Nevada Legislature: Bill would protect officials from fraudulent legal action

Nevada lawmakers are reviewing a bill seeking to limit fraudulent legal action taken against public officials.

Republican Sen. Greg Brower presented SB197 to the Assembly Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.

The measure would prohibit people from filing false or harassing liens, which are legal claims of property to secure debt payment, against elected officials, candidates and government workers.

The bill would make it a felony to file a false lien and repeat offenders could see up to a 20 year prison sentence and $20,000 fines.

Brower said anti-government activists often file false or fraudulent liens against public officials in order to harass them and damage their credit scores.

The measure passed unanimously out of the Senate in April.

The committee took no action on the bill.

Senate OKs bill allowing teacher license for more immigrants

A bill that would make it easier for immigrants with temporary legal status to get a Nevada teaching license has passed the Senate.

Senators voted 19-0 on Wednesday to approve AB27, which already passed the Assembly. It’s expected to arrive at the governor’s desk soon.

The bill affects immigrants including those who have work permits through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA recipients or DREAMers.

Existing law allows the state superintendent to give a teaching license to someone who is not a citizen but has a work permit only if there’s a teacher shortage for a subject the person can teach.

The bill would allow those immigrants to get a teaching license if a district has a teacher shortage of any kind.

Bill would offer more relief in pay discrimination cases

Nevada lawmakers are reviewing a measure that would offer more relief to victims of pay discrimination.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Michael Roberson presented SB167 to the Assembly Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.

The measure includes provisions allowing for up to three years of back pay and prohibiting employers from punishing workers who ask about wages.

Roberson said the bill didn’t change discrimination case standards but that it would give workers more time to file a complaint and more relief.

It originally allowed the state’s equal rights commission to levy fines against employers who discriminate, but the provision was amended out.

The measure passed unanimously out of the Senate in April, after Democrats proposed several failed amendments adding more regulatory powers to the bill.

The committee took no action on the bill.

Contested bill allowing parolees GPS tracking passes Assembly

The Nevada Assembly has passed a measure allowing for the GPS tracking of parolees despite Democratic concerns.

Assembly members voted 24-18 on Tuesday on mostly party lines to approve SB 37. Republican Assemblywoman Shelly Shelton broke rank and voted with Democrats against the bill.

The measure would allow probationers or parolees tracked by GPS to have their location transmitted to law enforcement if they’re near a crime scene or other prohibited area.

Supporters said the bill would help police rule out suspects from crime scenes and would better track parolees outside their home.

Democrats spoke out against the measure and said it could potentially come with a significant cost to analyze GPS data.

The measure now goes to Gov. Brian Sandoval’s desk.