By: Mary Wagner, Nevada Field Organizer
Date: August 27, 2026
About: Public Utilities Commission of Nevada Accessibility Reform
To: Joint Interim Standing Committee on Government Affairs Meeting
Good afternoon, Chair and members of the Committee.
My name is Mary Wagner, and I am the Nevada Field Organizer with Moms Clean Air Force and EcoMadres. I work with parents, families, and ratepayers across Nevada who are directly affected by decisions made at the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada.
For years, I have seen how difficult it can be for everyday Nevadans to participate in PUCN proceedings. Consumer sessions are often held during working hours, when many people simply cannot attend. Virtual and telephone participation is inconsistent. Submitting written comments is complicated and difficult to navigate. And people who need interpretation often have to bring their own interpreter, cutting into their already limited time to speak. We saw these barriers firsthand at the June 16 consumer session, when community members—including seniors—were left waiting outside for hours in triple-digit heat just to provide public comment. No Nevadan should have to risk their health simply to participate in a public process.
These barriers matter because the PUCN makes decisions that directly affect families’ health, well-being, and pocketbooks. Las Vegas is the second-fastest-warming major city in the country, and as extreme heat becomes more dangerous, affordable and reliable electricity is essential to keeping our families safe—especially children, seniors, and others who are more vulnerable to heat. At a time when families are already struggling with rising utility bills, Nevadans deserve a meaningful opportunity to have their voices heard in decisions that can affect whether they can afford to cool their homes, protect their families, and pay their monthly bills.
This BDR offers practical solutions: holding consumer sessions at reasonable times for working people; providing consistent virtual and telephone participation; simplifying the written comment process; improving language access; and ensuring consumer sessions are held in accessible public locations. These are reasonable reforms that will help ensure the people most affected by PUCN decisions have a fair opportunity to participate.
Please support this BDR to make the PUCN accessible to the public they serve.