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Nevada to allow pregnant women to use taxpayer money to fund abortions

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Nevada to allow pregnant women to use taxpayer money to fund abortions


Nevada is set to become the 18th state to allow low-income pregnant women to use Medicaid funds to pay for abortions.

The state government declined to appeal a judge’s ruling earlier this year that found denying coverage for abortions violated Nevada’s equal rights protections adopted by voters in 2022.

It’s unclear when the coverage will begin, but the ruling judge said it should be no later than early November.

“Nevadans who have Medicaid as their health insurance will no longer need to fear that they will be forced to carry a pregnancy against their will,” Rebecca Chan, a lawyer with the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, which sued in the case, said.

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The issue of abortion has become a key voter issue across the country since 2022 when the US Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, which had federally guaranteed abortion access for women for half a century.

Protesters march in Reno, Nev., after SCOTUS over turned Roe v. Wade in 2022. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Low-income women in Nevada can have their abortions covered by Medicaid beginning in November. AP

Most GOP-controlled states have implemented bans or restrictions —  including 14 that have barred abortion at all stages of pregnancy, with some exceptions, and four more that generally prohibit it after about the first six weeks of pregnancy. 

Conversely, most blue states have moved to protect and expand access to abortions. Nevada, whose legislature is controlled by Democrats, is among the states that has protected access.

Just this past week, a judge struck down North Dakota’s abortion ban and Arizona repealed its long-dormant 1864 law that criminalized all abortions except when a woman’s life was jeopardized.

Voters in The Silver State will consider enshrining the right to abortion in the state constitution in November. If the referendum passes, there will be a second vote in 2026.

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However, a major issue even in states where abortions are readily available to women is whether the procedure is covered by Medicaid for patients on the joint state-federal program for those with lower incomes.

Nevada will be the 18th state to allow patients to pay for abortions with Medicaid. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Under a 1977 law, federal funds are prohibited from paying for abortion except in cases of rape, incest and when abortion is necessary to save the life of the pregnant person.  States are permitted to use their allocations to pay for abortion under certain circumstances.

The Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights, says that most follow the federal law for the state funds, too — or do so but with some additional exceptions.

Seventeen states cover abortion without limitations. Nine of those are under court orders and eight cover abortion voluntarily.

Roughly one-third of American women between the ages of 15 and 49 live in states where abortion is accessible and Medicaid covers abortion but only in limited cases, according to the healthcare nonprofit KFF.

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About one in five women in those states has Medicaid insurance coverage. 

Those with Medicaid are disproportionately low-income, Native American and Black.

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We asked Donald Trump questions on the issue that matters most to locals in Southern Nevada

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We asked Donald Trump questions on the issue that matters most to locals in Southern Nevada


LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Former President Donald Trump was in town this weekend for events both large and small in the swing state that he knows is critical on his path to the White House.

“We win this state, we’re going to win the whole thing. We win this we’re going to win the whole thing,” Trump said at his rally on Friday.

I met with the former president here at the Trump International Hotel to ask him about an issue that’s been on the minds of locals since this campaign began…

The Economy

Steve: I wanted to find out from you, what one policy or program would you pursue that you think is most important that would help local Las Vegans in terms of the economy?

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This is what the former president had to say:

“As far as hotel workers and things as you know, no tax on tips is going to be very good. Also as we announced last week, and I think it’s going to be — even maybe in a certain — way more important, no tax on overtime. And then for the seniors, which will be fantastic because they’ve been devastated by inflation — this makes up for it, this would just about make up for it — we’re going to have no tax on social security benefits. So those three things are going to be great for this area.”

Earlier this year, Trump proposed a “No Tax On Tips” policy at a rally in June and recently held an event in August specific to the proposal here in Las Vegas. The push for no taxes on tipped income was again mentioned during his campaign rally on Friday, and now Trump has gone further with these proposals for no taxes on overtime pay and social security benefits.

Nevada is home to plenty of hourly workers and retirees who would benefit from those proposals, but I also wanted to know how Trump planned to pay for the revenue lost when those taxes are cut and what effect it might have on the federal debt.

