AB 188 — Revises provisions relating to the Public Employees' Benefits Program. (BDR 23-673)
Last action — Vetoed by the Governor.
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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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5To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill died with 2025 Regular Session. It reached “To Executive” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Vetoed by Governor Joe Lombardo (Republican) on June 12, 2025.
This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
386 added · 401 removed386 line(s) added, 401 removed.
EXEMPTAssembly (ReprintedBill withNo. amendments adopted on May 15, 2025) FIRST REPRINT A.B.
188188–Assemblymember ASSEMBLYCarter BCHAPTER.......... ILLN O.
188–A SSEMBLYMEMBER C ARTER PREFILED FEBRUARY 3, 2025 ____________ Referred to Committee on Government Affairs SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to the Public Employees’ Benefits Program.
(BDR 23-673) FISCAL NOTE:
Effect on Local Government:
May have Fiscal Impact.
Effect on the State:
Yes.
(NOTROEQUESTED AFFECTEDLOCALGOVERNMENT) ~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new;
matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
revising provisions relating to certain subsidies paid to the Program for the 2025-2027 biennium;
making an appropriation;
LegislativeLegiExisting Counsel’slaw Digest:requires the Office of Finance to establish an assessment to pay for a portion of the costs of the premiums or contributions for the Public Employees’ Benefits Program on behalf of persons who were initially hired before January 1, 2012, and have retired with state service, which must be:
Existing(1) lawdeposited requiresin the Office of Finance to establish an assessment to pay for a portion of the costs of the premiums or contributions for the Public Employees’ Benefits Program on behalf of persons who were initially hired before the State Retirees’ Health and Welfare Benefits Fund to pay a portion of the currentncurrent and future health and welfare benefits of those retirees;
and (2) based upon a base amountfor approvedretirees bywho receive health coverage through Medicare, the Legislatureportion eachpaid session.to the Program from the Retirees’ Fund on behalf of these retirees must be:
Existing law also requires that, for retirees who receive health coverage through Medicare, the portion paid to the Program from the Retirees’ Fund on behalf of these retirees must be:
and (2) for persons who retired on or after January 1, 1994, the base funding level multiplied by the years of service of the person, excluding service purchased, up to a maximum of 20 years.
(NRS 287.046)person,287.046) -Section *AB188_R1*1 – 2 – of everythis even-numberedbill year,requires to the GovernorBoard andof the InterimProgram Retirementto andAugustreport, before August 31 Benefits Committee of the Legislature the typical full cost for such retirees to obtain actuarially comparable health insurance as state retirees enrolled in the plan offered by the Program.
Section 3 of this bill requires that, for retirees who receive health coverage through the federal TRICARE program or Medicare and who were initially hired on or after January 1, 2012, the portion paid to the Program must be the base funding level multiplied by years of state service of the person, excluding service years.sed and any years of local governmental service, up to a maximum of 20 If the Board pays the subsidy for retirees enrolled in the federal TRICARE program or Medicare into a health reimbursement arrangement, section 3 of this bill prohibits the Board, unless otherwise required by federal law, from:
(1) establishing limits on the yearly balance of a health reimbursement arrangement for a person who is enrolled in Medicare that is less than the total amount of the subsidy paid by the Board in the immediately preceding 5 fiscal years;
and (2) reverting money in a health reimbursement arrangement to the Retirees’ Fund unless the retiree has died or, for more than 2 consecutive years, elected coverage other than coverage proUnderprovided existingthrough law,TRICARE, personsMedicare hired on or afterthe Januaryplan 1,offered 2012,by arethe ineligibleProgram. to receive a subsidy to pay a portion of their current and future health and welfare benefits upon retirement.
(NRSUnder 287.046)existing Sectionlaw, 3a providesretired thatpublic personsofficer hiredor employee or the surviving spouse under the Program, except life insurance, if the public officer or employee did not - 83rd Session (2025) – 2 – not covered by insurance under the Program on andor after Januarythe 1,later 2012,of areOctober eligible1,was to2011, receiveor the subsidydate fromof retirement of the Fundpublic ifofficer or employee, and the retireeofficer has:or employee retired from:
(1) participated in the Program on a continuous basis since retirement;
and (2) 15 years of state service.
