Nevada governor signs sweeping crime bill as state looks to boost tourism
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo signed into law over the weekend a sweeping crime package that will help revive a unique court program that bans perpetrators of some crimes on the Las Vegas Strip and toughens penalties for smash-and-grab robberies, DUIs and assault and battery on hospitality workers.
The legislation, known as the Safe Streets and Neighborhoods Act, paves the way for the re-establishment of the controversial Resort Corridor Court to punish crimes such as petty theft, assault, drug offenses and loitering originating from the Las Vegas Strip, and it coincides with orders banning people from entering the tourist area for a year.
The bill’s passage marked a major political victory for the Republican governor, who is preparing for a tough re-election campaign in 2026. His race is one of the most competitive in the country, and recent polls show him and his likely opponent, Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford, neck and neck.
Resort Corridor Court revitalization still faces hurdles
Resort lobbyists and the union representing hospitality workers — both political forces — have banded together to see the reopening of Resort Corridor Court, arguing it would improve safety and preserve the visitor-friendly reputation of the state’s major tourist attraction amid a slump in tourism.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported an 11% decline in visitors between June 2024 and June 2025.
Opponents question the legality of the decision and say it unfairly targets homeless people.
“We are very grateful to Governor Lombardo and his legislative leadership for working together to advance this important tourism safety legislation,” Virginia Valentine, president and CEO of the Nevada Resort Association, said in a statement Tuesday, adding that the court will ensure Las Vegas remains a leading tourism destination.
The law gives the Clark County Commission the authority to revive the court, but it is unclear when or if the commission will consider the issue.
County spokeswoman Jennifer Cooper said it’s premature for the commission to step in at this point because the discretion to revive the trial rests with the Court of Justice. The court did not respond to requests for comment.
Nevada judges created the court two years ago, but voted to disband it a year and a half later.
If the court program is revived, lawsuits are expected to challenge its legality, according to Athar Haseebullah, executive director of the ACLU of Nevada, a staunch opponent of the court.
“There will continue to be pushback from our organization and from many others in our judicial system who do not want to see this ongoing process of privatization,” he said in a phone interview.
The bill also bans immigration enforcement in schools
The bill also included changes that would ban immigration officers from entering school grounds without permission and require detention centers to keep a running list of people they hold.
Nevada joins states such as California and Maryland in passing laws restricting federal immigration enforcement officers from accessing school property without a warrant.
Democratic lawmakers in Nevada introduced a proposal during the last regular session to ban immigration officials from school grounds without a warrant, but Lombardo vetoed it, calling it “well-intentioned but fundamentally overbroad.” Lombardo’s office said the amendment Democrats added to the bill is constitutional and includes exceptions that allow law enforcement to keep schools safe.
Those exceptions include school resource officers and law enforcement who need to enter property in the event of an emergency, such as a school shooting.
It’s the latest state effort to clarify immigration enforcement restrictions after the Trump administration announced at the beginning of the year that it would allow federal immigration enforcement. making arrests in schools, churches and hospitalsThe policy, which had been in effect since 2011, was terminated.
Democratic assemblywoman Cecelia González, who sponsored the original immigration bill, ultimately voted against the governor’s crime package. He said he was happy “that students are finally being taken seriously about their real, experienced fears,” but overall he thought the bill would do more harm than good.
