Latest news with #AtharHaseebullah
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge sides with ACLU in lawsuit against CCSD over graduation stole ban
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Clark County School District will issue updated guidance to graduating seniors and school administrators Monday after a federal judge ruled in favor of student expression in a case brought by the ACLU of Nevada. During an emergency court hearing Sunday, U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware found that two stoles, one featuring the phrase 'Black Girl Magic' on kente cloth and another representing the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Nevada's Emerging Leaders Program, were lawfully protected under the First Amendment. Both stoles had previously been denied by a school administrator. The decision prompted an agreement between the district and the ACLU requiring CCSD to notify all graduates and school leaders by 3 p.m. with clear guidance on what is permitted at graduation ceremonies. Graduates will be allowed to wear up to five stoles and may decorate their caps and gowns with flat adornments. Decorations must not be lewd, obscene, vulgar, profane, or promote violence, illegal drug use, harassment, bullying, or discrimination. If any decoration or item is found to be substantially disruptive or materially interfering with the ceremony, the graduate may be asked to remove it to participate. While certain items may still be restricted, any prohibition must be consistent with the First Amendment and state law. Pre-approval of stoles and flat cap decorations will not be required, effectively lifting previous deadlines. This new policy will apply to all high schools within the CCSD. 'It was important for us to bring this case because if we didn't, our client would have been prohibited from wearing her stole that reads 'Black Girl Magic' and those graduates in our Emerging Leaders Youth Leadership Program would have have met the same fate depending on the school they attend. It was also important for us to ensure CCSD complies with the law and school faculty and administrators do not get to be the arbiters of the First Amendment based on their own viewpoints. Consistency matters across CCSD. The First Amendment is for everyone. ACLU of Nevada will always fight to make sure that's a reality, and we are grateful to the Judge in this matter for hearing this case when he did in an emergency fashion. You only graduate high school once and this moment is a time for graduates to celebrate their cultures, not experience censorship. We are grateful to spend our Memorial Day weekend defending the First Amendment.' ACLU of Nevada Executive Director Athar Haseebullah The ACLU is urging all administrators who receive the updated guidance to ensure their staff comply, warning that any violations could lead to further litigation, including potential claims for damages. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
281 bills fall victim to deadline at Nevada Legislature. Here are the highlights
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A total of 281 bills missed a Friday deadline to win committee passage in Carson City, the first major deadline at the Nevada Legislature this session. If that seems like a lot, consider that 875 bills are still alive. One bill known as 'Reba's Law' got a quick reprieve on Monday as lawmakers scrambled to bring it back. That followed a public outcry that is rare at this stage. Other bills aren't likely to get the same rescue, although they can be brought back from the heap in a number of ways. We've told you about some of the bills that died: the Hotel Safety Act, the medical aid in dying bill and the Nevada lottery. But here's a look at some others that missed the deadline: Senate Bill 415 would have allowed law enforcement to install automated traffic enforcement cameras. The bill was supported by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, but opposed by the ACLU of Nevada. The ACLU issued a statement from executive director Athar Haseebullah regarding the bill: 'This bill was bad policy from the start. The deployment of red-light cameras is often framed as a matter of public safety, but in reality, most civil liberties abuses happen under the guise of public safety. Automated traffic enforcement systems, which raise significant constitutional concerns, are problematic tools used to generate revenue for the government on the backs of ordinary Nevadans, and other communities have paid out tens of millions of dollars in settlements based on faulty systems. From a practical perspective, the Legislature couldn't exercise oversight of the data collected through these programs because it is not privy to every surveillance tool law enforcement has in its possession and how that data is used. We commend the Nevada Senate for not advancing this bill and encourage the Legislature to be mindful of the harms of automated traffic enforcement systems.' The Culinary Union ripped Democratic leaders for killing the state lottery. 'When politicians talk about democracy being at risk, but block Nevadans from voting on something as straightforward as a state lottery, their words ring hollow. Actions speak louder than rhetoric,' according to a statement issued by the union. 'With federal cuts looming, uncertainty around the state budget, and lack of funding for education and mental health, Nevadans need real solutions and we need it now. Politicians cannot complain about budget shortfalls while refusing to even consider a bill that would bring in new revenue,' according to the union. Nevada Republicans also criticized the Democrat-controlled Legislature for refusing to bring constitutional amendments to increase transparency to a vote. The amendments were authored by Republican Assem. Heidi Kasama. 'After years of scandals that have cost them the public's trust, Democrats in our State Legislature are covering up their ethical failures and denying Nevadans the right to know what they are doing,' according to a news release from Better Nevada PAC. Also left behind: AB195 would have required the Clark County School District to give nonvoting members the same duties, rights and responsibilities as the members of the board of trustees who are elected to the office. AB240 would have required certain schools and institutions of higher education to designate by sex the athletic teams and sports sponsored by the schools, along with a prohibition on male or female athletes from competing on teams designated for the other sex. AB293 would have created the state Office of Aerospace. AB311 would have prohibited an insurance company from refusing to provide coverage to a driver who works for a transportation network company. The bill would also require network companies to provide medical payments coverage and coverage involving uninsured/underinsured motorists. AB317 would have authorized cities and counties to establish a program to provide housing to help people experiencing homelessness. SB94 would have taken Nevada off Daylight Saving Time. But … AB81, sponsored by Democrat Selena La Rue Hatch passed, and it does the same thing. SB103 would have required mail ballots to be received on or before Election Day. SB184 would have banned the use of latex gloves in food establishments and health care settings. SB219 would have increased the penalties for organized retail theft. Rather than a 2-15 year sentence, the bill would have required a 3-30 year prison term, and a tripling of the fine, up to $30,000. SB223 would have increased the penalties for sex trafficking a child or helping someone sex trafficking a child. SB365 would have limited attorneys from collecting a contingency fee in excess of 20% of the amount recovered, except in state cases involving negligence in health care matters. SB392 would have imposed a state sales tax on digital products electronically transferred to a buyer. The tax would have required the facilitator to collect and remit the tax if sales were over $100,000. SB394 would have prohibited the sale of fireworks to anyone under the age of 18. Next up: An April 22 deadline for bills to advance to the next house. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Nevada agencies discuss Trump's order on English as official U.S. language
