Nevada Legislature: Senate passes Republican-backed equal pay bill

Nevada senators have approved a Republican-sponsored bill aimed at limiting employment and pay discrimination against women.

The Nevada Senate unanimously passed SB167 on Wednesday, and the bill now heads to the Assembly. Democratic efforts to add more fines and penalties for discriminatory practices failed along party lines.

The bill allows the Nevada Equal Rights Commission to award up to three years of back pay to victims, and prevents employers from punishing employees who discuss or ask about wages.

Democratic Sen. Pat Spearman sponsored a similar equal pay bill that would incorporate portions of the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act into state law, but the bill was not brought up for a hearing and has since died.