Message of the Week 12/05/2025

Message of the Week 12/05/2025

There is a push nationally towards reinforcing or reforming certain laws that have been weakened over the years in legislatures, not only in Nevada but across the Country. The weakening of these laws has allowed criminals to face fewer penalties and less jail time. During my time in law enforcement, I have observed the slackening of penalties and reduction in jail time having a negative impact on our communities.

Assembly Bill 4 was signed into law by Governor Lombardo. As Sheriff, I believe this is a big step in the right direction, and I want to thank the legislators who voted to pass the bill, as well as Governor Lombardo, for opening the special session and pushing for his bill to pass.

Governor Lombardo has officially signed his landmark crime bill, Assembly Bill 4: Enhancing Public Safety, Criminal Justice, and Juvenile Justice. The Command Staff of the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office has researched the changes, which involve new laws that alter twenty (20) existing laws. Below are key law changes that will impact our communities the most:

1. Assault & battery – expanded protected classes / enhanced penalties.

-Expands “officer” to include certain state/local employees whose normal duties involve public interaction and child welfare/protective duties or comparable danger.

-Extends enhanced assault/battery penalties to hospitality employees and school employees (when acting in duty and offender knows/should know).

2. Stalking – electronic acts & dating-partner protection.

-Expands stalking so fear for the immediate safety of a dating partner is covered.

-Defines stalking to include both in-person and electronic conduct (internet/social media/email/text/etc.).

-Creates a felony when electronic conduct substantially increases risk of harm/violence.

3. Child sexual-abuse material – unit of prosecution.

-Each child depicted in an image/film = a separate offense.

-Each computer-generated child depiction = separate offense.

4. Theft + property damage to retail – new category C felony.

-Creates a new crime: intentionally causing property damage to a retail establishment during a theft where the combined value of theft + damage is $750+ is a category C felony.

5. Domestic violence – kidnapping, attempts & solicitations.

-Adds kidnapping as an enumerated DV act.

-Adds attempt or solicitation to commit any listed DV offense as domestic violence.

6. Juvenile justice – mandatory detention hearing & mental-health evals.

-Certain juveniles alleged to have battered a school employee or child-welfare professional, with ≥2 prior similar battery custodies in last year, cannot be released pre-hearing.

-Court must order mental-health evaluation; may detain up to 14 days or place on supervised home detention with electronic monitoring; eval statements are inadmissible to prove the delinquent act.

7. Juvenile driver’s licenses – restricted-license option.

-For juveniles adjudicated in need of supervision for:

-Habitual truancy, tobacco, certain controlled-substance/alcohol offenses, or graffiti,

-Court may order DMV to issue a restricted license instead of a full suspension if that is in the best interest of the child.

8. DUI/BUI – marijuana per se and death-resulting penalties.

-Clarifies that marijuana/marijuana-metabolite per-se blood limits apply to certain felony DUI/BUI offenses.

-Increases prison terms for DUI/BUI that proximately cause death, and imposes further enhanced penalties where the defendant has 1–2 prior DUI-type convictions.

Again, thank you to the Nevada Legislators who voted to pass this bill, Governor Lombardo. This bill represents one of Nevada’s most comprehensive updates to public safety in years, building stronger and more secure communities for all Nevadans. This bill reaffirms the Governor’s commitment to safer communities, prioritizing victims, accountability, and law enforcement officers.

Respectfully,

Sheriff Brad Pope