This bill would require some Nevada cities to better protect residents from extreme heat

Five cities in Nevada may soon be required to take more measures to help protect residents from deadly heat.

If Assembly Bill 96 becomes law, any city or county with at least 100,000 people will be expected to change their urban development plans to include heat mitigation efforts.

In other words, as planners consider a city’s growth and expansion, they would have to find ways to keep residents cooler, such as public drinking water or additional shade or tree canopies over paved walkways.

“Shade over paved surfaces may include, without limitation, shade structures, shelters, and urban tree canopies, with preference for native tree or drought-tolerant species,” the bill reads

Clark and Washoe counties, home to Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, Reno, and Sparks, fit that designation.

Las Vegas and Reno have both seen their average annual temperature rise more than any other city in the US from 1970 to 2023, according to a report from Climate Central.

“We know that heat is a significant issue in Nevada,” said Assemblymember Venise Karris (D-Las Vegas). “We are seeing those effects first-hand.”

Reno’s annual average temperature in the last 53 years has jumped 7.6 degrees, and Las Vegas 5.7 degrees.

READ MORE: Almost 500 people have died from extreme heat in Las Vegas in 2024, officials say

Mitigating heat isn’t just a matter of people outside being more comfortable—it’s a matter of life and death.

In Clark County alone, there were at least 513 heat-related deaths in 2024. Roughly half of those deaths happened in July, according to data from the Southern Nevada Health District.

“Heat is our state’s, and our nation’s, most deadly weather-related hazard,” Karris said. “It is critical that our state…implement heat-mitigation elements to help alleviate this climate crisis. Assembly Bill 96 offers an important pathway for this necessary work.”

Heat-related deaths weren’t counted among the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 2024 report on weather and climate disasters, unless the heat-related deaths were part of a heat wave.

Hurricanes Helene, Milton, and Beryl accounted for 297 deaths in 2024—fewer than Nevada’s heat-related deaths.

In 2024, according to the National Weather Service, Las Vegas set records on nine different days for the hottest recorded temperature.

While AB 96 wouldn’t directly eliminate heat-related deaths, it would help create an environment where people could be better protected from the impacts of climate change. Free access to water and shaded areas to get a break from the sun could go a long way for locals who have to be outside for any extended period of time.

The bill passed the Nevada Assembly on April 16, with two Republicans joining every Democrat in voting for the bill.

As of May 1, it had not been voted on in the Nevada Senate. If it ultimately passes, the legislation will go to Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo’s desk. Lombardo vetoed a similar bill in 2023.