FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 6th, 2023
Press Contacts: Will Pregman, [email protected], 702.752.0656
Nevada Progressives Say ‘No Way, Joe’ on the Opening day of the 82nd Legislative Session
CARSON CITY, NV – Today, the 82nd Legislative Session kicks off in Carson City, Nevada. As legislators gaveled in, the Battle Born Progress team will be in attendance to witness the day’s ceremonial events and prepare for the coming session.
Annette Magnus, Executive Director for Battle Born Progress, issued the following statement:
“It’s no secret that this year, the Silver State will be once again facing steep obstacles to many of the policies we care deeply about. Governor Lombardo made his priorities clear: he’s dedicated to siphoning money from public schools that are already underfunded in order to fund private schools that are not beholden to the will of Nevada taxpayers. This problematic method of redistribution is not fit for public education. Multiple studies over the past decade have shown private schools do not lead to better overall achievement for students. Once again Republicans refuse to listen to the evidence and care more about false outrage. And let’s be very clear: ‘Opportunity Scholarships’ are simply vouchers by another name and should not be considered when negotiating on the budget and other critical issues this session.
Governor Lombardo’s agenda does not stop at privatizing education. He touted that he intends on eliminating vote by mail despite the fact that Nevadans, regardless of their party affiliation, zip code, or ability, benefit from it. It’s shocking to us that the Governor forgets that 51.21% of the voter turnout during the 2022 General Election chose to cast their ballot by mail. Governor Lombardo’s desire to repeal the sending of mail ballots to all eligible voters is not only a step back, but also sends a clear message to Nevadans: he wants fewer people to vote. Historically, strict voter ID laws originate from the Jim Crow era. Voter ID laws, by design, were created to prevent Black and Brown citizens from having their voices heard in the electoral process. These attacks on our voting system impact people of color, low-income voters, seniors and working-class Nevadans who are struggling to pay for high rents, groceries, and prescriptions.
We cannot forget about the Governor’s stated desire to create harsh penalties for drug possession and unnecessarily expand the Habitual Criminal Act. Governor Lombardo’s priorities will disproportionately impact people of color and other marginalized communities. It’s hard to not see a pattern here when Lombardo’s voter suppression tactics similarly harm voters of color more than their white counterparts. The truth is, long prison sentences and harsh penalties do not lessen the number of crimes committed. They increase the number of inmates in Nevada prisons and jails. Since the passage of AB 236 in 2019, incarceration rates have decreased by almost 25% by focusing on community-based rehabilitation programs and specialty courts.
Throughout the next 120 days, we are committed to fighting against Governor Lombardo’s agenda to tamper with and eliminate the advancements made in the past several sessions. This includes advocating for common sense gun violence prevention laws that keep our communities safe, the continued protection and stewardship of our public lands, ensuring that Nevadans have access to affordable healthcare through the Nevada Public Option, defending voting rights and criminal justice reform, and keeping public money in our public schools.
Our communities and their unique priorities and needs are not bargaining chips. We will hold Governor Lombardo and any other elected official accountable for making deals that undermine working families and their rights and freedoms. We look forward to working with the Assembly and Senate Leadership to get good things done for all Nevadans and continuing the progress we have made together the past several sessions.”
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About Battle Born Progress: Battle Born Progress, through strategic communication efforts, empowers, engages, and mobilizes Nevada voters to build a state where everyone has a fair opportunity to succeed. We support, engage, and mobilize the progressive community through bold leadership, strategic communications, accountability, and education. We are on the cutting edge of new media and are the go-to source for progressive issues and advocacy for traditional media. Learn more at https://battlebornprogress.org/.
