S.B. 324
- *SB324*
SENATE BILL NO. 324–SENATORS SCHEIBLE; AND NGUYEN
MARCH 11, 2025
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Referred to Committee on Natural Resources
SUMMARY—Establishes prohibitions relating to the sale of water
in certain disposable plastic bottles in communities
abutting the Lake Tahoe Watershed. (BDR 40-216)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: Increases or Newly
Provides for Term of Imprisonment in County or City
Jail or Detention Facility.
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 natural resources; prohibiting the sale, offer for
sale or distribution for sale of water in certain disposable
plastic bottles within any community which abuts the
Lake Tahoe Watershed; providing a penalty; and
providing other matters properly relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing law establishes certain prohibitions relating to water pollution in Lake 1
Tahoe and within the Lake Tahoe Watershed. (NRS 445A.170-445A.190) Section 2
1 of this bill prohibits a person from selling, offering for sale or distributing for sale 3
water in a disposable plastic bottle that has a capacity of not more than 4 liters in 4
any community which abuts the Lake Tahoe Watershed. Section 1 requires the 5
Attorney General to enforce this prohibition and authorizes the Attorney General to 6
enter property within the Lake Tahoe Watershed to inspect for compliance. 7
Section 2 of this bill provides that the provisions requiring the Attorney 8
General to enforce section 1 and authorizing the Attorney General to adopt 9
regulations are thereby exceptions to the enforcement and regulatory powers of the 10
State Environmental Commission and the State Department of Conservation and 11
Natural Resources. 12
Section 3 of this bill provides that a person who violates the provisions of 13
section 1 is guilty of a misdemeanor. 14
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- *SB324*
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Chapter 445A of NRS is hereby amended by 1
adding thereto a new section to read as follows: 2
1. A person shall not sell, offer to sell or distribute for sale 3
water in a disposable plastic bottle that has a capacity of not more 4
than 4 liters in any community that abuts the Lake Tahoe 5
Watershed. 6
2. The Attorney General: 7
(a) Shall enforce the provisions of this section and may enter 8
any property within the Lake Tahoe Watershed area for the 9
purpose of inspecting such premises to determine whether or not 10
the property is complying with the provisions of this section; and 11
(b) May adopt regulations to carry out the provisions of this 12
section. 13
3. As used in this section: 14
(a) “Disposable plastic bottle” means a single-use or 15
disposable item that is made of plastic and used for bottling, 16
packaging, serving, consuming or transporting water. 17
(b) “Plastic” means a synthetic or semisynthetic material 18
chemically synthesized by the polymerization of organic 19
substances that can be molded and shaped into rigid and flexible 20
forms. 21
Sec. 2. NRS 445A.180 is hereby amended to read as follows: 22
445A.180 Except as otherwise provided in section 1 of this 23
act: 24
1. The State Environmental Commission may adopt reasonable 25
regulations consistent with law governing the Lake Tahoe 26
Watershed area to carry out the purpose and intent of NRS 27
445A.170 to 445A.190, inclusive [.] , and section 1 of this act. 28
2. The State Department of Conservation and Natural 29
Resources: 30
(a) May enforce the regulations of the State Environmental 31
Commission with respect to the provisions of NRS 445A.170 to 32
445A.190, inclusive [.] , and section 1 of this act. 33
(b) May enter on any property within the Lake Tahoe Watershed 34
area for the purpose of inspecting such premises to determine 35
whether or not they are in conformity with the provisions of NRS 36
445A.170 to 445A.190, inclusive [.] , and section 1 of this act. 37
3. All regulations and standards adopted by the State Board of 38
Health pertaining to the protection of Lake Tahoe and its watershed 39
in force on July 1, 1975, remain in effect until revised by the State 40
Environmental Commission pursuant to NRS 445A.170 to 41
445A.190, inclusive [.] , and section 1 of this act. 42
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- *SB324*
Sec. 3. NRS 445A.190 is hereby amended to read as follows: 1
445A.190 Any person, firm, association or corporation 2
violating any of the provisions of NRS 445A.170 to 445A.185, 3
inclusive, and section 1 of this act or of the rules and regulations 4
hereby established shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. 5
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