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- By Native News Online Staff
On Monday, the Nevada Senate Committee on Government Affairs heard Assembly Bill 144, sponsored by Assemblymember Shea Backus.
The bill, which passed last month the Nevada Assembly with a 27–15 vote, would formally observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the second Monday in October—a date already observed by counties, businesses, and communities across the state and nation.
Taylor Patterson, Executive Director of Native Voters Alliance Nevada, issued the following statement:
“Nevada has an opportunity to correct the record. Not by removing anyone from it, but by finally telling the full story. Indigenous peoples have always been here. We have protected these lands since time immemorial, raised our families here, and fought to be recognized in systems that were never built for us.
“AB144 is not about a date. It is about the people who have carried the weight of erasure for generations and continue to lead with strength, purpose, and vision. It is about our youth, who deserve to see their identities honored in the civic life of this state. It is about our elders, who deserve to see the day they have long fought for become law.
“Assemblymember Backus is not only the sponsor of this bill. She is also Nevada’s only sitting Indigenous legislator. With this bill, she carries not just a policy, but a promise, one our communities have waited far too long to see fulfilled.
“The Senate now has a choice. Will it continue to look away, or will it finally recognize the people who have always been here and always will be?”
Native Voters Alliance Nevada is dedicated to forging a dynamic Native ecosystem and fostering political strength within Indigenous communities.
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