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Assembly hearing on AB98 draws broad support to establish Dolores Huerta Day in Nevada
Summary
Assemblymember Cynthia Moore presented AB98 to designate April 10 as Dolores Huerta Day; labor leaders, community groups, students and local government representatives voiced strong support during a nearly full support period with no recorded opposition.
Assemblymember Cynthia Moore on Tuesday presented Assembly Bill 98 to the Assembly Committee on Government Affairs, proposing that April 10 be proclaimed annually as Dolores Huerta Day in Nevada and that public schools and educational institutions be encouraged to teach about Huerta's life and contributions.
Why it matters: Dolores Huerta is a nationally recognized labor and civil‑rights leader and co‑founder of the United Farm Workers. The bill would require annual gubernatorial proclamations and ask educational institutions to include Huerta in curriculum and observances.
Presentation and sponsor remarks Cynthia Moore, Assemblymember, District 11, introduced AB98 and played a short video about Huerta’s life and contributions. Moore said Huerta’s slogan "Si se puede" ("Yes, we can") and decades of labor organizing make her a suitable subject for a state observance and curricular attention. "As a granddaughter of a farm worker, she is someone that I have looked up to," Moore said.
Susie Martinez, Executive Secretary‑Treasurer of the Nevada State AFL‑CIO, testified in support and thanked Moore for sponsoring the bill. "Nevada has a strong labor history and Huerta's work aligns with our state's values of fairness and workers' rights," Martinez said. She noted it is important to honor leaders while they are alive so they can see recognition of their contributions.
Local government and community support Wesley Harper, Director of Government Affairs for the City of North Las Vegas, said the city will open the Dolores Huerta Resource Center on April 22, 2025, a one‑stop community hub offering workforce training, bilingual services and health screenings. "The City of North Las Vegas is in firm support of this bill," Harper said.
More than 40 speakers and organizations provided support testimony during the committee's 30‑minute support period (extended by five minutes). Testifiers included labor and community organizations, students and local advocates: Youth Voice of Nevada, Make the Road Nevada, Nevada State AFL‑CIO, Sierra Club Tahoe‑Pi, Native Voters Alliance Nevada, City of North Las Vegas representatives and others. Speakers emphasized Huerta's roles in labor organizing, immigrant and women's rights and the value of representation in school curricula.
Representative testimony and themes - Malcolm Greer of Youth Voice of Nevada said the observance would "serve as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for workers' rights." - Pio Rejas, a student leader, said Huerta's story "is not just historical — it is personal" and encouraged students to learn from her example. - Several speakers tied the bill to local programming and services, highlighting the forthcoming Dolores Huerta Resource Center in North Las Vegas and the center's planned workforce and health services.
Opposition and neutral testimony The committee recorded no speakers in opposition or neutral testimony during the hearing.
Closing remarks and next steps Susie Martinez thanked the sponsor and the community for turnout. Cynthia Moore noted more than 40 people testified in support and reiterated the bill's focus on education and legacy. The committee closed the hearing on AB98 and will consider it for further action as it advances through the legislative process.
Hearing provenance: AB98 presentation began when the chair opened the hearing, and public support testimony included a large number of community and labor leaders as recorded in the transcript.
