Lombardo vetoes IVF protections bill, cites fiscal concerns

Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoed a bill aimed to protect such infertility treatments as in vitro fertilization.

Senate Bill 217, sponsored by Democratic Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, would have established a statutory right to IVF treatment under Nevada law. It also would have increased protections for providers of fertility treatments and expanded coverage requirements for diagnosis and treatment of infertility.

Cannizzaro announced her intent to bring the bill last fall following the Alabama Supreme Court ruling on infertility treatments.

The legislation passed the Assembly on a party-line vote and passed the Senate 15-5, with Republican state Sens. Lori Rogich and John Steinbeck joining Democrats in support.

In response to the veto, Cannizzaro accused Lombardo of bowing to pressure from anti-abortion activists who want to outlaw IVF nationwide.

“Even Donald Trump has backed efforts to expand IVF, but Lombardo is picking out-of-state extremists over protecting Nevada doctors and patients,” she said in a statement. “By vetoing this bipartisan bill, Lombardo has turned his back on ordinary Nevada families who need a little help to overcome the hardships of infertility in order to experience the joy of parenthood.”

In his veto message, the governor said he supports efforts to make IVF more accessible, but he said the legislation is not feasible because of the mandate requiring coverage for IVF.

“Without dedicated and sustainable funding this mandate is fiscally impossible considering the current posture of the state’s budget, specifically in terms of Medicaid resources,” he wrote in his message.

He encouraged agencies to collaborate with interested parties to find alternative and financially sustainable ways to expand access to IVF.

Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah on X.