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Category: Legislative Accomplishments

Nevada Legislators Move to Fast-Track Water Appropriarions

Buried in the disturbing Trump news, along with Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo’s “F— you” message to anyone criticizing Republicans, lies assembly bill AB419  in the Nevada legislature. It is designed to give Vidler Water Company more power in advancing its portfolio of premium water rights in Nevada.

Vidler Water Holdings in Nevada. Source, Nevada Division of Water Resources, D. R. Horton.

The Assembly bill, primarily sponsored on behalf of the Vidler Corporation by Republicans Rich DeLong, Lisa Cole, and Bert Gurr, with Republican cosponsors Jill Dickman, and PK O’Neill, aims to reduce the discretion of the Nevada Water engineer, thereby creating a faster, but damaging, regulatory system more favorable to Vidler and its parent company, D.R. Horton, Inc.

In April 2002, D.R. Horton, Inc., the Arlington, Texas-based homebuilder, acquired the Vidler Water Company to advance its portfolio of premium water rights and other water-related assets in the southwestern United States. This covers markets where D.R. Horton operates that require water for development but lack adequate supply. 

Vidler doesn’t deliver water to people or own any water treatment or desalination facilities. Instead, they profit by speculating on untapped water acquired from rural communities and marketed to developers and corporations in growth communities.[1]

Vidler has made 203 applications to the Nevada Water Engineer. Of those, 67.98 % have been abrogated (repealed), denied, protested or withdrawn. Of those, 2.96 % are ready for action (RFA) but delayed.   

Vidler Water Applications. Source Nevada Water Engineer, April 13, 2025.

Passing the bill fast-tracks water rights approvals, thus reducing the number of carefully considered actions by water regulators unfavorable to Vidler and its parent company, D.R. Horton.  

In addition, attempting to fast-track water applications increases the staff load necessary for the Division of Water Resources to carefully consider them, estimated at $10,146,271 this fiscal year and growing to $24,613,100 in future years (see Fiscal Notes).

Click to Oppose AB419  (see opinions tab).

[1] In 2001, Vidler acquired 267 acre-feet of Muddy River water appropriations to generate income by leasing the appropriations to water utilities.

Legislative Reports 2025

AB123 introduced 3/18/2025 Government Opps & Elections

Assembly member Hanadi Nadeem brought this bill after she ran for office during which time she received death threats as well as threatening emails, etc. When looking at what laws were in Nevada, she found that while there are laws that cover most situations, there wasn’t anything about candidates. 

While this bill does protect the 1st amendment, it also provides for consequences for such threats.

Section 3 states that a person who violates the provisions of subsection 1:First violation will be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Second or any subsequent offense is guilty of a gross misdemeanor. 

SB352 Introduced 3/20/2025 Affordable Care Act (ACA) update to match the federal law for non discriminating on health care insurance. Heard in Commerce and Labor. It was presented by Senator Senator Melanie Scheible.

Existing federal law under the ACA Exchange  prohibits certain health care entities from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.

But as in section 3 Protected Characteristics means race, color, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation or gender identity, or expression of sex including, without limitation, sex characteristics, intersex traits and pregnancy or related conditions.  Existing laws prohibit certain public and private policies of health insurance from discriminating against any person with respect to participation or coverage under the policy on the basis of actual or perceived gender identity or expression.

Additionally, it prohibits public and private policies of health insurance including Medicaid from discriminating against any person on the above basis. 

SB 217  Health and Human  was introduced 3/19/2025 by Services Senator Nicole Cannizzaro.

This bill is about in vitro fertilization (IVF). The American Medical Association (AMA) has, for a number of years, referred to fertility issues as a disease just like heart disease or diabetes and cancer. So why is IVF or other products and procedures not covered by insurance? 

Studies have found that one in six have fertility problems, nor is it just a woman’s problem, as men have fertility problems also. With IVF and other methods we now have the ability to help these people. The problem for most of them is the cost. One round of IVF treatment can be as high as $50,000.

As a result, there are many who just can’t afford to use a very helpful procedure that could help them have a child.

This bill changes that and allows that coverage to happen. This bill also allows for Medicaid to cover it as well. 

Governor Affirms Trump Targets Nevada

Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo’s March 24 statement to reporters affirms Trump’s efforts to lay off Nevadans’ federal jobs, eliminate the Department of Education (a nearly 50% reduction in its workforce), and Medicaid cuts.

 On February 25, Lisa Mascaro, Kevin Freking, and Mat Brown, reporting for the Associated Press (AP), noted that House Republicans voted to potentially eliminate $880 billion or more from Medicaid in their budget proposal. That move would be necessary for Trump-led Republicans to pay for wealthy tax breaks and border security.

On February 28, Lucia Starbuck, reporting for KUNR Public Radio, said that One in four Nevadans receive Medicaid, which covers about 42% of births and 60% of nursing home residents.

In the meantime, Elon Musk, for the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency (DODGE), in his first move to eliminate Social Security in Nevada, announced plans to destroy the Las Vegas Social Security Office to save $16,352.[1]

In addition, Musk’s cutting National Park Service employees across the state, including more than a dozen at Nevada’s Lake Mead National Recreation (the ninth most-visited site in the country), has an economic impact of $358 million on Nevada’s economy.
– Some of them were responsible for testing for toxicity levels in the water. 

Musk’s DOGE is cutting an Indian Health Service center and Bureau of Indian Affairs location in Elko that provides primary care to over 11,000 patients from four Native colonies and three reservations.

And, of course, Musk is firing Forest Service workers who work to prevent and manage forest fires, increasing the risk of deadly wildfires. 
 

In addition, Trump has moved to eliminate medical research funding going to Nevada universities. 


Democratic U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen of Nevada have sent letters to federal departments seeking data.

[1] Elon Musk firing veterans and made cuts to the VA. Veterans account for about 34% of the nearly 14,000 civilian federal employees in the state.