The G3Wire

February 21, 2025

The Legislative session is well under way with 574 bills introduced as of today.  Supporters of a bill taking aim at “ghost kitchens” on food delivery apps contend it will address phony delivery-only restaurant operations through penalties against the app or platform. Assembly Bill 116 requires food delivery apps only work with businesses with proper permits from their local health authority. Platforms that do not would be guilty of a misdemeanor.  And after a surge of heat-related deaths in Nevada, state lawmakers are proposing a bill that would require the nation’s two fastest-warming cities to actively protect residents from extreme heat. Assembly Bill 96 would mandate that cities and counties with populations exceeding 100,000 people include a specific “heat mitigation” section within their master plans. More federal funds are impacting Nevada universities which receive nearly $120M in federal funds for research; cuts could undo years of scientific progress at UNR. These Nevada News links and a lot more below!!

Legislative Updates

Important Dates:

March 17^th     Last day for legislator bill introductions

March 24        Last day for committee bill introductions

April 11^th        First house passage deadline

June 2^nd          Sine die

Tenant advocates’ legislative agenda in 2025 will look a lot like bills Lombardo vetoed in 2023

Nearly two years after Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoed the majority of legislation that modestly expanded tenant protections and sought to change the eviction process, housing justice organizers and legal aid providers say the housing crisis has worsened. (Nevada Current)

Bill aims to ease public info access; experts wary

Nevada agencies often reject the public’s requests for government records, leaving a lengthy and costly litigation process as the only recourse to obtain the information. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Armed with threat of ballot question, Clark County teachers union plots legislative agenda

Clark County Education Association Executive Director John Vellardita confirmed to Nevada Current the union is not asking state lawmakers for a hearing on their proposal to give Nevada teachers the right to strike. Instead, they will be using their ballot measure as leverage during this year’s legislative session. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Legislators target ghost kitchens impersonating restaurants

Supporters of a bill taking aim at “ghost kitchens” on food delivery apps contend it will address phony delivery-only restaurant operations through penalties against the app or platform. Assembly Bill 116 requires food delivery apps only work with businesses with proper permits from their local health authority. Platforms that do not would be guilty of a misdemeanor. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Freshman Orientation: Lisa Cole brings environmental expertise to Nevada Assembly

Cole has worked on water rights issues for more than 20 years and graduated in 2022 from law school, which she said gave her the confidence to run for office. (The Nevada Independent)

Nevada lawmakers introducing bills at a record-setting pace at start of session

Plus: The dangers of bounce houses, and another Trump and Musk protest at the capitol. (The Nevada Independent)

Indy Resource Guide: Participating in the legislative session

You can play a role in the policy-making process by communicating with lawmakers directly about issues or weighing in on bills during hearings.  (The Nevada Independent)

Nevada state Sen. Dina Neal recovering after undergoing emergency heart surgery

In a statement, the Nevada Senate Democratic Caucus said that Neal received care at Renown Health and “is spending time with her family while she recovers.” (The Nevada Independent) 

NDOT contract involving missing $9.1 million ‘totally flawed,’ state Sen. Ira Hansen says

When the Nevada Department of Transportation gave $9.1 million to a Reno internet provider, much of the typical contract language to protect the investment was absent — and now the money is missing. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Nevada bill would require cities to prepare for a hotter future

After a surge of heat-related deaths in Nevada, state lawmakers are proposing a bill that would require the nation’s two fastest-warming cities to actively protect residents from extreme heat. Assembly Bill 96 would mandate that cities and counties with populations exceeding 100,000 people include a specific “heat mitigation” section within their master plans. (Nevada Current)

Bill aims to reduce traffic crashes–Driving wrong way would be a crime

Assembly member Brian Hibbetts — whose district the crash occurred in — presented Assembly Bill 111 in a judiciary committee hearing Tuesday that would make wrong-way driving on a divided highway a misdemeanor. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Measure spotlights heat issue–Law would require resident protection

The nation’s two fastest-warming cities may soon be required by Nevada law to better protect residents from deadly heat in future plans. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Nevada lawmakers move to protect IVF treatments

Nevada Senate Democrats introduced a bill Wednesday to protect and expand access to in vitro fertilization treatments.  Senate Bill 217, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro and other Democratic senators, would establish a statutory right to IVF treatment in Nevada law. (Las Vegas Review Journal) 

Legislation aims to hold food-delivery apps accountable for restaurant impersonators

