Laws we are watching

Nevada

Nevada Policy Tracker: A guide to key issues in the 2023 legislative session

https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/nevada-policy-tracker-a-guide-to-key-issues-in-the-2023-legislative-session

Abortion

Abortion is safe and legal in the State of Nevada. The procedure is governed by NRS 442.250. Any person in Nevada who is pregnant has the legal right to choose to have an abortion when performed by a licensed physician within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. An abortion may be performed after 24 weeks where the physician has reasonable cause to believe an abortion is necessary to preserve the life or health of the pregnant person. You do not have to be a Nevada resident to receive abortion care in the state.

Expanding on NRS 442.250, in 2019, Governor Sisolak signed into law Senate Bill 179, the Trust Nevada Women Act, which decriminalized medication abortions and removed antiquated informed consent laws and other barriers to accessing reproductive health care. Governor Sisolak continues his commitment to ensuring Nevadans have access to safe and legal reproductive health care, including abortion, by expanding on the progress made in the Trust Nevada Women Act and challenging any attacks on existing law.

Walgreens won’t distribute abortion pills in states where GOP AGs object: 

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/02/walgreens-abortion-pills-00085325

https://dpbh.nv.gov/Programs/MIP/AbortionInNevada/#:~:text=Abortion%20is%20safe%20and%20legal,first%2024%20weeks%20of%20pregnancy.

https://www.abortionfinder.org/abortion-guides-by-state/abortion-in-nevada

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_Nevada

https://www.findlaw.com/state/nevada-law/nevada-abortion-laws.html

Queer/Gay

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Nevada

https://www.equaldex.com/region/united-states/nevada

https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/profile_state/NV

Transgender

On the LGBTQ+ front, the legal assault against our trans brothers and sisters continues, making travel sketchy. / In Nevada, the governor vetoed a "shield" law in June that would have protected healthcare providers from prosecution if they continue to provide gender-affirming care. The governor also vetoed a bill that would have enshrined protections for incarcerated trans people. The governor, a Trump supporter signed to laws in 2023 that prevented insurance companies from discriminating against trans patients and that mandated the Dept of Corrections provide protections for the incarcerated LGBTQ+ community. These issues don't necessarily affect HSC attendees but could if they run out of or lose their meds, or if they find themselves arrested for LV-related partying shenanigans. 

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/equalitymap

https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/nevada-bans-so-called-gay-trans-panic-defenses-n1007086 

https://freedomforallamericans.org/legislative-tracker/anti-transgender-legislation 

https://transequality.org/documents/state/nevada

https://lambdalegal.org/newsroom/nv_20221117_nv-removes-discriminatory-ban-on-medically-necessary-facial-surgery 

Las Vegas

International Travel

Things are not good in Vegas if you are a DACA/Dreamer, or international student planning on heading to Hacker Summer Camp. The LVPD has signed a 287(g) agreement with ICE, with the full backing of the mayor. What this means is that anyone picked up by the PD for any infraction can be held an additional 48 hours so that ICE can come to retrieve them for detention and deportation. No papers, no release. Green card? Student visa? No release. Traveling thru airports? Risk of being flagged and disappeared on the spot by TSA handing over to CBP or ICE. Bus terminals and train stations thus far haven't been tagged, but TSA doesn't operate there. I haven't seen reports of raids at train stations, but I do know CBP has boarded buses and demanded documentation. It's certain people have been detained.

Clark County

We haven't found anything yet.

International Travel

If you're uneasy about traveling to the US this year to attend The Diana Initiative, you're not alone. The current political administration in the U.S. has led to some uncertainty, along with new risks, for international travelers. 

If you decide not to travel, you can still connect with us by signing up to our newsletter and participate in our upcoming CTF.

Resources for people traveling from outside of the US:

• Border search guide from the EFF, including the pocket guide.

• The EFF also has a guide specifically for international students. Among other things, this guide highlights the risk that social media postings and other free speech can be used as a basis for denying entry to the U.S., or result in having student visas revoked.

• The EFF's primary digital security resource covers Surveillance Self Defense in detail.

• The ACLU has this guide on search and seizure of electronic devices at the border. The main takeaway from from this is: Yes, your devices can be seized, cloned, inspected, etc., and you can be forced to provide any needed passcode, password, biometric ID, etc. to unlock the device. This applies to US citizens and non-citizens, and can happen before you are admitted to the U.S.

Note: the government can engage in searches and seizures of your property without any suspicion of wrongdoing, and you will not be able to contact an attorney until you are either admitted or, if you're a non-citizen, denied entry.

To see more information on traveling internationally please visit: https://hope.net/international-tips.html