Watts Leads Black Caucus Effort to Ban Slavery

In a significant move during the 2023 Nevada Legislative Session, the Nevada Black Legislative Caucus has advanced an initiative to amend the Nevada Constitution and eliminate language that permits slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime.

Democratic Assemblyman Howard Watts III has been at the forefront of these efforts. Watts reintroduced legislation, unanimously supported in the previous session, to remove the outdated constitutional language. This amendment passed both the state Assembly and Senate and is now set to be presented as a ballot question for voters in 2024. This initiative aligns with a broader movement across various states to address and rectify historical injustices embedded within legal frameworks.

Assemblyman Watts emphasizes that these legislative efforts are not merely symbolic but are foundational to rectifying the legal and moral fabric of the state. By confronting and amending the vestiges of slavery in the state constitution, Nevada sets a precedent for acknowledging its past and committing to a more equitable and just future.

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