The Daily Rundown - February 20th, 2026
🗳️ The SAVE America Act was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last week. For decades, Republicans have sought to implement voter ID laws at nearly every level of government. The measure requires proof of citizenship to register to vote nationwide. Despite the bill’s passage in the House, it appears unlikely to survive the Senate due to the 60-vote threshold required to overcome a filibuster.
“We don’t really have the appetite among Republicans here in Washington to nuke the filibuster to get this done, and Democrats are very strongly against it,” said Mini Racker of The Nevada Independent.
The Trump administration, however, has vowed to enact a major election overhaul — even calling for nationalizing election administration. Until a Senate vote occurs, the legislation remains a potential vehicle for that reform, alarming Democrats who warn the proof-of-citizenship requirement would disenfranchise millions of Americans by making it harder to vote. You can hear the full conversation with KNPR’s Paul Boger here.
⚖️ The Nevada Board of Examiners has awarded more than $100,000 in damages to a Winnemucca woman imprisoned under a century-old anti-abortion law. The board — comprised of Gov. Joe Lombardo and other top state officials — voted to compensate Patience Rousseau, who spent two years in prison for burying her stillborn baby’s remains in her backyard in 2018.
Rousseau was charged with felony manslaughter under a 1911 law that makes it a crime to ingest drugs with the intent to terminate a pregnancy past 24 weeks. It is the only law of its kind in the nation. Rousseau is the only Nevadan prosecuted under it. A judge vacated her conviction in 2021.
🏞️ Reservations will not be required to enter several of the region’s most popular national parks this summer. The National Park Service says it is scrapping timed-entry systems at Glacier National Park, Arches National Park and Yosemite National Park. Conservation groups worry increased traffic could harm wildlife and fragile landscapes. Critics of timed entry say the systems are too restrictive and hurt visitation and local economies.
🏘️ Developers are planning a new apartment complex to provide affordable housing for veterans on the eastern edge of the Las Vegas Valley. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports the 348-unit complex from Fixx Development Corp. will include up to 108 transitional units for veterans who are homeless or struggling to find stable housing.
Another 240 units will be offered to low-income tenants. On-site services will include case management, benefits navigation, health and wellness support and job assistance. According to the company, more than 30,000 veterans in Clark County need affordable housing assistance.
❄️ Snowpack levels in the Mountain West are below average heading into runoff season. For many tribal producers, snowmelt is essential for irrigation, livestock and sustaining traditional foods tied to seasonal water cycles.
To help communities prepare, a spring webinar series through the Native Resilience Project focuses on adapting to ongoing snow drought conditions. The four-year collaboration includes the University of Montana, the Desert Research Institute and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program and USDA Climate Hubs.
The project aims to strengthen resilience in tribal agriculture amid growing water stress across Indian Country. Read the full story by the Mountain West New Bureau's Daniel Spaulding here.
🦜 A tropical toucan named Sam has been spotted flying around North Las Vegas after escaping captivity months ago. Katherine Eddington was driving in North Las Vegas last week when she thought she saw a large black bird carrying a banana fly across an intersection. After a closer look, she realized it was a toucan — a tropical bird native to rainforests in Central and South America known for its large, colorful bill.
“They’re beautiful birds, so being able to see something like that so close to home was fascinating,” Eddington said. She recognized the bird from social media and contacted animal rescue. Sam has been living in the area since November, when a resident posted online that he had escaped from his cage. After surviving months in the Las Vegas desert, Sam has captivated local birding groups, with people posting occasional sightings.
A local rescue group has been trying to catch him for months — and the clock is ticking.
Part of these stories are taken from KNPR's daily newscast segment. To hear more daily updates like these, tune in to 88.9 KNPR FM.
