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AB 542

Revises provisions relating to offenders. (BDR S-1132)

2025 Regular Session

Extends funding for NOTIS reintegration and delays the new 35%+90-day offender credit system to July 1, 2026, with certain offenses excluded.

Chapter 507.
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Bill Summary · AB 542

AB 542 (BDR S-1132) — Summary (2025)

Status: Enacted (Chapter 507). Introduced: Feb 11, 2025.

Main purpose / intent

AB 542 (as enacted) makes three primary changes related to Nevada offender administration and state funds:
- Extends the reversion deadline for a prior legislative appropriation used to reintegrate the Offender Sentence Management System into the Nevada Offender Tracking Information System (NOTIS).
- Revises and delays the statewide implementation date and some mechanics of the revised crediting scheme that reduces prisoners’ terms for good behavior and meritorious service.
- Conforming and technical changes related to the above. An earlier provision addressing medical services for incarcerated women was removed during amendment and is not in the final law.

Key provisions and changes

  1. Extension of appropriation reversion date (Sec. 2)
  2. Continues the appropriation of $1,436,720 (originally made in 2021, Chapter 463) to the Department of Corrections for reintegrating the Offender Sentence Management System into NOTIS.

  3. Prevents commitment of remaining funds after June 30, 2027, and requires any unspent balance to be reverted to the State General Fund on or before September 17, 2027 (previous reversion date: Sept. 19, 2025).

  4. Modifications to offender credit law and delayed implementation (Secs. 3–7 / statutory updates to Chapter 209 of NRS)

  5. Delays the effective date of the revised crediting method (created by 2023’s SB 413) from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2026.

  6. Under the revised method (as amended here):

    • Offenders earn credit for good behavior equal to 35% of the applicable minimum term (subsection 1) and 35% of the applicable maximum term (subsection 2).
    • In addition, the Director may grant up to 90 days of credit per year for “exceptional meritorious service.”
    • Credits are applied only for periods the offender is actually incarcerated (and for maximum-term credits may apply for residential confinement and certain Division of Parole and Probation custody per NRS 209.4886/209.4888).
    • These credits affect eligibility for parole.

  7. Exclusions: the good-behavior credit provisions do not apply to offenders convicted of:

    • Felonies involving use or threatened use of force or violence;
    • Sexual offenses punishable as felonies;
    • Certain felony DUI/vehicular statutes (NRS 484C.110, .120, .130, .430);
    • Category A or B felonies.

  8. Transitional election & notice: An offender sentenced for a crime committed before July 1, 2026 may irrevocably elect to be governed by the new scheme. Before election, the Department must provide a written projection comparing estimated credits under the election versus not electing.

Who is affected

  • Department of Corrections: administrative implementation (NOTIS reintegration, provision of written projections, application of credits).
  • Offenders incarcerated or sentenced in Nevada: potential changes to how much credit they earn toward reducing sentence length and parole eligibility; some offenders (specified serious or violent categories) are excluded.
  • State finances: temporary spending authority for the NOTIS reintegration appropriation is extended; unspent funds must revert by Sept. 17, 2027.

Fiscal and procedural timeline

  • Appropriation ($1,436,720): cannot be committed after June 30, 2027; must revert by Sept. 17, 2027 if unspent.
  • Revised credits implementation delayed to July 1, 2026.
  • Bill enacted and chaptered in 2025 (Chapter 507).

Notes / context

  • An initial version of this bill included changes to statutory requirements for provision of certain medical services to incarcerated women; those provisions were removed in amendments and do not appear in the final law.
  • The bill reflects policy choices balancing sentence reductions for behavior/programming with exclusions for serious violent and sexual offenses; it also adds an administrative layer (projections and irrevocable election) for offenders sentenced earlier than the new effective date.

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

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