Revises provisions relating to autism spectrum disorders. (BDR 23-118)
Summary
SB380 revises Nevada law relating to autism spectrum disorders and law enforcement training. It adds a statutory definition of “autism spectrum disorder” and expands the required peace officer training on developmental disabilities to specifically include instruction on autism-related topics. The bill also broadens the continuing education curriculum for peace officers so annual training may include recognizing and responding to people with autism spectrum disorder as part of interactions with persons with developmental disabilities.
The bill further directs the Legislative Auditor to conduct an audit of the Board of Applied Behavior Analysis during the 2025-2027 biennium. That audit must examine the Board’s licensure and registration processes for behavior analysts, assistant behavior analysts, and registered behavior technicians, with attention to effectiveness, efficiency, and timeliness in processing applications. The audit report is due to the Audit Subcommittee of the Legislative Commission by January 31, 2027.
Impact
SB380 amends chapters of Nevada law governing peace officer standards and behavior analysis regulation. It updates NRS 289.010, 289.510, and 289.605 to incorporate autism spectrum disorder-specific training into required officer certification and continuing education, while leaving the broader developmental-disabilities training framework in place. It also creates a one-time legislative audit requirement for the Board of Applied Behavior Analysis, which may lead to administrative or procedural changes if delays or inefficiencies are identified in licensing and registration processing.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It passed the Nevada Senate unanimously 20-0 and the Assembly unanimously 41-0, indicating strong bipartisan agreement. The lack of recorded committee transcript discussion in the provided materials suggests there was little visible opposition or debate in the available record.
Contention
No major points of contention are evident in the provided materials. The main policy choices are whether to make autism-specific instruction explicit within peace officer training and whether to subject the Board of Applied Behavior Analysis to an audit of its licensing and registration processes. Any concerns would likely center on administrative burden, training implementation, or the audit’s findings, but no specific opposition or disputed issues are reflected in the votes or transcripts provided.