NevadaNevada funds covered prisoner court challenges through a state defense agency
Nevada’s Department of Indigent Defense Services uses dedicated state funding, backed by reserve money, to pay covered court costs and lawyer bills for prisoners unable to pay.
What it does
The Department of Indigent Defense Services funds covered court challenges for prisoners unable to pay. A state backup account supplies money when dedicated funding runs out.
Argument forReserve funding could keep covered court costs and appointed lawyers’ bills paid when dedicated funding for these cases runs out.
Argument againstRequired payments from the state reserve account could leave less money available for other unexpected state expenses.
More detail
Covered costs must be paid from state money set aside for the Department of Indigent Defense Services. Coverage includes necessary trial and review costs for people serving prison or death sentences who challenge their conviction or time served. It also covers appointed lawyers’ bills in cases challenging a conviction or sentence. Payment of necessary court costs requires a court finding that the person cannot pay them. When dedicated funding runs out, money must come from the Reserve for Statutory Contingency Account, a state backup account. The payment rules took effect July 1, 2025. Preparatory work was authorized upon passage and approval.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- Jun 6Chapter 282.Latest
- Jun 5Approved by the Governor Joe Lombardo.Became Law
- Jun 2Enrolled and delivered to Governor.To Governor
- May 31In Assembly. To enrollment.Major
- May 30Read third time. Passed. Title approved. (Yeas: 21, Nays: None.) To Assembly.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Senate (As Introduced). Result: pass.Upper
- May 29From committee: Do pass. Placed on Second Reading File. Read second time.Minor
- May 26Read third time. Passed. Title approved. (Yeas: 41, Nays: None, Excused: 1.) To Senate. In Senate. Read first time. Referred to Committee on Judiciary. To committee.Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded Assembly (As Introduced). Result: pass.Lower
- May 23From committee: Do pass. Placed on Second Reading File. Read second time.Minor
- Apr 1From printer. To committee.
- Mar 31Read first time. Referred to Committee on Ways and Means. To printer.Introduced
Criminal JusticeTaxes & Budget