2017 Nevada Revised Statutes
Chapter 244 - Counties: Government
NRS 244.364 - State control over regulation of firearms, firearm accessories and ammunition; limited regulatory authority of county; conflicting ordinance or regulation void; records of ownership of firearms; civil action by person adversely affected by enforcement of conflicting ordinance or regulation.
1. The Legislature hereby declares that:
(a) The purpose of this section is to establish state control over the regulation of and policies concerning firearms, firearm accessories and ammunition to ensure that such regulation and policies are uniform throughout this State and to ensure the protection of the right to keep and bear arms, which is recognized by the United States Constitution and the Nevada Constitution.
(b) The regulation of the transfer, sale, purchase, possession, carrying, ownership, transportation, storage, registration and licensing of firearms, firearm accessories and ammunition in this State and the ability to define such terms is within the exclusive domain of the Legislature, and any other law, regulation, rule or ordinance to the contrary is null and void.
(c) This section must be liberally construed to effectuate its purpose.
2. Except as otherwise provided by specific statute, the Legislature reserves for itself such rights and powers as are necessary to regulate the transfer, sale, purchase, possession, carrying, ownership, transportation, storage, registration and licensing of firearms, firearm accessories and ammunition in Nevada and to define such terms. No county may infringe upon those rights and powers.
3. A board of county commissioners may proscribe by ordinance or regulation the unsafe discharge of firearms.
4. Any ordinance or regulation which is inconsistent with this section or which is designed to restrict or prohibit the sale, purchase, transfer, manufacture or display of firearms, firearm accessories or ammunition that is otherwise lawful under the laws of this State is null and void, and any official action taken by an employee or agent of a county in violation of this section is void.
5. A board of county commissioners shall repeal any ordinance or regulation described in subsection 4, and any such ordinance or regulation that is posted within the county must be removed.
6. A board of county commissioners shall cause to be destroyed any ownership records of firearms owned by private persons which are kept or maintained by the county or any county agency, board or commission, including, without limitation, any law enforcement agency, for the purposes of compliance with any ordinance or regulation that is inconsistent with this section. The provisions of this subsection do not apply to the ownership records of firearms purchased and owned by any political subdivision of this State.
7. Any person who is adversely affected by the enforcement of an ordinance or regulation that violates this section on or after October 1, 2015, may file suit in the appropriate court for declaratory and injunctive relief and damages attributable to the violation. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, such a person is entitled to:
(a) Reimbursement of actual damages, reasonable attorney’s fees and costs which the person has incurred if, within 30 days after the person commenced the action but before a final determination has been issued by the court, the board of county commissioners repeals the ordinance or regulation that violates this section.
(b) Liquidated damages in an amount equal to two times the actual damages, reasonable attorney’s fees and costs incurred by the person if, more than 30 days after the person commenced the action but before a final determination has been issued by the court, the board of county commissioners repeals the ordinance or regulation that violates this section.
(c) Liquidated damages in an amount equal to three times the actual damages, reasonable attorney’s fees and costs incurred by the person if the court makes a final determination in favor of the person.
8. This section must not be construed to prevent:
(a) A law enforcement agency or correctional institution from promulgating and enforcing its own rules pertaining to firearms, firearm accessories or ammunition that are issued to or used by peace officers in the course of their official duties.
(b) A court or administrative law judge from hearing and resolving a case or controversy or issuing an opinion or order on a matter within its jurisdiction.
(c) A public employer from regulating or prohibiting the carrying or possession of firearms, firearm accessories or ammunition during or in the course of an employee’s official duties.
(d) The enactment or enforcement of a county zoning or business ordinance which is generally applicable to businesses within the county and thereby affects a firearms business within the county, including, without limitation, an indoor or outdoor shooting range.
(e) A county from enacting and enforcing rules for the operation and use of any firearm range owned and operated by the county.
(f) A political subdivision from sponsoring or conducting a firearm-related competition or educational or cultural program and enacting and enforcing rules for participation in or attendance at any such competition or program.
(g) A political subdivision or any official thereof with appropriate authority from enforcing any statute of this State.
9. As used in this section:
(a) “Ammunition” includes, without limitation, fixed cartridge ammunition and the individual components thereof, shotgun shells and the individual components thereof, projectiles for muzzle-loading firearms and any propellant used in firearms or ammunition.
(b) “Firearm” includes, without limitation, a pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun, machine gun, submachine gun, black powder weapon, muzzle-loading firearm or any device which is designed to, able to or able to be readily converted to expel a projectile through the barrel by the action of an explosive, other form of combustion or expanding gases.
(c) “Firearm accessories” means:
(1) Devices specifically designed or adapted to enable the wearing or carrying of a firearm or the storing in or mounting on a conveyance of a firearm; or
(2) Attachments or devices specifically designed or adapted to be inserted into or affixed on a firearm to enable, alter or improve the functioning or capability of the firearm.
(d) “Person” includes, without limitation:
(1) Any person who has standing to bring or maintain an action concerning this section pursuant to the laws of this State.
(2) Any person who:
(I) Can legally possess a firearm under state and federal law;
(II) Owns, possesses, stores, transports, carries or transfers firearms, ammunition or ammunition components within a county; and
(III) Is subject to the county ordinance or regulation at issue.
(3) A membership organization whose members include a person described in subparagraphs (1) and (2) and which is dedicated in whole or in part to protecting the legal, civil or constitutional rights of its members.
(e) “Political subdivision” includes, without limitation, a state agency, county, city, town or school district.
(f) “Public employer” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 286.070.
(Added to NRS by 1989, 652; A 2007, 1289; 2011, 1109; 2015, 1784, 1808, 2691)
