Veterans’ Advocate in the Nevada Legislature

 By:  Chuck N. Baker 

(Carson City) — There are laws and regulations and stipulations and other formalities that are debated, argued, drafted and eventually passed (or not) by the Nevada Legislature for the good of the State’s veterans. The governing body meets every two years. Through it all, there is one nonprofit, politically neutral entity, the United Veterans Legislative Council (UVLC), working on behalf of Nevada’s veterans and military members to bring one, unified voice before lawmakers.  

Tony Yarbrough, a northern Nevada Navy veteran, is the driving force behind the UVLC. Yarbrough has fine-tuned the UVLC’s lobbying process over several years to create a very successful formula. But he didn’t start out lobbying on behalf of veterans. After retirement from his civilian career, Yarbrough became involved in lobbying the Legislature on behalf of his favorite topic — man’s best friend. In this case, Siberian Huskies. “I was looking for something to get involved in,” Yarbrough said. A one-time volunteer with Mitt Romney’s failed presidential run, he said at the time he felt he was done with politics. After the Navy where he had been a chief petty officer, he had invested many years working in various engineering disciplines including stints for Walgreens Drug Stores, General Motors and other corporations. He resided in Reno for more than 30 years but moved to Lyon County’s Yerington to be closer to his grandchildren. Through his love for Siberian Huskies, he said, “I got involved lobbying for the local Kennel Club. I found I had a knack for it.” 

The Texas native, who had lived in Oklahoma, Massachusetts and Connecticut, worked in a Navy tool and die shop among other assignments. Although his later employment experience was in plant engineering, electromechanical work, manufacturing, machinery repair and later as a volunteer in the political arena (not to mention his passion as a dog lover), he eventually gravitated to veterans’ issues. “I got around a lot of veterans,” he said. “I’d always been a member of the VFW, and I always had parallel activities in my life.” At that time in the 1990’s he felt that the Legislature had a lot of problems. “I got together with six others and we started putting an organization together.” As things evolved, he said it was himself and one of the other six who later morphed into the Legislative Council, observing policies of Nevada’s elected officials, tracking bills and lobbying on behalf of the state-wide veterans’ community. In time he would come to work closely with the Nevada Department of Veterans Services (NDVS) in support of legislation that serves to benefit those who served.  

“We have our greatest success because we’re not with the IRS,” Yarbrough said, meaning that he doesn’t raise money for the organization and therefore is not required to pay taxes for UVLC. He said that’s another “secret” to the success of the organization. “We have no treasury whatsoever. What our secret is, is that we are an umbrella group of every veteran and military family and their advocates in the state. We represent almost a half million people. We cannot be bought or bribed or influenced whatsoever.” While that may well be one of his many secrets, there is yet another one that is just as important. That is commitment. “You have to be completely committed to selfless services,” he explained. “We speak issues, not politics. In 1991 I started in animal welfare, but that quickly migrated into veterans’ issues. I knew my way around the issues. There was no one in the veterans’ circle. I was just a lobbyist, and later became chairman of the organization about three years ago.” Today he is the primary lobbyist and even teaches 12-hour classes on how virtually anyone can apply to be a lobbyist in Nevada. 

And there is yet another “secret” to his success. “We have to be acutely attuned to what’s going on in politics to be successful. The real secret of lobbying is that it’s all about relationships. You got to be able to develop a relationship. There is no such thing as a permanent law that absolutely cannot be changed.” Yarbrough’s lobbying relationship for veterans began When Caleb Cage headed NDVS in the early 2000s. Yarbrough said he developed a close working relationship with Cage concerning veterans’ legislation. When Cage moved on and Kat Miller became the NDVS director, “We started working with her. Caleb gave us a lot of direction … then we found that Kat’s heart was really into expanding NDVS and helping veterans in so many other ways. She was just as much a coach, as much as a partner.” 

Yarbrough pointed out Miller’s emphasis on holding symposiums and summits to hear from veterans about the issues they feel are important. “That’s a big success,” Yarborough said. “That gives us the foundation for almost everything we do. We actually do get right into it directly with the veterans’ issues. Kat facilitated this entire process. We don't filter, analyze the point. We take their ideas, put in writing, segregate into what can be done with Legislature, give it perspective. We have a priority list. We move the straws out of the way and find the needle to see what’s going on.” 

