Account. 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 228.205 is hereby amended to read as follows: 228.205 1. There is hereby created in the Office of the Attorney General [the Victim Information Notification Everyday System,] a victim notification system, which consists of a toll-free telephone number and an Internet website through which victims of crime and members of the public may register to receive automated information and notification concerning changes in the custody status of an offender. 2. The Committee on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault appointed pursuant to NRS 228.470 shall serve as the Governance Committee for the [System.] system. 3. The Governance Committee may adopt policies, protocols and regulations for the operation and oversight of the [System.] system. 4. The Attorney General may apply for and accept gifts, grants and donations for use in carrying out the provisions of this section. 5. To the extent of available funding, each sheriff and chief of police, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Public – 3 – - 83rd Session (2025) Safety and the State Board of Parole Commissioners shall cooperate with the Attorney General to establish and maintain the [System.] system. 6. The failure of the [System] system to notify a victim of a crime of a change in the custody status of an offender does not establish a basis for any cause of action by the victim or any other party against the State, its political subdivisions, or the agencies, boards, commissions, departments, officers or employees of the State or its political subdivisions. 7. As used in this section: (a) “Custody status” means the transfer of the custody of an offender or the release or escape from custody of an offender. (b) “Offender” means a person convicted of a crime and sentenced to imprisonment in a county jail or in the state prison. (c) “System” means the victim notification system created by subsection 1. Sec. 2. NRS 228.427 is hereby amended to read as follows: 228.427 “Committee” means the Committee on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault appointed pursuant to NRS 228.470. Sec. 3. NRS 228.460 is hereby amended to read as follows: 228.460 1. The Account for Programs Related to Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault is hereby created in the State General Fund. Any fee imposed and collected pursuant to NRS 176.094 must be deposited with the State Controller for credit to the Account. 2. The Ombudsman for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking: (a) Shall administer the Account for Programs Related to Domestic Violence [;] and Sexual Assault; and (b) May expend money in the Account only to pay for expenses related to: (1) The Committee; (2) Training law enforcement officers, attorneys and members of the judicial system about domestic violence [;] and sexual assault; (3) Assisting victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and educating the public concerning domestic violence [;] and sexual assault; and (4) Carrying out the duties and functions of his or her office. 3. All claims against the Account for Programs Related to Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault must be paid as other claims against the State are paid. – 4 – - 83rd Session (2025) Sec. 4. NRS 228.470 is hereby amended to read as follows: 228.470 1. The Committee on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault is hereby created. The Committee is comprised of the Attorney General or a designee of the Attorney General and: (a) The following members appointed by the Attorney General: (1) One staff member of a program for victims of domestic violence; (2) One staff member of a program for victims of sexual assault; (3) One staff member of a program for the treatment of persons who commit domestic violence; [(3)] (4) One representative from an office of the district attorney with experience in prosecuting criminal offenses; [(4)] (5) One representative from an office of the city attorney with experience in prosecuting criminal offenses; [(5)] (6) One law enforcement officer; [(6)] (7) One provider of mental health care; [(7) Two survivors] (8) One survivor of domestic violence; [(8)] (9) One survivor of sexual assault; (10) One justice of the peace or municipal judge; [(9)] (11) One representative from the Office of Court Administrator; [and (10)] (12) One medical professional with experience in working with sexual assault forensic evidence kits; and (13) Any other person appointed by the Attorney General. (b) One member who is a representative of the Division of Public and Behavioral Health of the Department of Health and Human Services, who is appointed by the Administrator of the Division and who has experience related to the certification of programs for the treatment of persons who commit domestic violence.  Each appointed member serves a term of 2 years. Members may be reappointed for additional terms of 2 years. At least two members of the Committee must be residents of a county whose population is less than 100,000. 2. The Committee shall: (a) Increase awareness of the existence and unacceptability of domestic violence and sexual assault in this State; (b) Review and evaluate existing programs provided to peace officers for training related to domestic violence and sexual assault and make recommendations to the Peace Officers’ Standards and Training Commission regarding such training; – 5 – - 83rd Session (2025) (c) To the extent that money is available, provide financial support to programs for the prevention of domestic violence and sexual assault in this State; (d) Study and review all appropriate issues related to the administration of the criminal justice system in rural Nevada with respect to offenses involving domestic violence [,] and sexual assault, including, without limitation, the availability of counseling services; (e) Study issues that relate to domestic violence [,] and sexual assault, including, without limitation, the intersections between domestic violence and sexual assault and domestic violence and human trafficking; (f) Make recommendations regarding whether a need exists: (1) For additional sexual assault victims’ advocates and, if such a need exists, create a plan for how the State can provide additional sexual assault victims’ advocates to meet such a need; (2) To provide ongoing evaluation of the implementation of the rights of survivors pursuant to the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights and, if such a need exists, shall: (I) Identify the scope and nature of the need; and (II) Make recommendations on how to best fill such a need, legislatively or otherwise; (g) Review the effectiveness of the statewide program to track sexual assault forensic evidence kits established pursuant to NRS 200.3788; and [(f)] (h) Submit on or before March 1 of each odd-numbered year a report to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for distribution to the regular session of the Legislature. In preparing the report, the Committee shall solicit comments and recommendations from district judges, municipal judges and justices of the peace in rural Nevada. The report must include, without limitation: (1) A summary of the work of the Committee and recommendations for any necessary legislation concerning domestic violence [;] and sexual assault; and (2) All comments and recommendations received by the Committee. 3. The Attorney General or the designee of the Attorney General is the Chair of the Committee. 4. The Committee shall annually elect a Vice Chair from among its members. 5. The Committee shall meet regularly at least three times in each calendar year and may meet at other times upon the call of the Chair. – 6 – - 83rd Session (2025) 6. At least one meeting in each calendar year must be held at a location within the Fourth Judicial District, Fifth Judicial District, Sixth Judicial District, Seventh Judicial District or Eleventh Judicial District. 7. The Attorney General shall provide the Committee with such staff as is necessary to carry out the duties of the Committee. 8. While engaged in the business of the Committee, each member and employee of the Committee is entitled to receive the per diem allowance and travel expenses provided for state officers and employees generally. 9. The Committee may adopt regulations necessary to carry out its duties pursuant to NRS 228.470 to 228.497, inclusive. 10. As used in this section: (a) “Sexual assault forensic evidence kit” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 200.364. (b) “Sexual assault victims’ advocate” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 178A.120. (c) “Survivor” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 178A.140. Sec. 5. NRS 228.490 is hereby amended to read as follows: 228.490 The Committee may apply for and accept gifts, grants, donations and contributions from any source for the purpose of carrying out its duties pursuant to NRS 228.470. Any money that the Committee receives pursuant to this section must be deposited in and accounted for separately in the Account for Programs Related to Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault created pursuant to NRS 228.460 for use by the Committee in carrying out its duties. Sec. 6. NRS 176.094 is hereby amended to read as follows: 176.094 In addition to any other fine or penalty, if the court finds t [Text truncated for display. Full text available on LegiScan.]