Five reproductive health bills just passed the Nevada legislature and are sitting on Governor Lombardo’s desk right now. These bills are being pushed by groups who want to expand what they call “reproductive freedom.”
But for those of us who believe in limited government, this looks like something else entirely.
What’s Really in These Bills?
Let’s break down what we’re dealing with.
AB411 turns Nevada into a legal sanctuary for abortion providers, shielding them from laws in other states. Assembly Majority Leader Sandra Jauregui said the bill:
“is a necessary step to ensure that health care providers can offer essential services without fear.”
But this isn’t about protecting Nevada doctors treating Nevada patients. This bill protects providers who perform medical abortions – the kind done with pills that make up 63% of all abortions in America – from being prosecuted by other states whose laws they’re helping patients circumvent.
AB176, dubbed the “Right to Contraception Act,” started out much broader but was narrowed after pushback.
The bill was introduced with language covering abortion and other reproductive services, but sponsor Assemblymember Selena Torres-Fossett promised to limit it to contraception only. She also removed references to schools to address concerns about school nurses providing birth control to students.
Even Melissa Clement, president of Nevada Right to Life, called their opposition “very very very soft” and said they might support an amended version.
AB205 revises sex education provisions in schools, while AB266 establishes rights to IVF and other fertility treatments, requiring insurance companies to cover them.
AB235 may be the most troubling from a transparency standpoint. This bill would allow reproductive health providers, gender-affirming care providers, and their families to request court orders hiding their personal information from public records. We’re talking about making public records secret for certain professions while other citizens remain exposed.
Democrats are taking a piecemeal approach, sponsoring bills focused on specific areas rather than one omnibus bill that could be vetoed like in 2023.
Why This Matters to Conservatives
Here’s the thing that should worry anyone who believes in limited government.
Remember, Nevada voters already spoke on this issue. In 2024, Nevadans approved Question 6 and signaled their support for establishing abortion as a right in the state constitution. The measure passed with 64% of voters in support. So why do we need these additional laws?
The answer is simple: this isn’t about protecting existing rights. It’s about expanding government control over healthcare decisions and hiding information from the public.
AB235 is especially troubling. Nevada already allows certain groups of people to request these types of court orders, including government employees, judges and politicians. Now they want to extend this special treatment to more people. This creates a two-tier system where some citizens get privacy protections others don’t.
What Comes Next
Governor Lombardo has a choice to make. He’s already shown he’s willing to stand up to overreach. Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoed the broader 2023 bill when Democrats tried to pass a massive reproductive health package.
The question is whether he’ll do it again. Gov. Lombardo actively vetoing bills, covering issues from gun control to mental health reforms, has become a pattern. He’s set records for vetoes, standing up for limited government principles. But the political pressure is intense.
What You Can Do
First, contact Governor Lombardo’s office. Let him know you support his past vetoes and encourage him to carefully review these bills.
The bottom line is this: good government requires balance and transparency. These bills create special privileges and hide information from the public. That’s not the Nevada way, and it’s certainly not the conservative way.
Whether Governor Lombardo signs these bills will tell us a lot about whether Nevada stays true to its independent spirit or becomes just another state where one party pushes through whatever it wants.
The choice is his. But the consequences belong to all of us.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
