Silver State Equality supported the following priority pro-equality state legislation in 2021:

 

Multi-Parent Adoption – Assembly Bill 115 by Assemblymember Rochelle Nguyen

AB 115 will allow more than two adults to be formally and legally recognized as parents through an adoption. Families, of diverse backgrounds, often have more than two adults who are actively engaged in parental duties and responsibilities, these families should be afforded certain legal rights and options in order to provide stability for their families. This legislation will ensure the familial relationship is recognized by law.

Status: Signed into law by Governor Sisolak, June 8, 2021

SOGI Data Collection – Senate Bill 109 by Senator Pat Spearman

Senate Bill 109 will require government agencies in Nevada to request information related to sexual orientation and gender identity from the individuals it serves. Additionally, agencies will be required to report the data to the Legislative Counsel Bureau on an annual basis. Ultimately, the accurate and efficient collection of this information will Nevada’s ability to provide public services.

Status: Signed into law by Governor Sisolak, June 6, 2021

HIV Modernization – Senate Bill 275 by Senator Dallas Harris

Senate Bill 257 will create a framework for recognizing HIV as a public health issue, rather than a criminal one. SB 275 also encourages increased HIV testing, treatment and the use of other preventative options that will help to reduce the spread of HIV and finally end the 40-year epidemic. Modernization of HIV criminal laws — like those in Nevada that SB 275 seeks to amend — is supported by public health officials, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and a bipartisan group of elected officials and civil rights leaders across the country.

Status: Signed into law by Governor Sisolak, June 6, 2021

Silver State Equality supported the following pro-equality state legislation in 2021:

Senate Bill 148, Sponsored by Senator Dallas Harris

This bill requires law enforcement agencies to submit records of hate crimes on a monthly basis to the Central Repository for Nevada Records of Criminal History. SB 148 strengthens hate crimes reporting in the state of Nevada.

Status: This bill passed with bipartisan support and was approved by the Governor on May 25, 2021.

Senate Bill 325, Sponsored by Senator James Settelmeyer

SB 325 is related to the prevention of HIV through testing and coverage for drugs needed to prevent the spread of HIV.

Status: This bill passed with bipartisan support and delivered to the Governor on June 2, 2021.

Senate Bill 166, Sponsored by Senator Melanie Scheible

Senate Bill 166 requires additional penalties for crimes committed on the basis of perceived race, color, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression of another person or group of persons.

Status: Approved by the Governor on June 2, 2021.

Senate Bill 211, Sponsored by Senator Dallas Harris and Senator Joseph Hardy

This bill requires providers of emergency medical services in a hospital or primary care to consult with patients as to whether they would like to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases.

Status: This bill was passed with bipartisan support and approved by the Governor on June 4, 2021.

Senate Bill 108, Sponsored by Senate Committee on Judiciary

This bill requires the Division of Child and Family Services of the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt implicit bias training for their staff that comes in contact with juveniles who are involved in the juvenile justice system in Nevada.

Status: This bill was approved by the Governor on June 4, 2021.

Senate Bill 254, Sponsored by Senator Dina Neal

SB 254 Strengthens provisions relating to discrimination in housing by authorizing the Nevada Equal Rights Commission to enter into certain agreements with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for the Commission to investigate and enforce laws relating to fair housing as a certified agency under federal law.

Status: Vetoed by Governor Sisolak on June 11, 2021.

Senate Bill 237, Sponsored by Senator Melanie Schieble and Senator Dallas Harris

SB 237 is related to businesses; revising provisions relating to policies, programs and procedures intended to encourage and promote certain business enterprises to require such programs to include LGBTQ-owned businesses.

Status: Approved by the Governor on Sunday, June 6, 2021.

Senate Bill 188, Sponsored by Senator Pat Spearman

SB 188 requires the Office of the State Treasurer to establish the Individual Development Account Program under which certain individuals with low-income and certain children will benefit from.

Status: This bill was approved by the Governor on June 2, 2021.

Senate Bill 222, Sponsored by Senator Melanie Schieble

This bill requires certain state agencies to designated a diversity and inclusion liaison and requires the Office of Minority Health and Equity of the Department of Health and Human Services, NV Commission on Minority Affairs of the Department of Business and Industry and the Office for New Americans in the Office of the Governor to facilitate and annual meeting between D&I liaisons and minority groups.

Status: Passed and delivered to the Governor on May 27, 2021.

