The G3Wire

May 9, 2025

Nevada’s vast public lands, long a flashpoint in state-federal tensions, could be used to generate federal revenue under an amendment to the GOP’s comprehensive spending package. Rep. Mark Amodei led House Republicans in approving a reconciliation bill Monday that included a late-night amendment to sell off more than 93,000 acres of public lands in Nevada — much to the chagrin of environmentalists and congressional Democrats. The National Park Service lands have been considered off-limits to new mining efforts for decades — until now.    Nevada’s 2026 governor’s race is already heating up, with candidates from both parties staking early claims on economic recovery and education reform — a full 18 months before voters head to the polls. And Nevada continues to face significant educational funding challenges, according to the National Education Association’s newly released “Rankings of the States 2024 and Estimates of School Statistics 2025” report. The findings reveal a stark reality: Nevada maintains the nation’s highest student-teacher ratio at 25:1, placing considerable strain on classroom resources. These Nevada news links and lots more below!

Legislative Updates

Days until: 

• Second committee passage deadline: 9
• Second house passage deadline: 16
• Sine die: 26

Updating the Nevada Policy Tracker: A guide to key issues in the 2025 legislative session

The Indy’s Nevada Policy Tracker is a guide to the storylines expected to make the biggest splash in the coming months. (The Nevada Independent)

Budget decisions loom–Nevada Legislature is faced with millions in shortfalls

Legislators learned last week that initial state revenue projections are short by about $191 million over the next two years — leaving many bills that carry a cost on the chopping block. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

$160M fall in projected Nevada education funding raises questions about program expansion

Officials said that the priority will be maintaining existing programs and funding levels, which could come at the expense of an expansion of education program. (The Nevada Independent)

Follow the Money: PACs tied to Nevada legislators; caucuses raised $7.8 million in 2024

Looser campaign finance rules enable legislative PACs to receive unrestricted funds to funnel directly to lawmakers and allied groups. (The Nevada Independent)

‘Classism’ in the capital at hearing on HOAs, Neal says 

A legislative hearing on a bill intended to give homeowners some “wiggle room” and avoid the onerous fines imposed by homeowners’ associations exposed what state Sen. Dina Neal called “classism” on the part of HOA industry representatives and opponents. (Nevada Current)

Developers, conservationists clash over bill to sell public land for housing

Housing developers and conservation advocates clashed over a bill Thursday that would encourage the federal government to open thousands of acres of public land in Clark County for development, a move critics say will encourage sprawl and supporters argue would lower housing costs. (Nevada Current)

Lombardo economic development bill targets child care, high-tech business, rural housing

Lombardo in the past has cast the bill as an effort to diversify Nevada’s economy beyond the gaming and tourism industries, a longtime goal of state officials. (The Nevada Independent)

Immigrant Lobby Day canceled at Nevada Legislature amid ICE activity in region

The Nevada Immigrant Coalition is canceling the Immigrant Lobby Day it hosts at the Nevada Legislature due to immigration enforcement activity in Northern Nevada, officials said today. (Las Vegas Sun)

Nevada looks for way to continue ARPA-funded expansion of rare disease screenings for newborns
Nevada two years ago began using American Rescue Plan Act dollars to expand screenings of newborns for rare diseases. With the end of that federal funding in sight, state lawmakers are looking for a way to keep providing early detection of rare but treatable diseases. (Nevada Current)

Legislation would end long spell of no pay raises for county elected officials in Nevada

State lawmakers are considering legislation that sets out a five-year plan to give pay raises to elected county officials, who haven’t had a raise since 2018.  (Nevada Current)

Amodei puts Nevada public lands up for sale in late-night amendment

Rep. Mark Amodei led an amendment to the House Republican funding package to sell off over 90,000 acres of public lands in Nevada. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Governor’s economic plan emphasizes child care

Senate Bill 461 — called the Nevada Forward Economic Development Policy Reform Act — would provide up to $12 million in tax credits to build child care facilities, offer tax deductions for “high impact” businesses and a create a $100 million community infrastructure investment fund. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Hospitals push back on Nevada price transparency proposal

Health industry lobbyists at the Nevada Legislature took turns testifying late Tuesday before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee about the pitfalls of a proposed bill that would require hospitals to comply with federal price transparency regulations. (Las Vegas Sun)

