The G3Wire

January 31, 2025

Nevada State Budgets hang in the balance with the possible Federal funding freeze.  A federal judge stepped in and temporarily blocked the president’s order, but that didn’t stop the chaos and confusion that followed across the country and right here in Nevada.  This all comes as several agencies were in front of the Legislative Commission’s Budget Subcommittee asking for more money. Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom, the ACLU of Nevada, and the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada hosted an immigration town hall on Wednesday addressing how people should respond if they encounter immigration enforcement. The implications of Trump’s hardline immigration agenda, which includes a mass deportation campaign and suspending asylum, could have an especially pronounced effect on Nevada. These Nevada news links and so much more below!

Legislative Updates

Important Dates

  • First day of session: 3
  • Last day for bill introductions: 44
  • First house passage deadline: 81
  • Sine die: 122

Nevada has a high representation of state lawmaker moms with kids under 18
The Legislature ranks fifth highest in the nation for lawmakers who are moms with children younger than 18. (KUNR)

Freshman Orientation: Sen. Shelly Cruz-Crawford “grew up” in Vegas casinos

The newly elected Democratic senator for District 1 said she was inspired to run to address challenges she regularly saw pop up after years of working in education. (The Nevada Independent)

Ex-U.S. Attorney Frierson reflects on tough political climate, building trust in DOJ role
The former Assembly speaker will now return to Carson City — as a lobbyist for a D.C.-based firm. (The Nevada Independent)

A bill to create a fund for victims of fraud to return this legislative session in Nevada

The Nevada Secretary of State’s office is bringing back legislation to help victims of fraud recoup some of their losses. (KUNR)

Nevada lawmakers outline new education, health care, housing, and environmental bills

With the Nevada legislative session around the corner, Purple Politics Nevada host Lucia Starbuck spoke with lawmakers to understand their education, healthcare, housing, and environmental bills. (KUNR)

‘A real disaster’: Nevada legislators, agencies explain potential fallout of pause on federal funds

An executive order by President Donald Trump is on hold Tuesday night. It would have put a freeze on funding for federal grants and loans. (fox5news.com)

What you need to know about Nevada’s state budget debacle

With less than a week until the start of the 83rd legislative session, the legislative news cycle has centered on the $335 million deficit in Gov. Joe Lombardo’s proposed budget.  (The Nevada Independent)

Freshman Orientation: Cinthia Moore wants to share the American dream with Nevadans 

Moore said she felt that she was the right candidate for her community, made up of first-generation immigrants like her who came to the country in pursuit of the American dream. (The Nevada Independent)

Future of federal ARPA funding remains ‘clear as mud,’ say Nevada lawmakers

The State of Nevada should consider the possibility of the Trump administration attempting to claw back millions of dollars in unspent American Rescue Plan Act funds, Democratic leaders warned Wednesday. (Nevada Current)


Nevada Democrats worry about future of unused COVID-19 stimulus funding

The state has used just over half of its $2.7 billion of pandemic-era federal stimulus funds. Democratic lawmakers said the remaining money’s future is “clear as mud.” (Las Vegas Review Journal)

State and Local Government Updates

After setbacks, plan to replace run-down Owyhee school on reservation moving forward

The Elko County School District received a bid last week to build a new school in a northeastern Nevada tribal community. The project faced setbacks last year after a victory in the 2023 legislative session. (The Nevada Independent)

Uber-backed ballot petition capping attorney fees blocked by Nevada Supreme Court

Rideshare giant says fee caps free up funds for plaintiffs, but opponents say they prevent lawsuits. The court found the initiative’s summary was confusing. (The Nevada Independent)

From resumes to rental applications, nonprofit preps students for life after high school

A nonprofit is working to motivate Nevada students to graduate high school and prepare them for college or the workforce. (The Nevada Independent)

Over $3 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to protect Lake Tahoe Basin

More than $3 million to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species in Lake Tahoe will go to local tribes and agencies. The funds will support existing and new projects. (KUNR)

Nevada funds garden, mountain bike, and river research programs for kids

The Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation awarded more than $250,000 to 21 nonprofits, schools, and other agencies for outdoor education programs for youth. (KUNR)

Former NLV councilman dies at 95–Father of current mayor was trailblazer

Veteran educator and former North Las Vegas Councilman Theron Goynes — who cracked a glass ceiling his daughter would later shatter — died Monday. He was 95. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Can the Nevada National Guard be used to help with Trump’s mass deportation plans?

