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- 83rd Session (2025)
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
CHAPTER..........
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
recognized in this State. (NRS 236.018 -236.095) This bill designates the month of
July of each year as “Muslim American Heritage Month” in the State of Nevada
and requires the Governor t o issue annually a proclamation encouraging the
observance of this month.
EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
WHEREAS, The Muslim American community in Nevada can
trace its beginnings to the mid-20th century; and
WHEREAS, Masjid As-Sabur is the oldest mosque in Las Vegas,
Nevada and has served the local community since the 1970s; and
WHEREAS, The Northern Nevada Muslim Community was
established in 1980 to serve the community in and around Reno,
Nevada; and
WHEREAS, Muslim Americans have contributed to the society of
Nevada and the United States by making advancements in
architecture, arts, business, community, culture, government, law,
medicine, the military, religion and sports; and
WHEREAS, Many Muslim Americans pursue the American
Dream and contribute to the economy of Nevada an d the United
States as business owners and entrepreneurs; and
WHEREAS, Sharaf Haseebullah is a pharmacist, drugstore owner
and real estate investor in Las Vegas, and became the first woman to
fund a mosque in North America entirely by herself when she bui lt
Masjid Ibrahim in Las Vegas in 2016; and
WHEREAS, Fateen Seifullah, the Imam of Masjid As -Sabur
works to revitalize the Historic Westside neighborhood of Las
Vegas through community building and providing vital resources,
programs and services to peopl e in need, among other community
service initiatives; and
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- 83rd Session (2025)
WHEREAS, Dr. Ahmed Essa was a professor of English at the
University of Nevada, Reno from 1967 to 1991, and was the founder
of the Northern Nevada Muslim Society in the 1960s; and
WHEREAS, The Mus lim population has been growing in both
Nevada and the Unites States, and Sharaf Haseebullah, Fateen
Seifullah and Dr. Ahmed Essa are just a few examples of the several
thousand-strong Muslim American population in Nevada who
contribute to the greater comm unity of this State and constitute a
rich tapestry of ethnic, racial, linguistic, social and economic
groups; and
WHEREAS, Nearly 50 percent of Muslim Americans have
reported experiencing religious discrimination, with that number
rising to 64 percent for Muslim Americans whose appearance
identifies them as Muslim, such as women who wear the hijab or a
headscarf; and
WHEREAS, There is a need for public education, awareness and
policies that help people be culturally competent when describing,
discussing or addressing the impacts that Muslim Americans have
on all aspects of the society of Nevada and the United States; now
therefore,
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Chapter 236 of NRS is hereby amended by adding
thereto a new section to read as follows:
1. The month of July of each year is designated as “Muslim
American Heritage Month” in this State.
2. The Governor shall issue annually a proclamation
encouraging the observance of Muslim American Heritage
Month. The proclamation may, without limitation, call upon the
news media, state and local officers, private nonprofit groups and
foundations, schools, businesses and other public and private
entities t o bring to the attention of Nevada’s residents the
important contributions Muslim Americans have made to the State
of Nevada and the United States.
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