Nevada
Legal Help Desk
Find Your State
Know the laws in your state that protect LGBT people and people living with HIV.
Photo: Corbis
YES
Does state law protect employees in the private sector from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation?
YES
Does state law protect employees in the private sector from discrimination on the basis of gender identity and/or gender expression?
YES
Does state law expressly protect employees of state and local governments from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation?
YES
Does state law expressly protect employees of state and local governments from discrimination on the basis of gender identity and/or gender expression?
See Nevada Revised Statutes §§ 610.185, 613.340, 613.405, 613.330 and 338.125.
All government employees are protected by the U.S. Constitution against irrational discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. In addition, some measure of protection already exists under Title VII based on gender, which has been held to include gender identity and expression.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and several courts have interpreted Title VII to protect LGBT employees. Lambda Legal maintains that the EEOC adjudications regarding Title VII’s coverage should supersede contrary authority that exists in some federal circuits.
YES
Does the state explicitly ban transgender exclusions in health insurance?
YES
Does the state have laws that may be used to fight against health care discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity?
Does this state have an HIV criminalization law?
YES, Nevada has a criminal law that punishes people with an HIV diagnosis specifically for nondisclosure of HIV status prior to sexual conduct. A violation of this statute is classified as a felony.
Has there been at least one HIV-based criminal prosecution—brought under an HIV-specific criminal law or a general criminal law—in this state in recent years?
YES, in recent years, there has been at least one criminal prosecution for HIV nondisclosure in Nevada.
Does this state have laws that criminalize or enhance the penalties for biting, spitting and/or throwing bodily fluids or substances (such as urine or excrement) if a person has been diagnosed with HIV?
YES, Nevada also has laws that criminalize or enhance penalties for biting, spitting and/or throwing bodily fluids or substances (such as urine or excrement) if a person has been diagnosed with HIV, despite the fact that none of these activities presents any real risk of HIV transmission.
Does this state have criminal laws addressing HIV+ sex workers and/or HIV+ patrons of sex workers?
YES, Nevada also has laws that enhance punishments for HIV-positive people involved in commercial sexual transactions. It is difficult to obtain accurate data on how often these laws are utilized in Nevada, but there is growing evidence that in general these types of laws targeting sex workers are used much more frequently than other types of HIV criminalization laws.
Who may adopt?
Any adult person or any two persons married or domestically partnered to each other. See Nevada Revised Statutes §127.030.
Second-parent adoptions:
Approved in lower courts. Statute also permits step-parent adoptions by registered domestic partners.
YES
Public accommodations protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity?
YES
Does the state allow same-sex couples to marry?
YES
Does the state recognize marriages of same-sex couples from other jurisdictions?
YES
Does the state offer any other type of relationship recognition for same-sex couples?
Yes, domestic partnerships. See Nevada Revised Statutes §§ 122A.010 et seq.
YES
Does state law prohibit bullying in public schools?
YES
Does the law include cyberbullying?
NO
Does the law specifically mention sexual orientation?
NO
Does the law specifically mention gender identity?
NO
Does the law also apply to private, non-religious schools?
YES
Is there a state antidiscrimination law that applies (or may apply) to schools?
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Alternatively, here is the telephone number of the Lambda Legal Help Desk nearest you: Western Regional Office: 213-382-7600
