2025 NEVADA LEGISLATIVE SCORECARD
A MESSAGE FROM STATE DIRECTOR ANDRÉ WADE
While Nevada remains one of the safest states for LGBTQ+ persons to live, the wolf is at the door — or, at the very least, stalking up the pathway.
This year, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo vetoed a record number of bipartisan and pro-equality bills. Using convoluted logic, a misunderstanding of related laws and existing civil rights protections, and bowing to “culture wars” pressure in an increasingly hostile environment, he undermined the civil rights of LGBTQ+ Nevadans.
Despite these setbacks, we at Silver State Equality thank everyone for their support of our priority bills during Nevada’s 83rd legislative session. A record number of people took part in our Equality Lobby Day in Carson City. Many testified in support of our bills, wrote letters to legislators, and reached out to the Governor’s office, urging him to sign the bills — even while some faced various levels of threats and intimidation. We further appreciate that, even though the Governor ultimately vetoed them, the legislature stood strong with LGBTQ+ Nevadans and passed a number of pro-equality bills.
DEAR SILVER STATE EQUALITY SUPPORTERS,
Among the vetoed Silver State Equality priority bills were:
¬ Gender Affirming Care Shield Law, which would have protected Nevada healthcare providers and patients from overreach of legal action or discipline from other states where transgender healthcare is banned.
¬ Health Insurance Non-Discrimination, which aimed to ensure equal access to quality health care for all Nevadans — including LGBTQ+ individuals — by prohibiting discrimination by both public and private health insurance carriers and providers based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
¬ Prohibiting Book Bans, which would have given Nevada an opportunity to take the lead in defending the First Amendment and intellectual freedom, as well as protecting schools and libraries from harmful censorship and librarians from physical harm.
Other vetoed bills include:
¬ Hate Crimes and Firearms Ownership, which would have added regulations to firearms purchased by individuals convicted of committing or attempting to commit a misdemeanor hate crime.
¬ Housing Discrimination Protections on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ancestry, familial status or sex.
¬ Providing Protections for Incarcerated Transgender Persons in Local Jails.
¬ In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Fertility Care Access, which would have improved nondiscrimination protections and increased access to fertility treatments, including IVF.
Although many bills with positive impacts for LGBTQ+ Nevadans were vetoed, selected bills were signed into law that:
¬ Provide privacy protections for gender affirming healthcare providers by allowing them to have their personal information removed from public records.
¬ Provide resources to LGBTQ+ veterans to upgrade them from a “less than honorable discharge” due to Don’t Ask Don’t Tell to an “honorable discharge.”
Additionally, a Senate Concurrent Resolution formally recognized an area of Clark County, referred to as the “Fruit Loop,” as a historical landmark, acknowledging the vibrant LGBTQ+ community that has shaped Las Vegas into the inclusive city it is today and underscoring the significance of this area to the LGBTQ+ community.
Moving forward, Silver State Equality will continue to champion pro-equality legislation from the halls of the statehouse to the Governor’s desk to ensure that LGBTQ+ Nevadans have the necessary protections in place to keep them healthy, safe and fully equal.
ANDRÉ WADE State Director Silver State Equality
SCORED STATE LEGISLATION
SB 171 GENDER AFFIRMING CARE SHIELD LAW*
by Senator James Ohrenschall
Allows health care providers to offer gender-affirming care without a health care licensing board disqualifying or disciplining them for providing or assisting with these services. Health care providers who are licensed to practice in a state that has a ban on gender affirming health care services and who are also licensed in Nevada may provide a gender affirming health care service in accordance with Nevada law and not have another state, territory, or the District of Columbia place a judgement, discipline, threat or sanction for providing or assisting with gender affirming services in Nevada.
SB 352 NON-DISCRIMINATION IN THE NEVADA AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (ACA) EXCHANGE* by Senator Melanie Scheible
Prohibits public and private health insurance policies, including Medicaid, from discriminating against any person on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability; as well as sexual orientation, gender identity and expression.
AB 416 PROHIBITION OF PUBLIC SCHOOL AND PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK BANS*
by Assemblymember Brittany Miller
Prohibits limiting access of students and the public to library materials of a school and public library through the removal, moving, labeling, or defacing of library materials from circulation. Also protects library and school staff for displaying or circulating library materials in accordance with the law.
SB 141 PROVIDING PROTECTIONS FOR INCARCERATED TRANSGENDER PERSONS IN JAILS by Senator Melanie Scheible
Provides protections for incarcerated transgender people in jails — who often face a heightened risk of violence, sexual assault, and psychological harm — through the development and implementation of certain policies and training.
SB 217 IVF AND FERTILITY CARE ACCESS
by Sens. Cannizzaro, Nguyen, Scheible, Pazina, Dondero Loop
Provides equitable access to IVF and infertility care by establishing a statutory right to IVF treatment under state law, enhancing protections for fertility treatment providers, and broadening coverage requirements for infertility diagnosis and treatment.
