A.B. 278
- *AB278*
ASSEMBLY BILL NO. 278–ASSEMBLYMEMBERS MILLER, NADEEM,
GONZÁLEZ, MOSCA; ANDERSON, CONSIDINE, DALIA,
D’SILVA, JACKSON, KARRIS, LA RUE HATCH, MONROE-
MORENO, MOORE, NGUYEN, ORENTLICHER, ROTH AND
WATTS
FEBRUARY 24, 2025
____________
Referred to Committee on Government Affairs
SUMMARY—Designates the month of July as Muslim American
Heritage Month. (BDR 19-924)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.
Effect on the State: No.
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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
AN ACT relating to periods of observance; designating the month
of July of each year as “Muslim American Heritage
Month” in this State; and providing other matters properly
relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Under existing law, certain days, weeks and months of observance are 1
recognized in this State. (NRS 236.018-236.095) This bill designates the month of 2
July of each year as “Muslim American Heritage Month” in the State of Nevada 3
and requires the Governor to issue annually a proclamation encouraging the 4
observance of this month. 5
WHEREAS, The Muslim American community in Nevada can 1
trace its beginnings to the mid-20th century; and 2
WHEREAS, Masjid As-Sabur is the oldest mosque in Las Vegas, 3
Nevada and has served the local community since the 1970s; and 4
WHEREAS, The Northern Nevada Muslim Community was 5
established in 1980 to serve the community in and around Reno, 6
Nevada; and 7
WHEREAS, Muslim Americans have contributed to the society of 8
Nevada and the United States by making advancements in 9
architecture, arts, business, community, culture, government, law, 10
medicine, the military, religion and sports; and 11
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WHEREAS, Many Muslim Americans pursue the American 1
Dream and contribute to the economy of Nevada and the United 2
States as business owners and entrepreneurs; and 3
WHEREAS, Sharaf Haseebullah is a pharmacist, drugstore owner 4
and real estate investor in Las Vegas, and became the first woman to 5
fund a mosque in North America entirely by herself when she built 6
Masjid Ibrahim in Las Vegas in 2016; and 7
WHEREAS, Fateen Seifullah, the Imam of Masjid As-Sabur 8
works to revitalize the Historic Westside neighborhood of Las 9
Vegas through community building and providing vital resources, 10
programs and services to people in need, among other community 11
service initiatives; and 12
WHEREAS, Dr. Ahmed Essa was a professor of English at the 13
University of Nevada, Reno from 1967 to 1991, and was the founder 14
of the Northern Nevada Muslim Society in the 1960s; and 15
WHEREAS, The Muslim population has been growing in both 16
Nevada and the Unites States, and Sharaf Haseebullah, Fateen 17
Seifullah and Dr. Ahmed Essa are just a few examples of the several 18
thousand-strong Muslim American population in Nevada who 19
contribute to the greater community of this State and constitute a 20
rich tapestry of ethnic, racial, linguistic, social and economic 21
groups; and 22
WHEREAS, Nearly 50 percent of Muslim Americans have 23
reported experiencing religious discrimination, with that number 24
rising to 64 percent for Muslim Americans whose appearance 25
identifies them as Muslim, such as women who wear the hijab or a 26
headscarf; and 27
WHEREAS, There is a need for public education, awareness and 28
policies that help people be culturally competent when describing, 29
discussing or addressing the impacts that Muslim Americans have 30
on all aspects of the society of Nevada and the United States; now 31
therefore, 32
33
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN 34
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: 35
36
Section 1. Chapter 236 of NRS is hereby amended by adding 37
thereto a new section to read as follows: 38
1. The month of July of each year is designated as “Muslim 39
American Heritage Month” in this State. 40
2. The Governor shall issue annually a proclamation 41
encouraging the observance of Muslim American Heritage 42
Month. The proclamation may, without limitation, call upon the 43
news media, state and local officers, private nonprofit groups and 44
foundations, schools, businesses and other public and private 45
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entities to bring to the attention of Nevada’s residents the 1
important contributions Muslim Americans have made to the State 2
of Nevada and the United States. 3
H