Legislation would extend time period between death warrant and execution

Senate Bill 350, sponsored by Democratic state Sen. James Ohrenschall of Las Vegas, would lengthen the timeframe to between 180 and 270 days. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Top Nevada lawmaker seeks to cap insulin prices at $35 a month under private insurance

The bill would place Nevada among the 26 states, including Kentucky and New Mexico, that have already set limits on the price of insulin for private payers. (The Nevada Independent)

Lawmakers ax Lombardo effort to raise charter teacher pay

In this edition of Behind the Bar: A licensing board consolidation bill is likely to be gutted, and governments price out the family leave bill. (The Nevada Independent)

Paying for school construction in rural Nevada is tough. A Nevada lawmaker might have a solution

Although two Ely schools built more than a century ago hold a special place in the hearts of the thousands of students who passed through their doors, officials say the buildings have many issues that make them unsuitable for learning. (The Nevada Independent)

Teachers union looks to lawmakers to allow court-authorized strikes, reform arbitration process

The Clark County teachers union is pushing legislation to speed up the arbitration process and allow teachers to petition district court to allow them to legally go on strike. (Nevada Current)

Lawmakers aim to rethink excessive water use penalties in Southern Nevada

The Las Vegas Valley Water District implemented a water rate structure two years ago that imposed hefty levies on the valley’s biggest residential water users. Now state lawmakers are seeking to reexamine those fees following years of community pushback.  (Nevada Current)

Lawmakers favor K-12 raises–But charter school teachers may be left out

Nevada lawmakers signaled they will continue funding K-12 teacher raises in the next two-year budget cycle, but charter school staff could be left out of future increases, sparking threats of a gubernatorial veto. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Updates from the Governor’s Office

Statement from Governor Lombardo on Democrats Rejecting Charter School Teacher Pay Raises

Legislative Democrats removed Governor Lombardo’s charter school teacher pay raises from the education budget. (gov.nv.gov)

State and Local Government Updates

Analysis: Chronically absent students could cost Southern Nevada billions if left unaddressed

Five years after the pandemic, Nevada’s chronic absenteeism rate is still higher than usual. One education advocate says the state needs to work to address the issue or everyone will pay the price. (The Nevada Independent)

$160M fall in projected Nevada education funding raises questions about program expansion

Nevada’s main budget fund for K-12 education is expected to bring in about $160 million less in revenue for the upcoming budget cycle than projected at the start of the year. Maintaining existing services is expected to be the top priority. (The Nevada Independent)

UNLV educator at the forefront in fight to cure Alzheimer’s disease

UNLV has also won an award from the National Institute on Aging to create an Alzheimer’s Innovation Incubator, which Cummings said will “help students think more about how they can change discoveries into products that will help (his) patients.” (Las Vegas Sun)

‘The outlook has deteriorated:’ NV revenue forecast nudges down, economists see signs of recession

Nevada’s Economic Forum adjusted the tax revenue forecast down $191 million for the upcoming biennium, representing a further dimming of an already dreary outlook of how the economy will fare under the Trump administration. (Nevada Current)

Report: State’s school funding gains fail the test

Nevada continues to face significant educational funding challenges, according to the National Education Association’s newly released “Rankings of the States 2024 and Estimates of School Statistics 2025” report. The findings reveal a stark reality: Nevada maintains the nation’s highest student-teacher ratio at 25:1, placing considerable strain on classroom resources. (Las Vegas Sun)

WCSD ordered to pay ex-Trustee Jeff Church $40K in legal fees from public records suit

The Washoe County School District must pay former Trustee Jeff Church more than $40,000 in legal fees after a court ruled the applications to serve on district committees were public documents. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Why is UNR’s Sandoval all in on GSR’s proposed arena? ‘It may be the last opportunity’

The school president said the new arena can put the university on par with other athletic departments and help build out the Wolf Pack’s program. (The Nevada Independent)

Nevada abortion pill provider welcomes continued FDA support in states’ lawsuit

Lawyers for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration say they support a judge in Texas either dismissing or transferring a lawsuit against the agency and the Nevada-based manufacturer of generic mifepristone, one half of the abortion pill regimen. (Las Vegas Sun)

