Jodi Stephens' Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Nevada State Legislative Election 2010 Political Courage Test
| Pro-life | a) Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life? | ||
| Yes | b) Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy? | ||
| Yes | c) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? | ||
| Yes | d) Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods? | ||
| Yes | h) Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs? | ||
| I believe in protecting innocent life and I am personally opposed to abortion. It is my belief that late term and partial-birth abortions are especially horrid and should be outlawed in Nevada. In extreme cases of rape, incest, or to protect the life of the mother abortions should only be considered in the earliest stage of pregnancy. I strongly oppose any legislation at the federal or the state level that would provide for government-funded abortions. I also oppose any efforts to restrict or circumvent parental notification for underage abortions. | |||
1) State SpendingIndicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.2) State TaxesIndicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.3) Budget StabilizationIndicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Nevada's budget.
| Greatly Decrease | a) Education (higher) | ||
| Maintain Status | b) Education (K-12) | ||
| Maintain Status | c) Environment | ||
| Maintain Status | d) Health care | ||
| Maintain Status | e) Law enforcement | ||
| Slightly Increase | f) Transportation and highway infrastructure | ||
| Slightly Decrease | g) Welfare | ||
| Maintain Status | a) Alcohol taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | b) Cigarette taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | c) Corporate taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | d) Gasoline taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | e) Property taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | f) Sales taxes | ||
| g) Other or expanded categories | |||
| Yes | a) Tapping into Nevada's "rainy day" fund | ||
| Yes | b) Instituting a tax on prostitution services | ||
| Yes | c) Issuing the early release of certain non-violent offenders | ||
| Yes | d) Closing the Nevada State Prison in Carson City | ||
| Yes | e) Increasing tuition rates at public universities | ||
| Yes | f) Instituting mandatory furloughs and layoffs for state employees | ||
| No | g) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients | ||
| Yes | h) Privatizing certain government services | ||
| Why has the state's budget grown so dramatically over the past several legislative sessions? - spending has far outpaced our population growth and inflation. Nevada is facing what very well may be permanent revenue declines. My approach going into the 2011 session will be to take a hard look at the role of government moving forward in Nevada. We must prioritize the essential services the state provides and implement the most cost-effective delivery of these programs. Public health and safety, and education must not take a back seat to "nice to have" services the state currently provides. | |||
| A great starting point for budget stabilization would be to implement the Nevada Spending and Government Efficiency (SAGE) Commission's recommendations (most of which I support) in the 2011 session. The commission's recommendations include public employee benefit and retirement modifications; identification and elimination of duplicate and inefficient services, boards, commissions and agencies; and possible elimination or modification of tax exemptions, abatements and earmarks that are not serving their intended purpose. This first step to a fiscally-responsible method of altering our tax structure would allow Nevada to develop a baseline of services around which restructuring can occur. | |||
c) Do you support limits on the following types of contributions to candidates for state government?
| Yes | a) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Nevada governors? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Nevada state legislators? | ||
| Yes | 1) Individual | ||
| Yes | 2) Political Action Committee | ||
| Yes | 3) Corporate | ||
| Yes | 4) Political Party | ||
| No | d) Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information? | ||
| Many campaign finance reports are hundreds of pages long and hand-written. I support reforms that will allow voters a more accessible method to examine campaign finances. This includes a searchable database, as well as more timely and earlier campaign finance reporting. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment? | ||
| Yes | c) Should the possession of small amounts of marijuana be decriminalized? | ||
| Yes | d) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? | ||
| Yes | e) Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | ||
| While I don't believe a minor who sends a nude photo should be required to register as a sex offender, there must be consequences for this type of criminal behavior. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | ||
| No | b) Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers? | ||
| No | c) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| No | f) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure? | ||
| Cooperation between our federal delegation; conservation groups; energy industry; logistics experts; and local communities will ensure that Nevada is poised for a diverse, sustainable economic recovery. We must be the most business-friendly state in the Nation and must develop the infrastructure to move forward. We live right next to the 5th largest economy in the world. We must have the policies in place to take advantage of the turmoil that is occurring in California. We must have low taxes, reasonable regulations, and an education system that prepares our children for the challenges of the future. | |||
| No | a) Do you support national education standards? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support using a merit pay system for teachers? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| No | e) Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid? | ||
| No | f) Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Nevada high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| I support expanding the Empowerment program to every school in Nevada. Our education dollars need to go to our kids, not to an oversized administration. This approach will give schools more control over their budgets and the ability to define specific needs and priorities. Teachers, parents and principals of our schools know what is best for our children and they must work together to make the decisions that will benefit our kids. It is not good enough to talk about education reform in Nevada. Now is the time to act and make sure our children get the education they deserve. | |||
| No | a) Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy? | ||
| No | b) Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support state funding for improvements to Nevada's energy infrastructure? | ||
| No | e) Do you support state funding for open space preservation? | ||
| No | f) Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change? | ||
| Much of Nevada's current energy comes from clean-burning natural gas. I support legislation that will encourage the development of clean fossil fuel technologies as well as luring private renewable developers. I believe we must utilize all available resources in a responsible manner to move toward energy independence and becoming an energy exporter. Providing tax incentives; a friendly economic environment for private developers and manufacturers; and public/private partnerships is a more effective and economically sound approach to advancing renewable energy development in Nevada. A high-tech, energy independent Nevada will benefit our economy as well as our environment. | |||
| No | a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| No | b) Do you support requiring background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns? | ||
| No | d) Do you support requiring a license for gun possession? | ||
| The United States Constitution, together with the Nevada Constitution, guarantees the right of citizens to possess and carry all types of firearms for all purposes other than committing a crime. I support efforts to preserve and foster that right, including Right-to-Carry laws. The ability to defend one's home, property and family is a god-given right, not a privilege granted by the government. I also strongly believe that we do not have a duty to retreat while defending our homes, property or our families. | |||
| No | a) Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts? | ||
| No | d) Should individuals be required to purchase health care insurance? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits? | ||
| No | f) Do you support legalizing physician-assisted suicide in Nevada? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes? | ||
| Our government should never mandate that our citizens purchase a product or service. I support increased competition and malpractice reform to decrease the costs of health insurance. | |||
| Yes | a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman? | ||
| Yes | b) Should Nevada allow same-sex couples to form civil unions? | ||
| No | c) Do you support state funding for stem cell research? | ||
| No | d) Do you support state funding for embryonic stem cell research? | ||
| No | e) Do you support the state's use of affirmative action? | ||
| No | f) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Nevada's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| No | g) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Nevada's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | h) Do you support the legalization and regulation of a state lottery? | ||
| I believe same-sex couples should be afforded rights just as traditional married couples are. I believe marriage should be between a man and a woman, but I also believe that this is a States' Rights issue that should be decided at the state level. The Nevada Constitution defines marriage as between a man and a woman and the Nevada voters have spoken on this issue. I do support the concept of domestic partnerships or civil unions that serve to protect the rights of gay couples, but I want to see provisions in these laws that prevent abuses of the process. | |||
| Job Creation - I believe private sector job creation and economic growth comes from citizens in my district taking risks and providing a needed or desired good or service. My faith in achieving small, medium or large business job growth lies within the private sector, not the government. I believe in implementing broad-based reforms aimed at removing burdensome regulations and taxes that impede the growth and development of private businesses. Improve Education - Place more resources in the classroom, where they will help our kids learn. Recognize and reward our best teachers - those that go above and beyond. |
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