RENO — State Senator Jeff Stone is hardly a newcomer to the world of politics, having served as Mayor of Temecula, California, on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors and as a California Senator.
But Stone’s victory in Nevada’s 20th Senate District, which covers the southeastern and northeastern ends of the Las Vegas Valley, marks the first foray into Silver State politics for a former pharmacist.
“I tell people I may not be battle-born, but I’m battle-tested,” Stone said.
The Republican lawmaker moved to Nevada in 2017 after serving more than 20 years as an elected official in California. He served as the U.S. Department of Labor’s Western Regional Representative in 2019 after being named to the position by former President Donald Trump.
Stone said he was excited to bring his past experience from the California Senate to the Nevada Legislature.
“Most of the time you can imagine coming from a state where I was in the ultra-minority, but I have over 500 bills with my name on them. I did and passed some important laws in California,” he said.
Several laws that former Californians want passed focus on education and vocational licensing. Stone said he hopes to emulate his 2019 bill passed in Arizona. This makes Arizona the first state in the United States to universally recognize out-of-state occupational licenses.
“I’m copying that law here in Nevada to make it easier, because even with three medical schools, there’s not enough capacity to keep up with the growing population. Doctors per capita. If you look at it, it’s one of the lowest rates in the country,” he said.
The proposal is similar to an executive order recently signed by Governor Joe Lombardo that would, among other things, phase out licensing requirements for non-licensable occupations and professions in more than 26 states by July 1. is needed.
Stone also said he would like to consider stronger penalties for child trafficking and stronger penalties for fentanyl.
“Why is fentanyl dangerous? Why is fentanyl so prevalent? What can be done to curb people’s curiosity, or at least educate them that fentanyl is so important? “I’ve been teaching this that it can be a resource for Democrats to really understand. If they’re trying to experiment with this drug illegally and illegally, be careful,” Stone said. I got
Previously, Stone was an Assistant Professor of Pharmacy at the University of Southern California and taught Pharmacology at California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Mr. Stone will officially take office on February 6 and will serve as a member of the Commerce and Labor Commission, the Health and Human Services Commission, and the Judiciary Commission.
Please contact Taylor R. Avery at Tavery@reviewjournal.com.follow @travery98 on Twitter.