Under existing law, the subsidy for persons who retire on or after January 1, 1994, who are not enrolled in the federal TRICARE program or Medicare and who have more than 15 years of service must be increased by 7.5 percent of the base 3 requires that, for persons who were initially hired by the State on or afterction January 1, 2012, the amount by which the subsidy is increased must be based on each year of state service and may not include any years of local governmental service.
Section 3 authorizes a participating local governmental agency to pay an additional subsidy on behalf of persons who were initially hired by the State on or after January 1, 2012, who have at least 15 years of state service and have continuously participated in the Program since retirement and who also have any number of years of local governmental service.
of a retired public officer or employee who is deceased may reinstate any insurance under the Program, except life insurance, if the public officer or employee did not have more than one period during which the retired public officer or employee was not covered by insurance under the Program on or after the later of October 1, 2011, or the date of retirement of the public officer or employee, and the officer or employee retired from:
or (2) a nonparticipating local governmental agency, officerunder orcertain employeecircumstances. or surviving spouse must provide written notice to the Program not later than 31 days before the commencement of the plan year.
(NRS 287.0475)287.046) To reinstate insurance, the public officer or employee or surviving spouse must provide written notice to the Program Section 4 of this bill:
and (2) instead provides that - *AB188_R1* – 3 – if a person has more than one period during which he or she was not covered by insurance under the Program, the Board may require the person to provide evidence of continuous coverage provided under another health insurance plan during any insuranceperiod underother than the Program.periodfirst period in which he or she was not covered to reinstate Sectioninsurance 4under also:the Program.
(1)Section authorizes4 thealso: public officer or employee or surviving spouse to reinstate coverage during any open enrollment period for the plan of insurance;
(1) authorizes the public officer or employee or surviving insurance;
GovernmentExisting Affairslaw toestablishes conductfor athe study2025-2027 duringbiennium the 2025-2026share interimof concerningthe cost of qualified medical expenses for individual Medicare insurance plans through the PublicProgram Employees’that Benefitsis Program.required to be paid by the State and local governments for retired public officers and employees.
Section(Chapter 257, Statutes of thisNevada bill2025) appliesSection certain4.1 definitionsof inthis existingbill lawincreases relatingthose toamounts thefor ProgramFiscal toYear the2026-2027. provisions of section 1.
Section 4.3 of this bill makes an appropriation to pay for the increases.
Section 4.5 of this bill requires the Joint Interim Standing Committee on the Public Employees’ Benefits Program.uring the 2025-2026 interim concerning Section 2 of this bill applies certain definitions in existing law relating to the Program to the provisions of section 1.
EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new;
matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
On or before August 31 of each even-numbered year, the Board shall submit to the Governor and the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to the Interim Retirement and Benefits Committee of the Legislature a report setting forth the typical full cost in this State to obtain a plan of health insurance for persons who retired with state service and are provided coverage through the Program by an individual medical plan offered pursuant to the Health Insurance for the Aged Act, 42- 83rd Session (2025) – 3 – U.S.C.
1.pursuant to Medicare Part B provided pursuant to Part B of Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C.
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The minimum cost of the premium charged for coverage pursuant to Medicare Part B provided pursuant to Part B of Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C.
- *AB188_R1* – 4 – Sec.
The Office of Finance shall establish an assessment that is to be used to pay for a portion of the cost of premiums or contributions for the Program for persons who [werewere initiallyservice.y hired before January 1, 2012, and]and have retired with state service.2.
2.
Except as otherwise provided in subsection 6, the portion of the amount approved by the Legislature as described in subsection 2 to be paid to the Program from the Retirees’ Fund for persons who retired- before83rd JanuarySession 1,(2025) 1994,– with4 state– service is the base funding level defined for each year of the plan by the Program.Program.he base funding 5.
