“Latinos are under attack at the national level, NLLC will use their voice to protect Nevadans”
Carson City, NV – As many Latinos adjust to a new reality and learn to navigate the attacks from the current administration, Nevada Latino legislators introduced their priority bills for this legislative session that aim to protect the well-being of Latino families in Nevadan.
“There is no doubt that our Latino community is under attack, as a member of a mixed-status family with a biracial background, this is personal to me. I feel and see the fear of our community daily from my home to the school where I teach. I have had children coming to me asking if they are safe at school, and having anxiety attacks due to the uncertainty they are living.” Said Assemblywoman Cecelia González, NLLC Chair, and continued “This is why this year more than ever we will fight to protect the well-being of Nevada families. The health and well-being of our families are the foundation of thriving communities. The Caucus is committed to policies supporting access to healthcare, ensuring worker protection, and securing immigrant families’ rights.”
“As the son of immigrants who came to this country to work hard and create a better future for their kids, I understand that a strong and equitable economy is essential for thriving Latino families and will focus on policies supporting workers, small businesses, and fair economic opportunities.” Said Senator Fabian Doñate, NLLC Secretary “Immigrants are the foundation of our country, our people have fed you, taken care of your children, cooked for you but also have been your nurses, doctors, and teachers, they have opened businesses and created employment opportunities. There is no Economy without immigrants.”
The Nevada Latino Legislative Caucus is dedicated to advancing policies that empower and uplift Latino families and communities throughout Nevada. This session the Latino Legislators will focus on policies that strengthen our economy, ensure affordable housing, provide equitable education, and prioritize the well-being of our families. Their platform addresses the urgent needs of our community and strives to create a Nevada where everyone can succeed.
For the 83rd Legislative Session, the NLLC plans to push forward the following policies:
- Wellbeing of Our Families: The health and well-being of our families are the foundation of thriving communities. The Caucus will work on policies that support access to healthcare, ensure worker protection, and secure immigrant families’ rights.
- Family Unity Support Act: This legislation ensures that Nevada children whose parents face deportation receive critical protections and support. It establishes safeguards to prevent these children from being left without care, ensuring they have access to legal, social, and educational resources. For the Latino community, this bill is crucial in addressing the challenges faced by mixed-status families, preventing family separation from leaving children vulnerable to instability and systemic neglect.
- Mandated Court Notification: This measure ensures that individuals receive clear, timely, and accessible notifications about their court proceedings, preventing missed hearings that could lead to unnecessary legal consequences. For the Latino community, this is a step toward greater access to justice, addressing language barriers and systemic failures that often result in higher default judgments and legal setbacks.
- Second Look Act: This bill allows individuals who received excessively long sentences at a young age to have their cases reviewed, providing an opportunity for reconsideration based on rehabilitation and growth. The Latino community is disproportionately impacted by harsh sentencing practices, and this legislation seeks to correct systemic inequities, offering second chances to those who have demonstrated change.
- Supporting Mental Health Services: Increase funding and access to mental health services, especially for Latino families, and support policies that reduce stigma around seeking help.
- Supporting Gun Violence Protection: Advocate for stronger gun safety measures, including background checks and restrictions on assault weapons, to protect families from violence.
- Accents on Government Documents: Require that government documents accurately reflect the names and cultural identities of individuals, including accent marks and other linguistic features.
- Protecting Contraception: Ensure that all individuals, regardless of income or immigration status, have access to contraception without barriers or discrimination.
- Dolores Huerta Day: Establish Dolores Huerta Day to honor the legacy of Latino workers and leaders who have fought for social justice and labor rights, ensuring their contributions are celebrated and remembered.
- Economy: A strong and equitable economy is essential for thriving Latino families. The Caucus will focus on policies that promote job quality, affordability, small business growth, and fair debt reform to bolster economic stability for families.
- Supporting Small Businesses: Provide resources and incentives to Latino entrepreneurs, including grants, tax breaks, and access to capital, so they can grow their businesses and contribute to local economies.
- Supporting Farm-Working Communities: Advocate for labor protections, better wages, and healthcare access for farm workers, ensuring these critical workers have dignity and fair treatment.
- Consumer Protection: Strengthen laws that protect Latino consumers from predatory lending, unfair business practices, and deceptive marketing, ensuring families are treated fairly.
- Debt Collection Reform: Reform debt collection practices to prevent harassment and ensure consumers, especially in Latino communities, are not unduly burdened by unmanageable debt
- Worker Protections: Strengthen labor laws to protect workers, including ensuring proper workplace conditions, fair wages, and the right to organize. Advocate for improved protections for immigrant workers.
- Housing: Housing is the foundation of stability and prosperity. The Caucus is committed to creating policies that ensure safe, affordable, and sustainable housing for all families.
- Holding Large Corporations Accountable: Prohibit any person or entity from purchasing more than one hundred single-family homes in a calendar year.
- Tenant Protection: Strengthen tenant protections against unjust evictions, discrimination, and unsafe living conditions, ensuring renters’ rights are upheld.
- First-Time Homeowners Assistance: Expand programs to help first-time homebuyers, particularly in Latino communities, with down payment assistance, education, and affordable mortgage options.
- Tenant Affordability: Ensure that rental housing remains affordable for working families, especially those in historically underserved areas.
- Education: Education is a key pillar in our vision for an equitable and prosperous society. The Caucus will work to ensure that English Language learners are supported and protected and that all students have access to high-quality, culturally relevant education from early childhood through higher education.
- English Learners Accountability and Success Act: This bill aims to improve educational outcomes for English Language Learners (ELLs) by strengthening data collection, accountability, and support systems. It requires schools to develop plans for ELL success, ensures proper oversight, and establishes training requirements for educators. The bill also introduces policies to give newcomers more time to complete high school while learning English. Additionally, it creates a council to advise on ELL policies and ensure ongoing support for multilingual students.
- Creating Safe Schools: Ensure that schools are safe environments for all students by addressing bullying, violence, and discrimination, and implementing measures to ensure a positive and inclusive learning environment.
- Supporting Dual Enrollment Programs: Increase funding and support for dual enrollment programs that allow high school students to earn college credits, providing a seamless path to higher education.
- Teaching Beyond Testing Act: This bill seeks to modernize Nevada’s teacher licensure process by offering alternatives to the Praxis exam and improving pathways to certification. It allows Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) courses to count in place of the Praxis Core exam and establishes a pilot program to evaluate alternative teacher assessments based on mentorship, performance, and professional development. This program aims to improve teacher retention, increase diversity in the educator workforce, and align licensure requirements with real-world teaching competencies. The bill also sets funding, reporting, and evaluation measures to ensure the program’s effectiveness and potential for broader implementation.
- Support Career and Technical Education Programs: Invest in and expand career and technical education (CTE) programs that provide students with the skills necessary to succeed in high-demand industries like healthcare, technology, and manufacturing.
- Supporting Children’s Mental Health: Prioritize mental health services for children, integrating support into schools and expanding access to counselors and mental health professionals.
- Universal School Lunch: Advocate for a statewide program that ensures all students, regardless of family income, have access to free and nutritious school lunches.
- Workforce Investments: Secure funding for the practice programs at our higher education institutions to ensure more resources for training and development in high-demand fields, including mental health professions.
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The Nevada Latino Legislative Caucus (NLLC) is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Latinos in Nevada to increase access and parity for all Nevadans. The Caucus envisions a Nevada where families may succeed, have equal access to justice, and have legislators that are demographically representative of the constituents they serve.