Senate Bill 194, Sponsored by Senator Roberta Lange

This bill is related to education and establishes a State Seal of Civics Program. It requires various communities be included in the standards of content and performance for ethnic and diversity studies.

Status: This bill was approved by the Governor on June 3, 2021.

Senate Bill 347, Sponsored by Senator Melanie Scheible, et al

SB 347 strengthens provisions governing sexual misconduct in institutions of the Nevada System of Higher Education. This bill also creates the Task Force on Sexual Misconduct at Institutions of Higher Education.

Status: This bill was approved by the Governor on June 9, 2021.

Senate Bill 390, Sponsored by the Committee on Health and Human Services

This bill provides for the establishment of suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline.

Status: This was approved by the Governor on June 4, 2021.

Assembly Bill 371, Sponsored by Assemblywoman Brittney Miller, et al

AB 371 establishes provisions related to discrimination based on race in schools. This includes bullying and cyberbullying.

Status: This bill is enrolled and delivered to the Governor on June 3, 2021.

Assembly Bill 261, Sponsored by Assemblywoman Natha Anderson, et al

AB 261 requires instruction to be provided to students enrolled in K-12 related to historically underrepresented groups including, Native Americans, LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, refugees, AAPI community, Black community, Hispanic community, etc.

Status: This bill passed on May 25, 2021 and was approved by the Governor on May 29, 2021.

Assembly Bill 280, Sponsored by Assemblywoman Sarah Peters

AB 280 required places of public accommodation, public buildings, and facilities, that are owned by a public body to provide single-stall restrooms accessible to any person of any gender identity or expression.

Status: This bill was passed with bipartisan support and approved by the Governor on June 4, 2021.

Assembly Bill 327, Sponsored by Assemblywoman Selena Torres, et al

AB 327 requires certain mental health professionals to complete continuing education related to cultural competency and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Status: This bill passed with bipartisan support and was approved by the Governor on May 28, 2021.

Assembly Bill 191, Sponsored by Assembly Committee on Health and Human Services

Requires the State Plan for Medicaid to include coverage for the services of a community health worker under certain circumstances.

Status: This was approved by the Governor on June 4, 2021.

Senate Joint Resolution 8, Sponsored by Senator Nicole Cannizzaro, et al

This bill amends the Nevada Constitution to guarantee equal rights and prohibitions against discrimination on the basis of sex and other characteristics.

Status: Enrolled and delivered to the Secretary of State. SJR 8 will be on the 2022 ballot.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 5, Sponsored by Senator Pat Spearman

Urges action to address the public health crisis in Nevada.

Status: Passed, enrolled, and delivered to Secretary of State on May 21, 2021.

Silver State Equality supported the following state legislation in 2019:

 

GAY AND TRANSGENDER PANIC DEFENSE BAN – SB 97 BY THE NEVADA YOUTH LEGISLATURE

Supporting the Nevada Youth Legislature, Silver State Equality helped to pass legislation to ban the so-called “gay and trans panic defense” — an offensive legal strategy in which someone who attacks an LGBTQ person could argue that the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity provoked them to commit the crime.

Status: SIGNED by Governor Sisolak on May 14, 2019.

ADVISORY TASK FORCE ON HIV EXPOSURE MODERNIZATION — SB 284 BY SENATORS PARKS, BROOKS, SPEARMAN, CANCELA, DENIS, DONDERO LOOP, D. HARRIS, RATTI, SCHEIBLE AND WOODHOUSE

This legislation creates the Advisory Task Force on HIV Exposure Modernization, the first step toward modernizing Nevada’s HIV-specific criminal laws.

Status: SIGNED by Governor Sisolak on May 17, 2019.

Silver State Equality has taken positions on the following federal legislation, with additional bills and resolutions to be added as they are introduced:

 

EQUALITY ACT (SUPPORT) – H.R. 5 BY REPRESENTATIVE DAVID CICILLINE (D-RI) AND S.788 BY SENATOR JEFF MERKELEY (D-OR)

The Equality Act would provide federal civil rights protections to LGBTQ people across the country by amending existing federal civil rights laws (including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Fair Housing Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and the Jury Selection and Services Act) to explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity
Status: Passed by the House 236-173 with bipartisan support. Awaiting consideration by the Senate.

