LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Republican Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo is proposing harsher penalties for repeat offenders, DUI drivers and different criminals as a part of his sweeping crime invoice launched Monday.
“This legislation was drafted to put teeth back into Nevada’s penal code, hold criminals accountable, empower judges and prosecutors, and support victims of crime,” Lombardo mentioned throughout an occasion Tuesday touting what he’s calling “The Safe Streets and Neighborhoods Act.”
Fentanyl trafficking
The governor’s proposal, Senate Invoice 457, lowers the quantity prosecutors would want to cost an individual accused of trafficking fentanyl to a minimal of 4 grams. The present threshold is 28.
Sentences for fentanyl trafficking would lower to a most of six years for low-level trafficking, however would improve the utmost positive to $50,000. Sentences for high-level trafficking, an quantity of 28 grams or extra, may embody jail sentences of life with parole eligibility after 10 years or 25 years with parole eligibility after 10 years.
DUI
The proposal amends Nevada’s DUI legislation to make clear the legislation for impaired driving with using marijuana. It additionally will increase the potential sentence for a DUI driver who commits their third offense inside seven years or who’s present process substance misuse remedy to a minimal of two to a most of 15 years. Present Nevada legislation requires a sentence of 1-6 years for a 3rd DUI offense inside seven years.
It additionally features a proposal to cost DUI drivers who kill with second-degree homicide, a problem he first mentioned with the 8 Information Now Investigators in an unique interview final month.
Nevada prosecutors have tried to cost DUI drivers, who kill an individual and who pace and who drive with no care for one more individual’s life, with homicide, however the Nevada Supreme Courtroom dominated in 2022 that the state’s DUI with dying legislation was extra acceptable. A change in state statute would reverse that downside.
Enhanced penalties
The proposal calls for extra penalties for felons who reoffend. Ought to a reoffender commit that crime whereas out of custody on a previous offense, a choose may sentence them to a further yr to twenty years in jail.
As well as, the restrict to change into a “habitual criminal” would drop to 2 earlier convictions slightly than the present 5.
A fiscal notice from the Division of Corrections notes the modifications in ordinary prison convictions would add $42 million to the state’s finances each biennium. The division estimates it prices $91 to deal with an offender per day, and it expects lots of of latest offenders to enter the jail system ought to the invoice change into legislation as written.
Shoplifting
The invoice decreases the felony-theft threshold from $1,200 to $750.
Different proposals embody directing opioid-settlement funds to cowl legislation enforcement coaching and reentry applications, in addition to eliminating court docket diversion applications for crimes involving the abuse of exploitation of kids.
For the invoice to move, Lombardo should compromise with Democrats who management each the Nevada Meeting and Nevada Senate.
