A young woman gets on public transit and never comes home.
That’s not a statistic. That’s a life lost. And it’s why I believe Nevada needs to get serious about how we deal with violent offenders.
I served in the Nevada Assembly, and I’m now running for State Senate. If I’m elected, one of my priorities will be pushing a Nevada version of what North Carolina recently passed known as “Iryna’s Law.”
The law was named after Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who was fatally stabbed on a Charlotte light rail train in August 2025.
Her death shocked the community.
In response, North Carolina lawmakers moved fast. The bill passed in just two days and was signed into law in October.
At its core, Iryna’s Law says something many Nevadans already believe: if someone is charged with a violent crime, the system shouldn’t treat it like a paperwork issue.
Why This Matters to Nevada
Under the North Carolina law, people charged with violent felonies can no longer be released on an unsecured bond or a simple promise to appear.
Judges must take public safety into account. Repeat offenders face tighter restrictions. In certain cases, GPS monitoring is required.
The law also tells judges to act when mental health warning signs are obvious.
If someone has recently been involuntarily committed or appears to be a danger to themselves or others, the court can’t just shrug and move on.
That hits close to home here in Nevada.
I’ve heard from families in Las Vegas and rural counties alike who are frustrated. They see the same names show up again and again in police reports.
They wonder why violent offenders keep getting released. And they worry that the system seems more concerned about the criminal than the victim.
They’re not wrong to ask those questions.
Learning From North Carolina’s Mistakes
Now, let me be clear. North Carolina’s law is not perfect. Sheriffs there are already warning about overcrowded jails. Counties are feeling the strain.
And critics point out that the bill did not include funding for mental health services, corrections staff, or public defenders.
That’s a mistake Nevada should not repeat.
If I push a similar bill here, it must include real funding. Not wishful thinking. Not unfunded mandates dumped on counties.
Real dollars for prosecutors and public defenders, mental health evaluations and treatment, detention capacity, and the officers needed to do the job safely.
Public safety isn’t cheap, but chaos is far more expensive.
What I’d Fight for as a State Senator
A Nevada version of Iryna’s Law should do a few key things.
First, tighten bail rules for violent offenders and require judges to clearly explain release decisions.
Second, mandate mental health evaluations when warning signs are present and give courts the tools to act before tragedy strikes.
Third, fund the system so it actually works.
That includes studying jail capacity ahead of time and phasing implementation so Clark County and rural Nevada aren’t overwhelmed.
This is not about growing government for its own sake. It’s about government doing its most basic job: protecting the public.
Addressing the Critics
I know some critics worry about civil liberties and the impact on low-income defendants. Those concerns deserve to be heard. Justice must be fair.
But fairness also applies to victims.
It applies to families who expect to ride a bus, walk downtown, or send their kids to school without fear.
Personal responsibility still matters. If you choose violence, there should be consequences.
We can keep pretending the current system is working. Or we can admit it’s not – and fix it.
I believe Nevada can do better. I believe we can protect public safety while funding mental health care and respecting due process.
And if I’m elected to the State Senate, I’m ready to fight for laws that put victims and communities first. Because one life lost is already too many.