Governor Joe Lombardo just made history again. For the second session in a row, he vetoed more bills from the Nevada Legislature than any other governor. With 76 vetoes, he broke his own record of 75 from last session, showing he’s serious about stopping government overreach.
The latest batch of vetoes included some real doozies that would have fundamentally changed how Nevada runs elections, manages school libraries, and even what lawmakers call themselves. Lombardo looked at each one and said no to ideas that would expand government power at the expense of local control and common sense.
Election Security Under Attack
The most important veto might be Senate Bill 422, which would have seriously weakened Nevada’s election security. This bill tried to make it easier for people to vote without proper verification, letting them cast ballots first and prove eligibility later.
Lombardo wrote in his veto letter:
“While the goals of timely voter registration and verification are important, SB 422 raises serious concerns about election integrity and voter security. By permitting voters to cast provisional ballots based on a written affirmation and submit proof of residency after Election Day, the bill weakens safeguards that ensure only eligible individuals participate in elections.”
Nevada already uses provisional ballots and requires people to complete written affidavits under penalty of perjury claiming they’re eligible to vote. But here’s the key difference: under current law, you have to prove your eligibility before your ballot gets counted, not after.
SB 422 would have changed the timing in a dangerous way.
The bill would have let people cast provisional ballots based on a written affirmation and then submit proof of residency after Election Day. Under current law, if you can’t prove you’re eligible when you vote provisionally, your ballot doesn’t get counted. SB 422 would have flipped that around – vote first, verify later.
The governor pointed out another big problem:
“Delaying verification until after votes are cast undermines the ability of election officials to confirm voter eligibility in real time. This approach increases the risk of improper voting and could erode public trust in the electoral process.”
Lombardo also noted that federal law already lets some non-citizens get driver’s licenses and ID cards. Just requiring a REAL ID doesn’t guarantee only citizens are registering to vote. “This is an untenable result,” he wrote
Taking Books Away From Parents
Assembly Bill 416 was another dangerous bill that would have stripped power from parents and local school boards over library books. Instead of letting communities decide what’s appropriate for their kids, it would have put judges in charge of every book challenge.
Lombardo explained.:
“AB 416 is fundamentally flawed because it removes critical decision-making authority from schools, districts, and parents and instead places it in the hands of the courts,”
The bill would have created a nightmare bureaucracy. Every time a parent thought a book was inappropriate for kids, they’d have to go to court and prove it was “obscene.” By the time a judge made a decision, the students most affected might have already graduated.
Lombardo saw right through this scheme:
“The bill’s requirement for judicial intervention to determine whether a book is ‘obscene’ introduces a slow, costly, and adversarial process. By the time a court reaches a decision, the students most affected may have already graduated, making the review effectively meaningless.”
Even worse, the bill had vague language about “retaliation” that could scare parents into staying quiet.
The governor wrote:
“The bill fails to provide a clear, objective standard for what constitutes retaliation—leaving open whether protected speech such as harsh criticism or calls for employment action could be criminalized,”
Parents might be afraid to speak up about inappropriate books for fear of being accused of breaking the law.
Government Title Games
In one of the silliest bills of the session, Assembly Bill 588 tried to change the official title of lawmakers from “Assemblyman” and “Assemblywoman”to “Assemblymember.” The legislature wanted to create a whole new law just to change what they call themselves.
Lombardo pointed out this was completely unnecessary:
“During this session, the Assembly adopted Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 1, which designated the official title for its members as ‘Assemblymembers.’ Accordingly, that title was used throughout the entire legislative session. That action clearly demonstrates the Assembly’s authority to determine how its members are addressed through internal procedures, without requiring statutory codification.”
In other words, they already solved their own (fake) problem through internal rules. Why create a new law when you can handle it with existing procedures?
Business-Crushing Mandates
Assembly Bill 388 would have forced businesses with 50 or more employees to provide paid family leave. That might sound nice, but it would have crushed small businesses already struggling with costs and regulations.
Lombardo noted. :
“Though AB 388 technically applies only to employers with 50 or more employees, many businesses that Nevada families consider ‘small’—like local restaurants or gyms—often meet or exceed this threshold, especially if they operate multiple locations. These businesses typically lack the administrative infrastructure needed to navigate complex leave policies.”
The bill also required up to 100% wage replacement and cut eligibility down to just 90 days of employment. That puts massive financial pressure on employers who might already be dealing with high turnover and tight margins.
Juneteenth Funding Mandates
Assembly Bill 328 tried to create a new Juneteenth commission and pressure local governments to contribute money to celebrate the holiday.
The bill used language saying local governments “shall, to the extent practicable, contribute to the Fund.” That creates pressure on cities and counties to spend money they might not have.
“This language risks creating unintended disparities: communities with limited financial resources could feel discouraged from celebrating Juneteenth due to the perception of a funding requirement,” the governor explained.
What This Means
These 76 vetoes represent 76 times the legislature tried to expand government power and reduce individual freedom.
Democrats in the legislature are frustrated, but they need a two-thirds majority in both houses to override any of these vetoes. That’s a high bar they probably can’t reach.
The real question isn’t why the governor vetoed so many bills. It’s why the legislature passed so many bills that deserved vetoes in the first place. When lawmakers send 76 different ways to expand government power to the governor’s desk, that tells you everything you need to know about their priorities.
Nevadans can thank Governor Lombardo for standing between them and 76 new ways government wanted to control their lives, their elections, their schools, and their businesses. That’s what limited government looks like in action.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
