EDITORIAL: Governor’s public safety bill puts Dems on defensive

Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo continues to enjoy relatively robust approval ratings, coming in at plus 24 in the latest Morning Consult Pro survey. Translation: The percentage of Nevadans who view him favorably exceeds the percentage of those who disapprove of his performance by 24 points.

Gov. Lombardo faces an uncertain opponent when he runs for re-election next year, as a handful of Democrats — including former Gov. Steve Sisolak and Attorney General Aaron Ford — have indicated they may seek their party’s nomination.

A number of astute political moves have bolstered Gov. Lombardo’s fortunes. He has been a bulwark against progressive overreach in Carson City, where Democrats control both houses of the Legislature but lack the votes to override his vetoes. Gov. Lombardo has also gotten out in front on the state’s housing shortage, urging the White House to release more federal land in Nevada for development. Many state Democrats, meanwhile, prefer to recycle failed policy initiatives such as rent control.

Last week, the governor dropped his crime and public safety bill on the Legislature, no doubt intended to put his opponents further on the defensive. Democrats, keep in mind, are only a few years removed from being joined at the hip to the radical “defund the police” nonsense that tore through the party in 2020. In Nevada, progressive lawmakers have a recent track record of reducing penalties for certain criminal offenses, something the governor tacitly referenced in touting his measure.

“This legislation” Gov. Lombardo said, “was drafted to put teeth back into Nevada’s penal code, hold criminals accountable and empower judges and prosecutors to support victims of crime.”

Among other things, Senate Bill 457 would increase criminal penalties for offenses such as retail theft, DUI and cyberstalking. The proposal also redefines a “habitual criminal,” making it easier to penalize repeat offenders.

Proponents of criminal justice reform make good sense when they argue that our jails shouldn’t be clogged with nonviolent offenders. There must be room in the system for compassion and second chances for offenders who represent no danger to themselves or others.

But essentially eliminating consequences for “minor” acts of theft, property crimes or other misconduct only encourages further misbehavior, as evidenced by the brazen retail thefts that have become all too common in the wake of laws reducing punishments for such anti-social behavior. Effective public safety initiatives require that even nonviolent offenders who repeatedly break the law face punishment if they refuse to reform.

SB457 is likely to be popular with Nevada voters who oppose the revolving door approach to justice. Democrats oppose the measure at their own political peril.