• Short answer: It could be, but there are no current plans to do so. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Planning commission to consider asking city council for moratorium on data centers

A Reno city planning commissioner is calling for a temporary moratorium on data centers, so the city has more time to study the impacts of these facilities. Commissioner Manny Becerra proposed a resolution at the Jan. 15 meeting encouraging the Reno City Council to temporarily halt issuing permits for data centers. (thisisreno.com)

School board trustees approve administrative reorganization

Washoe County School District Superintendent Joe Ernst on Tuesday presented to the Board of Trustees a plan to reorganize district administration for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The plan, he said, would eliminate some inefficiencies, improve student support and align similar programs. (thisisreno.com)

Budget issues spark concern–Some CCSD schools are short nearly $1M

The district sends out individual school budget projections on Jan. 15, which are due back to them on Feb. 7. This year, most elementary schools are short anywhere from $750,000 to more than $1 million, according to National Education Association of Southern Nevada President Vicki Kreidel. (Las Vegas Review Journal)


Casinos score best December–State sees another record year for gaming win

The state finished the calendar year with a bang. The $1.46 billion won by 436 casinos statewide in December — a 2 percent increase over the previous December — lifted yearly statewide win totals to $15.6 billion, or 0.5 percent better than in 2023. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Lombardo praised Nevada’s new finance system. The switch has been plagued by glitches.

Since switching over to the new system in early January, the state has at times been unable to distribute certain child support, pension and health savings account payments. But officials now say those issues have been fixed. (The Nevada Independent)

2024 was a record year for Nevada gaming revenue, but not on the Strip

Nevada casino revenue tops $15.6 billion while Las Vegas resorts saw a 1 percent dip in 2024 to $8.8 billion. (The Nevada Independent)

Why the state thinks it can save money by splitting up its health department

This week’s Behind the Bar explores a service freeze affecting people with disabilities and an improvement in the unemployment appeals backlog. (The Nevada Independent)

Lombardo fills vacancy on Gaming Control Board

Gov. Joe Lombardo announced Wednesday that Reno deputy city attorney Chandeni Sendall will fill a seat on the Nevada Gaming Control Board vacated by Brittnie Watkins, whose term ended this week. Watkins, appointed by Gov. Steve Sisolak in 2021, declined to seek reappointment. (Nevada Current)

Nevada governor ‘concerned’ about CCSD’s budget issues

The district sends out individual school budget projections on Jan. 15, which are due back to them on Feb. 7. This year, most elementary schools are short anywhere from $750,000 to more than $1 million, according to National Education Association of Southern Nevada President Vicki Kreidel. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Federal Updates

Justice Department restricts prosecutions for interfering with abortion clinic access

Four days after President Donald Trump took office, the Justice Department is restricting prosecutions for interfering with access to reproductive health clinics. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Takeaways from Trump’s first Las Vegas rally of his second term

President Donald Trump returned to Las Vegas on Saturday for his first rally since retaking the presidency, touting his first week in office and describing his return to the White House as “liberation day.” (The Nevada Independent)

How Trump’s executive orders might affect Nevada

In this week’s D.C. Download, many of Trump’s orders are intentionally vague, but they’ve certainly spooked many of the Democrats in Nevada’s congressional delegation. (The Nevada Independent)

Donald doubles down—Trump reiterates his ‘no tax on tips’ vow in Vegas

President Donald Trump vowed to work with Congress to eliminate taxes on tipped income during a Las Vegas rally Saturday — a campaign promise he made in the same city seven months before. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

For Nevada Latinos, feelings mixed as Trump enacts his immigration plans

The implications of Trump’s hard-line immigration agenda, which includes a mass deportation campaign and suspending asylum, could have an especially pronounced effect on Nevada. (The Nevada Independent)

Nevada employers to pay more for workplace safety violations. Here’s how much

Employers in Nevada will be paying more for workplace violations after penalties increased as part of a federally required mandate. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Official Nevada, for the most part, dons mantle of neutrality in Trump’s immigration crackdown

In the first week of his second term, President Donald Trump rescinded a 2011 policy prohibiting immigration enforcement in ‘sensitive’ places such as schools, churches, and hospitals; expanded authority for ‘expedited removal’, allowing the immediate deportation of those unable to prove they’ve been in the U.S. for two years; and issued a directive to the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute local officials who fail to assist with mass deportations. (Nevada Current)

U.S. Senate Dems push for vote on condemning Trump Jan. 6 pardons

WASHINGTON — Democratic and independent U.S. senators introduced a resolution Monday to condemn President Donald Trump’s clemency for the rioters who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, injuring numerous law enforcement officers and sending lawmakers into hiding as they tried to certify the 2020 presidential election results. (Nevada Current)

Confusion, pushback in state over federal funding directive

Nevada elected officials and advocates raised alarms Tuesday following the Trump Administration’s announced pause on federal funding for grant, loan and federal financial assistance programs implicated by recent executive orders. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Nevada AG Ford, 22 other states file lawsuit to stop federal funding freeze

