AB197 - Enacts provisions strengthening certain protections for certain activities under the First Amendment. (BDR 19-136)

- 83rd Session (2025) Assembly Bill No. 197–Assemblymembers Backus and Hafen CHAPTER.......... AN ACT relating to governmental administration; requiring, with certain exceptions, a governmental entity to keep confidential certain personal information regarding donors, members or volunteers of a nonprofit organization; prohibiting, with certain exceptions, a governmental entity from requesting or releasing certain personal information regarding donors, members or volunteers of a nonprofit organization; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: Existing law authorizes certain governmental agencies to collect certain personal information. (Chapter 239B of NRS) Existing law also prohibits, with certain exceptions, a governmental agency from requiring a person to include certain personal information on any document submitted to the governmental agency after a certain date. (NRS 239B.030) Section 2 of this bill requires, with certain exceptions, a governmental entity to keep confidential any personal information in the records of the governmental entity that identifies a person as a donor, member or volunteer of a nonprofit organization. Section 2 also prohibits, with certain exceptions, a governmental entity from: (1) requiring that any person or nonprofit organization provide the governmental entity with personal information that identifies a person as a donor, member or volunteer of a nonprofit organization; (2) releasing, publicizing or otherwise publicly disclosing personal information that identifies a person as a donor, member or volunteer of a nonprofit organization; or (3) requesting or requiring a current or prospective contractor or grantee to provide a list of nonprofit organizations to which the contractor or grantee has provided support or in-kind services or goods. Section 2 provides that the personal information that identifies a person as a donor, member or volunteer of a nonprofit organization includes any list, record, register, roster or other data of any kind that includes a donation, name, address or telephone number that directly or indirectly identifies a person as a donor of financial support or in-kind services or goods, a member or a volunteer of any nonprofit organization. Section 2 provides that a person who alleges that the person has been harmed by a governmental entity or an officer or employee of a governmental entity that has violated these provisions may bring a civil action to obtain certain relief. To prevail, section 2 requires the person to prove that the governmental entity or officer or employee thereof caused the person harm as a result of actions the entity, officer or employee knew or should have known were a violation of these provisions. Section 1 of this bill provides that such personal information is not a public record. Section 3 of this bill prohibits the Secretary of State, when carrying out certain requirements of existing law, from collecting or disclosing any information that directly identifies a person as a donor of financial support to a nonprofit organization. Section 4 of this bill provides that any information collected by the Attorney General in an audit, examination, review or investigation of a corporation for public benefit or a corporation holding assets in charitable trust may only be used in – 2 – - 83rd Session (2025) connection with the audit, examination, review or investigation and is otherwise subject to the requirements of section 2. 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 239.010 is hereby amended to read as follows: 239.010 1. Except as otherwise provided in this section and NRS 1.4683, 1.4687, 1A.110, 3.2203, 41.0397, 41.071, 49.095, 49.293, 62D.420, 62D.440, 62E.516, 62E.620, 62H.025, 62H.030, 62H.170, 62H.220, 62H.320, 75A.100, 75A.150, 76.160, 78.152, 80.113, 81.850, 82.183, 86.246, 86.54615, 87.515, 87.5413, 87A.200, 87A.580, 87A.640, 88.3355, 88.5927, 88.6067, 88A.345, 88A.7345, 89.045, 89.251, 90.730, 91.160, 116.757, 116A.270, 116B.880, 118B.026, 119.260, 119.265, 119.267, 119.280, 119A.280, 119A.653, 119A.677, 119B.370, 119B.382, 120A.640, 120A.690, 125.130, 125B.140, 126.141, 126.161, 126.163, 126.730, 127.007, 127.057, 127.130, 127.140, 127.2817, 128.090, 130.312, 130.712, 136.050, 159.044, 159A.044, 164.041, 172.075, 172.245, 176.01334, 176.01385, 176.015, 176.0625, 176.09129, 176.156, 176A.630, 178.39801, 178.4715, 178.5691, 178.5717, 179.495, 179A.070, 179A.165, 179D.160, 180.600, 200.3771, 200.3772, 200.5095, 200.604, 202.3662, 205.4651, 209.392, 209.3923, 209.3925, 209.419, 209.429, 209.521, 211A.140, 213.010, 213.040, 213.095, 213.131, 217.105, 217.110, 217.464, 217.475, 218A.350, 218E.625, 218F.150, 218G.130, 218G.240, 218G.350, 218G.615, 