5.
(b) [For]For Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c), for each year of service greater than 15 years, excluding service purchased pursuant to NRS 1A.310 or 286.300, the portion paid by the Retirees’ Fund must be increased by an amount equal to 7.5 percent of the base funding level defined by the Legislature.
In nofunding eventlevel maydefined by the adjustmentLegislature.ercent exceed 37.5 percent of the base funding6. level defined by the Legislature.
- *AB188_R1* – 5 – (c) For persons who were initially hired by the State on or after January 1, 2012, must be calculated pursuant to paragraph (b) only on the basis of each year of state service and may not include any years of local governmental service.
6.
(c) ForThe personsBoard whomay wereapprove initially hired by the Statepayment onof oran afteradditional Januaryamount 1,to 2012,retired thepersons basedescribed fundingin levelthis definedsubsection bythat theis Legislaturein multipliedexcess by the number of years of state service of the person,persons excludingfrom service purchased pursuant to NRS 1A.310 or 286.300 and any yearsmoney ofthat localis governmentalavailable service,for upthat topurpose. a maximum of 20 years of state service.
The Board may approve the payment of an additional amount to retired persons described in this subsection that is in excess of the amount paid pursuant to paragraph (a) , [or] (b) [,] or (c), or [both,] a combination thereof, for those persons7. from any money that is available for that purpose.
7.
(a) The Board shall not establish yearly balance limits in an amount that is less than the total amount of money paid pursuant to subsection 6 in the immediately preceding 5 fiscal years for any account established for a retired person who is provided coverage through- an83rd individualSession medical(2025) plan– offered5 pursuant– to the Health Insurance for the Aged Act, 42 U.S.C.
and Health (b) Any money deposited into the health reimbursement arrangement must remain in the account and may not revert to the Retirees’ Fund until:
§ 199.17, or provided through the Program by an individual medical plan offered pursuant to the Health Insurance - *AB188_R1* – 6 – for the Aged Act, 42 U.S.C.
(b) On or after January 1, 20122012. [.
The provisions of this paragraph must not be construed to prohibit a retired person who was hired on or after January 1, 2012, from participating in the Program until the retired person is eligible for coverage under an individual medical plan offered pursuant to the Health Insurance for the Aged Act, 42 U.S.C.
The retired person shall pay the entireentire, 42 premium or contribution for his or her participation in the Program.
8.][8.] and9. who:
(1)The Hasprovisions of subsection [7] 8 do not participatedapply into a person who was employed by the ProgramState on or before January 1, 2012, who has a continuousbreak basisin sinceservice retirementand returns to work for the State at the same or another participating state agency after that date, regardless of the length of the break in service, so long as the person did not withdraw from suchand employment;was eligible to participate in the Public - 83rd Session (2025) – 6 – service.s’ Retirement System before or during the break in [9.] 10.
or (2) Does not have at least 15 years of state service.
9.
The provisions of subsection [7] 8 do not apply to a person who was employed by the State on or before January 1, 2012, who has a break in service and returns to work for the State at the same or another participating state agency after that date, regardless of the length of the break in service, so long as the person did not withdraw from and was eligible to participate in the Public Employees’ Retirement System before or during the break in service.
[9.] 10.
- *AB188_R1* – 7 – (b) No proration may be made for a partial year of service.
13.
A participating local governmental agency may approve the payment of an amount in addition to the amount paid pursuant to subsections 5 or 6 for any person who:
(a) Was initially hired by the State on or after January 1, 2012;
(b) Has at least 15 years of state service and has participated in the Program on a continuous basis since retirement from such employment;
and (c) Has any number of years of local governmental service, as determined by the participating local governmental agency.
