LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Nevada Senate passed legislation Monday aimed at shutting down catalytic converter thefts that are costing valley residents thousands of dollars. On a unanimous vote in Carson City, the bill was sent to the Assembly for consideration.

Senate Bill 250 (SB250) targets the market for stolen catalytic converters, which are valuable because they contain precious metals. Thieves can cut off the devices quickly — sometimes in less than a minute — and some thefts happen in broad daylight in driveways around the valley. SB250 establishes who is allowed to purchase used catalytic converters, and also sets harsh fines for repeat offenders.

A first offense brings a $1,000 fine, followed by a $2,000 fine for a second offense, and $4,000 after that. But prison time would be determined strictly by the value of the items that were stolen.

SB250 is the simpler of two separate bills aimed at thefts. SB243 could also come up again for a vote. 8NewsNow.com detailed the differences between the two bills in a previous story.

The catalytic converter bill was one of 19 bills approved Monday by the full Nevada Senate. Those bills are now just one step away from full approval. If passed in the Assembly, each bill would go to Gov. Joe Lombardo for a signature to become law. Here are additional highlights from today’s session:

TRANSGENDER POLICIES: SB153 mandates that the Nevada Department of Corrections address standards for handling housing for inmates who are transgender, gender non-conforming, gender non-binary and intersex. The bill passed the full Senate on a 19-1 vote and has been sent to the Assembly. The bill requires each prison or other NDOC facility to establish standards for the supervision, custody, care, security, housing and health care — both mental and physical — for inmates who fit into these categories.

‘FOREVER CHEMICALS:’ The Senate passed SB76 on a 16-4 vote, sending the bill to the Assembly for approval. SB76 looks to build on restrictions for use of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl — known commonly as PFAs. The chemicals are commonly found in many products that you may already have at home and use every day. Teflon is considered the first PFA, Now, investigations are under way into the implications of “forever chemicals” for human health, as well as animals and the environment overall.

Also Monday: SB331 passed, requiring that state and local emergency management plans to consider families with pets. When emergency shelters are set up, at least one must accommodate families with pets. SB110 passed, requiring Nevadans to use headlights during the daytime on two-lane highways. SB129 passed, allowing sexual assault victims to file a civil lawsuit against an attacker.