A Look At The Nevada Legislature:

What to Watch For

by Lisa Appelrouth Guzmán

Several bills (proposed laws) have been introduced dealing with welfare, women's, and low-income issues. NEW Project has been following these bills and presenting testimony in Carson City to insure that our legislators are aware of how these laws would affect low-income women and their families, for better or for worse.

Assembly Bills (AB) 4, 5, and 6 deal with health care for low-income children and families. AB4 seeks to eliminate the assets test for children and pregnant women when applying for Medicaid. Currently, resources over $2,000 for a family of 3 (after one vehicle is exempted) would make a family ineligible for Medicaid, although their monthly income is low enough to qualify. AB5 calls for a study of providing "presumptive eligibility" for children and pregnant women when applying for Medicaid or the Child Health Insurance (Nevada Check Up) Program. This would allow more timely medical care instead of waiting up to 45 days for a Medicaid application to be processed.

AB60, introduced by Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani (D-Las Vegas), calls for Nevada insurance companies to cover prescription contraceptives for female policyholders. Most policies do not cover contraceptives, leaving women in a difficult position. When women don't have access to reproductive health care services, another mouth to feed could cause a family to need public assistance. The $30 / month for oral contraceptives could be food on the table, gas in the car, or keeping the lights on for a family struggling to make ends meet. If men were the ones who were responsible for birth control, would this even be an issue?

While NEW Project supports the above bills, there is one on the Senate side (SB72) that gives great cause for concern. SB72 would give the Welfare Division theauthority to fingerprint 

welfare recipients and applicants. As if there wasn't enough stigma already attached to receiving public assistance, now it seems as though it's a CRIME to be poor. NEW Project spoke out against this bill at a hearing on February 22, and as of press time it looks like it has "died" in committee. In other words, it looks like this bill won't see the light of day again (at least this session).

Another Senate bill, SB89, calls for utility assistance for low-income families. Introduced by Senator Joe Neal (D-Las Vegas), this bill would create a fund from abandoned property. The funds would be administered by the Welfare Division to help low-income families with utility expenses.

Other bills of interest include AB301, which revises licensing provisions for child care centers and establishes loan programs for the construction of new child care facilities. AB302 looks at quality issues related to child care. "Heads Up" on SB150, which seeks to change the way in which CHILD SUPPORT is calculated. This bill could make single mothers end up on the short end of the stick by taking into consideration other children or a former spouse that the noncustodial parent may have obligations to.

While these are some of the bills that NEW Project is interested in to date, chances are that more will come up before the March 22 introduction deadline. If you have internet access, you can read ALL of the Assembly and Senate bills and check their status at www.leg.state.nv.us. If not, you can call the Legislative Hotline at

(800) 978-2878. Remember, it's important to let your Assemblyperson and Senator know how you feel about these issues. You really can make a difference in whether or not these bills become law. If you are not sure who your representatives are, you can call your Voter Registrar at 328-3670 (Washoe) or 455-8683 (Clark). NEW Project is also here to help you understand the process and get involved. If you would like to join us in Carson City to share your thoughts on these issues, please call us!

College IS Possible!

by Rocío López

Have you ever considered going to college? Although this may be a frightening thought, it can be the ticket to making your dreams come true. You might be asking yourself, "Where would I start? How would I pay for it?" Maybe you have a million and one questions about college, but no answers. Well, help is now on the way! The University of Nevada, Reno has started holding "College Is Possible" workshops. I attended the session on February 24 and found it very informative. They began with a "pep talk" on entering college, then covered important topics such as admission, financial aid, child care, academic and Career Counseling, the Non-Traditional Student Union, and many other campus resources. Another wonderful thing was that they provided cookies, donuts, and coffee, as well as lunch! The greatest thing though was that everyone was very friendly and eager to answer everyone's questions about going to college. I wish I had been able to participate in something like this before starting UNR. They even provided child care for those attending the workshop.

NEW Project has been working closely with UNR faculty and students to help increase educational opportunities for low-income women, especially single mothers. Although it might seem challenging, YOU CAN DO IT! There will be another "College Is Possible" workshop on Saturday, April 17 at 8:30am. Child care will be provided. For more information, please call Kathy Carson at the UNR Student Transition Program, 784-4633, or NEW Project at 348-9566.

Message from the President

Teresa Benitez

I hope you are all doing well. This month, I would like to share an exciting experience with you. On February 1, I began a Legislative internship with Assemblywoman Jan Evans. This has been a great opportunity for me. As an aspiring politician, it's a wonderful feeling to be so immersed in the political process. As a woman, I have felt positive about the amount of supportive legislation that has been introduced this session. Bills regarding Medicaid eligibility and reproductive health care provide opportunities for women to receive much-needed services. As a Latina, I felt great that the first memo I received was a notice about improving the healthcare status of people of color in the United States. What a good foot to start out on! But with only 120 days to create policy this session, we must make sure that our issues don't get pushed to the bottom of the agenda. Stay informed of what's going on in Carson City. Find out who your representatives are and talk to them. One of the first things I realized during my internship is that they really do listen! By taking an active part in the political process, you can make policy happen FOR you, not TO you.

Stirring Things Up in Southern Nevada:

NEW Project Holds First Las Vegas Meeting

by Cyndi Stearns-Estes

On Thursday, February 18, NEW Project's Southern Nevada branch held its first monthly meeting. We were very pleased with the turnout, but our work has only just begun! We hope to have more and more people at each meeting. If you would like to work with us on being PRO-ACTIVE, instead of RE-ACTIVE when it comes to women's issues, please join us on the third Thursday of each month at the NEW Project office. And bring a friend! Free food and child care are always provided.

After getting to know each other, we discussed the upcoming Grassroots Lobby Days training and legislation of interest (see article on page 1). Next we talked about how NEW Project can participate in a week of action with other organizations around the country to highlight how women are being hurt by welfare reform. Actions will be planned during May 3 - 10, which encompasses Mother's Day on May 9. If you would like to work with us on an event or have any ideas, please call the NEW Project office.

Finally, Brenda Teig and Dixie Massengale of Nevada Legal Services talked about rights and responsibilities for those receiving welfare benefits. With the drastic drop in Nevada's welfare rolls, there is concern that people are being discouraged from applying or receiving benefits due to mountains of red tape and other obstacles. If you or someone you know is in this position, please call NEW Project or Nevada Legal Services at (800) 522-1070 (So. NV) or (800) 323-8666 (No. NV). Thanks to Brenda and Dixie for joining us and sharing their knowledge with us!

Please join us for our March meeting when we will be discussing the MOMS and Healthy Kids programs, which provide healthcare services to low-income children and pregnant women. See back for meeting details.