WEEK EIGHTEEN UPDATE - AKA SINE DIE

The 83rd Session of the Nevada Legislature ended yesterday and did not disappoint. “Intense energy” can best describe the closing in both the Assembly and Senate, with the Nevada System of Higher Education and UNLV leaving as one of the many beneficiaries of the State’s legislative process.

We are grateful for the support of the Legislature, as well as the Rebel community, with nearly one-hundred opportunities for members of our campus to testify. We also greatly appreciate the support of UNLV leadership, including President Heavey, members of the President’s Cabinet, and Deans, as well as the support of faculty, staff, and students who lent their expertise and adjusted their schedules, often with little notice, to advocate for UNLV.

While it was indeed a team effort, we applaud the efforts of Leonardo Benavides, UNLV’s first Director of State Government Affairs, who has spent the last 120 days away from his family while he was stationed in Carson City to advocate on behalf of UNLV. His leadership and full-time engagement were instrumental to UNLV’s success.

Bill updates are still being processed at the Nevada Legislature. You can track the status of your bills of interest on the Legislature’s website. While some bills will become law without the Governor’s signature, others require the Governor’s signature before becoming law, or the Governor may veto the bill and send it back to the Legislature.

We will have more information about outcomes of Nevada’s 83rd Legislative Session in the coming weeks. In the interim, please take a moment to read a related message from President Heavey and Vice President Brooks.

5/31/25 – SB262 (Support), Assembly Committee on Ways and Means, Leonardo Benavides, Director of State Government Affairs at UNLV, testified in support of SB262, a bill revising provisions relating to graduate medical education, and expressed the impact the bill would have on Nevada’s ability to retain medical students after graduation. 

5/31/25 – AB397 (Support), Senate Committee on Education, Leonardo Benavides, Director of State Government Affairs at UNLV, testified in support of AB397, a bill revising provisions relating to higher education, and highlighted the impact the bill would have on students’ ability to get the support they need through partnerships and enrollment.

5/31/25 – SB403 (Support), Assembly Committee on Ways and Means, Leonardo Benavides, Director of State Government Affairs at UNLV, testified in support of SB403, a bill revising several provisions relating to K-12 and higher education in Nevada.

5/31/25 – SB135 (Support), Assembly Committee on Ways and Means, Dr. Kanani Espinoza, Senior Director of Policy and Public Affairs with Rowe Law Group and UNLV alumna, testified in support of SB135, a bill that makes an appropriation to Communities In Schools of Nevada to provide integrated student support services in partnership with community providers including UNLV.

6/1/25 – AB568 (Support), Senate Committee on Finance, UNLV President Chris Heavey testified in support of AB568, a bill that makes appropriations to the Nevada System of Higher Education for operational and instructional expenses, and highlighted how AB568 adds to the success of UNLV.

6/1/25 – SB427 (Support), Assembly Committee on Ways and Means, UNLV President Chris Heavey testified in support of SB427, a bill that makes appropriations to certain institutions of the Nevada System of Higher Education for capital improvement projects, and highlighted the importance of the request for UNLV’s Lee Business School.

6/1/25 – AB428 (Support), Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor, Leonardo Benavides, Director of State Government Affairs at UNLV, testified in support of AB428, a bill requiring certain health plans to include coverage for fertility preservation services.

6/2/25 – SB460 (Support), Assembly Committee on Education, Leonardo Benavides, UNLV Director of State Government Affairs, testified in support of SB460, a bill revising provisions relating to education which would improve teacher workforce development.