Friends,
I cannot believe our 77th Session of the Nevada Legislature will be coming to a close in just over a week, and I'm so proud of the many pieces of good, bi-partisan legislation we worked together to pass for Nevadans. Here is a summary of a few of my favorites.
Senate Bill 165 would provide tax credits that would bring movies to Nevada. This is a perfect example of legislation that will create jobs and bring new industries to our state. Even Nicholas Cage visited the Legislature to meet with legislators and voice his support of the bill.
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| Michele with Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman and Nicholas Cage |
I am a primary sponsor of this bill because I know first hand the challenges of making a movie in Nevada, and I would like to see this industry grow.
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| Michele on the set of her movie "Siren" |
The two bills I wrote and sponsored, Assembly Bills 393 and 395, have been passed by the Assembly and the Senate and will be on their way to Governor Sandoval shortly. AB 393 expands the rights of foster children and their siblings, and AB395 seeks to prevent intimidation by home owners associations and makes it a misdemeanor.
Assembly Bill 175 has been signed by Governor Sandoval and will make it easier for those who are serving in our military overseas to register to vote and request absentee ballots with a digital signature. I support our troops, and I support all efforts to include them in our election process.
Senate Bill 338 will change in Nevada Revised Statutes "mental retardation" to "intellectual disability". This is one of my favorite bills, and I'm proud to be a primary sponsor. It has passed both houses unanimously and will soon be sent to the Governor to be signed into law.
Senate Bill 157 would require our school boards to create criteria for prioritizing school budgets directed at improving the achievement of pupils and improving classroom instruction. I am proud to be a primary sponsor of this bill that has passed both house unanimously.
Assembly Bill 183 will change Nevada law to allow 16 year olds to donate blood with their parent's consent. Currently a donor who is 17 or older can donate blood without a parent's consent. I co-sponsored this bill, and it has passed from both houses unanimously.
Assembly Bill 147 will require that mammogram results inform patients of dense breast tissue in addition to what is required by federal law. This will help patients and their doctors make better informed decisions in regards to breast cancer. I co-sponsored this bill, and it is awaiting a vote in the Nevada Senate.
It's also important to mention a few of the bills I did not support.
Assembly Bill 386 would create a pilot program to provide mental health screenings for school children. Our schools are already providing services to children who need additional help. We should should be creating educational environments for all children to thrive rather than grouping them by their test results.
Assembly Bill 60 would change the paperwork requirements for Nevada non-profits. I believe our non-profits provide great services, and we should not be burdening them with additional reporting requirements and fines against their volunteer leaders.
Senate Bill 243 would create a state DNA database of people accused of felonies. While I appreciate what the supporters are trying to do, I cannot support a bill that would take away our right to innocence until proven guilty. Add that to the current backlog of DNA samples and the expense to create this database, and I could not support this bill.
These are just a few of the bills we have worked on during this session. Sometimes we agree and sometimes we don't agree; however, I appreciate the respect and diverse perspectives my peers bring to the debate.
Next week is our last full week of the 77th Session of the Nevada Legislature, and it will be a big one before we reach Sine Die on Monday, June 3rd. This has been a great experience, and now it's time to wrap it up and let each of our legislators return to their daily lives. I cannot wait to get to spend some more time with my new granddaughter Jayden and await the arrival of my twin granddaughters!
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