287.04754, 1.a retired public officer or employee or the surviving spouse of a retired public officer or employee who is deceased may reinstate any insurance under the Program, except life insurance, that, at the time of reinstatement, is provided by the Program if the retired public officer or employee [:] retired:
Except as otherwise provided in subsection [3,] 4, a retired public officer or employee or the surviving spouse of a retired public officer or employee who is deceased may reinstate any insurance under the Program, except life insurance, that, at the time of reinstatement, is provided by the Program if the retired public officer or employee [:] retired:
or [(3)] (c) Pursuant to NRS 1A.350 or 1A.480, or 286.510 or 286.620, from employment with a county, school district, municipal corporation, political subdivision, public corporation or other local governmental agency of the State which is not a participating local governmental agency at the time of the request for reinstatement and:
§§ 1395c et seq., and Medicare Part B provided pursuant to - *AB188_R1*83rd Session (2025) – 87 – Partet Bseq., ofat Titlethe XVIIItime of the Socialrequest Securityfor Act,reinstatement 42. U.S.C.
§§ 1395j et seq., at the time of the request for reinstatement .
and 1395j (b) Did] 2.
The Board may not require that a retired public officer or employee or surviving spouse provide such evidence if the public officer, employee or surviving spouse did not have more than one period during which the retired public officer or employee was not covered by insurance under the Program on or after October 1, 2011, or on or after the date of retirement of the public officer or employee, whicheverwhi[2.] is3.isReinstatement later.pursuant to subsection 1 must be requested by:
[2.] 3.
Reinstatement pursuant to subsection 1 must be requested by:
and (d) Providing evidence of continuous coverage under a health insurance plan other than the insurance provided by the Program, if applicable and required by the Board pursuant to subsection 2.
If a retired public officer or employee retired pursuant to NRS 1A.350 or 1A.480, or 286.510 or 286.620, from employment with a county, school district, municipal corporation, political subdivision, public corporation or other local governmental agency, the retired public officer or employee, or the surviving spouse of such a retired public officer or employee who is deceased, may not reinstate health insurance pursuant to subsection 1 if he or she is excluded from participation in the Program pursuant to sub-- subparagraph83rd Session (2025) – 8 – sub-subparagraph (III) of subparagraph (2) of paragraph (h) of subsection 2 of NRS 287.043.
- *AB188_R1* – 9 – 5.
If a retired public officer or employee reinstates the plan of insurance provided by the Program pursuant to this section, the retired officer or employee is eligible, upon reinstatement, to receive any portion of the premium or contributions paid to the Program on behalf of a retired person pursuant to NRS 287.023 or 287.046.
4.1.
Section 2 of Assembly Bill No.
583 of this session is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec.
2.
1.
Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, for the purposes of NRS 287.023 and 287.046, the base amount for the share of the cost of premiums or contributions for group insurance for each person who has retired with state service and continues to participate in the Public Employees’ Benefits Program to be paid by the State or a local government, as applicable, is:
(a) For the Fiscal Year 2025-2026, $650 per month.
(b) For the Fiscal Year 2026-2027, $700 per month.
2.
For the purposes of NRS 287.023 and 287.046, the share of the cost of qualified medical expenses for each person who has retired with state service and whose coverage is provided through the Public Employees’ Benefits Program by an individual medical plan offered pursuant to the Health Insurance for the Aged Act, 42 U.S.C.
§§ 1395 et seq., for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 and Fiscal Year 2026-2027 to be paid by the State or a local government, as applicable, is:
(a)(1) For the Fiscal Year 2025-2026, $195 per month.994:
(2) For the Fiscal Year 2026-2027, $210 per month.
(b) For those persons who retired on or after January 1, 1994:
(1) For the Fiscal Year 2025-2026, $13 per month per year of service, up to 20 years, excluding service purchased pursuant to NRS 1A.310 or 286.300, up to a maximum of $260 per month.
(2) For the Fiscal Year 2026-2027, $14 per month per year of service, up to 20 years, excluding service purchased pursuant to NRS 1A.310 or 286.300, up to a maximum of [$260] $280 per month.
3.
If the amount calculated pursuant to this section exceeds the actual premium or contribution for the plan of the Public Employees’ Benefits Program that the retired - 83rd Session (2025) – 9 – participant selects, the balance must be credited to the Fund for the Public Employees’ Benefits Program created by NRS 287.0435.
