By Matthew Seeman, KSNV, February 14, 2025
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo has signed an emergency bill to help increase the supply of eggs available at retail and lower prices.
The governor’s office said Lombardo on Thursday signed AB 171, which he applauded as a symbol of bipartisan effectiveness.
AB 171 passed through the Assembly and Senate earlier this week. The bill will allow the state’s quarantine officer to permit the sale of non-cage-free eggs or Grade B eggs temporarily during an emergency shortage.
Grade B eggs are safe to eat, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says the might have some defects in their appearance and are usually used for liquid eggs or baking.
Small farmers could also sell their eggs to a retailer under the bill.
Egg prices have surged across the nation because of an outbreak of a highly contagious strain of bird flu, according to the USDA.
Still, Lombardo said some elements of AB 171 should become permanent. Lawmakers passed a bill in 2021 that requires eggs sold in Nevada to come from cage-free chickens.
“While Assembly Bill 171 will help lower the costs of eggs for up to 120 days during specific disease events or natural disasters, I strongly urge the legislature to next send a repeal of Assembly Bill 399 (2021) to my desk, so that we can permanently lower these costs and remove harmful, California-inspired legislation once and for all,” the governor said in a statement.
It will now fall to the state’s quarantine officer to issue an order for the changes to take effect.