'Groundbreaking' bills honor Nevada's indigenous peoples, outlaws sundown sirens, provides free tuition, and more

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak signed into law Friday three bills that directly affect Nevada's indigenous tribes and communities, including providing free tuition for native students, outlawing sundown sirens and racially offensive mascots, and transfers management for the Stewart Indian School museum and cultural center.

The bill signing was held Friday at the campus of the Stewart Indian School, and Gov. Sisolak was joined by tribal elders as well as legislative representatives.

AB 88: The first bill signed into law was Assembly Bill (AB) 88 which pertains to the prohibition of racially discriminatory mascots as well as outlawing the use of sundown sirens. The bill also requires the Nevada State Board on Geographic Names to recommend changes to the names of geographic features or places that are racially discriminatory.

To read the full text of AB 88, click here.

Section one of AB 88 requires the board of trustees of each school district to adopt a policy that prohibits the use of any name, logo, mascot, song or other identifier that is racially discriminatory or contains racially discriminatory language or imagery.

It also authorizes the board of trustees of a school district to use an identifier associated with a federally recognized indigenous tribe if the board of trustees or governing body obtains permission for the use of the identifier from the tribe.

Section two of the bill prohibits any county, township or city in the state of Nevada from sounding a siren, bell or alarm at a time during which the siren, bell or alarm was previously sounded on specific days or times in association with an ordinance enacted by the county which required persons of a particular race, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin or color to leave the county or a city, town or township within the county by a certain time.

This has been a hard-fought battle locally, as the sundown siren in Minden still sounds every evening at 6 p.m. The siren was briefly suspended in 2006 after requests from the tribe, but Douglas County residents complained, and the siren returned. The siren has been an ongoing, painful reminder of the sundown ordinance that required all people of color to leave town by 6:30 p.m. every night; an ordinance that wasn't even repealed until the 1970s.

Town Manager J.D. Frisby stated that Minden will not silence its siren regardless of legislation because the siren is "unconnected" to the ordinance, according to an article by the Reno Gazette Journal.

Section three of the bill requires that any geographic feature or place that has a racially discriminatory name to be renamed, and requires the board to submit an annual report on any recommendations to change the name of a place or feature.

AB 262: AB 262 pertains to free tuition granted for indigenous students.

To read the full text of AB 262, click here.

Section 1.2 of the bill requires that the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada grant a waiver of registration fees, per-credit fees or other fees associated with course enrollment and laboratory fees for Native American students that demonstrate they are a member of a federally recognized indigenous tribe or nation located within Nevada, is eligible for enrollment in a school within the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE), has been a resident of Nevada for at least one year, has maintained at least a 2.0 grade point average, and has completed the free application for federal student aid.

Section 1.4 of the bill requires the board to prepare and submit an annual report regarding the number of students eligible and the total funding available for such a waiver.

AB 270: Pertains to the Stewart Indian School campus, as well as the historic Nevada State Prison. To read the full text of AB 270, click here.

In Section 2.5 of the bill, the Museum Director of the Stewart Indian School Cultural Center and Museum will enter into an agreement with the State Land Registrar to designate which buildings and grounds of the former Stewart Indian School to be under the management of the Museum Director, and authorizes the director to grant special use permits to hold special events at or on the designated buildings and grounds.

Section 2 and 2.5 of the bill requires that any money received for special events be paid into the state treasury for credit to the Nevada Indian Commission’s Gift Fund for the purpose of carrying out programs to preserve and maintain the buildings and grounds of the Stewart Indian School campus.

Section 4 of the bill authorizes the sale or consumption of beer and wine at certain events held within the historic structures, buildings and other property of the Nevada State Prison.

The remaining sections fo the bill pertains to funding of the historic Nevada State Prison.

Stacey Montooth, Executive Director of the Nevada Indian Commission, stated that the bill signing ceremony was put together in under 48 hours.

“I say unequivocally, there has never been a better time to be indigenous, and live in the state of Nevada,” said Montooth.

Tribal elders, including those who are alumni from the Stewart Indian School, attended the ceremony, along with descendants of those indigenous students who were kidnapped by the federal government and forced to attend the school in order to forcibly assimilate them. Students were taken from their families, forced to have their hair cut, and were beaten if they spoke their native languages.

“All these beautiful souls, all these direct descendent of the boarding school era, you are proof of our resilience our strength and our triumph as a people,” said Montooth. “I invite you to listen to them, to listen to our elders, to hear the firsthand accounts of our alumni. Ladies and gentlemen, Indian country is just getting warmed up.”

“It’s a real honor, and I mean that sincerely, to be here today,” said Gov. Sisolak.

Regarding the bill granting native students free tuition, Gov. Sisolak stated: “When I see the young people in the audience today, you will be the beneficiaries of this bill. It is extremely important for all of us, that you take advantage of this.”

“Mr. Governor, you have now exponentially brought into the academic future of potentially 70,000 native americans,” said Montooth. “I use that large number not to scare NSHE, but because in Indian country, when one of us earns a degree, our entire family earns a degree. Mr. Governor, your commitment to the social and environmental justice is unprecedented in the state of Nevada.”

Montooth presented Gov. Sisolak with a uniquely beaded Stewart ball cap, and presented the first lady, who flew up from southern Nevada in order to attend the signing, with a uniquely beaded necklace.

Assemblyman P.K. O’Neill (District 40) thanked the tribal elders, the tribal members and alumni as well as guests for attending the signing. He also spoke on why the Nevada State Prison and Stewart Indian School were place din the same bill, AB 270

“Both facilities have a connection: they are long-standing in our Nevada history, both good and bad,” said O’Neill. “We need to teach that, have that available, so our future generations do not repeat (our mistakes). That is the strongest part of these bills today, to prepare our future generations to be better than we are.”

Gov. Sisolak signed the three bills atop an orange cloth that, according to Montooth, was there to recognize the 250 indigenous children that were found in a mass grave outside of a similar indigenous boarding school in Canada earlier this week.

The ceremony ended with two tribal members performing an honor song.