Christina Martin has been on a crusade against fraudulent business practices on food-delivery apps since April 2024 when she found out her Las Vegas pizza shop was being impersonated by another restaurant. . (Las Vegas Review Journal) 

Nevada bill would require biggest counties to add heat mitigation to growth plans

Assembly Bill 96 would require officials in the state’s two largest counties to consider new, extreme heat-related features when approving future development. That includes access to public cooling spaces, drinking water, and shade. (KUNR)

Democrats introduce IVF bill–Would establish statutory right to treatment in state

Nevada Senate Democrats introduced a bill Wednesday to protect and expand access to in vitro fertilization treatments. Senate Bill 217, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro and other Democratic senators, would establish a statutory right to IVF treatment in Nevada law. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Proposed legislation sparks debate over accountability by Nevada election workers

A proposal being considered in the Nevada Legislature that calls for election workers to be charged with a felony for failing to perform tasks in a timely manner has received pushback from those staffers tasked with running elections. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

With Musk & Trump targeting CFPB, medical debt consumer protections fall to state, legislators say

Carter has introduced legislation to prohibit health care providers and collection agencies from reporting medical debt to consumer reporting agencies. (Nevada Current)

Parallel film tax credit proposals should be single bill, says sponsor (of one of them)

The debate over whether to massively expand the state’s film tax credit program in hopes of transforming Las Vegas into “Hollywood East” has returned to the Nevada State Legislature. And, like with many sequels, the drama may be amped up. (Nevada Current)

Film tax credits in Nevada could be expanded under 2 new bills

Two bills that would seek to draw film studios to Las Vegas by expanding the film tax credits available in Nevada were introduced in the Legislature this week, bringing the possibility of a large-scale studio project to the state. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Indy Explains: How do two film tax credit expansion measures differ?

Both proposed expansion measures would be more than an eightfold increase from the annual $10 million in transferable tax credits Nevada law currently allows. (The Nevada Independent)

Lawsuit challenges Legislature’s ban on dual lobbyist, press accreditation

In today’s edition, we bring you the latest on an effort to protect communities from debt burdens and news of a legislative legal challenge. (The Nevada Independent)

State and Local Government Updates

Monorail may get lifeline-LVCVA mulls $12M to keep system running until ’35

Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority officials want to spend millions of dollars to extend the life of the Las Vegas Monorail for at least another decade. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

From ‘ABC to PhD’–Black educators group launches new student enrichment program

In the 2024-2025 school year, 8.8 percent of the licensed teachers in CCSD were Black, according to the district’s data. That’s compared with the 15.9 percent of students who are Black. (Las Vegas Review Journal) 

Guided by compassion and diligence, councilwoman aims to reinvigorate community

In November, Summers-Armstrong became the first Black woman elected to serve as the ward’s councilmember. She was sworn into office in late 2024. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Six finalists emerge to be next superintendent of Clark County schools

The consulting firm managing the search for the next superintendent of the Clark County School District will present the school board with six finalists today. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

WCSD pays cafeteria worker $60,000 to settle racial discrimination suit

The Washoe County School District paid a cafeteria worker $60,000 to settle a racial discrimination lawsuit that accused the district of not allowing her to do her job because white teachers didn’t like the sound of her Black voice. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Lyon County Sheriff’s Office adopts new immigration policy

Lyon County will notify ICE if a detainee is found to be undocumented, regardless of the charge, and will detain them if federal authorities issue a lawful hold. The sheriff’s office will cooperate with federal immigration authorities but will not hold someone solely on an ICE request. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Vaunted public-private partnership with resort industry has public footing 92% of ongoing costs

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, a Republican, has called Campus for Hope a “groundbreaking project” that “embodies the power of public-private partnership.” Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager, a Democrat who sponsored the bill that greenlit the project, has sung similar praises. (Nevada Current)

Former tribal chairman turned Washoe schools trustee plans to emphasize belonging and engagement

In this week’s Indy Education newsletter, learn about the first Washoe County School Board member to be an accredited member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe. (The Nevada Independent)

‘Lives are at risk’: Federal funding cuts threaten Nevada drug overdose research

Nevada universities receive nearly $120M in federal funds for research; cuts could undo years of scientific progress at UNR. (The Nevada Independent)

LV City Council rejects proposal for animal advisory committee 

The Las Vegas City Council voted six to one Wednesday against an ordinance proposed by Councilwoman Victoria Seaman to form a citizens’ advisory committee to meet quarterly to discuss animal welfare issues and report possible solutions to the council. (Nevada Current)