224.240, 226.462, 226.796, 228.270, 228.450, 228.495, 228.570, 231.069, 231.1285, 231.1473, 232.1369, 233.190, 237.300, 239.0105, 239.0113, 239.014, 239B.026, 239B.030, 239B.040, 239B.050, 239C.140, 239C.210, 239C.230, 239C.250, 239C.270, 239C.420, 240.007, 241.020, 241.030, 241.039, 242.105, 244.264, 244.335, 247.540, 247.545, 247.550, 247.560, 250.087, 250.130, 250.140, 250.145, 250.150, 268.095, 268.0978, 268.490, 268.910, 269.174, 271A.105, 281.195, 281.805, 281A.350, 281A.680, 281A.685, 281A.750, 281A.755, 281A.780, 284.4068, 284.4086, 286.110, 286.118, 287.0438, 289.025, 289.080, 289.387, 289.830, 293.4855, 293.5002, 293.503, 293.504, 293.558, 293.5757, 293.870, 293.906, 293.908, 293.909, 293.910, 293B.135, 293D.510, 331.110, 332.061, 332.351, 333.333, 333.335, 338.070, 338.1379, 338.1593, 338.1725, 338.1727, 348.420, 349.597, 349.775, 353.205, 353A.049, 353A.085, 353A.100, 353C.240, 353D.250, 360.240, – 3 – - 83rd Session (2025) 360.247, 360.255, 360.755, 361.044, 361.2242, 361.610, 365.138, 366.160, 368A.180, 370.257, 370.327, 372A.080, 378.290, 378.300, 379.0075, 379.008, 379.1495, 385A.830, 385B.100, 387.626, 387.631, 388.1455, 388.259, 388.501, 388.503, 388.513, 388.750, 388A.247, 388A.249, 391.033, 391.035, 391.0365, 391.120, 391.925, 392.029, 392.147, 392.264, 392.271, 392.315, 392.317, 392.325, 392.327, 392.335, 392.850, 393.045, 394.167, 394.16975, 394.1698, 394.447, 394.460, 394.465, 396.1415, 396.1425, 396.143, 396.159, 396.3295, 396.405, 396.525, 396.535, 396.9685, 398A.115, 408.3885, 408.3886, 408.3888, 408.5484, 412.153, 414.280, 416.070, 422.2749, 422.305, 422A.342, 422A.350, 425.400, 427A.1236, 427A.872, 427A.940, 432.028, 432.205, 432B.175, 432B.280, 432B.290, 432B.4018, 432B.407, 432B.430, 432B.560, 432B.5902, 432C.140, 432C.150, 433.534, 433A.360, 439.4941, 439.4988, 439.5282, 439.840, 439.914, 439A.116, 439A.124, 439B.420, 439B.754, 439B.760, 439B.845, 440.170, 441A.195, 441A.220, 441A.230, 442.330, 442.395, 442.735, 442.774, 445A.665, 445B.570, 445B.7773, 449.209, 449.245, 449.4315, 449A.112, 450.140, 450B.188, 450B.805, 453.164, 453.720, 458.055, 458.280, 459.050, 459.3866, 459.555, 459.7056, 459.846, 463.120, 463.15993, 463.240, 463.3403, 463.3407, 463.790, 467.1005, 480.535, 480.545, 480.935, 480.940, 481.063, 481.091, 481.093, 482.170, 482.368, 482.5536, 483.340, 483.363, 483.575, 483.659, 483.800, 484A.469, 484B.830, 484B.833, 484E.070, 485.316, 501.344, 503.452, 522.040, 534A.031, 561.285, 571.160, 584.655, 587.877, 598.0964, 598.098, 598A.110, 598A.420, 599B.090, 603.070, 603A.210, 604A.303, 604A.710, 604D.500, 604D.600, 612.265, 616B.012, 616B.015, 616B.315, 616B.350, 618.341, 618.425, 622.238, 622.310, 623.131, 623A.137, 624.110, 624.265, 624.327, 625.425, 625A.185, 628.418, 628B.230, 628B.760, 629.043, 629.047, 629.069, 630.133, 630.2671, 630.2672, 630.2673, 630.2687, 630.30665, 630.336, 630A.327, 630A.555, 631.332, 631.368, 632.121, 632.125, 632.3415, 632.3423, 632.405, 633.283, 633.301, 633.427, 633.4715, 633.4716, 633.4717, 633.524, 634.055, 634.1303, 634.214, 634A.169, 634A.185, 634B.730, 635.111, 635.158, 636.262, 636.342, 637.085, 637.145, 637B.192, 637B.288, 638.087, 638.089, 639.183, 639.2485, 639.570, 640.075, 640.152, 640A.185, 640A.220, 640B.405, 640B.730, 640C.580, 640C.600, 640C.620, 640C.745, 640C.760, 640D.135, 640D.190, 640E.225, 640E.340, 641.090, 641.221, 641.2215, 641A.191, 641A.217, 641A.262, 641B.170, 641B.281, 641B.282, 641C.455, 641C.760, 641D.260, 641D.320, 642.524, 643.189, 644A.870, 645.180, 645.625, 645A.050, – 4 – - 83rd Session (2025) 645A.082, 645B.060, 645B.092, 645C.220, 645C.225, 645D.130, 645D.135, 645G.510, 645H.320, 645H.330, 647.0945, 647.0947, 648.033, 648.197, 649.065, 649.067, 652.126, 652.228, 653.900, 654.110, 656.105, 657A.510, 661.115, 665.130, 665.133, 669.275, 669.285, 669A.310, 670B.680, 671.365, 671.415, 673.450, 673.480, 675.380, 676A.340, 676A.370, 677.243, 678A.470, 678C.710, 678C.800, 679B.122, 679B.124, 679B.152, 679B.159, 679B.190, 679B.285, 679B.690, 680A.270, 681A.440, 681B.260, 681B.410, 681B.540, 683A.0873, 685A.077, 686A.289, 686B.170, 686C.306, 687A.060, 687A.115, 687B.404, 687C.010, 688C.230, 688C.480, 688C.490, 689A.696, 692A.117, 692C.190, 692C.3507, 692C.3536, 692C.3538, 692C.354, 692C.420, 693A.480, 693A.615, 696B.550, 696C.120, 703.196, 704B.325, 706.1725, 706A.230, 710.159, 711.600, and section 2 of this act, sections 35, 38 and 41 of chapter 478, Statutes of Nevada 2011 and section 2 of chapter 391, Statutes of Nevada 2013 and unless otherwise declared by law to be confidential, all public books and public records of a governmental entity must be open at all times during office hours to inspection by any person, and may be fully copied or an abstract or memorandum may be prepared from those public books and public records. Any such copies, abstracts or memoranda may be used to supply the general public with copies, abstracts or memoranda of the records or may be used in any other way to the advantage of the governmental entity or of the general public. This section does not supersede or in any manner affect the federal laws governing copyrights or enlarge, diminish or affect in any other manner the rights of a person in any written book or record which is copyrighted pursuant to federal law. 2. A governmental entity may not reject a book or record which is copyrighted solely because it is copyrighted. 