Latest news with #AssemblyBill388
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The veto governor: Paid leave, IVF bills fall as Lombardo crushes his own record
Gov. Joe Lombardo. (Photo: Jennifer Solis/Nevada Current) Gov. Joe Lombardo in 2023 smashed the record for most vetoes during a single legislative sesseion, rejecting 75 bills. This year, he beat his own record, vetoing 87 bills as of Thursday evening. Lombardo himself was not on the ballot last year, but he and his affiliated political action committee campaigned hard — and successfully — on the importance of getting enough Republicans elected to make sure Democrats would not have veto-proof majorities in the Legislature. Lombardo vetoed legislation sponsored by Attorney General Aaron Ford to rein in price fixing earlier this week, as well as a pair of trans protections bills last week. Other notable vetos as of Thursday included: Assembly Bill 388, sponsored by Democratic Assemblymember Selena La Rue Hatch, would have required private employers with more than 50 workers, as well as all public employers, to provide paid family and medical leave. The bill, which was opposed by chambers of commerce, was amended to push the requirement to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2028. La Rue Hatch's bill expanded legislative efforts in 2023, when lawmakers approved PFML for state employees. In his veto letter, Lombardo said the measure had 'broad, burdensome mandates' that would contradict the state's 'business-friendly environment' Senate Bill 217 (Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, D) would establish the right to assisted reproduction treatment, including in vitro fertilization. The bill was a focus of Cannizzaro. Assembly Bill 112 (Assemblymember Duy Nguyen, D) would have allowed workers covered by collective bargaining agreements to use their accrued leave to care for family members. After passing the Legislature with some bipartisan support, Lombardo vetoed the bill, writing in his veto letter that it represented 'yet another effort to mandate benefits for unionized employees outside the negotiation of their collective bargaining agreements, thereby undermining the integrity of those agreements.' In a policy hearing for the bill, union members said it is already common practice for members to use accrued leave to take care of their family but that they face potential discipline for doing so. With the veto, that will remain the status quo. Assembly Bill 597 (Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager, D) would have established semi-open primary elections allowing nonpartisan voters to request a Republican or Democratic ballot. The bill passed on the Assembly on party lines, with all Republicans opposing. In his veto letter, Lombardo said the legislation 'would undermine the will of Nevada's voters,' who last year rejected an initiative to establish truly open primaries. Assembly Bill 185 (Assemblymember Natha Anderson, D) would have barred most HOAs from prohibiting licensed home-based childcare operations within their communities. The bill received some bipartisan support. In his veto letter, Lombardo wrote 'expanding access to child care is an important goal' but that the bill would 'erode the integrity of HOA governance.' Senate Bill 121 (State Sen. Dina Neal, D) would have made changes to what homeowners' associations are allowed to require of new residents. The bill received some bipartisan support. Similar to his veto related to home-based childcare providers, Lombardo in his veto letter cited the importance of maintaining HOA autonomy. Assembly Bill 209 (Assemblymember David Orentlicher, D) would have granted sex workers immunity from criminal liability from prostitution-related offenses when they call 911 seeking medical assistance. In his veto letter, Lombardo said the bill 'codifies a lack of trust in law enforcement by assuming that sex workers fear prosecution more than they trust officers to prioritize their safety and the investigation of violent crimes.' An overwhelming lack of trust in law enforcement by sex workers who don't believe law enforcement prioritizes their safety or humanity was the impetus for sponsoring the bill in the first place. Senate Bill 350 (State Sen. James Ohrenschall, D) would have extended the time period the state has for carrying out an execution of someone on death row. Lombardo in his veto letter said the bill would 'result in justice becoming even more elusive for victims and their families,' though he acknowledged it is currently virtually impossible for the state to execute anyone on death row. Assembly Bill 411 (Assemblymember Sandra Jauregui, D) would have allowed prescriptions for drugs used for medical abortions and miscarriage management to list the name of the prescribing health care practice, rather than the name of the specific individual providing the prescription. In his veto letter, Lombardo wrote that the bill may reduce transparency in clinical follow-up situations where identifying the prescribing providers quickly is crucial. Assembly Bill 320 (Assemblymember Jovan Jackson, D) sought to stop judges from using dress codes to turn away defendants. In his veto letter, Lombardo said if enacted the bill 'may infringe on the separation of powers by legislatively encroaching on the courts' inherent authority to manage their proceedings.' Assembly Bill 204 (Assemblymember Max Carter, D) would prevent collection agencies from threatening to arrest people for medical debt, obtain a lien against a primary residence, seek to foreclose on a home, or garnish wages. In his veto letter, Lombardo said if enacted the bill 'would increase healthcare costs and undermine fairness by discouraging responsible payment.' Assembly Bill 441 (Assemblymember Daniele Monroe-Moreno, D) would change how the state's publicly financed private school scholarship program is administered. In his veto letter, Lombardo's veto letter said the bill would 'obstruct' the program. Assembly Bill 597 (Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager, D) would have established semi-open primary elections allowing nonpartisan voters to request a Republican or Democratic ballot. The bill passed on the Assembly on party lines, with all Republicans opposing. In his veto letter, Lombardo said the legislation 'would undermine the will of Nevada's voters,' who last year rejected an initiative to establish truly open primaries. The full list of bills Lombardo vetoed this year can be found here.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Proposed paid family and medical leave bill would benefit estimated 1 million Nevada workers