Crowd backs Henderson police chief–Officials give no reason for why Chadwick put on administrative leave

City Council members offered no clarity on why Chadwick was placed on leave at the meeting, though they did encounter a lot of resistance to the decision. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Great Basin latest struck by flurry of federal layoffs

Five park rangers who were considered “probationary employees” because they had not yet completed a full year at the park in Baker, a remote portion of unincorporated White Pine County with a few dozen residents, were laid off. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

New mayor kicks off press briefing series–Berkley talks nearing end of Badlands saga

Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley kicked off a series of promised bimonthly press conferences on Thursday, using the opportunity to address the imminent resolution to a decade-long legal battle with a developer that is set to cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Nevada updating its Essential Health Benefits plan

In Nevada, the current Essential Health Benefits (EHB) plan encompasses an array of medical services and procedures but there are a few key areas that have not been included, addressing opioid use disorder, HIV and hepatitis B and C. (pvtimes.com)

Fired Forest Service workers warn of Northern Nevada wildfire dangers after mass Trump cuts

Erikka Olson worries how Northern Nevada will handle this year’s wildfires after she was one of 2,000 Forest Service workers who were recently terminated by the Trump administration. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Federal Updates 

Lawsuits over firings could lead to greater presidential power

The legal showdowns over President Donald Trump’s removals at independent agencies and federal workplaces could ultimately end with Supreme Court rulings that expand executive branch power, legal experts said. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Former Nevada Senate candidate tapped for VA position

As President Donald Trump’s nominee in January to be the undersecretary for memorial affairs for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Brown pledged to “ensure all who have served are honored with the dignity they have earned.” (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Nevada Rep. Mark Amodei plays ‘whack-a-mole’ in wake of Trump, Musk’s firing free-for-all

Nevada Republican says Trump trying to get as much done as possible before midterms, but executive orders a ‘lazy process.’ (Reno Gazette Journal)

Elon Musk’s DOGE seeks access to sensitive and restricted IRS data

The Department of Government Efficiency is seeking direct access to Internal Revenue Service computer systems that have vast amounts of sensitive data, according to a source familiar with the developments. (Reno Gazette Journal) 

Republicans worry GOP-led states will suffer from Trump’s firings of federal workers

WASHINGTON — Some Republicans are raising concerns about how reducing the federal workforce by potentially hundreds of thousands of people and canceling spending approved by Congress will affect the country — especially the regions filled with loyal GOP voters. (Nevada Current)

Ford joins AGs blasting Trump’s ‘hateful’ ban of trans people serving in military

Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford is calling President Donald Trump’s efforts to ban transgender people from serving in the military “hateful” and warns the move jeopardizes the safety of the country.  (Nevada Current)

How will Trump’s potential tariffs affect Nevada?

Aguero said the lack of tariff details makes it hard to forecast any one outcome for a Nevada industry or the state’s economy as a whole — if the tariffs are successful in bolstering domestic manufacturing, Nevada would benefit; if they raise prices on fuel, Nevada could suffer. (The Nevada Independent)

U.S. Senate Dems issue warning on ‘massive cuts’ to Medicaid predicted in GOP budget

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Democrats on Wednesday urged Americans throughout the country who rely on Medicaid for their or a family member’s health care to call up GOP members of Congress and urge them not to cut benefits.  (Nevada Current)

Lombardo not going to the mat for programs he opposed before he took credit

President Donald Trump, during a victory lap last month in Las Vegas, partially credited Gov. Joe Lombardo with his win in Nevada.  “You had an impact. I’ll tell you that,” Trump said from the stage to Lombardo, who was in the audience. (Nevada Current)

Vaunted public-private partnership with resort industry has public footing 92% of ongoing costs

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, a Republican, has called Campus for Hope a “groundbreaking project” that “embodies the power of public-private partnership.” Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager, a Democrat who sponsored the bill that greenlit the project, has sung similar praises.  (Nevada Current)

Social Security head leaves as Musk seeks Americans’ data

This story was originally reported by The 19th. President Donald Trump has replaced the acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration after Michelle King left the agency rather than give billionaire Elon Musk’s task force access to sensitive information about hundreds of millions of Americans. (Nevada Current)

Buyouts to help pay settlement–21 city workers retiring part of $286M plan

Twenty-one city of Las Vegas employees have accepted voluntary buyouts to help offset the cost of settling pending litigation with the would-be developer of the defunct Badlands golf course. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Trump’s ‘Valentine’s Day Massacre’ hits Nevada

