Although attention is focused on the upcoming November election, not long after the campaigns have closed shop and the winners been announced, organizations will gear up to have an impact in the 2009 Nevada legislative session. NOW member and past-president of Southern Nevada NOW, Melissa Cleary, is keeping her eye on bills that are in development that may affect the plight of Nevada women. Melissa has already identified several bills that are working their way through the bill introduction process:

• BDR 8 would create a state registry of persons convicted of domestic violence and similar crimes.
• BDR 40-151 would provide for the issuance of a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth.
• BDR 210 would revise provisions related to Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
• BDR 261 is sponsored by the Attorney General and would increase the penalty for subsequent convictions of crimes which constitute domestic violence.
• BDR 490 would revise provisions requiring arrest for suspected battery constituting domestic violence.

There are others. Get involved in helping NOW monitor bills as they are developed. And if you would like to help lobby for or against bills during the next legislative session, you may want to consider attending a workshop on grassroots lobbying being offered by the Nevada Women’s Lobby:

Lobbying 101
Saturday November 15, 2008
Clark County Government Center
500 Grand Central Parkway
Las Vegas, NV
RSVP Required to NVWL@aol.com