Behind the Bar: ‘Abortion tourism’ and Metro’s role with ICE
Behind the Bar is The Nevada Independent’s newsletter devoted to comprehensive and accessible coverage of the 2023 legislative session.
In today’s edition: a brief rundown of the mining industry and its relationship to the Legislature. We also take a look at a contentious bill aiming to protect out-of-state abortion seekers and a hearing where Democratic lawmakers demanded transparency from Las Vegas Metro police.
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We want to hear from you! Send us your questions, comments, observations, jokes, or what you think we should be covering or watching. This edition was compiled by Tabitha Mueller. Email her at [email protected].
Days until:
- Last day for bill introductions: 34
- First house passage deadline: 63
- Sine die: 104
Cannizzaro refutes critics who say her bill promotes “abortion tourism”
Entertainment, gambling and tourism are among the top drivers of Nevada’s economy, but Sen. Jeff Stone (R-Henderson) expressed concerns that one more might take hold: abortion tourism.
The comments came Tuesday during a hearing of SB131, a bill sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro (D-Las Vegas) that seeks to codify former Gov. Steve Sisolak’s executive order protecting out-of-state abortion seekers in Nevada and those providing reproductive care, regardless of other state policies.
“I don’t think you want Nevada to be known for this part of our economy. We’re certainly entertainment; we’re sports,” Stone said. “Do we want to include tourism for abortions to be a part of our stereotype here in Nevada?”
Cannizzaro fired back, saying that using the word “tourism” to describe the act of seeking an abortion or reproductive care outside of a person’s home state is “problematic.”
“This is someone who is seeking access to care that they cannot get somewhere else. Those are desperate situations,” Cannizzaro said. “A woman, or even a minor, is not seeking reproductive health care as a basis for tourism.”
Cannizzaro said the bill comes in response to laws passed by other states preventing patients and providers from accessing care that involves an abortion. She cited cases such as women in Texas and other states who were denied care for a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy because doctors and hospitals feared legal repercussions.
Some opponents of the legislation cited concerns, without evidence, that the proposed law may lead to increased sex trafficking, but Cannizzaro called the argument a distraction.
“This bill is not a sex trafficking bill. It doesn’t create abortion tourism, which I personally find offensive,” Cannizzaro said. “This is a place for patients and providers to know that they can continue to do what is legal under Nevada law without being prosecuted for it.”
The legislation is likely to be the first significant test of Gov. Joe Lombardo’s stance on abortion, which shifted throughout the election cycle. Most recently, Lombardo signaled he would support the measure, telling Nevada Public Radio he would sign it as long as it was a “clean bill” that focused only on preventing state agencies from cooperating with other states wanting to prosecute someone for receiving reproductive care in Nevada.
As of Monday, Sisolak’s executive order protecting out-of-state abortion seekers is still in effect, but Cannizzaro said that its future is not guaranteed.
“Patients [who] are coming to Nevada and our health care providers operating here can’t rely on an executive order,” Cannizzaro said. “They cannot rely on something that tomorrow or this afternoon, frankly, could be gone.”
— Tabitha Mueller
What we’re reading and writing
Follow the Money: Unions were biggest category donating to Legislature in 2022 cycle, by Jacob Solis and Sean Golonka
Unions shower legislative Democrats with money
Nevada’s vast lithium deposits offer economic opportunity, difficult decisions, by Daniel Rothberg
A look at the lithium lode
Protesters call for reform after video shows Clark County school police using force on students, by Rocio Hernandez
Students, teachers and community members demand reform
D.C. Download: Sharing dinners and common ground: How Susie Lee approaches bipartisanship, by Gabby Birenbaum
Bipartisanship starts with food (you can’t legislate when you’re hangry)
— Tabitha Mueller, Jacob Solis, Sean Golonka
News Briefs
Assemblywoman Torres calls out LVMPD inconsistencies on deportations
Assemblywoman Selena Torres (D-Las Vegas) confronted a representative of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department during a hearing over differing accounts of the agency’s role in deportations.
During an Assembly Government Affairs Committee meeting on Friday, Assemblywoman Bea Duran (D-Las Vegas) asked Metro lobbyist Sgt. Beth Schmidt about the police agency’s relationship with ICE, recalling that during the 2021 legislative session the same question was asked and the answer at the time was that there were “no formal agreements” and “no more communication” between law enforcement and the federal immigration agency.
Just a few months after, in October 2021, Gov. Joe Lombardo was heard saying at a campaign event that he played a role in 10,000 deportations in his time as Clark County sheriff.
Torres, the committee chairwoman, called out information inconsistencies from the department, saying it’s “unfair” for the committee to be misguided.
