S.B. 325
- *SB325*
SENATE BILL NO. 325–SENATORS DOÑATE, CRUZ-CRAWFORD,
SCHEIBLE, STEINBECK, STONE; ELLISON, NGUYEN, PAZINA
AND TAYLOR
MARCH 11, 2025
____________
JOINT SPONSORS: ASSEMBLYMEMBERS D’SILVA,
GALLANT AND GRAY
____________
Referred to Committee on Government Affairs
SUMMARY—Requires certain counties and cities and certain
nonprofit organizations to establish a program
relating to the adoption of certain animals.
(BDR 20-1004)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: May have Fiscal Impact.
Effect on the State: Yes.
CONTAINS UNFUNDED MANDATE (§§ 1, 2)
(NOT REQUESTED BY AFFECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT)
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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 animals; requiring the governing body of a
county or incorporated city and certain nonprofit
organizations that operate an animal shelter to establish a
program to waive the adoption fee of certain pets adopted
by a person who is a veteran, law enforcement officer or
first responder; requiring the Department of Veterans
Services to submit a report to the Legislature concerning
such programs; and providing other matters properly
relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing law authorizes a board of county commissioners and city council to 1
exercise certain powers relating to the control of animals. (NRS 244.359, 266.325) 2
Sections 1 and 2 of this bill require the governing body of a county or 3
incorporated city, respectively, that owns and operates an animal shelter to establish 4
a program to waive the adoption fee of certain pets adopted by a person who is a 5
veteran, law enforcement officer or first responder. Sections 1 and 2 also require 6
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the governing body of a county or incorporated city that does not own or operate an 7
animal shelter, as a condition of any appropriation or contract or other legal 8
agreement with a nonprofit organization that operates an animal shelter in the 9
county or city, as applicable, to require the nonprofit organization to establish a 10
program to waive the adoption fee of certain pets adopted by a person who is a 11
veteran, law enforcement officer or first responder. 12
Sections 1 and 2 require that these programs: (1) waive the adoption fee for not 13
more than one eligible pet from the animal shelter for a period of 6 months for each 14
veteran, law enforcement officer or first responder who adopts a pet; (2) require 15
such a veteran, law enforcement officer or first responder to provide a valid form of 16
identification; (3) require the animal shelter to report to the governing body of the 17
county or city, as applicable, certain information concerning the program; and (4) 18
require the animal shelter to maintain records of each adoption made under the 19
program. On or before October 1 of each year, the governing body of the county or 20
city is required to submit a report to the Department of Veterans Services 21
containing certain information concerning the program. Section 4 of this bill 22
requires the governing body of the county or incorporated city to submit the first 23
report required by section 1 or 2, as applicable, on or before October 1, 2026. 24
Section 3 of this bill requires the Department to submit a report to the 25
Legislature on or before December 31 of each even-numbered year that compiles 26
the information from the reports the Department received pursuant to sections 1 27
and 2. 28
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Chapter 244 of NRS is hereby amended by adding 1
thereto a new section to read as follows: 2
1. If a county owns and operates an animal shelter, the board 3
of county commissioners shall establish a program to waive the 4
adoption fee of a pet that is 6 months or older, has been at the 5
animal shelter for at least 7 consecutive days and is adopted from 6
the animal shelter by a person who is a veteran, law enforcement 7
officer or first responder. 8
2. If a county does not own and operate an animal shelter, 9
the board of county commissioners shall require, as a condition of 10
any appropriation or contract or other legal agreement with a 11
nonprofit organization that operates an animal shelter in the 12
county, that the animal shelter operated by the nonprofit 13
organization establish a program to waive the adoption fee of a pet 14
at the animal shelter that is 6 months or older, has been at the 15
animal shelter for at least 7 consecutive days and is adopted from 16
the animal shelter by a person who is a veteran, law enforcement 17
officer or first responder. 18
3. A program established pursuant to subsection 1 or 2 must: 19
(a) Waive the adoption fee for not more than one pet that 20
meets the requirements of subsection 1 or 2, as applicable, for a 21
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period of 6 months for each veteran, law enforcement officer or 1
first responder who adopts such a pet from the animal shelter; 2
(b) Require a veteran, law enforcement officer or first 3
responder who wishes to adopt a pet under the program to present 4
a valid form of identification that confirms that he or she is a 5
veteran, law enforcement officer or first responder; 6
(c) Report to the board of county commissioners the number of 7
pets adopted under the program and whether each pet was adopted 8
