LAS VEGAS –  Today, the ACLU of Nevada released the 2017 Legislative Report and scorecard. During the 2017 Nevada legislative session there were significant victories enhancing the civil liberties of all Nevadans. From voting rights, to criminal justice reform, to defeating the state’s discriminatory voucher scheme, the ACLU of Nevada was at the forefront of protecting civil rights and liberties during the session.

The legislative report details the work of the ACLU of Nevada during the 120 days of the legislature, explaining the bills the organization either supported or opposed, and clarifying how each bill implicates Nevadans’ freedoms and liberties.

For the first time, along with the legislative report, the ACLU of Nevada scored the governor and legislators on civil liberties related bills and whether they passed, failed, or were vetoed. Final scores were based on 12 bills affecting freedoms and civil liberties in Nevada. A full explanation of the bills that were scored are included with the scorecard.

"We are proud of our work during the 2017 legislative session. Our legislative report highlights our major civil liberties victories and losses and our scorecard serves as a way for the public to know where their legislators stand on issues impacting their freedom,” said Holly Welborn, policy director.

You can view the full report here.

About American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada

The ACLU of Nevada is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to the defense and advancement of civil liberties and civil rights for all people in Nevada since 1966. For additional information, please visit http://www.aclunv.org.

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ACLU of Nevada Legal Director, Amy Rose, will testify as a panelist during a public meeting relating to municipal fines and fees hosted by the Nevada Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights on March 15, 2017.

The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss and hear testimony from experts in a variety of fields and the public on how to remedy and lessen the disparate impact municipal fees and fines have on federally protected communities in Nevada.

“Overly harsh fines and administrative fees can lead to the creation of modern day debtors’ prisons and can contribute to a cycle of poverty. I look forward to sharing with the committee our observations of the impact of municipal fines and fees on the citizens of Nevada as well as best practices for municipalities seeking to collect fines and fees in compliance with constitutionalrights,” said Amy Rose. 

(Las Vegas, NV) – The ACLU of Nevada sent a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, welcoming him to the Silver State and ensuring him that our communities will not accept dangerous policies that compel local law enforcement agencies to enforce federal immigration laws. 

According to reports, AG Sessions plans to discuss so-called “sanctuary city” policies during a scheduled visit with Nevada’s top law enforcement officials today. The Trump administration has threatened to withhold needed federal funds from local law enforcement agencies who don’t spend their own resources helping enforce federal immigration laws. Despite the undefined, inaccurate use of the term “sanctuary,” the ACLU of Nevada defends the rights of immigrants under the Constitution and supports local efforts to police communities with policies that honor the Constitutional rights of all people.

The letter states that policies forcing local law enforcement to aid in immigration enforcement “perpetuate the myth that there are zones free from immigration enforcement, waste valuable law enforcement resources, and violate the Fourth Amendment prohibition against unlawful detentions.” It also asserts that forcing localities to enforce immigration laws damages community relations by deterring victims of crime from reporting criminal acts for fear of deportation.

The letter is available here.

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