“Our expectation is that this is a relationship of trust, and that this department comes to this committee to speak honestly about what's happening,” Torres said in the meeting.
Even though Schmidt was not the face of the department in 2021, she acknowledged that the committee had raised an important point and promised to provide the correct information.
In 2019, Metro announced it would end its 287(g) agreement with ICE after a California judge ruled against partnerships between federal immigration authorities and local jurisdictions. Advocates argued that the agreement, which allowed police to keep people detained while ICE was notified of the person’s unauthorized immigration status, led to unconstitutional and warrantless arrests.
— Jannelle Calderón
Mining Industry Day at the Legislature
As the mining industry makes its pitch to the Legislature, expect to hear about lithium
In recent years, mining industry officials have highlighted the role of “critical minerals,” such as lithium, in transitioning renewable energy and electric vehicles, both critical components needed to transition away from fossil fuels. Nevada, with known lithium deposits and seen as a friendly mining jurisdiction, could be a central part of the country’s efforts to secure a domestic source.
The industry’s embrace and encouragement of lithium mining has allowed companies to form unexpected allies with sometime foes — politicians and environmentalists who view swapping combustion engines for battery-powered vehicles as key to reducing carbon emissions.
But lithium mines have faced major headwinds and conflicts. Indigenous activists have raised serious concerns about the impact of more mining on ancestral land and cultural sites. Wildlife groups and environmentalists have sued over the impacts that new mines could have on habitat for imperiled species. And local communities have pushed back, concerned about new industrial development. Even within the industry, there is tension over mineral rights and claims to water.
Despite the focus on lithium mining, lithium comprises only a fraction of mining claims staked in Nevada. Mines across the state extract gold, silver, copper and gypsum. Gold mines in Nevada accounted for about 77 percent of the country's overall gold production in 2021, according to the Nevada Mining Association. And the industry’s scope is reflected in their varied policy interests.
Given the size of their operations and many different holdings, the industry often weighs in on issues ranging from tax policy to water law, from environmental regulation to workplace safety.
In 2019, a merger between multinational competitors Barrick and Newmont consolidated some of the state’s largest mines under the purview of one company: Nevada Gold Mines. Operated by Barrick, Nevada Gold Mines controls a large workforce and contractor pool across the I-80 corridor, high-value mineral deposits, a significant water rights portfolio and vast ranchlands.
The company remains a joint venture with Newmont, though in recent days and amid a new set of merger talks in the industry, Barrick has indicated an interest in buying out Newmont’s shares.
More than a dozen lobbyists are registered as representing Barrick or Nevada Gold Mines this session. And Nevada Gold Mines was identified as one of the top donors to new legislators.
— Daniel Rothberg
Nevada’s lobbyist-heavy Legislature (at least people are getting paid)
In his recent newsletter, lobbyist Tom Clark highlighted that there are 781 lobbyists registered for the 82nd legislative session, 457 of whom are paid.
He said that averages out to 12.39 lobbyists per legislator. We crunched some additional numbers which show that with 46 registered press members in the Legislature, there is an average of 0.73 reporters per legislator and 16.98 lobbyists per reporter.
— Tabitha Mueller
Just a heads up ?
Top Democratic constitutional officers are in the Legislature — Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, Treasurer Zach Conine and Attorney General Aaron Ford are all expected to be in the building on Tuesday presenting bills
Conine bonds with babies — Bright and early at 9 a.m., Conine will present legislation looking to establish the Nevada baby bonds program.
Cisco in the house — At the ungodly hour of 8 a.m., the secretary of state’s office is presenting legislation surrounding restitution for victims of fraud (AB67) and a bill revising provisions governing the state business portal (AB14)
Ford — He’s presenting on opioid and tobacco settlement money at 4 p.m.
Former Gov. Brian Sandoval, too — UNR turns 150, and sesquicentennial Sandoval says let’s get a special license plate
And to ease you into the week, a few tweets that caught our eye:
- Best shore.
- Open meeting laws? Knowing what’s happening ahead of time? We’re at the Legislature. Those rules don’t apply.
- The Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Caucus announces leadership positions. "By growing our numbers as an AANHPI Caucus and voting in leadership who all represent firsts from our communities, we are exemplifying the inclusive Nevada that we all know and love," Chair Assemblywoman Erica Mosca (D-Las Vegas) said in a statement.
- Female majority leadership is not backing down.
We’ll see you on Friday.
Editor’s Note: This story appears in Behind the Bar, The Nevada Independent’s newsletter dedicated to comprehensive coverage of the 2023 legislative session. Sign up for the newsletter here.