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The Nevada Women's
Lobby has lobbied at each Nevada legislative
session since 1989 and is proud to have worked with our coalition partners to
influence significant legislation over the years. |
2007 Session
For the 2007 legislative
session the Nevada Womens Lobby established a number of priorities
within the key areas of families in poverty, youth at risk, health and
education. The process of selecting bills on which to take a position
and give instructions to our lobbyist, Julianna Ormsby, was
straightforward but not always easy.
Bills relating to our issues were selected and steering committee
members with expertise in that subject read the bills and made
recommendations. The legislative team then decided whether to oppose or
support the bill, and determined how active we wanted Julianna to be. We
could also take no position or monitor bills, so we needed to keep
updating our information during the session. At the beginning of the
session bills were being drafted at a rapid pace. In one marathon meeting
the legislative team considered over 120 bills that pertained to our
issues.
A significant number of bills, both good and bad, died midway through
the session when they did not come out of committee in the house in which
they had been introduced. Some we supported but which failed were: AB 442
to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation; and AB 172 to
increase the number of property tax refunds to the elderly. Among those we
opposed which did not get to a vote were: AB 86 which required drug
testing for welfare applicants; AB 588 to reduce the amount of state taxes
on banks; SB 286 authorizing school teachers to carry concealed firearms;
and numerous bills that would have excluded undocumented residents from
Nevadas Millenium Scholarship program.
NWL Issues
Two specific topics we selected to work on
were child care subsidies and child support enforcement. These are two
areas where adequate funding can make all the difference to families,
especially to single-parent families, working to achieve self-sufficiency.
NWL took the position that co-payments required for child care subsidies
are beyond the reach of many families that would otherwise be eligible for
support. Unfortunately no budget or needs assessment proposal was approved
to change the current situation. Even more critical than state subsidies
for needed services is ensuring that families receive the child support to
which they are entitled. AB 536 dealing with child support enforcement did
pass, and will reorganize responsibility for this within the Nevada
Department of Health and Human Services. However it will not go into
effect until 2011.
There were many additional bills for which the Lobby provided
information and testimony. A number of legislators requested our support
for bills they had introduced. Throughout the session it was clear that
even those legislators who did not always agree with our position on
issues nonetheless valued the information we provided. Congratulations to
Julianna Ormsby for establishing herself as a knowledgeable and effective
presence in Carson City.
2005 Session (See
2005 Bills Tracked)
Pharmacy
One of the most controversial bills this
session was the Canadian Drug Importation Bill, supported by NWL,
opposed by the pharmaceutical lobby, and threatened with a veto because
the federal government outlaws importation. This bill was held up but
was passed in the special session, with assurances that drugs imported
from Canada are as safe as those purchased in the U.S. The state will
license Canadian pharmacies that meet Nevada standards and list them on
the website of the NV Office of Consumer Health Assistance. Although the
federal government considers importation of drugs illegal, they have not
prosecuted individuals or states currently importing drugs. It will be
up to the consumer to decide whether to use Candadian drugs. Savings can
be as much as 50%.
NWL also worked with AARP to support a requirement that drug
companies report large gifts they provide to physicians in marketing
their drug products. The bill never moved out of the Senate Commerce
Committee.
Education
Full-day kindergarten was a high profile issue from the beginning with
funding earmarked at $72 million. This passed in the special session
with only $22 million provided for at-risk schools.
Statutes to ensure a safe and respectful learning environment in
public schools were reinforced by requiring school districts to adopt
methods for reporting incidents of harassment and intimidation, and to
train school personnel. Assemblymen Parks and Hardy accomplished this by
merging the best of their two bills.
Children
Child support enforcement was high on NWLs list for active
lobbying, and we supported two important bills:
$150,000 was appropriated for an audit of child support
collection and enforcement.
We lost a bill extending the Committee on Children, Youth and
Families.
NWL strongly opposed a bill establishing joint custody as in the best
interest of the child in child custody proceedings. In the end a
compromise rejected the joint custody presumption but kept a list of
factors judges must consider in determining best interest of the child.
Another bill adopted provides that children placed in state custody
will be placed with siblings when possible.
Health -
125,000 more pregnant women will qualify for Medicaid under a waiver
authorized this session, allowing coverage for women up to 185% of
poverty.
Funding for mental health services, triage centers and Mental Health
Courts was requested in several bills, and more than $14 million for
these programs was approved in AB 175.
Domestic Violence -
Legislation was passed prohibiting compromising of criminal charges
when a civil case involves domestic violence cases.
The Nevada Council on Domestic Violence was created in AB219 which
also requires an evaluation of domestic violence counseling programs in
rural areas.
End of session "Pork bills" included funding for many
programs NWL sup-ported: An Office of Minority Health, a non-emergency
referral phone system (2-1-1), Medicaid coverage for children aging out
of foster care, an audit of child support enforcement, a pilot program
to teach English to pre-K children, the review of complaints regarding
health, safety, welfare and civil rights of children under care of a
governmental entity or private facility. Funding for these pro-grams
alone amount to over $2 million.
2003 Session
Provided $836 million in new tax revenue--below what we believe is
needed for long-term state funding
Revised death penalty laws addressing some inequities and injustices
Required external review of decisions made by managed care
organizations
Revised procedures by which insurance companies can raise medical
mal-practice rates, to eliminate unfair increases
Continued funding for integration of child welfare services in Clark
and Washoe Counties
Gave individuals the right to designate a non-relative for hospital
visitation and decisions on disposition of a body
Restored voting rights to certain ex-felons
Required state labor commissioner to enforce labor laws whether an
employee is lawfully or unlawfully employed
2001
Session
Revamped the child welfare system in Washoe and Clark Counties
In Medicaid: eliminated the assets test, provided for expedited
enrollment of pregnant women and provided Medicaid coverage for breast and
cervical cancer
Defeated insurance industry's attempt to repeal mandated benefits in
health plans, most of which require health care coverage for women and
children
Raised cap on child support payments
Declared legislative intent that public schools should eliminate
harassment and intimidation
Funded expansion of teen pregnancy prevention programs
Provided for operation of youth shelters
Increased funding for domestic violence programs
Expanded energy assistance for low income Nevadans
1999 Session
Required insurance coverage of contraceptives
Passed limited mental health parity bill
Created health care ombudsman
Passed Employment Non-Discrimination Act
Strengthened protections for victims of domestic violence
Provided for direct access to ob/gyn in managed care
Blocked school voucher legislation
1997 Session
Passed ground-breaking Patient Protection Act
Defeated some punitive aspects of welfare reform legislation
Removed statute of limitations on rape crimes
Required mandatory counseling for domestic violence abusers
Provided confidential addresses for victims of domestic violence
Established statewide registry of domestic violence abusers
Defeated bill to make English the official language
1995 Session
Killed bill for public vote on parental notification for teen abortion
Deleted "tailhook" clause from hotel liability bill
Blocked passage of very punitive welfare reform bill
Defeated school voucher and charter school bills
Strengthened domestic violence laws
Created family resource centers
1993 Session
Repealed discriminatory sections of the sodomy law
Defeated parental notification requirement for teen abortion
Created new crimes of stalking and aggravated stalking
Provided for battered womens defense in criminal cases
Passed rape shield bill to provide anonymity to victims
Created Office for Missing and Exploited Children
1991 Session
Increased grants to welfare recipients (never implemented)
Provided state funds for WIC program
Created Nevada Commission for Women
1989 Session
Increased grants to welfare recipients (never implemented)
Strengthened child support enforcement laws
Funded displaced homemaker pilot program
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