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford is joining 22 other attorneys general to sue to stop the Trump administration from putting a freeze on federal funding. A federal judge paused the freeze just before it was going to take effect at 5:00 pm Tuesday, January 28. It is now on hold until Monday. (fox5news.com)

Nevada loses access to $156M in community solar funds thanks to Trump’s IRA clawback order

Nevada is one of several states being cut off from millions of dollars in community solar funding, despite those funds already being legally obligated to the state.  The Nevada Clean Energy Fund — a nonprofit bank created by state legislation — was awarded a $156 million grant in April by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to finance community solar projects that benefit low-income households under the Solar for All program. (Nevada Current)

Immigration attorneys prep community on their rights as enforcement ramps up nationwide

Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom, the ACLU of Nevada, and the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada hosted an immigration town hall on Wednesday addressing how people should respond if they encounter immigration enforcement. (Nevada Current)

Articles of Interest


Home health care workers headed to Carson City in search of pay raise

Nevada home care workers will return to the Legislature this year to seek another pay bump they say is needed to keep up with the cost of living.  (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Slew of new laws will streamline building, protect tenants

New state laws taking effect this month aim to confront the nation’s ongoing housing crisis in various ways, from expanding housing options, to speeding up the development process, to protecting struggling tenants from eviction. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Circus Circus sale talk stirs speculation–Price tag, site’s future among the questions

If Circus Circus, the iconic north Strip casino, is sold by gaming entrepreneur Phil Ruffin, what could take its place?  That is one of the many questions that erupted last week when Ruffin disclosed that he’s contemplating the sale of the 3,767-room hotel-casino — the 10th largest in Las Vegas and 18th largest in the world. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Lake Tahoe’s water levels above average, but Sierra snowpack lags behind

Last weekend’s storm didn’t do much to improve a dry January for Northern Nevada, but a storm hitting the region this Friday afternoon could get February off on the right foot. (Reno Gazette Journal)

MGM settles suit for $45M–Case centered on two cyberattacks

A federal court has granted preliminary approval of a $45 million settlement in two data breach class-action lawsuits against Las Vegas-based MGM Resorts International. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Resort industry looks to stop Nevada lottery proposal from reaching the ballot

An effort to remove a ban on lotteries from the Nevada Constitution returns for another round of scrutiny after its approval in 2023. (The Nevada Independent)


Nevada taking long-delayed leaps toward serving people who speak limited English

State agencies have complained that bureaucratic red tape and lack of adequate funding made it difficult to actually implement language access plans. (The Associated Press, The Nevada Independent)

Trump’s no-tax-on-overtime proposal: What to know

President Donald Trump has pledged to end taxes on overtime pay, as well as other things like tips and Social Security. (fox10phoenix.com)

LV Valley at No. 19 in housing costliness–Redfin: Less affordable than Denver, Phoenix

The Las Vegas Valley is the 19th least affordable metro for housing in the country, according to a new report from Redfin. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

What will spring weather be like in Nevada? Here’s what Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts

After a long dry winter, Nevada may see a wetter spring, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, which has been in publication since 1792. (Reno Gazette Journal)

City Council denies North Valleys data center appeal after multiple messy meetings

Reno City Council last week denied an appeal of the Webb Data Center, which starred in a number of recent controversies. The project was represented by former City Manager Doug Thornley, which led to an ethics complaint, a council member calling for a planning commissioner’s termination, and accusations of Thornley’s impropriety by allegedly using his personal relationships and insider knowledge to benefit himself and his clients. (thisisreno.com)

World-famous rock climber celebrates unanimously passed ‘EXPLORE Act

Since moving to Las Vegas eight years ago, rock climber Alex Honnold has become all too familiar with the dangers of scaling Nevada’s high mountains. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

The story behind the woman who wrote Nevada’s state song

Though not every Nevadan may know the lyrics to “Home Means Nevada,” they’ve likely come across the song at some point. The woman who wrote it may be lesser known, and she was never paid for creating the tune. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Election News


Republicans take voter registration lead in Nevada for first time since 2007

The change marks an important symbolic victory for the Nevada GOP, less than three months after winning a presidential election in the Silver State for the first time since 2004. (The Nevada Independent)

Judge rejects lawsuit over claim that Washoe County voter rolls contain dodgy addresses

A district court judge dismissed a lawsuit that tried to force Washoe County to investigate claims of business addresses being used improperly on some voter registrations. (Reno Gazette Journal)

The Griffin Company is a full-service public policy and government affairs consulting firm based in Nevada. We believe a complete government affairs practice must be able to effectively navigate all levels of government, both with the laws and regulations, as well as with an understanding of and sensitivity to the politics associated with each issue. The Griffin Company provides clients with the breadth of experience – local, state, and federal – that enables a comprehensive approach, integrating policy and relationships at all levels of government.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *