Criminal justice advocates in Nevada are voicing strong opposition to provisions in Governor Joe Lombardo’s Senate Bill 457. The bill passed the Nevada Senate after a sweeping amendment was introduced without prior public notice. Critics argue that the amendment includes measures they have long opposed, such as warrantless wiretapping and increased power for corporate resort entities, which could undermine constitutional protections.
Athar Haseebullah, Executive Director of the ACLU of Nevada, expressed concerns over the lack of transparency and potential erosion of civil liberties: “The bill has been a disaster, with back door dealing, chaos, and a lack of transparency throughout. An amendment brought forward to undermine civil liberties, including allowing for expanded warrantless wiretapping while expanding the power of powerful strip resort properties isn’t what these electeds ran on."
Clark County Deputy Public Defender Paloma Guerrero criticized the amendment's impact on constitutional rights: “The conceptual amendment adopted today flies in the face of a number of constitutional best practices and includes proposals that seek to keep people locked up for longer before they can access a bail hearing.”
Quentin Savwoir, NAACP Las Vegas president, highlighted community concerns: “Our members and communities want safe neighborhoods... It’s another mass incarceration bill that we know doesn’t work."
Angela Knott from Washoe County's Public Defender Office pointed out procedural issues: "This bill has advanced without the benefit of a comprehensive vetting process or broad stakeholder collaboration."
Nick Shepack from the Fines and Fees Justice Center emphasized the importance of treatment over punishment: “People who earn a dismissal by completing a specialty or treatment court program deserve a well-earned chance to repair their lives... SB457 prioritizes both financial and carceral punishment over treatment.”