Long-awaited rollout of Nevada’s new HR system delayed 3 months

The long-anticipated release of a new state human resources system has been pushed back from June 30 to Oct. 1, according to a memo sent last week to state employees obtained by The Indy. (The Nevada Independent)

Clark County bans electric scooters on resort corridor sidewalks

The Clark County Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved regulations that ban electric bikes from public sidewalks within the resort corridor. (Nevada Current) 

Amodei’s public land sale amendment sparks backlash from Nevada Democrats and tribal advocates

Nevada’s vast public lands, long a flashpoint in state-federal tensions, could be used to generate federal revenue under an amendment to the GOP’s comprehensive spending package. (Las Vegas Sun)

Controversial plan to sell off Nevada land: 3 criticisms and Rep. Amodei responses

Democrats, environmentalists and tribal leaders hammered Rep. Mark Amodei at a Reno news conference Thursday over an amendment to sell off federal land in Nevada. (Reno Gazette Journal)

‘A painful summer’: Lake Mead at risk of reaching crisis levels with new projections

Forecasters are confident it’s a particularly bad water year for the Colorado River, worrying some about a likely return to record low levels in reservoirs that are reminiscent of 2022. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Henderson councilwoman announces re-election bid

Henderson City Councilwoman Carrie Cox on Thursday announced she was launching a re-election campaign for her Ward 3 seat, becoming the second city official in recent weeks to announce their candidacy for the 2026 election cycle. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Henderson chooses new acting police chief

Police Capt. Anthony Branchini will assume the interim chief role beginning in June, Henderson City Manager Stephanie Garcia-Vause said in the release. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Nevada tribe stripped of $20M water grant

A Nevada tribe has lost a $20 million grant, which would have better guaranteed water access on the reservation, in the Trump administration’s purge on what it calls excessive federal spending. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Federal Updates

What Nevadans should watch for as Republicans unveil their ‘big, beautiful’ budget bill

In this week’s D.C. Download, a look at Medicaid cuts, IRA tax credits and no tax on tips as negotiations are just getting started. (The Nevada Independent)

Brian Sandoval: Setting the record straight on DEI at UNR

Recently The Federalist published a highly misleading article, “7 Ways The University of Nevada-Reno Is Defying Trump’s No-DEI Order.”  (Las Vegas Sun)

Nevada receives remaining federal energy assistance funding

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the remaining $1.4 million in federal funding Thursday meant to help low-income Nevadans pay utility bills. (Nevada Current)

DHS offers $1,000 to immigrants without legal status who self-deport

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Monday that the agency will provide $1,000 in what it called “travel assistance” to people in the United States without permanent legal status if they self deport. (Nevada Current)

Mining public land revived—National preserve could be site of rare earth excavation, breaking precedent

National Park Service lands have been considered off-limits to new mining efforts for decades — until now. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Federal cuts gut food banks as they face record demand–Program provided lifeline to Nevada tribes and much of rural America

Food bank shortages caused by high demand and cuts to federal aid programs have some residents of a small community that straddles Idaho and Nevada growing their own food to get by. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Due process under fire: The constitutional guarantee and Trump’s deportation challenge

This week, President Donald Trump cast doubt on the constitutional guarantee of due process during an NBC News interview when asked whether his administration needs to uphold the Constitution while conducting what he has promised will be the “largest deportation operation in U.S. history. (Las Vegas Sun)

House Republicans push to sell thousands of acres of public lands in the West

House Republicans have added a provision to their sweeping tax cut package that would authorize the sale of thousands of acres of public lands in Nevada and Utah, prompting outrage from Democrats and environmental groups who called the plan a betrayal that could lead to increased drilling, mining and logging in the West. (Las Vegas Sun)

Move to free up acreage–Amodei’s amendment to sell public lands in Nevada draws ire

Rep. Mark Amodei led House Republicans in approving a reconciliation bill Monday that included a late-night amendment to sell off more than 93,000 acres of public lands in Nevada — much to the chagrin of environmentalists and congressional Democrats. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Amodei explains why he moved to sell Nevada lands to backfill GOP cuts, infuriating Dems

The amendment would require the sale of public lands in Clark, Lyon, Pershing and Washoe counties within a two-year period. (The Nevada Independent)

Trump asks U.S. Supreme Court to end humanitarian protections for migrants from 4 nations