NDVS partners with the state-wide veterans’ community and UVLC. A spokesperson for NDVS said, “The purpose of Nevada’s Veterans Legislative Symposia is to bring together representatives from the Nevada veteran's community to develop legislative recommendations for the upcoming legislative session. The results of these symposia are compiled into a report and presented to the Governor and to members of the Nevada Legislature.” Of the many recommendations given to NDVS last year, approximately 48 were taken under consideration for the Legislature and the Governor’s office. But NDVS didn’t stop there. The spokesperson said that while the main intent of the gathering was to identify issues that might be addressed by the Legislature and/or the Governor, issues were also raised that were federal in nature. Those items were referred to Nevada’s federal delegation, including consideration of a law that would allow the use of Department of Defense I.D. cards issued to retirees as a substitute in lieu of Real I.D. for travel purposes in the United States. A second recommendation was to consider creating a burial ground in rural Elko. Yarbrough noted that NDVS had identified several common themes emerging from the symposia. The themes included improving outreach and information programs to increase awareness of veterans’ benefits and services; reduction of select state fees, tuition and taxes as a method of honoring veterans; supporting and expanding mental health care programs, with emphasis on suicide prevention; and proving needed support to families and their caregivers. 

Yarbrough said, “We work to get the best laws we can for the veterans. Our job is to find the best path to solve the problem. It’s public information and we make sure it’s sent to the agencies that it affects. We wouldn't have a world if we didn't have a negative side. The magic of compromise is the best way. There are outcomes where we may have to accept less than what we asked for. But we got something. If not, everyone is aware of it so we come back, sometimes three different sessions. The magic is you don't give up, you always live to fight another day. You don't fall on own your sword over an issue you cannot control.”

When it comes to controlling recent legislative outcomes, Yarbrough said, “We’ve been struggling the last three sessions … we are doing our best to expand veterans’ treatment courts. We’ve proven they are an absolute positive spin for veterans’ lives when they get in trouble. But everything that happens takes money and planning.” Yarbrough pointed out that judges must have specialty training to preside over a veterans’ court. “A judge has to have a veterans court team including follow up, working with the VA and medical staff, involvement with people who offer services that veterans may need. Prosecutors have to be on board with the program. A program is 18-months to two years. Doctors psychiatrists, psychologists, all have to be trained to understand the system.” The UVLC has worked to teach legislators the benefits of veterans’ courts and why the money and training is needed. “This is our fourth session. I expect it to come up again, but this session there is no money. We don’t have a bill yet.” 

Yarbrough explained that UVLC is open to all Nevada veterans. “There is no membership fee, and we operate under a constitution with a board.”  He said there are several areas of greatest concern when it comes to needed legislation. Number one is suicide prevention, “anything we can do, there are two or three bills working that are related.” Number two is caregiver legislation. “Taking care of the caregiver. They make all the difference in a veteran’s life.” Number three is veterans’ treatment courts. “We want to make them as common as traffic courts.” 

Gov. Steve Sisolak recently signed AB110 into law that modified how lobbyists are defined and how access is defined. It removed the requirement to be physically present while officially lobbying. Such contact is now legal via telephone, webmail, Zoom video or other electronic alternatives. “It’s all in addition to being in person,” Yarborough said. All those means of communication can now be used to review, discuss, negotiate and/or support legislation. Whichever means are used, he encourages veterans and their supporters to let their voices be heard. He explained that there are two different ways to participate without testifying, and one not need be a lobbyist to do so. “The first is to write a relevant comment about your position on the bill; Support/Oppose/Neutral and submit as an ‘Exhibit’ to the bill. This will be attached to others (if any) to the entire history of the bill throughout the entire process, and into archives. Anyone can read this, and all lawmakers do read the Exhibits. The second way is to post your opinion about your position on a bill. While I cannot be certain all comments you post will be read, I can be sure that the cumulative numbers are checked on a regular basis by all lawmakers and can sway their vote.” 

The NDVS spokesperson said, “The UVLC is a valued partner that provides a unified voice to Nevada lawmakers on behalf of veterans, active duty military, and their families.” Although Yarborough teams with NDVS and other associates, he is proof positive that one person acting as a catalyst can make a difference.  

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Editor’s Note: If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273