LAS VEGAS (AP) - Guaranteed access to contraception, a ban on LGBT conversion therapy and additional regulations for day cares are among the new Nevada laws that went into effect at the start of the new year.
Private and state insurance plans, including Medicaid, are now required to provide coverage for women’s reproductive health, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported .
The new laws enacted by the state Legislature last year allow women to obtain a 12-month supply of contraceptives. The laws also guarantee access to other preventive health care services like mammograms and HPV screenings and vaccinations.
Mental health professionals in the state are now barred from conducting therapy that seeks to change a minor’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Modeled off laws enacted in California and New Jersey, the new Nevada law aims to protect juveniles from physical and psychological harm caused by therapy that has not been proven to be medically or clinically effective.
A state law now requires employees of day care facilities to complete 24 hours of training. Half of that training is required to be specific to the age group of the children the facility serves.
In addition, day care employees must complete two hours of training each year on recognizing and reporting child abuse. The day care facilities are also required to run expanded background checks before hiring.
For victims of domestic violence, a new state law adds protections in the workplace. Employers are now required to provide 160 hours of leave during a 12-month period to an employee who has been a victim. The law also prohibits the state from denying unemployment benefits to a victim who left a job due to domestic violence.
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Information from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, http://www.lvrj.com
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