THE ISSUES
We all want to be happy!
As your Assemblyman, I will work to conserve those qualities that have made Assembly District 13 the best place to live in Las Vegas, protect our unique nature (wildlife, mountains, parks), and defend your right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
I believe that all of us are of equal, inestimable worth and value and that each of us is unique and important. I think we can all agree on the need for more compassion and that is the main issue.
I Pledge to Push Nevada FORWARD
Click on an Issue to learn more
Election
Security
To secure our elections, we must eliminate the unfair influence ultra-wealthy individuals and companies have on them.
Good candidates can turn into bad politicians because of the unrelenting demands of constant fundraising. We all will be better off if elected officials can focus on the will of the people instead of the demands of high-dollar donors.
As State Assemblyperson, I will work to:
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Provide tools to help every Nevadan learn about the issues at hand in order to make informed choices
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Demand truth in advertising in politics
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Modernize the voting process by offering fraud-proof voting via technology that already exists
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Democratize election funding to restore equal representation (one person, one vote)
By making voting accessible to all Nevadans, whether through traditional in-person voting at the polls, by mail, or through secure technology, our elections will be more secure, more reflective of the will of the people, and immune to corruption.
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ActiVote provides just the facts on candidates and elections, allowing people on their own time to easily access relevant and unbiased information about upcoming elections and candidates.
Environment
and Energy
The Nevada we love will not exist for our children or grandchildren if we do not act now.
Wildfires, drought, and higher temperatures are problems we can address. Instead of limiting our conversations to what is best for the "bottom line," we should expand our thinking to include what's best "down the line."
As State Assemblyperson, I will work to:
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We have a lot of sun. We should make it easy and more convenient for it to power our homes, businesses, and schools.
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We have a lot of construction. Let's use sustainable practices as we continue to develop. Job creation comes from creativity. It's time to use our imaginations to revolutionize construction.
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All government buildings should be upgraded to the highest efficiency and sustainability standards. We've got to lead by example. We can't just write rules for everyone else to follow. As your representatives, we should hold ourselves to the highest standards.
The ROI is clear - Nevada continues to be habitable. As we continue to grow, we are going to need more energy. As your State Assemblyperson, I’ll invest in clean energy innovation for our now and for our future.
Healthcare
and Wellness
Healthcare access is a right, healthcare availability simply isn't enough.
Healthy food, clean water, and clean air are routinely sacrificed in the name of short-term financial profit. A stress-free lifestyle is sacrificed for corporate greed, forcing the typical American to work harder and longer for less money, leaving them without time and energy to participate in healthy activities.
As State Assemblyperson, I will work to:
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Consider food and money as part of any serious discussion about how to make Nevada a healthier place.
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Provide all Nevadans the access to the primary and mental health care they deserve, regardless of income level or employment status.
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Ensure no Nevadan is held hostage by a job because their medical treatment depends on their employer.
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Attract more mental health providers, dentists, physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals and make it possible for their patients to see them when needed.
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Provide Health Coaches to help folks make the lifestyle changes needed to improve their health and Navigators to ensure everyone has access to the system
As a health promotion professional, I can personally attest to the fact that millions of dollars can be saved by promoting good health and preventing sickness. COVID-19 has demonstrated the long-ignored truth that we are only as healthy as our most vulnerable and each person should be able to make their own healthcare decisions.
As State Assemblyperson, I will take a holistic approach to health and work to add "Wellness Capital of the World" to Nevada’s many prestigious designations.
Housing
for All
Housing is a right, not a luxury.
Being unhoused should never be criminalized. Emergency shelters are a needed stopgap but are not the appropriate tool to end homelessness in Nevada.
As State Assemblyperson, I will work to:
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Stabilize neighborhoods
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Enact equitable rent guidelines to support people staying in their homes
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Enact policy preventing the continued spread of corporation-owned communities that drive up housing values and displace new buyers and lower-income individuals, preventing them from obtaining homeownership
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Expand programs that support first-time homebuyers
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Remove regulatory barriers that deter sustainable development
People experiencing homelessness deserve to live with dignity and respect. Poverty is a policy choice. I believe that housing should be decommodified. We have the ability to do better, and we must.
It's time to reconnect the brain to the body. Mental healthcare is healthcare and everyone deserves access.
No one should have to face depression, anxiety, or any mental health challenge without support. Healthcare is a right and should cover the whole person.
As State Assemblyperson, I will work to:
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Expand access to mental health providers
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Eliminate the stigma associated with mental healthcare
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Prioritize addressing the causes of mental illness
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Remove barriers to wellness and health
We are facing a mental health crisis that demands bold action. Mental health should be integrated into the overall healthcare system. Mental illness and substance misuse should not be criminalized, they should be healed.
Living Wages and Jobs
Human Centered
Economy
No one should have a full-time job and not be able to afford the rent.
Why are we working so many hours for so little pay? Why are we producing more but getting less time with our families? Clearly, our economy isn't serving our best interests. It's time to put people, not big business, first.
