Assembly Bill 4, a sweeping crime bill backed by Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, passed the Senate early Wednesday morning, drawing significant attention for its broad changes to the state’s criminal code and a new amendment on immigration enforcement. The bill, also known as the Safe Streets and Neighborhoods Act, proposes modifications to more than a dozen areas of Nevada law, including enhanced penalties for DUI deaths, tougher sanctions for assaults on hospitality workers, expanded definitions of stalking and domestic violence, and new felony charges for certain burglaries.
A notable last-minute amendment prohibits school employees from allowing federal immigration officials onto school property or sharing student information with immigration agents without a warrant. This provision responds to concerns from civil rights advocates and progressive groups who criticized the absence of immigration protections in the earlier bill version. Sen. Melanie Scheible, D-Las Vegas, said the measure is intended to shield students and families from immigration enforcement actions at schools.
The bill passed the Senate with a 16-2 vote, with two no votes from Democrats and three senators absent. Since the amendment was added, the legislation must return to the Assembly before heading to the governor’s desk.
A major component of AB4 is its impact on the Las Vegas “resort corridor,” a zone designated for heightened public safety and economic concerns. Under the bill, Clark County must identify this area, and judges could ban criminal defendants from the corridor for up to a year for certain offenses, with mandatory one-year bans for repeat offenders. While the bill does not require a return to the previously controversial Resort Corridor Court, it authorizes judges to implement such a program. Critics, including Justice of the Peace Jessica Goodey, have raised separation-of-powers concerns about legislative mandates for judicial reporting on corridor crime.
Proponents argue the bill targets repeat offenders and modernizes justice policy, but opponents question the logic of increasing penalties amid falling crime rates and criticize the resort corridor program as disproportionately affecting homeless individuals and those accused of minor offenses such as trespassing.
Gov. Lombardo, a former Clark County Sheriff, has long advocated for this legislation, insisting it balances criminal justice reform with protections for victims and public safety, especially in Nevada’s vital tourism sector. The bill must clear the Assembly before it can be signed into law.