AB 520 — Revises provisions relating to adoption. (BDR 11-356)
Last action — Chapter 307.
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✓Introduced
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✓In Committee
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✓Passed Assembly
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✓Passed Senate
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✓To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced March 24, 2025. Enacted.
Signed by Governor Joe Lombardo (Republican) on June 05, 2025.
Prognosis
Where this bill stands today.
Odds of enactment
HighHow often bills like it became law.
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Enacted
Current position in the legislative process.
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1 sponsor
1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.
Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
437 added · 558 removed437 line(s) added, 558 removed.
REQUIRESAssembly TWO-THIRDSBill MAJORITYNo. VOTE (§ 2) (Reprinted with amendments adopted on April 21, 2025) FIRST REPRINT A.B.
520520–Committee ASSEMBLYon BHealth ILLNand O.Human Services CHAPTER..........
520–C OMMITTEE ON H EALTH AND H UMAN SERVICES (O N BEHALF OF THE JOINT NTERIM S TANDING COMMITTEE ON H EALTH AND H UMAN S ERVICES ) M ARCH 24, 2025 ____________ Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to adoption.
(BDR 11-356) FISCAL NOTE:
Effect on Local Government:
No.
Effect on the State:
Yes.
~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new;
matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
requiring the maintenance of certain records of such background investigations;
authorizing certain persons to attend an adoption hearing by a remoteremote-technology technology system under certain circumstances;
LegislativeLegiExisting Counsel’slaw: Digest:
Existing law:
(2) prohibits a person who has been convicted of certain homescrimes andfrom facilitiesworking toor maintainresiding recordsin ofsuch backgrounda investigations.home or facility;
(NRSsand certain(3) 62B.260-62B.280,requires 424.031-424.034,certain 432A.170-432A.1755,homes 433B.183-433B.187,and 449.122-449.125)facilities Existing law defines “child-placing agency” to meanmaintain arecords nonprofitof corporationbackground thatinvestigations. places children for adoption or permanent free care.
(NRS 127.220)62B.260-62B.280, 424.031-424.034, 432A.170-432A.1755, 433B.183-433B.187, 449.122-449.125) Existing regulations:law defines “child-placing agency” to mean a nonprofit corporation that places children for adoption or permanent free care.
(1)(NRS require an applicant for a license to operate a child-placing agency or an employee, volunteer or independent contractor of aaate director of adoption of a child-placing agency fromto allowingundergo a personbackground toinvestigation; provide - *AB520_R1* – 2 – criminal history of the person, deemed the person to be unacceptable to provide the services to children.
(NACand 127.140)(2) Sectionsprohibit 2-5the director of thisadoption bill:of a child-placing agency from allowing a person to provide services to children if the Division of Child and Family Services has, based on the criminal history of the person, deemed the person to be unacceptable to provide services to children.
(1)(NAC codify127.140) suchSections requirements2 governingand child-placing3 agencies into existing law similarly to the manner in which the requirements governing background investigations of thethis personnelbill: of other homes or facilities that provide services to children are codified;
and(1) (2)codify additionally require such backgroundrequirements investigationsgoverning tochild- beplacing conductedagencies everyinto 5existing years.law;
Specifically,and section(2) 2additionally requiresrequire thesuch background Division to:
(1) investigate the background and personal history of every initiale applicant for a license to operate a child-placing agency and every employee, volunteer or independent contractor of a child-placing agency;
and (2)y(2) repeat such investigations every 5 years.
SectionsSection 3 requires an applicant for a license to operate a child-placing agency and 11every ofemployee, thisvolunteer billor prescribeindependent contractor of the procedurechild-placing agency, for conductingthe suchpurposes of an investigation.investigation pursuant to section 2, to submit to the Division:
Section(1) 3 authorizes the Division to deny an application for a licensecomplete toset operateof afingerprints; child-placing agency or suspend or revoke such a license if the Division determines that the applicant or licensee, as applicable:
(1)and has(2) awritten substantiatedInvestigation historyfor of maltreating a childbackground thatcheck. renders the person unacceptable to provide services to children;
orSection (2)11 hasof allowedthis anbill employee,makes volunteerconformingof orchanges independentto contractorrequire whothe hasCentral suchRepository afor historyNevada orRecords hasof notCriminal undergoneHistory such a background investigation to provideconduct servicessuch tobackground children.checks.
