Nevada governor signs bills allowing better access to women's health care
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak signed legislation measures Tuesday from the 81st Legislative Session in support of women's health care that provide for better access in state courthouses, schools and for women using birth control.
Gov. Sisolak was joined by sponsors of the legislation, during the signing, including Senator Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, Assembly Majority Floor Leader Teresa Benitez-Thompson, and Assemblywoman Bea Duran, according to a news release. He was also accompanied by Samantha Glover, a student who brought the Assembly Bill 224 proposal forward to Assemblywoman Duran that will require schools to provide feminine hygiene products in bathrooms at no cost to the students.
“Increasing access to health care is a cornerstone of my administration, which is why I was so glad to see the Nevada Legislature bring forward so many bills related to improving the health of Nevadans — and more importantly, related to women’s health, said Governor Sisolak. ”Together, we are making Nevada a more inclusive and healthy State.”
The governor signed the following bills in support of women's health:
Assembly Bill 196 - Sponsored by Assemblywoman Benitez-Thompson and presented with Lt. Governor Kate Marshall and Jennifer Richards, a disability rights attorney, this bill requires each courthouse to contain a lactation room that may be used by members of the public to express breast milk — separate from a bathroom.
Assembly Bill 224: Sponsored by Assemblywoman Duran, this legislation requires middle schools, junior high schools, and high schools to provide feminine hygiene products in school bathrooms at no cost to the students. An evaluation related to how accessible these products are will be included in a school’s annual accountability reports.
Senate Bill 190: Sponsored by Senator Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, this legislation will allow women to receive birth control through a pharmacy and bypass a doctor’s visit by requiring our Chief Medical Officer to issue a standing prescription order.