2019 Legislature Ends – Changes to Business Operations and Litigation Matters

On June 3, 2019, the Nevada Legislature ended its 80th Session with the passage of many bills affecting Nevada employers. Below is a summary of new laws that may impact a Nevada employer in relation to its general business operations and/or litigation matters. For each, we have provided links to Nevada’s legislative website where you can view the final text of the bill (click on “As Enrolled” for the final text). If you have questions about these bills, please contact a KZA attorney.

Changes impacting litigation/claims:

AB 418 – Offers of Judgment. This Bill codifies into statute Rule 68 of the Nevada Rules of Civil Procedure, which sets forth the conditions of service of an offer of judgment upon another party prior to trial under certain circumstances, the manner of acceptance or rejection of the offer, and the penalties a court may impose on a party for the rejection of such an offer.

AB 285 – Mental and Physical Exams. This Bill amends the Nevada law permitting mental and physical exams of a party to a civil action during discovery by authorizing an observer to be present at a mental or physical examination ordered by a court and specifying the procedures and rules for observers. This law becomes effective October 1, 2019.

SB 40 – Worker’s Compensation Penalties and Procedures. This Bill makes changes to the laws permitting penalties for OSHA violations and revises the period of time in which an employer must notify the Division of Industrial Relations of the employer’s intent to contest the issuance of a citation or proposed assessment of a penalty by the Division.

Changes impacting General Business Operations:

AB 65 – Notary Publics. This Bill makes several changes to laws regulating notary publics. Among other changes, it revises fees charged by a notary public and changes the requirements to register as an electronic notary. Some of its provision became immediately effective while others will take effect no later than July 1, 2019.

SB 45 – Business Licenses. This Bill revises the circumstances under which a person is not required to obtain a state business license and revises provisions governing the location at which certain documents of certain limited-liability partnerships, limited partnerships, foreign business trusts, and professional entities and associations are required to be maintained.

AB 432 – Worker Cooperative Corporations. This Bill authorizes a private corporation to elect to be governed as a “worker cooperative corporation” and establishes the laws pertaining to such worker cooperatives. In passing this Bill, the legislature declared that a worker cooperative has the purpose of creating and maintaining sustainable jobs and generating wealth and is essential to improving the quality of life of the members of the worker cooperative, dignifying human work, allowing democratic self-management of employees, as well as promoting community and local development in this State.

KZA Employer Report articles are for general information only; they are not intended and should not be construed to be legal advice. Reading or replying to such articles does not establish an attorney-client relationship. In addition, because the subject matters and applicable laws discussed in Employer Report articles are often in a state of change and not always applicable to every type of business entity or organization, readers should consult with counsel before making decisions based on the same.