DREAM AND AMERICAN PROMISE ACT OF 2019 (SUPPORT) – H.R. 6 BY REPRESENTATIVE LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD (D-CA)

The DREAM and American Promise Act would give Dreamers (immigrants who arrived in the U.S. before their 18th birthday and before Dec 31, 2016, an opportunity to apply for permanent legal status if they meet certain requirements. It would also provide relief for recipients of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients.
Status: Passed by the House 237-187 with bipartisan support. Awaiting consideration by the Senate.

BIPARTISAN BACKGROUND CHECKS ACT OF 2019 (SUPPORT) – H.R. 8 BY REPRESENTATIVE MIKE THOMPSON (D-CA) AND S. 42 BY SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT)

The commonsense Bipartisan Background Checks Act would require background checks on all firearm sales, thereby helping to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and closing the dangerous loopholes that currently allow the no-questions-asked sale of weapons at gun shows and online.
Status: Passed by the House 240-190. Introduced in the Senate.

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REAUTHORIZATION ACT (SUPPORT) – H.R. 1585 BY REPRESENTATIVE KAREN BASS (D-CA)

This bipartisan bill would give states additional funding to prosecute sexual and domestic violence offenders and enables states to qualify for money to provide critical services to victims who are members of groups that are disproportionately targeted, including Native Americans, immigrants and members of the LGBTQ community. The bill also reauthorizes the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, providing critical support for victims of human trafficking and helping to bring those responsible to justice.
Status: Passed by the House 263-158.

NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT, AMENDMENT 399 (SUPPORT) – H.R. 2500 BY REP. JACKIE SPEIER (D-CA)

This amendment to the annual military spending bill would require that qualifications for eligibility to serve in an armed force account only for the ability of an individual to meet gender-neutral occupational standards and not include any criteria relating to the race, color, national origin, religion, or sex (including gender identity or sexual orientation) of an individual.
Status: Passed by the House. Awaiting consideration by the Senate.

EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO BANNING SERVICE IN THE ARMED FORCES BY OPENLY TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS (SUPPORT) – H.RES. 124 BY REPRESENTATIVE JOE KENNEDY (D-MA)

This non-binding resolution expresses opposition to President Trump’s transgender military ban and urges the Department of Defense not to move forward with its implementation and to instead maintain an inclusive policy allowing qualified transgender servicemembers to enlist and serve openly in the military.
Status: Passed in the House on a bipartisan vote of 238-185. Awaiting consideration by the Senate.

GREATER LEADERSHIP OVERSEAS FOR THE BENEFIT OF EQUALITY (GLOBE) ACT (SUPPORT) –H.R. 3874 BY REPRESENTATIVE DINA TITUS (D-NV)

This proposal would reinstate U.S. leadership in protecting and promoting LGBTQI rights around the world by codifying Obama Administration tools (issuing LGBTQI-specific human rights reports, an interagency focus group on LGBTQI issues, and appointing a Special Envoy for LGBTQI Human Rights). It would also enable the use of existing sanctions to punish countries that abuse LGBTQI people, ensure that U.S. foreign assistance and global health programs are inclusive of LGBTQI populations, decriminalize LGBTQI status, conduct, or expression, and ensure fair access to asylum and refugee programs for LGBTQI people who face persecution because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Status: Introduced in the House.

DO NO HARM ACT (SUPPORT) – H.R. 1450 BY REPRESENTATIVES JOE KENNEDY (D-MA) AND ROBERT “BOBBY” SCOTT (D-VA) AND S. 593 BY SENATOR KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA)

This bill would clarify that the original intent of the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act was to protect religious exercise, and cannot be used to violate civil rights by using the justification of religious exemptions.
Status: Introduced in the House and Senate.

EVERY CHILD DESERVES A FAMILY ACT OF 2019 (SUPPORT) – H.R 3114 BY REPRESENTATIVE JOHN LEWIS (D-GA) AND S. 1791 BY SENATOR KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND (D-NY)

This comprehensive bill would prohibit federally-funded child welfare service providers from discriminating against children, families, and individuals based on religion, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity; Ban conversion therapy for foster youth; Require data collection on LGBTQ foster youth and parents; and Require federally funded child welfare to be affirming of foster children’s complex social identities, including their sexual orientation and gender identity.
Status: Introduced in the House and Senate.

WOMEN’S HEALTH PROTECTION ACT (SUPPORT) – H.R. 2975 AND S. 1645 BY REPRESENTATIVE JUDY CHU (D-CA) AND SENATOR RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT)

The W.H.P.A. would protect health care providers’ ability to deliver abortion services free from medically unnecessary and onerous restrictions, such as needless waiting periods, burdensome admitting privilege requirements for providers, or unnecessary medical procedures, like ultrasounds.
Status: Introduced in the House and Senate.

LGBTQ DATA INCLUSION ACT (SUPPORT) – H.R. 3509 AND S. 1980 BY REP. RAUL GRIJALVA (D-AZ) AND SEN. TAMMY BALDWIN (D-WI)

Sponsored by Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) in the Senate, this proposal would require all federal population surveys to collect voluntary, self-disclosed information on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Status: Introduced in the House and Senate.

THERAPEUTIC FRAUD PREVENTION ACT (SUPPORT) – H.R. 3570 BY REPRESENTATIVE TED LIEU (D-CA)

This bill would direct the Federal Trade Commission to treat the advertising of conversion therapy as a fraudulent medical practice.
Status: Introduced in the House.

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE ACT (SUPPORT) – H.R. 1857 BY REPRESENTATIVE ALAN LOWENTHAL (D-CA) AND S. 861  BY SENATOR ED MARKEY (D-MA)

This proposal would direct the Department of State to create a permanent “Special Envoy on the Human Rights of LGBTI People” position to coordinate all federal programs for the defense of human rights for the LGBTQ community internationally ,and to prevent and respond to discrimination and violence against LGBTQ people around the world.
Status: Introduced in the House and Senate.

REAL EDUCATION FOR HEALTHY YOUTH ACT (SUPPORT) – H.R. 2720 AND S. 1524 BY REP. BARBARA LEE (D-CA) AND SEN. CORY BOOKER (D-NJ)

The bill would fund teacher training for LGBTQ-inclusive sexual health education for young people, and eliminate federal funding for ‘abstinence-only-until-marriage’ sex education.
Status: Introduced in the House and Senate.

NATIONAL ORIGIN-BASED ANTI-DISCRIMINATION FOR NONIMMIGRANTS “NO BAN” ACT (SUPPORT) – H.R. 2214 BY REPRESENTATIVE JUDY CHU (D-CA) AND S. 1123 BY SENATOR CHRIS COONS (D-DE)

This bill seeks to limit presidential power and increase accountability under the Immigration and Nationality Act by prohibiting discrimination on the basis of religion and national origin whenever a president suspends the entry of individuals into the U.S.
Status: Introduced in the House.

EQUAL ACCESS TO ABORTION COVERAGE IN HEALTH INSURANCE (EACH WOMAN) ACT OF 2019 (SUPPORT) – H.R. 1692 BY REPRESENTATIVE BARBARA LEE (D-CA) AND S. 758 BY SENATOR TAMMY DUCKWORTH (D-IL)

This proposal would restore abortion coverage to women who receive health care or insurance through the federal government by repealing the Hyde Amendment, and prohibit state or local governments from restricting coverage of abortion by private health insurance plans.
Status: Introduced in the House and Senate.

PROHIBITION OF MEDICAID FUNDING FOR CONVERSION THERAPY (SUPPORT) – H.R. 1981 BY REPRESENTATIVE SEAN PATRICK MALONEY (D-NY)

This proposal would prohibit the use of Medicaid funding for so-called conversion therapy, and also require the HHS Centers for Medicaid Services to ensure that these practices are not billed to Medicaid using misleading or false billing codes.
Status: Introduced in the House.

SAFE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT ACT (SUPPORT) – H.R. 2653 AND S. 2548 BY REP. LINDA SANCHEZ (D-CA) AND SEN. ROBERT CASEY (D-PA)

SSIA would require schools to implement comprehensive anti-bullying and harassment policies that ensure the safety and well-being of their students, including youth who are bullied or harassed on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
Status: Introduced in the House and Senate.

JUROR NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT/JURY ACCESS ACT (SUPPORT) – H.R. 874 BY REPRESENTATIVE SUSAN DAVIS (D-CA) AND S. 250 BY SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN (D-NH)

The bill would prohibit the preemptory challenge of potential jurors based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
Status: Introduced in the House and Senate.

PROTECTING LGBTQ YOUTH ACT (SUPPORT) – H.R. 2775 AND S. 1073 BY REP. DONNA SHALALA (D-FL) AND SEN. TIM KAINE (D-VA)

This amendment to the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act would explicitly include the maltreatment and neglect of LGBTQ youth and require data collection to include sexual orientation and gender identity of children who enter the child welfare system.
Status: Introduced in the House and Senate.