Democratic Assemblymember Selena La Rue Hatch during a hearing on paid family and medical leave. (Legislative stream screengrab) Nevada lawmakers are considering vastly expanding access to paid family and medical leave, though the proposal faces harsh opposition from business and industry groups. Democratic Assemblymember Selena La Rue Hatch's Assembly Bill 388 would require private employers with more than 50 workers, as well as all public employers, to provide paid family and medical leave. The bill was heard by the Assembly Committee on Revenue on Wednesday. Only 4% of businesses employ more than 50 workers, according to La Rue Hatch, who attributed the figure to research by the Legislative Counsel Bureau, but that 4% of businesses employ nearly 1 million Nevadans — more than 60% of the state's workforce. In 2023, the Legislature established paid family and medical leave for state employees. La Rue Hatch described this year's AB388, as 'a natural next step' to ensure nearly a million Nevadans are able to address their own and their family's medical needs. Twelve assemblymembers and one state senator have signed on as additional sponsors. La Rue Hatch, a public school teacher in Northern Nevada, shared with the committee that in November she had jaw surgery that required six weeks of recovery. Public school teachers are not covered by the state's existing mandated paid family and medical leave law, so she relied on a union-negotiated program where members can donate their paid time off to others who need it. Most Nevada workers don't have access to an option like that, she added, and instead are left with options that lead to financial hardship. They return to work prematurely after giving birth, leave the workforce entirely to provide unpaid care to elderly parents, wrack up additional debt during extensive cancer treatments, or forgo needed medical procedures because they know they can't afford not to work while recovering. The United States is one of only six countries that does not have a national guaranteed, comprehensive paid leave program. Thirteen states have comprehensive, mandatory state paid family and medical leave. Most offer the benefit through pooled payroll taxes paid by employers and/or employees, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. La Rue Hatch told the committee she didn't believe Nevada was open to that approach. Under her bill, Nevada employers would be required to offer it as a benefit after 90 days of employment. The leave would be available for specific purposes, such as the birth or adoption of a child, treatment of a serious illness, or caring for a family member who is seriously ill. There are also specific provisions for victims of domestic abuse and families dealing with military deployment. Workers who earn up to 110% of the state's average weekly wage — about $1,200 per week or $57,000 annually — would receive 100% of their paycheck for up to 12 weeks. Workers who earn more than that would receive 60% of their wage or 60% of 150% of the state's average weekly wage, whichever is less. (That 150% threshold currently translates to workers who make about $1,600 a week or $78,000 annually.) La Rue Hatch said the sliding scale and cap acknowledges that the lowest wage earners may not be able to survive off only part of their paycheck. AB388 is supported by numerous unions and worker advocacy groups, including the Communication Workers, SEIU, AFSCME, Washoe Education Association and Make It Work Nevada. 'Employees and workers are people,' said Erika Washington, executive director of Make it Work Nevada. 'They are human beings… We believe that being able to support, advocate, love and support our families is indeed a human right and a reproductive justice issue. Everyone has somebody they would drop everything for, and it's our responsibility to care for our families and each other.' Ben Challinor with the Alzheimer's Association testified that paid family and medical leave could benefit the estimated 84,000 Nevadans who provide unpaid care for someone living with Alzheimer's or dementia. Business groups, including the Vegas Chamber, Nevada Resort Association, Retail Association of Nevada, and several chambers of commerce, are opposed to the bill, arguing they oppose mandates that force solutions that need to be addressed business by business. They also claimed it will drive up costs for business. 'If the government of the State of Nevada believes it is important to pay people in this state to not work for 3 months, then the State of Nevada can pay for that,' said Tray Abney, Nevada state director for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). He continued: 'Bills with incredibly large fiscal notes or impacts to the state budget have a very hard time getting passed out of here. We don't always seem to have the same concern for the fiscal notes that affect private sector job creators.' In her closing remarks, La Rue Hatch argued that paid family and medical leave is an economic benefit that pays itself off in increased productivity and less turnover at business. 'Ikea offers 16 weeks' of paid family and medical leave, she said. 'CitiBank, 16 weeks. Bank of America, 16 weeks. Google, 18 weeks paid leave after 90 days of employment. Huge corporations making significant profits have figured out how to take care of workers. It is not mutually exclusive.'
