Gov. Joe Lombardo broke his own record for most vetoes issued from a single legislative session, rejecting 87 bills that advanced out of the Legislature’s 120-day session.
Lombardo also signed 518 bills into law, meaning that he vetoed about 1 out of every 7 proposals that reached his desk.
Combined with 2023’s then-record-breaking 75 vetoes, Lombardo has now achieved the veto record for a single Nevada governor’s term with a total of 162 vetoes. The second-highest veto record holder is former Gov. Brian Sandoval, who vetoed 97 bills across eight years in office.
Retaining his power to reject bills was a hard-won goal of the 2024 election cycle, when he and his GOP allies took an active role in legislative races to stave off two-thirds supermajorities that would have given Democrats power to override his vetoes.
In a statement following the conclusion of the window to sign or veto a bill, Lombardo wrote that “I did not take lightly the decision to veto 87 bills.”
“I do not enjoy using the veto pen, but as Governor, it is my responsibility to protect Nevadans from legislation that goes too far, expands government unnecessarily, or creates unintended consequences that hurt families, businesses, or our economy,” the statement said.