Even though the United States Senate dropped their amendments to sell off Public Lands on much of the Western and Mountain Western states.
This issue has combined two unlikely groups, Environmentalists and Ranchers, all of whom use our public lands whether to hike, hunt and fish.
There is need for more Affordable and Attainable housing in Nevada, and here is a great piece by ProPublica.
By Pastor Paul Larson, Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada
The 83rd Legislative Session has come to a close, and over the past month, I’ve found myself reflecting on the experience. It was a whirlwind, more than 1,000 bills introduced, over 500 signed into law, and 87 vetoed. The 120-day session felt like a marathon. I already miss walking over to the Legislature and sitting in on hearings.
Sure, there were victories and defeats. But in the shadow of Washington, D.C., something unique is happening in Carson City.
Senators who at first seemed distant or even a little salty surprised me with their insight and care. I loved hearing their questions and listening to the testimony of people who had come to share their stories.
Like Bo and his mother, who spoke courageously about the fear and uncertainty they experienced during a complicated pregnancy. They reminded us just how fragile that time is, and why it matters that children born under such circumstances receive the healthcare support they need through Medicaid.
Or the members of the Walker River Paiute Tribe, who came to clarify a critical bill from the 82nd session, ensuring that county clerks staff voting centers on tribal lands so their communities can participate fully in our democracy.
I was also inspired by a new generation of leaders. Senators Fabian Doñate and Melanie Schieble chaired major committees, and looking around the rooms, it felt like Nevada’s diverse voices were being heard.
Of course, challenges remain. Some vetoes, like the one blocking Paid Family Leave, were especially painful. But the work of Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada (LEAN) doesn’t stop. Even though the Legislature wont convene again until February 2026. During the interim session, we’ll continue to advocate for policies rooted in justice, dignity, and compassion.
LEAN will also keep producing content for adult education, and I invite you to reach out. Invite me to give a Temple Talk or preach in your congregation, we are in this together.
This past week has been especially heavy as I begin to understand the full impact of what’s being called the “Big Beautiful Bill.” We’ll be sharing more about that in the coming weeks, its meaning, and its impact for Nevada.
Until then, I remain grateful for your partnership, your prayers, and your presence.
With you on the journey,
Pastor Paul
“This neighborhood of Chicago, also called La Villita, is 82 percent Latino and has the largest Mexican-American population in Chicago. Nearby, Mexican restaurants sell chilaquiles and agua frescas while Latino barbers laugh and talk outside their shops as norteño music plays. But if you stick around for just a little while, it doesn’t take much to see how profound the impacts of Trump have already been. In fact, they’re pretty much everywhere.”
Read The Chicago Churches on the Frontline of Trump’s Deportation Wars, which was published in The Bulwark.
From our Partners in Ministry at Lutheran Office for Public Policy in California
“For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us” (Ephesians 2:14).
In Ephesians, either Paul or his disciple invites us to see ourvocations, the gifts and responsibilities entrusted to us, as holy offerings to the household of God. In this divine architecture, all are called to build the Kin(g)dom of God through mutual dignity, truth-telling, and service. The text challenges us to submit our vocational lives, be it as lawmakers, policy professionals, caregivers, or neighbors, to the self-giving love of Christ, who is our peace. Ephesians reminds us that vocation is not just, or even primarily, about personal fulfillment.Vocation ispublic discipleship. When we honor our own gifts and recognize the vocations of others as sacred, we resist the alienation and hierarchy that mark so much of our civic and political life. This is especially urgent for public servants, who often bear the emotional and physical toll of conflict and unrest. The church must continue to name their labor as sacred and stand with all who bear vocational burdens in pursuit of the common good.
This week, we grieve and condemn a series of recent violent political acts that have shaken our collective conscience. U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) was shoved, forced to the ground, and handcuffed by security after attempting to ask a question at a press conference while defending the integrity of public servants. And there was a devastating attack on Minnesota lawmakers that left State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, dead, and State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, hospitalized with serious injuries. We name these acts for what they are, political violence. We reject them with our whole hearts.
We are living through a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. The atmosphere is charged with division, fear, and escalating threats against those who serve in public life. But as Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reminded us last year, “division and violence don’t have to be our inevitable future.” Our call, as people of faith, is not to retreat but to show up with courage, love, and conviction.
Lutheran theology grounds us in a robust understanding of vocation: “Freed through the Gospel, we are to serve others through arenas of responsibility such as family, work, and community life” . For those of us in the ministry of public policy, whether in Washington, Sacramento, or our own congregations, this means stepping boldly into advocacy as peacemakers, peacekeepers, and truth-tellers, even when it is costly. Political violence has no place in our shared life. We mourn those whose lives have been stolen by it, we stand with those who have been targeted by it, and we recommit ourselves to the long, faithful work of peacebuilding.
Jesus’s commandment to us to love one another as he loved us must inform our participation in the democratic process. Our faith should give us the strength to listen to our opponents when we want to denounce them, to respect those with whom we disagree, even when our instincts are to respond to fear and hate with disdain and rejection. We must have faith in ourselves and our ability to remain calm in the face of chaos, to preach love when surrounded by anger.
May we resist dehumanizing rhetoric, confess the violent tendencies within ourselves and our culture, and renew our collective courage to live as disciples of the Risen Christ, who breaks down walls and calls us to be bridge-builders, justice-seekers, and peacemakers.
In faith and fierce hope,
PAX,
Regina Q. Banks, JD
Director, Lutheran Office of Public Policy – California
July 1st was not just the start of a new month, but it was also when about 200 bills passed went into effect. Over 500 bills were signed into law during the 83rd Legislative session. Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada is proud to have bills signed into Law by Governor Lombardo, and we have highlighted them below.
Highlights
Health Care and Public Health
Focus: Advancing equitable, accessible, and accountable healthcare—especially for those most at risk
Housing Insecurity
Focus: Ensuring stable housing, fair rental practices, and access to essential services for vulnerable Nevadans.
Criminal Justice and Civil Rights
Focus: Promoting restorative justice, protecting public servants, and reducing systemic harm.
Education and Equity
Focus: Supporting student success through mental health, equity, and safety initiatives.
Environmental Justice and Climate Resilience
Focus: Adapting to climate change with compassion, especially for communities most exposed.
Legal Protection and Voting
Focus: Expanding access to the democratic process and honoring shared history.
At the end of the Legislative Session, Governor Lombardo vetoed 87 bills.
Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada 