Nevadans Thank Lawmakers for Standing Up For Transparency, Public Participation in Special Session

NEVADA - Today, 21 members of the Nevada Assembly voted in a procedural vote to reject AB5, a measure that would give away $1.5 billion in transferable tax credits as a handout to Hollywood studios. To break the tie, legislative leaders allowed remote voting for lawmakers who could not be present – implemented as a safety measure during the pandemic – while simultaneously disallowing remote testimony for the public, requiring regular Nevadans to show up in person if they want their voices heard.

Shelbie Swartz, Executive Director of Battle Born Progress, issued the following statement:

“The first vote of this special session has laid bare just how ill-conceived this entire process is. Today, proponents of AB5, the Hollywood handout, barely had the support to pass the smallest procedural motion. Now, they’ve resorted to COVID-era parliamentary exceptions and restrictions on public testimony to jam through a piece of legislation that was added to the agenda by Governor Joe Lombardo, who didn’t care enough to ensure the votes were there before wasting taxpayer time and money adding this corporate handout to the special agenda. We thank the Assemblymembers Selena La Rue Hatch, Cecelia Gonzalez, and their colleagues in the Assembly who voted to reject this legislation, and urge their colleagues to think deeply about why proponents of this legislation were so willing to bend the rules in their favor.”

Olivia Tanager, Executive Director of the Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter, issued the following statement:

“Today’s vote in the Nevada Assembly demonstrated what we all know to be true- the proposal to give away over one billion dollars to the Hollywood elite is deeply unpopular, coming in with a one-vote margin to even be considered on the agenda. We are thankful for Assemblymember La Rue Hatch’s bravery, and for all the Assemblymembers who supported her motion to reject an unprecedented corporate handout. We call on all members of the Nevada legislature to stand up for working-class Nevadans who are collapsing under the weight of rising utility bills, cost of transportation, and extreme heat, and reject AB 5 as this special session continues.”

Laura Martin, Executive Director of Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, issued the following statement:

“All Nevadans should be thanking the 21 legislators who stood up for working people by voting to end a corporate handout, and demanding transparency from Assembly leadership. At a time when too many powerful interests expect taxpayer dollars with no accountability, the vote on Assemblymember Selena La Rue Hatch’s motion sends a clear message: public money should serve the public good, not corporate profits. Your courage and commitment to openness, fairness, and fiscal responsibility are a model for what real leadership looks like.”

Barbara Hartzell, Executive Director of Native Voters Alliance NV, issued the following statement:

“Assemblymember La Rue Hatch and the 20 other Assemblymembers who voted in support of this show us what real leadership looks like. They proved that when Nevadans are shut out of the process and multi-billion dollar studios are ushered in, there are still elected officials willing to stand on principle instead of convenience. They chose the public over pressure. They chose transparency over political theater. And they chose courage over whatever was offered to them in the shadows.

“Their vote makes one thing unmistakably clear. When faced with a one billion dollar corporate handout that never passed the smell test, some lawmakers looked for a way out while these 21 showed up for the people they serve. Nevadans see that difference. We know who stood tall when it mattered and who quietly stepped aside. Today’s vote proves that integrity is not a talking point. It is a choice. And these 21 chose the people.”

Andrew Clarke, Revenue Coalition Manager of New Day Nevada, issued the following statement:

"Today, 21 members of the Nevada Assembly chose transparency over backroom giveaways and stood up for public input at a moment when Nevadans have been denied.  They also stood with the 265,000 SNAP recipients who are soon to be denied the basic ability to put food on the table as Governor Lombardo seeks to empty out the pantry.

Every dollar in the General Fund matters more than ever, and Nevada cannot afford to lose a billion dollars to an industry that has failed to provide a meaningful return in state after state. We urge the full Legislature to follow their colleagues' lead and protect our safety net, not hand out massive giveaways to billion-dollar corporations. Nevadans deserve better than $5,000 a plate dinners and eroded public services."

Dawn Etcheverry, NSEA President, issued the following statement:

“It’s thanks to the good sense of NSEA member and Assemblymember Selena La Rue Hatch that Nevadans finally got a window into just how desperate and unnecessary this effort truly is. Nevada lawmakers should be focused on the real emergencies facing our state. More than anything, they should be dedicating their full attention to funding Nevada’s public schools, not using our state’s budget to fund Hollywood executives. We’re thankful for Assemblymember La Rue Hatch’s reminder that every dollar spent on corporate welfare is a dollar not spent funding our schools and other vital services.”

Blanca Macias-Villa, Deputy Director at Make the Road Action Nevada, issued the following statement:

“It’s frustrating to watch lawmakers rush through a billion-dollar handout for Hollywood while Nevada families are being told to wait for the basics. Our members are facing cuts to food assistance, health care, and child care, yet this special session is prioritizing tax breaks for studios with a long history of overpromising and leaving workers behind.

At Make the Road Action Nevada, we’re grateful to the lawmakers who stood up and said this wasn’t right. If the state has this kind of money available, it should go to our kids, our schools, and our futures — not out-of-state corporations. Nevadans deserve better than backroom deals and misplaced priorities. It’s time to put our communities first.”

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About Battle Born Progress: Battle Born Progress, through strategic communication efforts, empowers, engages and mobilizes Nevada voters to build a state where everyone has a fair opportunity to succeed. We support, engage, and mobilize the progressive community through bold leadership, strategic communications, accountability, and education. We are on the cutting edge of new media and are the go-to source for progressive issues and advocacy for traditional media.