SB 71 NEVADA DIVERSE BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL
by Senate Committee on Government Affairs (on behalf of Nevada Commission on Minority Affairs)
Creates the Nevada Diverse Business Advisory Council, which would collect statewide data on public contracting and make it easier for Nevada businesses — including minority, women, and veteran-owned firms — to win state and local contracts.
SB 62 HATE CRIME PUBLIC DATA
by Senate Committee on Judiciary (on behalf of Attorney General)
Creates an account for survivors of bias and/or hate crimes and the Central Repository for Nevada Records of Criminal History to make certain data relating to bias crimes available to the public.
AB 480 HOUSING DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS
by Assembly Speaker Yeager
Revises provisions around discrimination in housing. Provides that liability may be established for a discriminatory housing practice if the practice was motivated by a discriminatory intent; or, with certain exceptions, the practice was not motivated by a discriminatory intent but the practice actually or predictably results in a disparate impact on a group of persons because of numerous factors, including sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.
“This legislative session was particularly challenging as we worked within the constraints of a budget deficit. Even in that environment, Silver State Equality was strategic in advancing legislation without fiscal notes.
Jessica and the Silver State Equality team ensured that critical conversations about LGBTQ+ visibility and equity took place, leading to the successful passage of several key bills, though they were unfortunately vetoed.
Jessica is a brilliant advocate and lobbyist, and it was a joy to work with her and André throughout the session.”
CARRISA PEARCE
Government Affairs Manager
Children's Advocacy Alliance
AB 197 NONPROFIT DATA CONFIDENTIALITY
by Assemblymember Shea Backus
Require governmental entities to keep 501(c) nonprofit information confidential, including donor, member, and volunteer data, except information already required by law to be made public as part of annual filings or other disclosures. Additionally, prohibits governmental entities from investigating and collecting sensitive information related to a 501(c) nonprofit’s membership, volunteer list, or donor records, unless there is a legitimate reason to do so.
SB 160 NEVADA EQUAL RIGHTS COMMISSION REORGANIZATION by Sen. Dina Neal
Reorganizes and moves the Nevada Equal Rights Commission under the Attorney General’s office and revises certain duties of the Commission.
AB 235 GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE PRIVACY PROTECTIONS* by Senator James Ohrenschall
Provides privacy protections for gender affirming health care providers by allowing them to hide their information from public records. Authorizes providers of reproductive health and providers of genderaffirming health care, and the spouse, domestic partner or minor child thereof, to request a court order to make certain personal information in the possession of select government officials be kept confidential.
SB 89 HATE CRIMES FIREARMS REGULATIONS by Senator Pazina
Adds regulation to firearms purchased by individuals convicted of committing or attempting to commit a misdemeanor hate crime, making it illegal for anyone convicted of such a crime to own or buy a gun for up to 10 years after their conviction.
SB 117 RESOURCES FOR LGBTQ+ VETERANS by Sen. Cruz-Crawford and Assemblymember Moore
Provides resources to LGBTQ+ Veterans for upgrading from a less than honorable discharge due to Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Requires the Director of the Department of Veterans Services to develop and make available to certain agencies and resource centers training and informational materials concerning the process for applying for an upgrade to the character of a veteran’s discharge.
SB 162 CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLIANCE by Sens. Cruz-Crawford and Krasner
Entities that receive public money must comply with certain civil rights or employment laws. *Silver State Equality priority legislation
METHODOLOGY
In the scorecard that follows, the analysis of votes is based primarily on the final floor votes cast on the measures.
¬ “Yes” votes on scored legislation are represented by “+” and “no” votes are represented by “-”
¬ Legislators who are present but not voting are denoted by an “A” for “abstaining,” which is scored as equivalent to a “no” vote on sponsored or supported legislation. (Passage of legislation typically requires a “yes” vote by the majority of all legislators, so failing to cast a vote has the same effect as a “no” vote)
¬ Legislators who were officially absent for a vote had their absence factored into the score, but explained and denoted on the scorecard with an “E” for “excused.” (Missed votes on scored legislation may be excused if the legislator was a co-sponsor, voted to support the legislation at a previous floor vote or in committee, or was absent from the floor on official business)
THE OVERALL SCORE REFLECTS LEGISLATORS’ VOTES ON SILVER STATE EQUALITY’S THREE PRIORITY BILLS MARKED WITH AN ASTERISK “*” AND BILLS PRIORITIZED BY THE NEVADA EQUALITY COALITION.
Photos from Silver State Equality’s 2025 Equality Lobby Day
LEGISLATIVE SCORECARD
SENATOR
MELANIE SCHEIBLE Founding Member, Nevada LGBTQ Caucus
At this moment, advocating for LGBTQ+ Nevadans to be treated with dignity and respect has never been more important — which is why I was proud to lead on SB 141 and SB 352 this session. While I am greatly disappointed at the governor’s vetoes of several pro-equality bills, I am confident that the work of the LGBTQ Caucus and our allies will continue to lay the groundwork for full, lived equality in Nevada.