The Big Picture
Governor Joe Lombardo just proved again why conservatives voted for him. He vetoed 15 bills from the 2025 legislative session that would have grown government, weakened constitutional rights, and hurt Nevada families. Thanks to the actual veto messages he released, we now know exactly why he killed these bad bills.
This follows his record-breaking performance in 2023 when he vetoed 75 bills. That was more than any Nevada governor in history. The previous record was 48 vetoes set by former Governor Jim Gibbons in 2009. Lombardo smashed that by 27 bills.
Nevada Governor @JosephMLombardo is off to a good start with his vetoes. So far he has vetoed:
– A Transgender healthcare mandate (SB171)
– A gun grab bill (SB89)
– A bill that would allow noncitizens to be cops (SB155)
– A “Transgender Inmate Special Treatment” bill. (SB141)…— Courtney Holland (@hollandcourtney) June 4, 2025
Major Bills He Vetoed and Why
Here are the most important vetoes with Lombardo’s actual reasoning:
Taking Guns Away for Hate Crimes (SB89)
SB89 would have banned people convicted of misdemeanor hate crimes from owning guns for up to 10 years. The governor killed it because it had no connection between the crime and firearms.
Lombardo wrote:
“This bill is critically flawed in that it would potentially deprive individuals of their Second Amendment right to bear arms for a crime with no nexus to firearms whatsoever.” He pointed out that the Supreme Court made clear the right to bear arms “is not a second-class right, subject to an entirely different body of rules than the other Bill of Rights guarantees.”
The governor asked a great question:
Why should hate crimes only take away gun rights and not other constitutional rights? If the crime is serious enough to ban guns, it should be a felony. Democrats wanted to have it both ways – serious enough to ban guns but not serious enough to be a real crime.
Non-Citizens as Police Officers (SB155)
SB155 would have let non-citizens become police officers if they could legally work in America. Governor Lombardo was crystal clear about this one.
“All peace officers in the State of Nevada should be United States citizens,” Lombardo wrote. “There are pathways to citizenship available to those legally in the United States. If someone wishes to serve as a peace officer, he or she should become a naturalized citizen before doing so.”
This makes perfect sense. Police officers take an oath to defend the Constitution. How can someone who isn’t even a citizen do that job? If you want to be a cop in America, become an American first.
Transgender Care Shield Law (SB171)
SB171 would have made Nevada a sanctuary state for doctors who provide gender procedures to kids. The governor vetoed it because the bill was too vague and would create legal problems.
Lombardo explained the bill used words like “prudent” without defining what that means.
He asked:
“Is prudence measured by adhering to the standard of care among specialists, local or national norms, or some other type of consideration?”
The governor also pointed out that doctors could still face prosecution in other states even if Nevada passed this bill.
He wrote:
“It is unwise to create potentially illusory legal protections,”
Fake Electors Bill (SB102)
Democrats tried again to criminalize the Republican electors who raised concerns about the 2020 election. Governor Lombardo vetoed it for the second time.
Lombardo wrote:
“The language prohibiting the creation of a ‘false slate of presidential electors’ is overly broad and could criminalize legitimate political expression or protest,”
The bill “contains overly broad provisions that threaten to penalize lawful political activity.”
This bill was nothing more than Democrats trying to criminalize political opposition and make sure no one ever questions election results again.
Housing Linkage Fees (SB99)
SB99 would have let local governments charge developers extra fees for “affordable housing.” The governor killed it because it would make housing more expensive, not cheaper.
In his veto message, the governor wrote:
“Linkage fees would only serve to increase costs and stifle growth,”
The fees would:
“immediately raise the cost of building new homes, expanding existing ones, or making necessary renovations.”
He pointed out the crazy logic:
“Linkage fees are inherently tied to new development, creating a troubling catch-22: they rely on growth to generate revenue, yet they actively discourage that very growth.”
Animal Testing Ban (SB167)
SB167 would have banned household products tested on animals. Sounds nice, but the governor vetoed it because the language was too vague and would hurt families.
The bill had exceptions for when “no appropriate non-animal testing methods exist” but gave no guidance on what “appropriate” means. Lombardo wrote this:
“would drive up litigation costs and risk inconsistency across determinations.”
He also warned that “consumers face reduced access and higher prices even before the law is officially implemented” because companies would stop selling products in Nevada.
Other Important Vetoes
Trans Prisoners (SB141)
The governor said this should be handled through regulations, not laws, especially since federal rules might change.
Menopause Awareness Month (SB297)
Lombardo told the sponsor to just ask for a proclamation instead of making it law.
“There is already an administrative process to request that a day, week, or month be proclaimed by the Governor.”
Read our prior coverage: Governor’s Menopause Month Veto: Nevada Republicans Stuck Between a Rock and a Hot Flash
Broadband Requirements (SB93)
The bill would have required 30% local workers and prevailing wages for broadband projects.
The governor said this would:
“significantly delay broadband deployment in Nevada’s rural communities.”
What Critics Are Saying
Democrats are mad, as usual. They launched a “Veto Villain” campaign against Lombardo and are trying to win enough seats to override his vetoes.
But that misses the point. Lombardo isn’t a villain for protecting constitutional rights and stopping bad laws. He’s doing exactly what conservatives elected him to do.
His Track Record Speaks Volumes
Governor Lombardo has now vetoed 90 bills total across both sessions, so far. That shows he takes his job seriously. He’s not afraid to say no to the Democrat legislature when they pass bills that hurt Nevada families.
Look at what he’s stopped: gun bans, tax increases, regulations that kill jobs, and laws that would have made housing more expensive.
Every veto is a victory for limited government and constitutional rights. That’s worth fighting for.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
