By Dave Andrusko
After narrowly passing in the legislature, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo has signed SB 131, the “abortion trafficker protection bill.”
SB131 “seeks to make Nevada an Abortion Trafficking hot spot by prohibiting Nevada law enforcement from cooperating with investigations of a crime that doesn’t exist in Nevada,” Nevada Right to Life explained. “SB131 sides with predators over parents and abortionists over women.”
Lombardo, who ousted Democratic incumbent Steve Sisolak as Nevada governor in 2022, “signed legislation Tuesday that codifies a Sisolak executive order banning state agencies from helping out-of-state investigations into abortion patients who are from a different state,” The Hill’s Lauren Sforza reported. “The bill will also make sure that medical governing boards and commissions do not discipline those who provide abortions.”
The governor “originally said he would repeal the executive order, but said months later he would uphold it, a reversal that Sisolak’s campaign repeatedly emphasized,” according to the AP’s Gabe Stern. “In February, he signaled that he would sign the bill.”
“Of course we are disappointed that SB131 became a law,” said Melissa Clement, Executive Director of Nevada Right to Life. “It’s flawed and it’s not good for our state, especially our children. Sadly, we have a super minority in both houses. Elections have consequences. Yesterday’s bill signing was a horrible example of that.”
Clement added, “Every Pro-life Nevadan needs to think about how they feel today, as life is challenged and make a pledge to not only vote, but vote early, and make sure, everyone in their network votes as well. Only when Pro-life voters get off the sidelines, will we protect innocent life in Nevada.”
Nevada’s Democratic-controlled legislature earlier this month “advanced a resolution that would enshrine the existing abortion rights in the state constitution, which would make it much harder to repeal.” Stern reported After passing the 2023 session, it must also pass in 2025 before appearing in front of voters on the 2026 ballot. That process does not include the governor’s approval.”