Section agency from providing services to children under such circumstances.
Section 4g also requires an applicant for a license to operate a child-placing agency or the holder of such a license to give an employee, independent contractor or volunteer who believes that the information resulting from an investigation of his or her background and criminal history is incorrect 30 days to correct the information.
Section 57 requiresof anthis applicantbill forprohibits a licensecourt tofrom operateentering aan child-placingorder relatingof toadoption backgroundand investigationsdeclare any order of employees,adoption volunteersso andentered independentionto contractorsbe andvoid makeif suchthe recordsadoption availablewas facilitated by a child-placing agency that has failed to thecomply Divisionwith uponsections request.2 and 3.
SectionsSection 7 and 9 of this bill prohibitindicates athe courtproper fromplacement entering an order of adoptionsections and2 declare- any83rd orderSession of(2025) adoption– so2 entered– toand be3 voidin ifNRS. the adoption was facilitated by a child-placing agency that has failed to comply with sections 2-5.
Section 10 of this bill makes certain definitions applicable to sections 2-5.2 and 3.
Existing law requires the Division to maintain the State Register for Adoptions to provide information to identify adults who were adopted and certain relatives of suchfrom adults.the State Register to adopted persons and their relatives if:
Existing(1) law authorizes the Divisionnatural to release certain information parent of the adopted person has consented to the release;
and (2) the adopteduraladopted person has not requested to restrict the release of the information.
Existing law authorizes the prospective adoptive parents to attend a court hearing concerning the adoption by telephone instead of in person if:
(1) thethet prospective adoptive parents reside in another state or jurisdiction;
(2) the child who is the subject of the hearing is in the custody of an agency which provides agency responsible for supervising the child inwelfare theservices stateor wherea thechild-placing childagency; will be placed attends the hearing by telephone.
(NRS 127.145) Section 8 of this bill additionally authorizes the prospective adoptive parents and the(3) a representative of the agency responsible for supervising the child toin attendthe astate courtwhere hearingthe -child *AB520_R1*will –be 3placed –attends concerning the adoptionhearing by anytelephone. other remote technology system under such circumstances.
Show all 129 changed lines (89 more)
(NRS 127.145) Section 8 of this bill the agency responsible for supervising the child to attend a court hearingative of concerning the adoption by any other remote-technology system under such circumstances.
EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new;
matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
3.- 83rd Session (2025) – 3 – (a) Conduct an investigation of each licensee, employee, volunteer and independent contractor pursuant to this section at least once every 5 years after the initial investigation;
The Division shall:
(a) Conduct an investigation of each licensee, employee, volunteer and independent contractor pursuant to this section at least once every 5 years after the initial investigation;
Each applicant for a license to operate a child- placing agency, person who is licensed to operate a child-placing agency or employee, volunteer or independent contractor of such an applicant or licensee who provides services to children must submit to the Division for the purposes of an investigation pursuant to section 2 of this act:act a complete set of fingerprints and written permission authorizing the Division to forward those fingerprints to the Central Repository for Nevada Records of Criminal History for submission to the Federal Bureau of investigation pursuant to section 2 of this act.ion to conduct an 2.
(a) A complete set of fingerprints and written permission authorizing the Division to forward those fingerprints to the Central Repository for Nevada Records of Criminal History for submission to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its report to enable the Division to conduct an investigation pursuant to section 2 of this act;
and - *AB520_R1* – 4 – (b) Written permission to conduct a child abuse and neglect screening.
2.
4.Secs.
Upon4 receivingand a5. report pursuant to this section, the Division shall determine whether the person has been substantiated through information in the Central Repository or other available information to have a history of maltreating a child that, in accordance with the regulations adopted pursuant to section 2 of this act, renders the person unacceptable to provide services to children.
5.(Deleted by amendment.) Sec.
The Division may deny an application for a license to operate a child-placing agency or may suspend or revoke such a license if the Division determines that the applicant or licensee:
(a) Has been substantiated through information in the Central Repository or other available information to have a history of maltreating a child that, in accordance with the regulations adopted pursuant to section 2 of this act, renders the person unacceptable to provide services to children;
or (b) Has allowed an employee, volunteer or independent contractor to provide services to children in violation of subsection 1 of section 4 of this act.
Sec.
4.
1.
An applicant for a license to operate a child- placing agency or a person licensed to operate a child-placing agency shall not allow an employee, volunteer or independent contractor of the applicant or licensee to provide services to children if:
(a) The employee, volunteer or independent contractor has not complied with subsection 1 of section 3 of this act;
or (b) The applicant or licensee has received information from the Division or any other source that the employee, volunteer or independent contractor has been substantiated through information in the Central Repository for Nevada Records of Criminal History or other available information to have a history of maltreating a child that, in accordance with the regulations adopted pursuant to section 2 of this act, renders the employee, volunteer or independent contractor unacceptable to provide services to children.
2.
If an employee, volunteer or independent contractor believes that the information provided pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 1 is incorrect, the employee, volunteer or - *AB520_R1* – 5 – independent contractor must inform the applicant or licensee immediately.
An applicant or licensee that is so informed shall give the employee, volunteer or independent contractor 30 days to correct the information.
3.
During the period in which an employee, volunteer or independent contractor seeks to correct information pursuant to subsection 2, the employee, volunteer or independent contractor shall not provide services to children.
Sec.
5.
1.
Each applicant for a license to operate a child- placing agency and each person licensed to operate a child- placing agency shall maintain records of the information concerning its employees, volunteers and independent contractors that is collected pursuant to sections 2, 3 and 4 of this act, including, without limitation:
(a) A copy of the fingerprints that were submitted to the Central Repository for Nevada Records of Criminal History and a copy of the written authorization that was provided by the employee, volunteer or independent contractor;
(b) Proof that the fingerprints of the employee, volunteer or independent contractor were submitted to the Central Repository;
and (c) Any other documentation of the information collected pursuant to sections 2, 3 and 4 of this act.
2.
An applicant for a license to operate a child-placing agency or a person licensed to operate a child-placing agency shall:
(a) Maintain the records described in subsection 1 for the period of the subject’s service as an employee, volunteer or independent contractor of the child-placing agency;
(b) Make the records described in subsection 1 available for inspection by the Division at any reasonable time;
and (c) Furnish copies of the records described in subsection 1 to the Division upon request.
Sec.
(a) Names and other information, which the Administrator of the Division deems to be necessary for the operation of the Register, relating to persons who have released a child for adoption or have consented to the adoption of a child, or whose parental rights have been terminated by a court of competent jurisdiction, and who have submitted the information voluntarily to the Division;
- *AB520_R1* – 6 – (b) Names and other necessary information of persons who are 18 years of age or older, who were adopted and who have submitted the information voluntarily to the Division;
and - 83rd Session (2025) – 4 – (c) Names and other necessary information of persons who are related within the third degree of consanguinity to adopted persons, and who have submitted the information voluntarily to the Division.
Any person whose name appears in the Register may withdraw it byimmediately requestingwithdraw ina writingname upon receiving a request to do so,all and may not thereafter release any information to identify that itperson, beincluding withdrawn.the information that such a name was ever in the Register.
The Division shall immediately withdraw a name upon receiving a request to do so, and may not thereafter release any information to identify that person, including the information that such a name was ever in the Register.
An adopted person may, by submitting a written request to the Division, restrict the release of any information concerning himself or herself to one or more categories of relatives within the thirdthiSec. degree of consanguinity.
Sec.7.ee NRS 127.110 is hereby amended to read as follows:
7.
