WEEK SIXTEEN MID-WEEK UPDATE

With only twelve days left in Nevada’s 83rd Legislative Session, things are moving very quickly during this critical deadline week of Second House Passage. Nevada’s elected officials are practically working around the clock to successfully conclude all legislative matters by the closing date of June 2nd.

Due to the significant amount of activity this week, UNLV’s Office of Government and Community Engagement is providing this early edition of this week’s legislative e-News. We will provide a follow-up edition of the e-News next Tuesday, May 27th, which will cover the remainder of week sixteen and provide schedule updates for week seventeen.

5/19/25 - 9:00am, AB567 (Present), Assembly Committee on Ways & Means – Nevada System of Higher Education Interim Chancellor Patricia Charlton, and Vice Chancellor of Budget and Finance Chris Viton presented AB567, a bill that makes an appropriation to NSHE for campus safety and security enhancements.

5/19/25 - 9:00am, AB567 (Support), Assembly Committee on Ways & Means – UNLV Professor of English and President of the UNLV Chapter of the Nevada Faculty Alliance Doug Unger, testified in support of AB567, emphasizing the safety enhancements that have already been made, and those that are still needed, but cannot be made without the funding this bill would provide. 

5/19/25 - 9:00am, AB567 (Support), Assembly Committee on Ways & Means - Kelechi Odunze, CSUN Student Body President and UNLV student, testified in support of AB567, a bill that makes an appropriation to the Nevada System of Higher Education for safety and security equipment and enhancements, and highlighted anxiety levels and safety needs stemming from the December 6, 2023 shooting that occurred on the UNLV campus. 

5/19/25 - 9:00am, AB568 (Present), Assembly Committee on Ways & Means - Nevada System of Higher Education Interim Chancellor Patricia Charlton presented AB568, a bill that makes appropriations to the Nevada System of Higher Education for cost-of-living adjustments, including the history of current Cost of Living Adjustment needs, and the impacts the funding will have on NSHE institutions. 

5/19/25 - 9:00am, AB568 (Present), Assembly Committee on Ways & Means - Nevada System of Higher Education Vice Chancellor of Budget and Finance Chris Viton, assisted Chancellor Charlton with the presentation of AB568 and responded to Committee Members’ questions regarding funding history and options related to NSHE Cost of Living Adjustments.  

5/19/25 – AB568 (Support), Assembly Committee on Ways and Means, Kelechi Odunze, CSUN Student Body President and Student at UNLV, testified in support of AB568, a bill that makes appropriations to the Nevada System of Higher Education for cost-of-living adjustments for certain personnel, and highlighted the inconvenience of college cost increase and rededication to UNLV educators and students. 

5/19/25 – AB573 (Support), Assembly Committee on Ways and Means, Dr. Kanani Espinoza, Senior Director of Policy and Public Affairs with Rowe Law Group, testified on behalf of UNLV and Nevada State University in support of AB573 which would make an appropriation to the Nevada Department of Education to carry out the Incentivizing Pathways to Teaching Grant Program in order to help address Nevada’s teacher shortage.

5/20/25 - 8:00am, AB286 (Support), Assembly Committee on Ways & Means - Alejandro Rodriguez, Director of Government Relations for the Nevada System of Higher Education, testified in support of AB286 which would provide a pilot program to assess the competency of applicants for a license to teach through alternative methods.

5/20/25 - 8:00am, AB286 (Support) Assembly Committee on Ways & Means Amanda Brazeau Nolting, Director of Policy and Government Affairs for Rowe Law Group, testified in support of AB286 on behalf of UNLV and NSU, noting that UNLV already has the infrastructure in place to implement provisions of the pilot program to assess the competency of applicants for a license to teach through alternative methods. 

5/20/25 - 8:00am, AB345 (Support), Assembly Committee on Ways & Means - Alejandro Rodriguez, Director of Government Relations for the Nevada System of Higher Education, testified in support of AB345 which requires the Board of Regents to establish a data dashboard to share statistical information relating to student outcomes. 

5/20/25 - 8:00am, AB345 (Support), Assembly Committee on Ways & Means - Amanda Brazeau Nolting, Director of Policy and Government Affairs for Rowe Law Group, testified on behalf of UNLV and NSU in support of AB345, a bill that would enhance access, equity, and transparency related to public higher education in Nevada.

Nurses Day at the Legislature

On May 20th, UNLV School of Nursing Dean Sigrid Barrett, Interim Associate Dean of Advanced Education Susan VanBeuge, and Associate Dean for Entry and Prelicensure Education Angela Silvestri-Elmore, along with their counterparts from UNR, Nevada State University, and Great Basin College, as well as UNLV’s Government and Community Engagement Director of State Government Affairs Leonardo Benavides were in Carson City for Nurses Day at the Legislature, including meetings with legislators to discuss the importance of expanding nursing education at Nevada’s higher education institutions.

Rebel Advocacy in Washington, DC

May 20th and 21st, UNLV President Chris Heavey, Vice President of Government and Community Engagement Constance Brooks, and Vice President of Research Dave Hatchett, were on the Hill for visits with the Nevada Congressional Delegation, federal agencies and influential higher education advocacy organizations.

Meetings included the Council for Opportunity in Education to discuss the significance of TRIO funding to UNLV and its partner school districts, and the Association of Land Grant Universities’ President, Mark Becker, to learn more about efforts to promote the value of R1 institutions, as well as strategies for advocacy.

The Rebel Team also met with federal agencies, including the Department of Labor and Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy, to discuss research, grants, and positioning for UNLV. 

The meetings with Nevada’s delegation provided an opportunity to share updates about Nevada's 83rd Legislative Session and information related to the impacts of recent federal decisions. 

Looking for the Next Youth Mayor - Could it be You?

Each year, Step Up for Kids brings together people to show widespread support for investments in children and families such as access to early care and learning, after-school programs, poverty, child abuse and neglect, and health care. Participants include child advocates, politicians, parents, and kids. 

Local programming, facilitated by the Nevada Institute for Children’s Research and Policy in UNLV’s School of Public Health, includes the Youth Mayor initiative which gives 4th and 5th graders the chance to learn about basic political and campaigning skills in a fun and engaging way while allowing them to interact with their community.

This year’s Step Up for Kids will be held in October. Applications are being accepted now through Friday September 5^th, for those who wish to participate in the Youth Mayor program.

UNLV Welcomes Newest Graduates at Spring 2025 Commencement

Allister Dias is no stranger to speaking to UNLV students. As a former undergraduate student body president and editor of the school newspaper, Dias spent the better part of the last four years representing the voice of UNLV’s student population and advocating on their behalf. So it’s fitting that his last act as an undergraduate was delivering...(more)