by a veteran, law enforcement officer or first responder; and 9
(d) Require the animal shelter to maintain records of each 10
adoption made under the program. 11
4. On or before October 1 of each year, the board of county 12
commissioners shall submit a report to the Department of 13
Veterans Services that includes the number of pets adopted under 14
a program established pursuant to subsection 1 or 2 and whether 15
each pet was adopted by a veteran, law enforcement officer or first 16
responder. 17
5. As used in this section: 18
(a) “Adoption fee” does not include a licensing fee, 19
vaccination fee or any fees for the medical treatment of the pet. 20
(b) “Emergency medical provider” has the meaning ascribed 21
to it in NRS 450B.199. 22
(c) “Firefighter” has the meaning ascribed to it in 23
NRS 450B.071. 24
(d) “First responder” means a firefighter or emergency 25
medical provider. 26
(e) “Law enforcement officer” means any officer of the United 27
States or this State or a political subdivision thereof who is 28
empowered by law to conduct investigations or make arrests. 29
(f) “Veteran” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 417.125. 30
Sec. 2. Chapter 268 of NRS is hereby amended by adding 31
thereto a new section to read as follows: 32
1. If an incorporated city owns and operates an animal 33
shelter, the governing body of the city shall establish a program to 34
waive the adoption fee of a pet that is 6 months or older, has been 35
at the animal shelter for at least 7 consecutive days and is adopted 36
from the animal shelter by a person who is a veteran, law 37
enforcement officer or first responder. 38
2. If an incorporated city does not own and operate an animal 39
shelter, the governing body of the city shall require, as a condition 40
of any appropriation or contract or other legal agreement with a 41
nonprofit organization that operates an animal shelter in the city, 42
that the animal shelter operated by the nonprofit organization 43
establish a program to waive the adoption fee of a pet at the 44
animal shelter that is 6 months or older, has been at the animal 45
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shelter for at least 7 consecutive days and is adopted from the 1
animal shelter by a person who is a veteran, law enforcement 2
officer or first responder. 3
3. A program established pursuant to subsection 1 or 2 must: 4
(a) Waive the adoption fee for not more than one pet that 5
meets the requirements of subsection 1 or 2, as applicable, for a 6
period of 6 months for each veteran, law enforcement officer or 7
first responder who adopts such a pet from the animal shelter; 8
(b) Require a veteran, law enforcement officer or first 9
responder who wishes to adopt a pet under the program to present 10
a valid form of identification that confirms that he or she is a 11
veteran, law enforcement officer or first responder; 12
(c) Report to the governing body of the city the number of pets 13
adopted under the program and whether each pet was adopted by 14
a veteran, law enforcement officer or first responder; and 15
(d) Require the animal shelter to maintain records of each 16
adoption made under the program. 17
4. On or before October 1 of each year, a governing body of 18
an incorporated city shall submit a report to the Department of 19
Veterans Services that includes the number of pets adopted under 20
a program established pursuant to subsection 1 or 2 and whether 21
each pet was adopted by a veteran, law enforcement officer or first 22
responder. 23
5. As used in this section: 24
(a) “Adoption fee” does not include a licensing fee, 25
vaccination fee or any fees for the medical treatment of the pet. 26
(b) “Emergency medical provider” has the meaning ascribed 27
to it in NRS 450B.199. 28
(c) “Firefighter” has the meaning ascribed to it in 29
NRS 450B.071. 30
(d) “First responder” means a firefighter or emergency 31
medical provider. 32
(e) “Law enforcement officer” means any officer of the United 33
States or this State or a political subdivision thereof who is 34
empowered by law to conduct investigations or make arrests. 35
(f) “Veteran” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 417.125. 36
Sec. 3. Chapter 417 of NRS is hereby amended by adding 37
thereto a new section to read as follows: 38
On or before December 31 of each even-numbered year, the 39
Department shall submit to the Director of the Legislative Counsel 40
Bureau for transmission to the next regular session of the 41
Legislature a report that compiles the data from the reports 42
submitted to the Department pursuant to sections 1 and 2 of this 43
act. 44
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Sec. 4. The governing body of each city or county that is 1
required to submit a report pursuant to section 1 or 2 of this act shall 2
submit the first report on or before October 1, 2026. 3
Sec. 5. The amendatory provisions of this act do not apply to 4
any contract entered into before October 1, 2025. 5
Sec. 6. The provisions of NRS 218D.380 do not apply to any 6
provision of this act which adds or revises a requirement to submit a 7
report to the Legislature. 8
Sec. 7. The provisions of NRS 354.599 do not apply to any 9
additional expenses of a local government that are related to the 10
provisions of this act. 11
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