NRS 127.110 is hereby amended to read as follows:
- *AB520_R1*83rd Session (2025) – 75 – (e) That the petitioners are fit and proper persons to have the care and custody of the child.
(g) That there has been a full compliance with the law in regard to consent(h) That there has been a full compliance with NRS 127.220 to adoption.127.310, inclusive [.] , and sections 2 to 5, inclusive, of this act.
(h) That there has been a full compliance with NRS 127.220 to 127.310, inclusive [.] , and sections 2 to 5, inclusive, of this act.
(b) The petition for adoption is filed for the adoption of a child who is in the custody of an agency which provides child welfare services or a child-placing agency licensed by the Division pursuant to this(c) chapter;A representative of the agency responsible for supervising the child in the state where the child will be placed appears at the hearing by telephone [.] or any other remote-technology system.
and (c) A representative of the agency responsible for supervising the child in the state where the child will be placed appears at the hearing by telephone [.] or any other remote-technology system.
The appearance of the prospective adoptive parents and the representative of the agency described in paragraph (c) of subsection 1 must occur at the office of the agency or at the home of the prospective adoptive parents, as determined by the agency.
(b) Any other remote-technology system pursuant to subsection 1, the court shall provide instructions on how the - 83rd Session (2025) – 6 – prospective adoptive parents may use the remote-technology system to attend the hearing.
- *AB520_R1* – 8 – 4.
As used in this section, “remote-technology system” means any system or other means of communication which uses any electronic, digital or other similar technology to enable a person from a remote location to attend any hearing held by the courtcourtrson even though the person is not physically present at the hearing.
4.
“Person” includes a hospital.
and (2)- In83rd accordanceSession with(2025) the– policies,7 procedures– and definitions of the Uniform Crime Reporting Program of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Each agency of criminal justice shall submit the information relating to records of criminal history that it creates, issues or - *AB520_R1* – 9 – collects, and any information in its possession relating to the DNA profile of a person from whom a biological specimen is obtained pursuant to NRS 176.09123 or 176.0913, to the Division.
The Division shallparticular deletearrest.eferences all references in the Central Repository relating to that particular4. arrest.
4.
and (2) The DNA profile of a person from whom a biological specimenspe(b) isWhen obtainedpracticable, pursuantuse toa NRSrecord 176.09123of the personal identifying information of a subject as the basis for any records maintained regarding him or 176.0913.her.
(b) When practicable, use a record of the personal identifying information of a subject as the basis for any records maintained regarding him or her.
6.- 83rd Session (2025) – 8 – (a) Disseminate any information which is contained in the Central Repository to any other agency of criminal justice;
The Division may:
(a) Disseminate any information which is contained in the Central Repository to any other agency of criminal justice;
and - *AB520_R1* – 10 – (c) Request of and receive from the Federal Bureau of Investigation information on the background and personal history of any person whose record of fingerprints or other biometric identifier the Central Repository submits to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and:
(3) Who has applied to any agency of the State of Nevada or any political subdivision thereof to attend an academy for training peace officers approved by the Peace Officers’ Standards and Training Commission;
(1)facility;) Booking the person into a city or county jail or detention facility;(2) Employment;
(2) Employment;
or (2)- Criminal83rd investigation,Session (2025) – 9 – from the agency of criminal justice or agency of the State of Nevada or any political subdivision thereof and submit the received data to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its report.
- *AB520_R1* – 11 – (b) Tabulate and analyze all records, reports and compilations of statistical data received pursuant to this section.
or (3)charter Isschool employed by or volunteersprivate school,nteers for a county school district, charter school or private school, and immediately notify the superintendent of each county school district, the governing body of each charter school and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, or the administrator of each private school, as appropriate, if the investigation of the Central Repository indicates that the person has been convicted of a violation of NRS 200.508, 201.230, 453.3385, 453.3387 or 453.339, or convicted of a felony or any offense involving moral turpitude.
or (2) Employed by or volunteering for a county school district, charter school or private school whose fingerprints were sent previously to the Central Repository for investigation,investigation,e sent who the Central Repository’s records indicate have been convicted of a violation of NRS 200.508, 201.230, 453.3385, 453.3387 or 453.339, or convicted of a felony or any offense involving moral turpitude since the Central Repository’s initial investigation.
