Congress is considering severe cuts to Medicaid that would harm millions of vulnerable Americans. The House and Senate have passed budget resolutions implying up to $880 billion in Medicaid reductions over 10 years.
These proposed cuts would force difficult choices upon states, potentially reducing coverage, restricting benefits or lowering provider payments. States with high poverty, greater healthcare needs and limited revenue options would suffer most.
Contact your representatives today to oppose these harmful cuts and protect our most vulnerable neighbors.
Senator Jacky Rosen has joined a group of Senators to introduce a bill that would amend existing federal anti-discrimination laws to add protections for LBGTQ people.
The Equality Act would amend federal anti-discrimination law to explicitly add sexual orientation and gender identity to long-standing bans on discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, jury service, access to credit, federal housing, and more.
Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada recognizes that most congregations tend to be more active in acts of mercy than acts of justice. Handing out food at a soup kitchen seems more straight forward than advocating for school breakfast programs. LEAN encourages congregations to do both acts of mercy and acts of justice.
Every congregation or faith community is unique. Each has its own set of leaders, committees and ministries. How best to engage the advocacy ministry in congregations varies greatly, which is why LEAN seeks a Congregational Liaison for each congregation.
The Role of Liaisons
Core Functions: Congregational liaisons are asked to do the following core functions:
Ask the congregational leadership to include LEAN news, events and resources in bulletins, newsletters or other materials.
Participate in at least one meeting a year with legislators and invite others to participate
Invite congregation members to do some advocacy before or during the Nevada legislative session (January – June).
Writing letters
Sending emails
Signing a petition
Participate in Lutheran Day at the Legislature
Additional Functions: If able, the liaisons are invited to:
Encourage civic engagement – registering to vote, help getting out the vote, completing the census (all non-partisan activities).
Connect interested members of your congregation with key LEAN program areas
Hunger and associated food security issues (equity, housing, homelessness, etc.) – Do you have a caring committee or outreach team?
Welcoming all – Do you want to welcome immigrants in your community or build a partnership with other faith traditions?
We grieve alongside Indigenous communities. We honor those who are missing. We speak their names. And we commit to learning, truth-telling and justice.
The ELCA’s Truth and Healing Movement offers resources to help you lament, learn and act: elca.org/TruthAndHealing. Additional resources can be found at elca.org/MMIW.
AB 121 – This bill requires landlords to list the total amount of rent, including mandatory fees, as a single figure in rental agreements and prohibits charging tenants more than the listed amount. It also mandates that landlords provide a fee-free payment method, prohibits excessive fees for online payment portals, and allows tenants to bring a civil action if these provisions are violated, with the court awarding relief to the tenant.
AB 223 – This bill introduces several changes to the relationship between landlords and tenants, including expanded tenant rights to terminate rental agreements without penalty if the landlord fails to maintain a habitable dwelling, requirements for landlords to accept multiple forms of rent payment, and increased tenant protections in cases of utility interruptions or safety concerns. It also revises the amount tenants can recover for unlawful acts by landlords and establishes procedures for expedited legal relief in disputes over unaddressed maintenance issues.
AB 89 – This bill requires regional, local, and state facilities for the detention and rehabilitation of children to adopt policies that generally prohibit unclothed searches, except under extraordinary circumstances, and establish specific requirements for any such searches.
AB 217 – This bill prohibits school districts, public schools, and their employees from providing federal immigration enforcement officers access to school grounds or student records without a court order and extends this restriction to local law enforcement officers enforcing immigration laws, making violations a misdemeanor. Additionally, it criminalizes the use of chemical agents or stun devices on minors by school police officers or school district employees in Clark County, mandates reporting and independent investigations of such incidents, and requires school boards to assess and adjust relevant policies.
AB 420 – This bill requires that if a school police officer or employee in Clark County uses a chemical agent or electronic stun device against a student, a report must be submitted to the school district’s board of trustees, which must conduct an independent investigation and determine whether the use was justified.
AB 96 – This bill requires that the master plan in counties with a population of 100,000 or more (currently Clark and Washoe Counties) include a heat mitigation element. The heat mitigation element must outline strategies such as creating public cooling spaces, providing public drinking water, and adding shade over paved surfaces.
AB 37 – This bill makes several changes to Nevada’s affordable housing policies, including renaming the Housing Advocate position to Housing Liaison and revising how low-income housing data is collected and reported. It also updates the definitions of affordable housing tiers, adjusts funding mechanisms for housing programs, and revises deadlines for affordable housing progress reports to improve transparency and planning.
AB 451 – This bill establishes a process for individuals to voluntarily restrict their ability to possess or acquire firearms, including the creation of a list of temporary restricted persons managed by the Department of Public Safety. It also requires law enforcement and firearm dealers to accept and process forms for inclusion on or removal from the list, and mandates denial or suspension of concealed carry permits for those on the list.
AB 88 – This bill removes the requirement for written approval from the district attorney before a juvenile court can place a child, who is alleged to have committed a gross misdemeanor or felony, under informal supervision.
AB 98 – This bill requires the Governor of Nevada to annually proclaim April 10 as “Dolores Huerta Day” to honor her contributions, in line with existing law that sets certain days of observance to commemorate important persons or occasions.
Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada 