Reedley City Manager Nicole Zieba speaks at a news conference about the Reedley biolab on Feb. 3, 2026. Photo by Dylan Gonzales

Fresno County and Reedley city officials hosted a joint news conference Tuesday afternoon at the Hall of Records in Downtown Fresno calling for stronger federal oversight of private labs after the discovery of a second illegal bio lab in Las Vegas that has connections to the 2023 Reedley case, citing ongoing legal and financial impacts on the local government.

Fresno County Board of Supervisors Garry Bredefeld said transparency and public safety remain the county’s top priorities as federal investigators look at any potential multi-state connections. Officials said there is no current public health threat in Reedley, where hazardous biological materials were removed under court order.

The Reedley lab was uncovered in December 2022 after a code enforcement officer noticed code violations at a warehouse on I Street. Following inspections showed nearly 1,000 genetically modified lab mice, infectious agents including malaria and E. coli and unregulated medical waste.

The animals were euthanized and the biological materials were destroyed in July 2023. State-embargoed pregnancy and COVID-19 test kits remain stored at the site under state control.

Reedley City Manager Nicole Zieba said that the prolonged abatement and legal process placed financial strain on both the city and county, which covered costs related to court filings. Reedley spent $350,000 to remove the lab materials.

Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni called the issue a national security concern, citing gaps in federal tracking of dangerous pathogens and the potential financial burden on local agencies responding to unregulated labs. 

In response, the county adopted an ordinance in January 2024 requiring private laboratories to obtain permits and submit to annual public health inspections. Five of the county’s 15 cities have adopted the measure, which officials say is intended to reduce future enforcement and remediation costs.

The five cities are San Joaquin, Kingsburg, Reedley, Fowler and Huron.

Rep. Jim Costa is pushing bipartisan legislation in Congress, including H.R. 5747, the Preventing Illegal Laboratories and Protecting Public Health Act, which would require federal recordkeeping for transfers of high-risk biological materials. Costa said stronger oversight could help shift enforcement and compliance costs away from local governments and toward a standardized federal system.