Steve: Once you take that revenue out of the federal budget, how are you going to replace that?

Trump said:

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“We’re going to have tremendous growth — you know, drill, baby, drill. We have more liquid gold under our feet than anybody else, and we’re going to be charging countries that have been ripping us off for years with tariffs. And the tariffs will make us… we’ll have money like we never had before.”

I followed up in our exclusive interview to ask the former president if tariffs wouldn’t undercut the gains people would see with tax cuts since economists believe prices would rise in response to tariffs.

Trump told me tariffs were necessary to cut trade deficits and might even end up creating jobs in the United States.

Trump said:

“You know, when you have a 100% tariff on a nation, better than the money is the fact that they’re not going to pay it very long, and they’re going to build a plant here. If they build a plant here, there is no tariff.”

The idea of tariffs is one of the things that old-school, free-trade Republicans find frustrating about Trump.

I asked him about the group “Republicans for Harris,” members of the GOP who say that while they disagree with Harris on issues, Trump presents a threat to democratic governance.

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Steve: If there was a Republican for Harris in the room with us, what would you tell them in terms of persuading them to vote for you as opposed to vote for Harris?

Trump said:

“I probably wouldn’t tell them anything because maybe it would be a personality problem, maybe they don’t like the way I was tough on China. You know, a lot of them don’t want me to be tough on China. A lot of them don’t want me to be tough on anybody.”

This weekend will not be former President Trump’s last visit. He’s promised to return to the Silver State before the election on November 5.

You can watch our full interview with the former president in the video player above.

If you have a question about politics, elections or government, you can Ask Steve via the link on our website. He will endeavor to answer your questions on air or online.

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What time, TV channel is Nevada vs Minnesota football game on today? Free live stream, spread, odds

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What time, TV channel is Nevada vs Minnesota football game on today? Free live stream, spread, odds


Coming off a dominant 48-0 win over Rhode Island last weekend, the Minnesota Golden Gophers square off against the Nevada Wolf Pack, who come into the contest at 1-2. This game kicks off at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. CT) on Saturday, September 14 with a live broadcast on Big Ten Network, and streaming live on demand.

WATCH: Minnesota vs. Nevada live for free with Fubo (free trial) or with Sling (cheapest streaming plans, $25 off your first month) or see more streaming options below.

What TV channel is the Minnesota vs. Nevada game on?

When: Kickoff takes place at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. CT) on Saturday, September 14.

Where: Huntington Bank Stadium | Minneapolis, MN

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TV Channel: Big Ten Network

How to watch live stream online: If you don’t have cable, you can still watch this game live for FREE with Fubo (free trial). If you are out of free trials, the cheapest and best way to watch this game and more football this month is by signing up for Sling (promotional offers, cheapest streaming plans), which is $25 off for the first month if you add the “Sports Extra” package that includes Big Ten Network, SEC Network and a few other sports channels. If you already have a cable or satellite subscription, you can watch the game on FOX Sports Live by signing in with your provider information.

What TV channel is Big Ten Network on?

You can find out more about which channel Big Ten Network is on in your area by using the channel finders here:: Comcast Xfinity, DIRECTV, Dish, Verizon Fios, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice.

Minnesota vs. Nevada spread, latest betting odds

Spread: MN: -17.5 | NV: +17.5

Moneyline: MN: -1000 | NV: +620

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Over/Under: 43.5



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Indy Explains: How Question 7 would require voter ID in Nevada – The Nevada Independent

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Indy Explains: How Question 7 would require voter ID in Nevada – The Nevada Independent


After years of Republican-led pushes to implement voter ID laws in Nevada, the question will be posed to voters this November.

Voter ID is among the many election-related policies that have pitted Democrats against Republicans nationwide for years. Republicans have argued it is a necessary measure to ensure election security, while Democrats have said it could disenfranchise voters who do not have a form of identification.

While polling has shown wide support for establishing a voter ID requirement, Nevada is one of 14 states to not require a form of identification while voting, and instead relies on voters’ signatures to verify their identity. 

Read below for more information on the implications of the ballot question and the history of the debate in the Silver State.

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Summary of what it does: The proposal would amend the Nevada Constitution to require all in-person voters in Nevada to present a valid photo identification — such as a driver’s license, passport, student ID card or concealed weapon permit — before voting.

It would also require those voting by mail to include part of a personally identifiable number — such as their driver’s license number or Social Security number — alongside their signature.

If a majority of voters support the question this year, it would be placed on the 2026 ballot, when another affirmative vote would change Nevada’s Constitution.

How did we get here?: Repair the Vote, a PAC led by former Clark County GOP Chair David Gibbs, filed the petition for the ballot question last November.

A group of well-known Democratic-linked attorneys quickly sued to block the question on the grounds that its description of effect (a 200-word summary of the measure included on signature forms) failed to outline its full implications. The suit also argued that the measure would require a funding source without providing one, and that it was akin to an unconstitutional poll tax because most of the identification options require some kind of payment.

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A Carson City judge dismissed the lawsuit in February, and the state Supreme Court upheld that ruling in April, determining that questions regarding a poll tax should not be addressed before the election.

In July, the initiative qualified for the November ballot after election officials verified 131,590 valid signatures and passed the threshold of signatures needed from each of the state’s four congressional districts (25,591).

This is the second attempt at a voter ID ballot question by Repair the Vote. In 2022, a judge blocked a question on the grounds that its description of effect was argumentative. The ruling came too late for the group to amend the question’s language and gather enough signatures.

A bill last year pushed by Gov. Joe Lombardo, a Republican, would have established voter ID in Nevada, but it never received a hearing in the Democratic-controlled Legislature.

What have other states done?: Nine states have enacted strict photo ID laws for voting, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Three states have voter ID requirements but do not require a photo and instead accept documents such as bank statements.

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Twenty-four other states have some form of a voter ID law, but they are less strict and have exceptions, such as signing an affidavit of identity or having poll workers vouch for a voter’s identity.

The arguments in favor: Proponents of voter ID say it increases election security and would help rebuild trust in elections. They also say that ID is required for actions such as buying alcohol, seeing a doctor and applying for college — and that elections should be no different. 

Supporters are also quick to refer to the widespread popularity of voter ID laws (a Nevada Independent poll last year found 74 percent of respondents in favor, with just 8 percent opposed) and a 2008 study that found the laws had no effect on voter turnout.

The arguments against: Opponents of voter ID laws say it would make it harder to vote and could amount to disenfranchisement.

They argue that voter impersonation is essentially nonexistent in the U.S. and that the law would particularly affect voters in rural areas and tribal communities because of the long distance to DMV offices. A 2022 study by University of California, Berkeley researchers found Black and Latino voters were most affected by voter ID laws in Texas.

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Primary funders: Repair the Vote has received more than $300,000 since launching the ballot initiative, mostly from a Virginia-based group called Civic Voter Engagement ($157,000) and Allen Knudson, a Henderson resident who gave $100,000 in January.

The Las Vegas Sands, whose largest shareholder is GOP megadonor Miriam Adelson, also has financially supported the effort.

The Better Nevada PAC, which is linked to Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, created an offshoot PAC called the Better Nevada Ballot Advocacy Committee (now known as the Nevada Voter ID Coalition, which is chaired by Lombardo) to raise money for the initiative. Las Vegas Sands made a $1.5 million contribution to the Better Nevada PAC earlier this year, which then transferred $1.4 million to the offshoot PAC.

Battle Born Progress — a progressive group — launched a PAC last month called the Nevada Voter Freedom Alliance to oppose the initiative.

Financial impact: The secretary of state’s office estimated that the initiative would cost the state $6,750 to change processes related to voter check-in and verification of mail ballots, and modify the state’s voter registration system to ensure all necessary data is captured.

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The Legislature’s Fiscal Analysis Division also assumed that the state or local governments would incur costs by making the accepted IDs free (to avoid a poll tax). It is unclear how many voters this would apply to and which agencies would be responsible, meaning the full financial impact is unknown.



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