CARSON CITY — Nevada ensured abortion access with the signing of two bills last week.
TV station News 4 reported that Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat, signed the bills on Friday.
From News 4:
The first, Senate Bill 179 or the Trust Nevada Women Act, would decriminalize outdated abortion laws in Nevada.
“I have been disappointed by the recent uptick in efforts in other states to restrict women’s right to choose, and I am especially proud today to be a Nevadan, where we protect a woman’s right to make her own decisions about her own body,” said Gov. Sisolak in his comments before signing this bill.The bill would remove punishments for those seeking an abortion and protect doctors who perform them. It would also protect those who use birth control measures and the day after pill.
In addition, Gov. Sisolak also signed a family planning bill that would allocate $6 million to local government agencies and non-profits.
That funding will help cover immunizations, different types of birth control, emergency contraception, and sterilization surgeries for residents across Nevada.
As with Illinois’ recent passage of the Reproductive Health Act, Nevada’s new laws were in reaction to the extreme anti-choice legislation in Southern and Midwestern states.
Along with both houses being controlled by Democrats, Nevada’s legislation is also the first and only one in the United States where women are the majority.