Sec.
4.3.
1.
There is hereby appropriated from the State of $2,003,655 for the costs of the increases provided in section 4.1 of this act.
2.
Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by subsection 1 must not be committed for expenditure after June 30, 2027, by the entity to which the appropriation is made or any entity to which money from the appropriation is granted or otherwise transferred in any manner, and any portion of the appropriated money remaining must not be spent for any purpose after September 17, 2027, by either the entity to which the money was appropriated or the entity to which the money was subsequently granted or transferred, and must be reverted to the State General Fund on or before September 17, 2027.
Sec.
(c) Recommendations to improve educational outreach to retireesret(d) An examination of the option for a retiree who obtainobtains coverage through Medicare;Medicare to opt out of automatic reimbursements from his or her health reimbursement arrangement;
(d) An examination of the option for a retiree who obtains coverage through Medicare to opt out of automatic reimbursements from his or her health reimbursement arrangement;
The Committee shall include its findings and recommendations for legislation relating to this study in the report required by subsection 4 of NRS 218E.330 to be prepared and - 83rd Session (2025) – 10 – submitted to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to the 84th Session of the Legislature.
As used in this section, “Medicare” means the program of health insurance for aged persons and persons with disabilities established pursuant to Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C.
§§ 1395 et seq.seq.o Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, 42 Sec.
Sec.
- *AB188_R1* – 10 – Sec.
HSec. - *AB188_R1*
7.
1.
This section and section 4.1 of this act become effective upon passage and approval.
2.
Sections 1 to 4, inclusive, 4.5, 5 and 6 of this act become effective on October 1, 2025.
3.
Section 4.3 of this act becomes effective on July 1, 2026.
~~~~~ 25 - 83rd Session (2025)
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View plain text versions (5)
- Enrolled As Enrolled Current pdf
- Reprint 1 View text pdf
- Reprint 2 View text pdf
- Reprint 3 View text pdf
- Introduced As Introduced pdf
Amendments
3 amendmentsClick Show changes on an amendment above to see how it modifies the bill.
Action History
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Vetoed by the Governor.
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Enrolled and delivered to Governor.
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Read third time. Amended. (Amend. No. 980.) Reprinting dispensed with. Read third time. Passed, as amended. Title approved, as amended. (Yeas: 15, Nays: 5, Excused: 1.) To printer. From printer. To re-engrossment. Re-engrossed. Third reprint. To Assembly. In Assembly. Senate Amendment No. 980 concurred in. To enrollment.
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From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. Placed on Second Reading File. Read second time.
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In Senate. Read first time. Referred to Committee on Finance. To committee.
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From printer. To reengrossment. Reengrossed. Second reprint. Read third time. Passed, as amended. Title approved, as amended. (Yeas: 37, Nays: 5.) To Senate.
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Taken from Chief Clerk's desk. Placed on General File. Read third time. Amended. (Amend. No. 908.) To printer.
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From committee: Do pass, as amended. Placed on General File. Taken from General File. Placed on Chief Clerk's desk.
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From printer. To engrossment. Engrossed. First reprint. To committee.
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Read second time. Amended. (Amend. No. 567.) Rereferred to Committee on Ways and Means. To printer.
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From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended.
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Withdrawn from Committee on Ways and Means. Rereferred to Committee on Government Affairs. To committee.
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Notice of exemption.
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Action of referral rescinded. Rereferred to Committee on Ways and Means. To committee.
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From printer. To committee.
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Read first time. To printer.
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Prefiled. Referred to Committee on Government Affairs.
Sponsors
- Carter, Max E., II · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 66 not signed on
Sponsors (1)
- Carter, Max E., II Democratic
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 188?
- AB 188 is sponsored by Carter, Max E., II (Democratic).
- What is the current status of AB 188?
- This bill died with 2025 Regular Session. It reached “To Executive” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
- Where can I track AB 188?
- Track AB 188 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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