Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019 | 2 a.m.
Tax-free feminine hygiene products and an overhaul of state campaign finance rules are among the changes Nevada will see in 2019 as new laws take effect.
Nevada's last legislative session was in 2017, and most of the laws passed took effect in 2017 or on Jan. 1, 2018. Only a handful of other measures take effect Tuesday:
"PINK TAX"
Nevada voters in November opted to exempt feminine hygiene products from sales and use tax until at least 2028. Proponents of removing the so-called pink tax argued that feminine hygiene products should be treated like groceries, prescription drugs and other necessities that aren't subject to tax. According to state estimates, eliminating the tax on tampons and sanitary napkins is estimated to cost Nevada between about $5 million to $7 million annually.
VOTING RIGHTS RESTORATION
A new law expands the restoration of voting rights for some of those who have served time for crimes.
Nevada felons have been able to get their voting rights back if they complete their sentence, fulfill the terms of their probation or parole and paid all restitution or proven they can't pay restitution because of an economic hardship.
Under the new law, those who were dishonorably discharged from probation or parole, meaning they didn't pay full restitution or otherwise didn't fulfill the terms, also get their voting rights back.
The measure also allows voting rights to be restored after two years for those who were convicted of lower-level felonies such as robbery if the person completes their probation or parole and the crime did not result in "substantial bodily harm" to a victim.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTING
A broad campaign finance law retooling a number of state reporting requirements takes effect Tuesday.
The changes require candidates and political action committees to offer more information about their campaign fundraising and spending, including reporting their cash on hand at the end of a reporting period.
It also requires more transparency about campaign expenses made with a credit card. Candidates and PACs will no longer be able to lump credit card expenses together on their reports as one expense made to pay off a credit card bill. Instead, they will have to disclose the business or entity that was paid with the card.
