Nevada's Governor Joe Lombardo is on a bill-killing spree, racking up a total of 162 vetoes within his first term, outdoing former Gov. Brian Sandoval's record of 97 over four legislative sessions. As reported by KTNV, Lombardo has torpedoed numerous election-related measures, including those advocating for greater campaign transparency, prohibition of fake presidential electors, and enhanced voter ID requirements.
Among the vetoed measures were those that would heighten the disclosure of campaign donations, and introduce penalties for election officials failing their duties. These vetoes established Lombardo as a governor committed to, or wary of changing, the established order. Additionally, 8NewsNow cites that measures beyond election matters, such as family leave, medical debt, and even a bill aiming to elevate lacrosse to a sanctioned high school sport, fell under Lombardo's veto hammer.
Not all bills faced the governor's rejection. Lombardo signed off on legislation that mandates the disclosure of artificial intelligence use in campaign ads, and a prohibition against threatening campaign ads. Meanwhile, despite the sheer volume of vetoes, the governor did find some proposals discordant with constitutional amendments or too disruptive for the business environment, according to his stated rationales, as per KTNV.
On the social policy front, Lombardo's veto of Assembly Bill 388, which would have extended paid family leave, drew sharp criticism from advocates of working families. "No one should have to choose between a paycheck and caring for a newborn, an ailing parent, or their own health," Democratic Assemblywoman Selena La Rue Hatch said, while Battle Born Progress leader Shelbie Swartz stated, "This veto sends a clear message: working families are not the priority," as mentioned by 8NewsNow.
As the deadline nears for Governor Lombardo to decide on the remaining bills, many are watching to see if he will break more veto records. With his strong stance against laws that don’t align with his priorities, Nevada’s laws are being shaped just as much by what gets rejected as by what gets approved, as reported by 8NewsNow.
