Legislative Goals
I am committed to doing more than just talking about the challenges facing our community and state. I believe we must work together to find real answers to our problems.
I’ll continue to focus on these issues in the State Senate:
(click on any topic to read more)
Economic Security for Working Families
Working families and retirees are my priority and I will always put them first. We must ensure that hard work is rewarded with a fair wage, and workers are treated with dignity and respect. We must continue to bolster our skilled trades and technical workforce as well, to expand our middle class and support our community’s growth.
One of the reasons I ran for office is that I believe we need a representative in the State Senate who will fight for families and who will stand up for Nevada workers. I am committed to better working conditions for all Nevadans, with jobs that provide good wages and benefits, including family health care coverage. I support equal pay for women and establishing a paid sick leave program for workers so they do not have to fear losing their jobs in case of illness or a family emergency.
In the State Senate, I fought to expand worker protections, establish paid family leave for businesses receiving state tax credits, and ensured workers who get laid off are paid in a timely manner.
In our volatile and ever-changing economy, we need to make sure that our senior citizens can count on their savings accounts and pensions being there when they retire. Retirement income security is a growing concern for so many Nevadans—those already retired and those planning for their retirement years. I support policies that help seniors enjoy the economic security they worked so hard for, including measures to help seniors get the at-home care, services they need and out of expensive nursing facilities.
Investing In Education
While we still need further investments in our schools, things have improved. In the State Senate, I voted to pass the largest K-12 education budget in state history, with the greatest increase in the nation. I also fought hard to ensure local school districts received the money they needed to provide our educators a meaningful raise. This led to Washoe teachers receiving a much deserved 20% pay increase!
As the father of two children who went through Washoe County public schools, I have always worked hard to find ways to improve education in our state, whether it was volunteering with the school district or supporting legislation to properly fund our schools and to ensure more accountability from them.
My education priorities are:
- Continue to reduce overcrowding
- Ensure our schools are safe environments
- Recruit and retain the best teachers
- Make sure our coursework, including career and technical education, is preparing students for their future
- Support early childhood education to give our youngest students a firm foundation to succeed
- Promote greater accountability for school spending.
We must focus on strengthening career and technical education in our high schools and community colleges. Our community colleges play a critical role in responding to the needs of a fast-changing job market by providing students the job ready skills they need to fill the new jobs coming to our state.
Housing Affordability
More and more people are struggling to find affordable housing. This past legislative session, I fought to protect renters from price gouging and from landlords who charge bogus fees. I also introduced legislation that capped rent increases for mobile home park space rent. Unfortunately, legislation protecting Nevadans from these actions was vetoed by Governor Lombardo.
In previous legislative sessions, I have supported legislation, such as former Senator Ratti’s SCR1, to create an interim study to examine affordable housing issues. For many of us, this study confirmed what we already knew to be true. That home-based health care is part of housing affordability. That’s why I was proud to vote for a budget that increased the minimum wage for home health care workers.
Improving Healthcare Access & Cost
While there is considerable uncertainty in our health care system due to what’s happening in Washington, we are working here at home to make health care more affordable, accessible and efficient for all Nevadans. I am committed to helping Nevadans reduce the cost and barriers to quality health care, and make good health care decisions through more transparency. I will continue to urge our congressional delegation to allow Medicare to negotiate with the pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug costs.
In the State Senate, I took on Big Pharma and championed legislation to lower prescription drug prices. I also fought to protect a woman’s right to choose and voted to pass legislation allowing Nevadans the ability to enact constitutional protections for reproductive health care.
Simply, I believe every Nevadan should have access to life saving health care at a price they can afford.
Accountability & Transparency in Government
Ensuring that taxpayers’ money is spent in the most efficient and effective way possible is one of my top priorities – they’re my family’s tax dollars too! I have always been a strong advocate of greater oversight of government spending.
In the State Senate, I fought to ensure “Fake Electors” attempting to subvert the will of the voters could be prosecuted in a court of law. I also believe that when politicians accept big donations, those should be made public. That is why I authored legislation to ensure constitutional officers disclose all of their donors.
As we move forward in our state, we must continue to ensure greater accountability from our government every step of the way.
We should expect that every dollar is spent for its intended purpose and produces results. I have consistently fought for policies that require more oversight and accountability at all levels of government.