The superintendent of each county school district, the governing body of a charter school or the administrator of each private school, as applicable, shall determine whether further investigation- or83rd actionSession by(2025) the– district,10 – school, as applicable, is appropriate.t, charter school or private school,(f) asInvestigate applicable,the iscriminal appropriate.history of each person who submits one or more fingerprints or other biometric identifier or has such data submitted pursuant to NRS 62B.270, 62G.223, 62G.353, 424.031, 432A.170, 432B.198, 433B.183, 449.122, 449.123 or 449.4329 [.] or section 3 of this act.
(f) Investigate the criminal history of each person who submits one or more fingerprints or other biometric identifier or has such data submitted pursuant to NRS 62B.270, 62G.223, 62G.353, 424.031, 432A.170, 432B.198, 433B.183, 449.122, 449.123 or 449.4329 [.] or section 3 of this act.
- *AB520_R1* – 12 – (h) Provide an electronic means to access on the Central Repository’s Internet website statistical data about domestic violence in this State.
(j) Adopt regulations governing biometric identifiers and the information and data derived from biometric identifiers, including, without limitation:
The Central Repository may not collect such a fee from an agency of criminal justice or any other agency dealing with crime which is required to submit information pursuant to subsection 2.
(c) In the manner prescribed by the Director of the Department, use electronic means to receive and disseminate information - 83rd Session (2025) – 11 – contained in the Central Repository that it is authorized to disseminate pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
- *AB520_R1* – 13 – (1) The name, driver’s license number, social security number, date of birth and photograph or computer-generated image of a person;
andbirth and photograph or computer-generated image (2) A biometric identifier of a person.
NRS(c) 394.103.ate“Private school” has the meaning ascribed to it in Sec.NRS 394.103.
Sec.
A person who is licensed to operate a child- placing agency or provides services to children in his or her capacity as an employee, volunteer or independent contractor of a child- placing agency on the effective date of this act and who has not undergone a background investigation pursuant to NAC 127.140 after October 1, 2020, shall submit the documentation and fingerprints required to conduct such an investigation in accordance with sections 2,2 3 and 43 of this act on or before October 1, 2025, and may continue to operate the child-placing agency or provide services to children, as applicable, pending the results of the investigation.
H~~~~~ 25 - *AB520_R1*83rd Session (2025)
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- Enrolled As Enrolled Current pdf
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- Reprint 2 View text pdf
- Introduced As Introduced pdf
Amendments
2 amendmentsClick Show changes on an amendment above to see how it modifies the bill.
Action History
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Chapter 307.
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Approved by the Governor.
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Enrolled and delivered to Governor.
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Senate Amendment No. 675 concurred in. To enrollment.
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In Assembly.
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From printer. To re-engrossment. Re-engrossed. Second reprint. Read third time. Passed, as amended. Title approved, as amended. (Yeas: 21, Nays: None.) To Assembly.
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From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. Placed on Second Reading File. Read second time. Amended. (Amend. No. 675.) To printer.
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Read first time. Referred to Committee on Judiciary. To committee.
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In Senate.
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From printer. To engrossment. Engrossed. First reprint. To Senate.
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Read third time. Passed, as amended. Title approved. (Yeas: 41, Nays: 1.) To printer.
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From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. Placed on Second Reading File. Read second time. Amended. (Amend. No. 458.) Dispensed with reprinting.
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From printer. To committee.
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Read first time. Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services. To printer.
Sponsors
- Assembly Committee on Health and Human Services · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 66 not signed on
Sponsors (1)
- Assembly Committee on Health and Human Services
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (66)
66 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 66 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- Who sponsors AB 520?
- AB 520 is sponsored by Assembly Committee on Health and Human Services.
- What is the current status of AB 520?
- This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced March 24, 2025. Enacted.
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