A.B. 249
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ASSEMBLY BILL NO. 249–COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS
FEBRUARY 18, 2025
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Referred to Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections
SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to fiscal notes.
(BDR 17-932)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.
Effect on the State: Yes.
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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
AN ACT relating to fiscal notes; revising the information
concerning fiscal effect that must be included in the
summary of each bill or joint resolution introduced in the
Legislature; revising provisions relating to the preparation
of fiscal notes relating to petitions for initiative or
referendum; and providing other matters properly relating
thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing law requires the summary of a bill or joint resolution introduced in the 1
Legislature to include certain statements relating to the fiscal effect on the State and 2
local government. (NRS 218D.415) Section 1 of this bill amends the summary of a 3
bill or joint resolution relating to the fiscal effect on the State from “Effect on the 4
State: Yes” to “Effect on the State: May have Fiscal Impact.” 5
Existing law requires the Secretary of State to consult with the Fiscal Analysis 6
Division of the Legislative Counsel Bureau to determine whether a petition for 7
initiative or referendum may have any anticipated financial effect on the State or 8
local governments if the initiative or referendum is approved by the voters. If the 9
Fiscal Analysis Division determines that the petition may have an anticipated 10
financial effect on the State or local governments, the Fiscal Analysis Division is 11
required to prepare a fiscal note regarding the petition that includes an explanation 12
of any such effect. The Secretary of State is required to post on the Secretary of 13
State’s Internet website any fiscal note prepared by the Fiscal Analysis Division not 14
later than 10 business days after the Secretary of State receives the petition. (NRS 15
295.015) Existing law also authorizes the description of effect of an initiative or 16
referendum to be challenged by filing a complaint in the First Judicial District 17
Court not later than 15 days, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays excluded, after a 18
copy of the petition is placed on file with the Secretary of State. (NRS 295.061) 19
Section 2 of this bill revises the deadline for posting the fiscal note prepared by the 20
Fiscal Analysis Division on the Internet website of the Secretary of State to be: (1) 21
if the description of effect of the petition is challenged in the First Judicial District, 22
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not later than 10 business days after the decision of the First Judicial District Court 23
relating to the challenge is issued; or (2) if the description of effect is not 24
challenged in the First Judicial District, not later than 10 business days after the last 25
day to file a challenge. 26
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. NRS 218D.415 is hereby amended to read as 1
follows: 2
218D.415 1. The summary of each bill or joint resolution 3
introduced in the Legislature must include the statement: 4
(a) “Fiscal Note: Effect on Local Government: May have Fiscal 5
Impact,” 6
“Fiscal Note: Effect on Local Government: No,” or 7
“Fiscal Note: Effect on Local Government: Increases or 8
Newly Provides for Term of Imprisonment in County or City Jail or 9
Detention Facility,” 10
whichever is appropriate; and 11
(b) “Effect on the State: [Yes,”] May have Fiscal Impact,” 12
“Effect on the State: No,” 13
“Effect on the State: Contains Appropriation included in 14
Executive Budget,” 15
“Effect on the State: Executive Budget,” or 16
“Effect on the State: Contains Appropriation not included in 17
Executive Budget,” 18
whichever is appropriate. 19
2. The Legislative Counsel shall consult the Fiscal Analysis 20
Division to secure the appropriate information for summaries of 21
bills and joint resolutions. 22
3. If an amendment adds an appropriation to a bill that 23
previously did not include an appropriation or removes all 24
appropriations from a bill that previously included one or more 25
appropriations, the Legislative Counsel shall change the summary of 26
the bill to reflect the inclusion or removal. 27
Sec. 2. NRS 295.015 is hereby amended to read as follows: 28
295.015 1. Before a petition for initiative or referendum may 29
be presented to the registered voters for their signatures, the person 30
who intends to circulate the petition must: 31
(a) File a copy of the petition for initiative or referendum, 32
including the description of the effect of the initiative or referendum 33
required pursuant to NRS 295.009, with the Secretary of State. 34
(b) Submit to the Secretary of State on a form prescribed by the 35
Secretary of State: 36
(1) The name and signature of the person. 37
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(2) If the person has formed a committee for political action 1
for the purposes of advocating the passage of the initiative or 2
referendum, the name of that committee for political action. 3
(3) The names of not more than three persons who are 4
authorized to withdraw the petition or submit an amended petition. 5
2. If a petition for initiative or referendum or the description of 6
the effect of the initiative or referendum required pursuant to NRS 7
295.009 is amended after the petition is placed on file with the 8
Secretary of State pursuant to subsection 1: 9
(a) The revised petition must be placed on file with the Secretary 10
of State before it is presented to the registered voters for their 11
signatures; 12
(b) Any signatures that were collected on the original petition 13
before it was amended are not valid; and 14
(c) The requirements for submission of the petition to each 15
county clerk set forth in NRS 295.056 apply to the revised petition. 16
3. Upon receipt of a petition for initiative or referendum placed 17
on file pursuant to subsection 1 or 2: 18
(a) The Secretary of State shall assign to the petition for 19
initiative or referendum a unique identifier that must: 20
(1) Consist of a serial number or letter, or both; and 21
(2) Distinguish among each different type of petition 22
received. 23
(b) The Secretary of State shall consult with the Fiscal Analysis 24
Division of the Legislative Counsel Bureau to determine whether 25
the petition for initiative or referendum may have any anticipated 26
financial effect on the State or local governments if the initiative or 27
referendum is approved by the voters. If the Fiscal Analysis 28
Division determines that the petition for initiative or referendum 29
may have an anticipated financial effect on the State or local 30
governments if the initiative or referendum is approved by the 31
voters, the Fiscal Analysis Division must prepare a fiscal note 32
regarding the petition that includes an explanation of any such 33
effect. 34
(c) The Secretary of State shall consult with the Legislative 35
Counsel regarding the petition for initiative or referendum. The 36
Legislative Counsel may provide technical suggestions regarding 37
the petition for initiative or referendum. 38
4. Not later than 10 business days after the Secretary of State 39
receives a petition for initiative or referendum filed pursuant to 40
subsection 1 or 2, the Secretary of State shall post on the Secretary 41
of State’s Internet website a copy of the petition, including: 42
(a) The description of the effect of the initiative or referendum 43
required pursuant to NRS 295.009; 44
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(b) The unique identifier assigned to the petition by the 1
Secretary of State pursuant to subsection 3; and 2
(c) [Any fiscal note regarding the petition prepared by the Fiscal 3
Analysis Division pursuant to subsection 3; and 4
(d)] Any suggestions regarding the petition made by the 5
Legislative Counsel pursuant to subsection 3. 6
5. The Secretary of State shall post on the Secretary of State’s 7
Internet website any fiscal note regarding a petition prepared by 8
the Fiscal Analysis Division pursuant to subsection 3: 9
(a) If the description of effect of the petition is challenged 10
pursuant to subsection 1 of NRS 295.061, not later than 10 11
business days after the decision of the First Judicial District Court 12
relating to the challenge is issued; or 13
(b) If the description of effect is not challenged pursuant to 14
subsection 1 of NRS 295.061, not later than 10 business days after 15
the last day to file a challenge pursuant to subsection 1 of 16
NRS 295.061. 17
Sec. 3. This act becomes effective on July 1, 2025. 18
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