(Reprinted with amendments adopted on April 14, 2025)
FIRST REPRINT A.B. 480
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ASSEMBLY BILL NO. 480–ASSEMBLYMEMBERS YEAGER, MONROE-
MORENO, JAUREGUI, CONSIDINE; BROWN-MAY, DALIA,
GONZÁLEZ, LA RUE HATCH, MARZOLA, MILLER, MOORE,
NADEEM, ORENTLICHER AND ROTH
MARCH 19, 2025
____________
JOINT SPONSORS: SENATORS CANNIZZARO,
DONDERO LOOP AND NGUYEN
____________
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to discrimination in
housing. (BDR 10-1101)
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 housing; revising provisions relating to
discrimination in housing; and providing other matters
properly relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing federal law prohibits certain discriminatory practices relating to 1
housing based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national 2
origin. (42 U.S.C. §§ 3601 et seq.) Under certain circumstances, existing federal 3
regulations provide that housing discrimination may be established based on the 4
discriminatory effect of a practice, even if the practice was not motivated by a 5
discriminatory intent. (24 C.F.R. § 100.500) This is commonly known as the 6
“disparate impact standard.” 7
The Nevada Fair Housing Law: (1) prohibits discrimination in housing on the 8
basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, 9
gender identity or expression, ancestry, familial status or sex; and (2) provides a 10
process and remedies to enforce the Nevada Fair Housing Law if a person engages 11
in such discrimination, including the authority to file a complaint with the Nevada 12
Equal Rights Commission and to commence an action in any district court to obtain 13
an injunction and civil damages. (NRS 118.010-118.120) This bill adopts the 14
disparate impact standard for purposes of the Nevada Fair Housing Law. 15
Section 1 of this bill provides that liability may be established for a 16
discriminatory housing practice if: (1) the practice was motivated by a 17
discriminatory intent; or (2) with certain exceptions, the practice was not motivated 18
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by a discriminatory intent but the practice actually or predictably results in a 19
discriminatory effect on a group of persons or creates, increases, reinforces or 20
perpetuates segregated housing patterns because of race, religious creed, color, 21
national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, 22
ancestry, familial status or sex. Section 1 further provides that there is no liability 23
for a discriminatory housing practice based on the disparate impact standard if, 24
based on evidence that is not hypothetical or speculative: (1) the practice is 25
necessary to achieve one or more substantial, legitimate and nondiscriminatory 26
interests of the respondent; and (2) the interests of the respondent could not be 27
served by another practice that has a less discriminatory effect. Section 1 also 28
provides that the complainant must establish that a challenged practice caused or 29
predictably will cause a discriminatory effect. If the claimant meets such burden of 30
proof, the respondent has the burden of proving that the challenged practice is 31
necessary to achieve one or more substantial, legitimate and nondiscriminatory 32
interests of the respondent. If the respondent meets his or her burden of proof, the 33
complainant may still prevail upon proving that the substantial, legitimate and 34
nondiscriminatory interests supporting the challenged practice could be served by 35
another practice that has a less discriminatory effect. 36
Section 2 of this bill makes a conforming change to include section 1 in the 37
Nevada Fair Housing Law. 38
Section 3 of this bill applies the definitions in existing law relating to 39
discrimination in housing to the provisions of section 1. 40
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Chapter 118 of NRS is hereby amended by adding 1
thereto a new section to read as follows: 2
1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, liability may 3
be established for a discriminatory housing practice if: 4
(a) The practice was motivated by a discriminatory intent; or 5
(b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the practice 6
was not motivated by a discriminatory intent but the practice 7
actually or predictably results in a discriminatory effect on a 8
group of persons or creates, increases, reinforces or perpetuates 9
segregated housing patterns because of race, religious creed, 10
color, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender 11
identity or expression, ancestry, familial status or sex. 12
2. There is no liability for a discriminatory housing practice 13
pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 1 if, based on evidence 14
that is not hypothetical or speculative: 15
(a) The practice is necessary to achieve one or more 16
substantial, legitimate and nondiscriminatory interests of the 17
respondent; and 18
(b) The interests of the respondent described in paragraph (a) 19
could not be served by another practice that has a less 20
discriminatory effect. 21
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3. For purposes of paragraph (b) of subsection 1, the 1
complainant must establish that a challenged practice caused or 2
predictably will cause a discriminatory effect. If the complainant 3
meets such burden of proof, the respondent has the burden of 4
proving that the challenged practice is necessary to achieve one or 5
more substantial, legitimate and nondiscriminatory interests of the 6
respondent. If the respondent meets his or her burden of proof, the 7
complainant may still prevail upon proving that the substantial, 8
legitimate and nondiscriminatory interests supporting the 9
challenged practice could be served by another practice that has a 10
less discriminatory effect. 11
4. As used in this section: 12
(a) “Complainant” means a person by whom, or on whose 13
behalf: 14
(1) A complaint is filed with the Commission pursuant to 15
NRS 118.110; or 16
(2) An action is commenced pursuant to NRS 118.120. 17
(b) “Respondent” means a person against whom: 18
(1) A complaint is filed with the Commission pursuant to 19
NRS 118.110; or 20
(2) An action is commenced pursuant to NRS 118.120. 21
Sec. 2. NRS 118.010 is hereby amended to read as follows: 22
118.010 The provisions of NRS 118.010 to 118.120, inclusive, 23
and section 1 of this act may be cited as the Nevada Fair Housing 24
Law. 25
Sec. 3. NRS 118.030 is hereby amended to read as follows: 26
118.030 As used in NRS 118.010 to 118.120, inclusive, and 27
section 1 of this act, unless the context otherwise requires, the 28
words and terms defined in NRS 118.040 to 118.093, inclusive, 29
have the meanings ascribed to them in those sections. 30
Sec. 4. This act becomes effective upon passage and approval. 31
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