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SJR 5

Bi-annual Legislative Session Amendment

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Laura Chapman

Creates a Political Practices Enforcement Commission to enforce ethics, campaign finance, lobbying and conflicts rules, expanding public records and a 72-hour posting before votes.

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Bill Summary · SJR 5

Summary — SJR 5 (BDR C-223)

Proposes to amend the Nevada Constitution to enact a package of legislative‑process, transparency, and ethics/governance reforms.

Main purpose

SJR 5 would add new constitutional requirements to increase legislative transparency and subject legislators to centralized ethics and campaign‑practice enforcement. The measure aims to (1) make the Legislature and its members generally subject to public‑records law, (2) require a public posting period before votes on measures, and (3) create a new Political Practices Enforcement Commission with investigatory and enforcement authority over campaign finance, lobbyists, conflicts of interest and related matters.

Key provisions

  • Public records (new Article 4, Section 40)

    • The Legislature and its members would be subject to the same inspection/copying rules that apply to other governmental entities, except specified confidential categories.
    • Explicitly confidential records (not subject to public inspection) would include: personnel files; files relating to legislative audits, requests for research by legislative staff, and requests for drafting legislation/regulations; records pertaining to litigation to which the Legislature is a party; security‑related information for legislative property; and records exempted under state or federal law.

  • Waiting period before votes (amend Section 18 of Article 4)

    • No vote on a bill or joint resolution may occur until the measure has been made available to the public (e.g., posted on the Legislature’s website) for at least 72 hours after its first reading in the House of origin.
    • The 72‑hour requirement cannot be waived by legislative rule or action.
    • Retains and clarifies existing reading and vote rules (reading by sections on three days except emergencies) and two‑thirds vote requirement for revenue‑raising measures.

  • Political Practices Enforcement Commission (new Executive Branch entity)

    • Establishes Commission membership and duties: interpret and enforce laws on campaign finance, lobbyist activity, conflicts of interest, financial disclosures, and government ethics.
    • Requires the Commission to maintain public databases, provide training and advisory opinions, adopt regulations, and investigate violations.
    • Subjects members of the Legislature to the Commission’s legal authority the same as other elected officers.
    • Any criminal, civil or administrative fines collected under the covered statutes would be used to fund the Commission’s duties.
    • Requires the Legislature to provide by law authority for the Commission to discipline candidates, lobbyists, or public officers.

Who is affected

  • Nevada Legislature and individual legislators (new transparency and oversight requirements).
  • Candidates, elected and appointed public officers, lobbyists, and other regulated actors (subject to Commission enforcement, databases, training).
  • General public and media (expanded access to legislative records and delayed voting to allow public review).
  • State administration (new Commission and implementation responsibilities).

Fiscal and administrative impact

  • The measure is a proposed constitutional amendment; the fiscal summary states an effect on the State (exact costs not specified in the text) and no effect on local government. Creation and operation of the Commission would likely require administrative funding and staff; some funding is to be provided by fines collected under the covered statutes.

Procedural/timeline notes and current status

  • SJR 5 is a proposed amendment to the Nevada Constitution; if approved by the Legislature it would be submitted to voters for ratification at a statewide election.
  • Bill status (as provided): introduced April 22, 2025. The bill text includes the new Article 4, Section 40 and related amendments to Sections 6 and 18.
  • Notation in the file: “Pursuant to Joint Standing Rule No. 14.3.1, no further action allowed,” indicating procedural restriction or a hold at the time of the document snapshot.

(Prepared from the SJR 5 bill text and legislative summary. This note focuses on the Nevada constitutional amendment version of SJR 5.)

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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