With the Presidential Determination capping the refugee admissions ceiling at a record-low 7,500, now is the most important time to weigh in and express support for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).Contact your members of Congress today to urge the administration to fully restore the USRAP with a meaningful consultation process with the House and Senate Judiciary Committees; an updated, higher Presidential Determination target for refugee admissions in FY 2026; and a USRAP system that remains open to various groups of humanitarian concern across the world.
Calling all hunger champions —Join this network of the Grand Canyon Synod! Meet to hear updates on national and local Hunger and Food Insecurity efforts and initiatives, to learn from one another, and to share with the group what’s happening in our congregations. Anyone interested in alleviating hunger is welcome. Prepare to be encouraged and supported!
If you have any questions about this group, please contact Melanie Hobden (Desert Cross, Tempe) or Solveig Muus (LAMA).
If you have any questions about this group, please contact Melanie Hobden (Desert Cross, Tempe) or Solveig Muus (LAMA).
What a day. I went to the Legislature today—my very first Special Session. I’ve been preparing all week, curious about what it would be like to experience it in person. The morning session was largely procedural. Shortly after the first reading of the bills and their referral to committee, Assemblywoman Selena La Rue Hatch raised a procedural challenge to Assembly Bill 5. She argued that AB 5 was not an emergency measure and therefore should not be considered during a Special Session. When the motion was put to a vote, it failed in a 21–21 tie. That means any move forward on this bill—whether to advance it or to block it—will require someone to cross the aisle.
In the afternoon, I attended the hearing for AB 4. The opposition offered powerful testimony rooted in lived experience. Community members from Las Vegas’ Latine and Black communities took Uber rides and showed up to make their voices heard, naming the disproportionate harm this bill would continue to inflict on communities of color. They spoke plainly: there was no public input in crafting this bill. Instead, it appears to be influenced by the Las Vegas gaming industry and would give Metro Police broader authority to harass or arrest people experiencing homelessness.
A volunteer from Night Off the Streets testified remotely from Carson City on her way into the warming shelter, offering her perspective from frontline work.
LEAN testified in opposition to AB 4. We shared that the bill moves Nevada away from a justice rooted in restoration, disproportionately impacts already-marginalized neighbors, and diverts critical resources from prevention and renewal. We urged the Legislature to invest in healing, equity, and community flourishing—rather than deeper incarceration. Our faith calls us to speak for the voiceless, to restore rather than merely punish, and to work for the peace and justice of all God’s children.
One notable change this session: unlike past sessions, the Assembly has decided not to allow phone testimony. This is a significant setback for public access, particularly in a Special Session where travel is difficult and time is compressed.
I also sat in on the hearing for AB 5. It was fascinating to hear the diversity of coalitions engaging this issue. LEAN did not take a position on the bill, but I wanted to listen. Some testified in support, emphasizing high-paying jobs and revenue that could fund universal pre-K in Clark County. Others expressed concern that granting major tax credits to Hollywood studios could undermine affordability efforts and divert needed resources away from housing, healthcare, and food assistance.
As of now, here are the bills moving through the Special Session:
AB 4: Lombardo Omnibus Crime Bill
AB 5: Nevada Studio Infrastructure Jobs and Workforce Training Act
AB 6: Restores certain provisions of traffic law previously rolled back
SB 4: Establishing the Silver State General Assistance Program
We will keep following the Special Session closely. It is shaping up to be an intense and important week. Pastor Paul will be back at the Legislature tomorrow at 11 AM.
Update:
SB 4 was passed 21-0
SB 6: Revises the Windsor Park Environmental Justice Act, was introduced at the 10 AM Friday Morning Senate Session
Join the Sierra Pacific Synod Hunger Network on Wednesday, November 19, at 7 pm on Zoom as we explore how to address the hunger crisis. To register, email Edie Lott at thelots@gmail.com.
Are you and your congregation looking for faithful ways to understand and respond to Christian Nationalism?
Check out Christians Against Christian Nationalism, a partner organization of the ELCA, offering thoughtful statements, study materials, and action steps for faith communities.
And don’t miss a local reflection from Rev. Paul G. Theiss, offering a pastoral and practical lens on resisting this distortion of faith and public life. View his reflection HERE.
Together, let’s reject this sinful distortion of Christianity and keep building communities rooted in love, justice, and the inclusive gospel of Christ.
Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada 