‘He’s not our champion’: Joe Lombardo’s ugly record of blocking women’s health care

Since taking office in January 2023, Lombardo has vetoed 162 bills—including many that would have strengthened families and women’s health care. 

As a new mom, Denise Lopez can vividly remember the exhaustion, the fear, and the overwhelming gratitude that came with those first days of motherhood.

“I was able to take five months off thanks to the organization I work for,” said Lopez, director of Nevada campaigns for Reproductive Freedom for All. “I could work on my breastfeeding journey, heal, and take care of myself as a new mom.”

For Lopez, that time off was essential, not a luxury. Yet many Nevadans are not able to take that essential time. Earlier this year, Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoed a bill—which had come to his desk with bipartisan support—that would have expanded paid family and medical leave for new parents and caregivers. 

“He just doesn’t support Nevada families,” Lopez said. “And that’s also part of reproductive health care—ensuring people take the time they need to heal.”

A governor out of step with Nevadans

Since taking office in January 2023, Lombardo has vetoed a record 162 bills, including 87 bills during the current legislative session—the most by any Nevada governor in a single session. Some of those bills included strengthening reproductive and maternal health care.

“He has vetoed reproductive freedom bills,” Lopez said. “He’s aligned himself with extremist, far-right organizations—groups he’s donated money to and invited to the governor’s mansion.”

Reporting by The Nevadan confirms her claim. In August 2025, Lombardo vetoed a bipartisan bill protecting in vitro fertilization (IVF)—just days after receiving pressure from far-right conservative groups like the Family Research Council and Moms for Liberty. He also personally hosted fundraisers for Nevada Right to Life, an organization that opposes abortion under any circumstance.​

During the 2023 legislative session, Lombardo vetoed a bill that would have codified protections for patients and providers facing out-of-state prosecution for abortion care. While the state’s Democratic-controlled legislature passed the measure, Lombardo refused to sign it, claiming existing protections were “sufficient.”

“Our supporters urged him to expand protections for providers,” Lopez said. “He vetoed it. It’s deeply concerning because it would have helped ensure people can get the care they need safely.”

Abortion rights on the ballot

Nevadans overwhelmingly support abortion rights. Last year, 63% of voters supported a ballot measure that would amend the state constitution to enshrine abortion rights permanently. The measure must pass with voters again in 2026 to take effect.

Though he cannot stop the will of voters, Lombardo has opposed the amendment.

“He’s against putting abortion rights into our constitution,” Lopez said. “In 2026, we’re going to remind voters of his failures on reproductive health care.”

It seems a majority of Nevadans disagree with Lombardo’s views on abortion care. A 2023 poll found that 76% of residents believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

Reproductive healthcare and gaps in access

While Nevada is often thought of as a haven for reproductive rights, Lopez said rural residents still face major barriers to care.

“We don’t have access to labor and delivery in some of our rural communities,” Lopez said. “That’s deeply concerning, and Lombardo has failed to expand access to reproductive health care.”

According to the March of Dimes, five rural hospitals in Nevada have closed their labor and delivery units in the last decade. About 47% of counties in the state are maternity care deserts.

Forty percent of all births in the state are paid for by Medicaid. Yet, Lombardo has praised the Trump administration for cutting Medicaid and defunding Planned Parenthood.

“By aligning himself with those extremist policies, he’s putting women’s health at risk,” Lopez said. “We’re going to see more people not receiving the care they deserve during one of the most vulnerable times in their lives.”

For Lopez, the fight for reproductive rights is both political and personal. As a mother, she knows how fragile the postpartum period can be, and as an advocate, she knows how critical it is to have leaders who protect families.

“In Nevada, we’re a pro-choice state,” Lopez said. “And that’s not because of Lombardo. He’s not a reproductive freedom champion. He’s putting women’s health at risk.”