FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 1, 2016
Las Vegas, NV - On September 29, 2016, the Nevada Supreme Court found the voucher program created by Senate Bill 302 to be unconstitutional. Accordingly, the Court required the State to cease implementation and permanently enjoined this voucher program. Despite this well-known news and obvious fact, State Treasurer Dan Schwartz sent an email to parents on Wednesday, November 23 encouraging them to continue applying for the program. The program no longer exists; it was enjoined by the court and cannot proceed.
Amy Rose, Legal Director for the ACLU of Nevada said, “We are dismayed that the State has chosen to move forward with the voucher program, despite the Nevada Supreme Court’s order to the contrary.”
This is a misleading action by the state. After spending over half a million dollars on outside counsel, and still losing the case, the state should not continue to waste taxpayer dollars to try and fund a program already found unconstitutional. The parents and students of Nevada deserve better.
The question of whether the voucher program created by SB 302 could be implemented was settled in Nevada with the decision of the Supreme Court. The state treasurer should comply with the court order and stop confusing parents with this misleading information.
About American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada
Started in 1966, the ACLU of Nevada is celebrating its 50th year of public service. The ACLU of Nevada is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to the defense and advancement of civil liberties and civil rights for all people in Nevada. For additional information, please visit http://www.aclunv.org.
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