The Trump administration’s mass layoffs across federal agencies have reached Great Basin National Park, with 20 percent of park staff fired as a result, the Las Vegas Review-Journal has learned. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Congressional GOP’s proposed Medicaid cut could cost Nevada $1.9 billion

One analysis shows if the federal match for the expansion is stripped and the state can’t meet the gap, more than 300,000 people could be booted from Medicaid. (The Nevada Independent)

Will there be a DOGE stimulus check? What to know about whether Nevadans will get some cash

Some Americans have been calling for stimulus checks to be issued from cuts at Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, and the idea has gone viral. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Depth of federal worker firings unknown in Nevada, but impact already being felt

The full number of Nevadans who lost their jobs following the Trump administration’s order to terminate thousands of federal employees hired in the last two years has been kept from Congress and the public. But the impacts of the mass layoffs have already reached at least one of the state’s two national parks and the Nevadans who depend on them. (Nevada Current)

Las Vegas resident confirmed as FBI director

The Senate on Thursday narrowly voted to confirm Kash Patel as director of the FBI, moving to place him atop the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency despite doubts from Democrats about his qualifications and concerns he will do Donald Trump’s bidding and go after the Republican president’s adversaries. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Election News Updates

Democrats ask appeals court to toss GOP lawsuit over Nevada’s late-arriving mail ballots

On Thursday, the Democratic National Committee asked a federal appeals court to deny an appeal filed in a nearly yearlong legal case brought by state and national Republicans seeking to end Nevada’s practice of accepting mail ballots as many as four days after an election, as long as they were postmarked by Election Day.  (The Nevada Independent)

Articles of Interest

Las Vegas Grand Prix ticket price change mulled

Formula One is looking to adjust ticket prices for this year’s Las Vegas Grand Prix. During MGM Resorts International’s yearend earnings call Wednesday, president and CEO Bill Hornbuckle alluded to talks being held by F1 to adjust ticket prices for November’s race. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Reno median home price dips below $600,000 for first time since April; Sparks also down

Prospective homebuyers can’t celebrate just yet as the median home price drop is being attributed to seasonality, not a change in market trends. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Manfred calls Athletics’ new park in Sacramento charming but still expects to be in Vegas by 2028

The Athletics had been based at the Oakland Coliseum since 1968, but left their longtime home following last season with a plan to eventually wind up in Las Vegas. (The Nevada Independent)

Could shuttered Whiskey Pete’s have a life beyond gaming?

Affinity Gaming’s CEO said Primm needs other attractions, not a casino. Also, Red Rock says its vacant land in Reno is ready for development. (The Nevada Independent)

Reno-based AI chip startup Positron raises $23.5 million, sets sights at Nvidia

Reno-based Positron AI, which is working on its second generation of AI chips, is banking on cost and efficiency to take market share from Nvidia. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Rhyolite Ridge lithium project in Nevada closes on $996 million DOE loan

The Ioneer project received federal approval last year after a long battle over an endangered wildflower that’s endemic to rural Nevada. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Badlands development OK’d–Nearly 1,500 upscale homes planned for troubled property

Nearly a decade after plans to build homes on the defunct Badlands golf course devolved into a protracted and costly legal fight, the Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday found itself back where it started: facing angry criticism and a threat of a new lawsuit over another housing development for the property. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Area firm to buy slot company–Light & Wonder planning $850M acquisition

Las Vegas-based gaming equipment manufacturer Light & Wonder is acquiring a North Carolina-based slot-machine content company in an $850 million cash deal, the companies announced. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

High praise for Brightline–Duffy lauds project, threatens Calif. high-speed rail’s funds

Despite Duffy’s doubts about the Central Valley rail line, he had high praise for Brightline West’s planned $12 billion, 218-mile, high-speed rail project between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga, California. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Strip casino landlord earned $2.7B in profit in 2024

New York-based Vici, the biggest property owner on the Las Vegas Strip with Caesars Palace, MGM Grand and several other resorts in its portfolio, on Thursday said it earned $2.7 billion in net income last year. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Legal Reform Advocacy Group, PACT, Wants Georgia to Follow in Florida’s Footsteps

Zelt shared that it’s a state-by-state, case-by-case basis, with states like Nevada, California, and South Carolina recently throwing their hat in the legal reform ring. She also shared that federal efforts could be on the horizon as well. (Floridianpress.com)