As a small business owner, I know what it's like to own a job. The long hours, many responsibilities, and high stress isn't something people know looking in from the outside. The reality is, if my business isn't producing enough revenue to hire someone at a living wage, then my business isn't ready to hire. If I only pay the bare minimum to get someone through the door, then I am not running a successful business, I am exploiting a broken system and desperate people.
The solution isn't to just add more jobs. We must better recognize the role jobs are meant to play. The purpose of work is to improve conditions for life, not to rob us of it. Creating a job market that offers more leisure time so that our families can connect again is my goal.
The bottom line is it should pay to work in Nevada.
“If they give it to the poor, they call it a handout; if they give it to the rich, they call it a subsidy.”
—Martin Luther King, Jr.
The real question isn't "How much money do we have?" but "What needs doing, and how do we budget to meet those goals?"
As we have seen, corporations are raking in record profits. How is this possible when there is also record inflation? It's time to put humans, not corporations, back in the center of the economy so that we can all experience our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
As your next Assemblyman, I pledge to:
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Take a solutions-based, human-centered approach to the economy.
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Ask what kind of markets we want, not just what problems need to be fixed.
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Demand a social foundation that ensures that no Nevadan goes without the essentials.
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Ensure that our growth doesn't overshoot the ecological bounds of Nevada’s life-supporting systems.
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Create policy that places business risks on business owners, not their employees.
Economic injustice is a form of violence that we can end. We must shift from a mindset of endless growth to one of thriving within sustainable limits. The true driver of the economy is not profit but creativity. It’s time to structure Nevada’s economy around us.
The future growth of our state depends on having abundant resources, housing, and opportunity along with world-class healthcare, education, and culture.
Public Safety
and Justice
We must get tough on the root causes of crime.
Trauma drives people to the criminal justice system, which, all too often, adds to the trauma of those who are detained or on the verge of incarceration, as well as their children, families, and neighbors. Our approach to dealing with crime and violence has often been punitive and unproductive, neglecting the underlying roots of our issues. We know that crime can be dramatically reduced if we make the investment.
As your next Assemblyman, I pledge to take more effective approach to public safety. I will advocate to:
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Focus on studying and promoting restorative justice programs and approaches for criminal justice reform.
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Address cash bail.
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Engage at-risk youth, and offer them the resources, education, and counseling that will help them succeed.
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Expand afterschool programs, including arts education, to build a culture of teamwork and collaboration starting with our youth.
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Create a trauma-informed environment inside the juvenile justice system.
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Encourage and invest in the teaching of Social and Emotional learning to increase the number of programs that provide life skills such as conflict resolution, emotional literacy, and communication in schools and at the community level.
"Gang violence is connected to bullying is connected to school violence is connected to intimate partner violence is connected to child abuse is connected to elder abuse. It's all connected. "
—Deborah Prothrow-Stith, M.D., Dean, Drew College of Medicine
LGBTQIA+ equality is part of our founding principles. Every Nevada deserves to live free from fear and fully included regardless of who they love.
As your next Assemblyman, I pledge to:
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Fight to ensure every LGBTQIA+ Nevadan is protected by law at work, school, and in their communities.
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Work to expand LGBTQIA+ representation in government.
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Support making adoption and surrogacy more accessible and affordable.
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Advocate to reduce LGBTQIA+ health disparities.
As a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I am committed to ensuring the equal rights and full inclusion of all Nevadans.
As a #VOTEPROCHOICE endorsed candidate, supporting the right to choose how and when to raise a thriving family in a safe, healthy, and sustainable community is a top priority.
As your next Assemblyman, I pledge to:
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Advocate for universal healthcare access for all Nevadans.
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Strengthen laws that protect bodily autonomy.
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Champion science-based sex education.
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Support post-birth leave time for both parents.
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Fight to expand childcare services and afterschool programs.
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Improve the economic condition of every Nevadan.
I fully support the right to choose. Being pro-choice means that I am pro-options. As a person of faith and conscience, it is my duty to ensure any barrier to a person's ability to start or expand their family is removed.
The majority of Americans, including gun owners, support common sense gun laws. Nevadans have a right to be safe from gun violence.
As your next Assemblyman, I pledge to:
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Support universal background checks.
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Raise awareness about gun safety.
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Support child-proofing guns.
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Support disarming domestic violence and hate crime offenders.
Gun violence is an epidemic in our nation, but Nevada is on the right track. We must continue pushing Nevada forward so that we become the safest state in the nation. It is both possible and necessary that we end gun violence in schools. Our kids are worth it!
I fully support common sense gun laws.
Teacher Pay and Education
It's time to upgrade Nevada's education system. Education should be prioritized as a public safety investment.
As your next Assemblyperson, I pledge to:
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Increase our investment per pupil.
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Work to increase teacher compensation.
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Expand access to pre-k education.
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Make public university accessible to all Nevadans
Parents should have a choice of schools for their children regardless of their income level or zip code. If a parent opts for private education, they should be able to make that decision without creating a disadvantage for the children in public schools and without restricting their children from learning the same information as all other students.
I fully support the NSEA "Time For 20" initiative.