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration Thursday made an emergency request to the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the deportation of more than half a million immigrants granted humanitarian protections under the Biden administration. (Nevada Current)

Immigration coalition wants answers after increased ICE activity in Carson City and Reno

A heightened federal immigration enforcement presence in Nevada is a tactic to create fear, and Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo should be assuring Nevadans their rights will be protected, the Nevada Immigration Coalition said Thursday. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Election News Updates

Education, economy take center stage early as Nevada’s gubernatorial race for 2026 unfolds

Nevada’s 2026 governor’s race is already heating up, with candidates from both parties staking early claims on economic recovery and education reform — a full 18 months before voters head to the polls. (Las Vegas Sun)

NLV Councilman Scott Black running for mayor

The Ward 3 representative officially launched his campaign Thursday evening at a restaurant packed with supporters. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Articles of Interest

Athletics expect locals-heavy crowds at ballpark–Estimates: 70% of fans to be Nevadans

The Athletics are expecting locals-heavy crowds when the team arrives in Las Vegas in 2028, bucking a trend that has been seen at Raiders games held at Allegiant Stadium. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Are all Nevada judges legally required to have law degrees?

Most Nevada judges must have a legal education under state law, but there are two exceptions: municipal court judges and justices of the peace in counties with populations under 100,000, said Eve Hanan, a law professor at UNLV. All but Clark and Washoe counties fall below that population threshold. (The Nevada Independent)

Ahead of third Vegas F1 race, new Grand Prix CEO wants to ‘offer something a little bit different’

Emily Prazer sees the city as North America’s flagship F1 destination. New attractions at Grand Prix Plaza give race fans a reason to visit the site year-round. (The Nevada Independent)

Trump has pardoned Michele Fiore. Authorities may still keep her from being a judge.

The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline has indicated it may suspend her from her Pahrump justice of the peace position, despite the pardon. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Nevada: The Silver State? More like the Purple State

Nevada Voters Feel Good about the State’s Trajectory, But Split on Party Leadership. (noblepredictiveinsites.com)

The Fastest-Growing Cities Of The Decade: Population Booms In The South, With Texas Heading The Race

In Nevada, three major cities have made impressive gains. Henderson and North Las Vegas each saw their populations rise by over 20%, while Reno grew by 16%. Economic diversification in the Las Vegas metro area has helped create new job opportunities, attracting residents from across the country. (storagecafe.com)

Fiore ban may hold after pardon–Judicial board considers suspension with pay

The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline may continue to suspend Michele Fiore from her position as a Pahrump judge despite her presidential pardon, records show. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Home sales dip amid high costs–March net sales down 39%, compared to ’24

Builders are selling houses in Southern Nevada at record-high prices — and their sales totals are falling as buyers face high costs in a shaky economy. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Homeland Security chief says travelers with no REAL ID can fly for now, but with likely extra steps

The Nevada DMV is offering walk-in appointments to those without REAL ID with upcoming flights.

(The Nevada Independent)

Lower Basin water use at issue–Petition calls for guideline update of ‘beneficial use’

In a legal petition filed Tuesday, the Natural Resources Defense Council and a group of river advocates urged the federal Bureau of Reclamation to use its power to better dictate how water can be used in the Lower Basin states of Nevada, California and Arizona. Its authors acknowledge that’s a bold request. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

A’s announce select 2025 games will air on local TV in Las Vegas

The Athletics aren’t planning to move to Las Vegas until their new ballpark is completed in 2028, but they will start broadcasting games there in 2025 while they play their home games in West Sacramento. (Las Vegas Sun)

U.S. News’ 2025 best states rankings are out — here’s where Nevada landed this year

The Silver State came in at No. 34 overall, falling behind several of its neighbors. The annual report ranks all 50 states based on factors like economy, education, infrastructure, and environment. (Reno Gazette Journal)

History is made with new Pope Leo XIV, first-ever pontiff from US: Live updates

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost on Thursday became the first ever pope from the United States, a surprise selection by 133 cardinals from across the globe on the second day of the papal conclave in Rome. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Companies get tax abatements–TensorWave, NeuroGum, Dealer Tire expand

An artificial intelligence-focused cloud computing company has picked Clark County for its global headquarters. (Las Vegas Review Journal)