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – The United States is known for being a melting pot of cultures, and dialects, but with President Trump's new executive order mandating that English be the official language what does that mean for those who don't speak the language proficiently or at all? 'The impact could be far and wide depending on how implementation actually occurs or it could have almost no impact at all,' Athar Haseebullah, Executive Director of the ACLU of Nevada told 8 News Now. The non-profit organization has been at the forefront of many issues impacting civil liberties and civil rights and Haseebullah says the potential of cutting off government services based on language barriers is problematic. 'If they do end up implementing this in a way that is being used as discriminatory, we are prepared to litigate against this administration as well,' he added. Those over at the Nevada Immigrant Coalition voicing the fact that while the President isn't forcing any of our state agencies to stop providing these services, the option for them to do so is now there. Language assistance, was once required under the Clinton administration. 'There's definitely a concern,' Hector Fong with the Nevada Immigrant Coalition shared. 'We urge our state legislator to take the matter into their own hands and keep providing these resources. Nevada is one in five for immigrants and we have a growing AAPI population too,' he added. There are dozens of state agencies in Nevada that have been making strides to implement even more language access plans and translation services like providing interpreters. The Southern Nevada Health District issued 8 News Now this statement, 'The recent executive order designating English as the official language does not change the way the Southern Nevada Health District operates or provides services to our clients. We remain committed to ensuring access to essential public health services to our community. The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services will also continue providing services in accordance with the Nevada Revised Statues and released the following statement. According to President Trump, his reasoning for designating English as the official language of the United States is to 'create a more cohesive and efficient society and promotes unity.' Also stating that it, 'cultivates a shared American culture for all citizens, ensures consistency in government operations, and creates a pathway to civic engagement.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Nevada agencies discuss Trump's order on English as official U.S. language
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – The United States is known for being a melting pot of cultures, and dialects, but with President Trump's new executive order mandating that English be the official language what does that mean for those who don't speak the language proficiently or at all? 'The impact could be far and wide depending on how implementation actually occurs or it could have almost no impact at all,' Athar Haseebullah, Executive Director of the ACLU of Nevada told 8 News Now. The non-profit organization has been at the forefront of many issues impacting civil liberties and civil rights and Haseebullah says the potential of cutting off government services based on language barriers is problematic. 'If they do end up implementing this in a way that is being used as discriminatory, we are prepared to litigate against this administration as well,' he added. Those over at the Nevada Immigrant Coalition voicing the fact that while the President isn't forcing any of our state agencies to stop providing these services, the option for them to do so is now there. Language assistance, was once required under the Clinton administration. 'There's definitely a concern,' Hector Fong with the Nevada Immigrant Coalition shared. 'We urge our state legislator to take the matter into their own hands and keep providing these resources. Nevada is one in five for immigrants and we have a growing AAPI population too,' he added. There are dozens of state agencies in Nevada that have been making strides to implement even more language access plans and translation services like providing interpreters. The Southern Nevada Health District issued 8 News Now this statement, 'The recent executive order designating English as the official language does not change the way the Southern Nevada Health District operates or provides services to our clients. We remain committed to ensuring access to essential public health services to our community. The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services will also continue providing services in accordance with the Nevada Revised Statues and released the following statement. According to President Trump, his reasoning for designating English as the official language of the United States is to 'create a more cohesive and efficient society and promotes unity.' Also stating that it, 'cultivates a shared American culture for all citizens, ensures consistency in government operations, and creates a pathway to civic engagement.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
ACLU of Nevada shares new ‘Know Your Rights' materials amid federal immigration enforcement actions
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The ACLU of Nevada has shared new Know Your Rights materials designed to protect immigrant communities amid threats of federal immigration enforcement actions in Nevada, the organization announced Monday. The Know Your Rights materials include guides for interacting with ICE officials in workplace settings, higher education settings, K-12 schools, and while at home. The materials will be updated as laws change and the ACLU of Nevada advises people to refer to its website instead of printing the materials to make sure the most up-to-date information is available. The organization has also launched an online form on its website where possible civil rights violations by ICE, including during an ICE raid or a home visit, can be reported. The form will allow community members to share information to 'prevent systemic civil liberties violations, including racial profiling,' the organization said. 'At a time when many are facing uncertainty in our community because of a reckless federal government, we are sharing resources to help mitigate against governmental harm. Nevadans, regardless of their immigration status, should be aware of their rights in the face of an increasingly authoritarian government. We'll leave the politics to politicians but make no mistake, our out-of-control federal government, left unchecked, will seek to devalue your existence as it expands its own power for its own benefit. Nevadans should be aware of their rights under federal and state law and should consider reporting civil liberties and civil rights abuses by immigration officials to us. When the rights of the people are systemically violated, we have been and remain prepared to see the government in court,' ACLU of Nevada Executive Director Athar Haseebullah said. The ACLU of Nevada said it is continuing to monitor ICE's actions for non-compliance with the law. It is also offering Nevada-based organizations the option to request their own Know Your Rights training on a variety of issues, including training on immigrants' rights and interacting with ICE. Click here to access training materials, request a Know Your Rights training, or report an immigrant's rights violation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