3. A governmental entity that has legal custody or control of a public book or record shall not deny a request made pursuant to subsection 1 to inspect or copy or receive a copy of a public book or record on the basis that the requested public book or record contains information that is confidential if the governmental entity can redact, delete, conceal or separate, including, without limitation, electronically, the confidential information from the information included in the public book or record that is not otherwise confidential. 4. If requested, a governmental entity shall provide a copy of a public record in an electronic format by means of an electronic medium. Nothing in this subsection requires a governmental entity to provide a copy of a public record in an electronic format or by means of an electronic medium if: – 5 – - 83rd Session (2025) (a) The public record: (1) Was not created or prepared in an electronic format; and (2) Is not available in an electronic format; or (b) Providing the public record in an electronic format or by means of an electronic medium would: (1) Give access to proprietary software; or (2) Require the production of information that is confidential and that cannot be redacted, deleted, concealed or separated from information that is not otherwise confidential. 5. An officer, employee or agent of a governmental entity who has legal custody or control of a public record: (a) Shall not refuse to provide a copy of that public record in the medium that is requested because the officer, employee or agent has already prepared or would prefer to provide the copy in a different medium. (b) Except as otherwise provided in NRS 239.030, shall, upon request, prepare the copy of the public record and shall not require the person who has requested the copy to prepare the copy himself or herself. Sec. 2. Chapter 239B of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto a new section to read as follows: 1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, a governmental entity shall maintain in a confidential manner any personal information that identifies a person as a donor, member or volunteer of a nonprofit organization. 2. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, a governmental entity shall not: (a) Require any person or nonprofit organization to provide the governmental entity with personal information that identifies a person as a donor, member or volunteer of a nonprofit organization or otherwise compel the release of such personal information; (b) Release, publicize or otherwise publicly disclose personal information in possession of the governmental entity that identifies a person as a donor, member or volunteer of a nonprofit organization; or (c) Request or require a current or prospective contractor or grantee working with the governmental entity to provide a list of nonprofit organizations to which the contractor or grantee has provided financial support or in-kind services or goods. 3. The provisions of subsections 1 and 2 do not apply to personal information that identifies a person as a donor, member – 6 – - 83rd Session (2025) or volunteer of a nonprofit organization that is requested, obtained, released or disclosed as a result of any of the following: (a) Any personal information required to be disclosed by statute or regulation for the purpose of complying with federal law; (b) Any information, report or disclosure required to be: (1) Filed with the Secretary of State pursuant to title 7 of NRS provided that, except as otherwise provided in this subsection, any information that directly identifies a person as a donor of financial support to a nonprofit organization must not be collected or disclosed; or (2) Disclosed pursuant to any statute, regulation or ordinance for a person or nonprofit organization to qualify for, operate or engage in a business activity in this State or in a city or county in this State; (c) Any report or disclosure required to be filed pursuant to chapter 294A of NRS; (d) Any confidential information shared pursuant to NRS 232.357; (e) Any lawful warrant for personal information issued by a court of competent jurisdiction; (f) Any lawful request for personal information in connectio [Text truncated for display. 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