Assemblywoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson

Majority Floor Leader
Party: Democratic

Legislative Service

  • Nevada Assembly, 2011-2017 (first elected November 2010)—four regular and four special sessions
  • Majority Floor Leader, 2017
  • 2017 SESSION COMMITTEES: Health and Human Services; Taxation; Ways and Means
  • 2015 SESSION COMMITTEES: Health and Human Services; Taxation; Ways and Means
  • 2013 SESSION COMMITTEES: Government Affairs (Chair); Health and Human Services; Taxation
  • 2011 SESSION COMMITTEES: Government Affairs; Health and Human Services; Taxation; Transportation
  • 2015-2016 INTERIM COMMITTEES: Interim Finance Committee; Legislative Commission; Legislative Committee on Health Care
  • 2013-2014 INTERIM COMMITTEES: Legislative Committee on Senior Citizens, Veterans and Adults with Special Needs (Chair); Legislative Commission's Subcommittee to Review Regulations; Legislative Committee on Health Care
  • 2011-2012 INTERIM COMMITTEES: Legislative Commission’s Subcommittee to Review Regulations; Legislative Committee for the Review and Oversight of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the Marlette Lake Water Sysem; Legislative Committee on Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice; Legislative Committee on Senior Citizens, Veterans, and Adults with Special Needs; Legislative Committee to Oversee the Western Regional Water Commission

Other Public Service

  • Corporation for Public Benefit for Nevada Youth Legislature (NRS 385.581), Board of Directors, Member

Honors and Awards

  • Virginia Demler Honor Roll, 2013 Honoree
  • Reno Gazette-Journal, Twenty Under 40 Award, 2010
  • Nevada Hispanic Services, Adelante Award, 2009
  • National Center for Law and Economic Justice, Honored for achievements in the area of economic justice, 2006
  • Miss Nevada (Third Runner-Up to Miss America), 2002
  • Nevada Forensic Association, First Place, Standard Debate,1995

Affiliations

  • CitiCare, Advisory Board Member
  • Northern Nevada RAVE Family Foundation, Board Member, 2005-2008
  • Alliance of Latinas in Teen Action and Solidarity, teen mentor
  • Women Work!, Board Member, 2007-2008
  • Our Savior Lutheran Church, Member

Education

  • McQueen High School, Reno
  • University of Nevada, Reno, B.A.
  • University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, M.S.W.

Personal

Occupation: Licensed Social Worker
Recreation: Family, volunteer activities, baking
Born: 1978, Ventura, California
Spouse: Jeff Thompson
Children: Lillian, Eli, Sandra, and Truckee

Primary Sponsor

AB91 Revises provisions governing the admission of persons with certain mental conditions to and the release of such persons from certain facilities. (BDR 39-665)
AB92 Makes various changes relating to parentage. (BDR 11-301)
AB93 Revises provisions relating to the continuing education required to renew certain licenses and certificates. (BDR 54-27)
AB115 Revises provisions governing audiologists, speech-language pathologists and hearing aid specialists. (BDR 54-165)
AB151 Revises provisions relating to the adoption of children. (BDR 11-757)
AB166 Provides for the establishment of the State Seal of Biliteracy Program. (BDR 34-526)
SB190 Revises provisions relating to employment. (BDR 18-785)
AB201 Revises provisions governing eminent domain. (BDR 3-960)
SB215 Makes various changes relating to student loans. (BDR 18-933)
AB218 Revises provisions relating to emergencies in schools. (BDR 34-666)
AB235 Requires an employer to provide paid sick leave to each employee of the employer under certain circumstances. (BDR 53-1059)
AB278 Revises provisions governing class-size reduction. (BDR 34-749)
AB289 Directs the Legislative Commission to appoint a committee to conduct an interim study concerning issues related to the provision of mental health services. (BDR S-693)
AB294 Enacts provisions relating to suicide prevention for veterans. (BDR 37-692)
AB304 Revises provisions relating to employment. (BDR 18-1067)
AB336 Revises provisions governing human trafficking. (BDR 52-166)
SB411 Allows the imposition of certain taxes in a county to fund capital projects of the school district based on the recommendations of a Public Schools Overcrowding and Repair Needs Committee and voter approval. (BDR S-140)

Co-Sponsor

AJR1 Recognizes the strategic partnership and bond of friendship with, and expresses the Nevada Legislature's support for, the State of Israel. (BDR R-525)
ACR3 Honors Nevadans who have lost their lives in the Global War on Terrorism. (BDR R-202)
ACR4 Memorializes former Assemblyman Joseph “Joe” Michael Hogan, Sr. (BDR R-1260)
ACR5 Memorializes former Assemblyman Peter L. “Pete” Livermore. (BDR R-1259)
SCR8 Commemorates the 30th anniversary of the sister-state relationship between the State of Nevada and Taiwan. (BDR R-1265)
SJR8* Proposes to amend the Nevada Constitution to revise provisions relating to the State Legislature. (BDR C-626)
AB150* Creates the Legislative Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability. (BDR 17-739)
AB152 Enacts certain requirements governing child care facilities. (BDR 38-623)
AB153 Revises various provisions related to sexually exploited children. (BDR 5-622)
AB179 Revises provisions governing personal information. (BDR 52-756)
AB197 Establishes certain requirements for the operation of seasonal or temporary recreation programs. (BDR 38-506)
AB226 Revises provisions for the payment of certain undergraduate fees and expenses of certain dependent children. (BDR 34-1010)
AB234 Enacts provisions related to multicultural education. (BDR 34-102)
AB236 Enacts provisions related to the promotion of public engagement by state agencies. (BDR 18-697)
AB239 Regulates operators of unmanned aerial vehicles in this State. (BDR 44-8)
SB259 Requires an employer to provide paid sick leave to each employee of the employer under certain circumstances. (BDR 53-973)
AB279 Revises provisions concerning controlled substances. (BDR 40-775)
SB284 Requires the State Plan for Medicaid to provide for certain nonmedical transportation. (BDR 38-974)
AB291 Makes an appropriation for school districts to provide early childhood education programs. (BDR S-273)
AB306 Requires an employer to make certain accommodations for a nursing mother. (BDR 40-249)
AB307 Revises provisions relating to services for children with intellectual disabilities and children with related conditions. (BDR S-803)
AB309 Provides for the confidentiality of certain communications between parties during a peer support counseling session. (BDR 23-277)
AB314 Revises provisions governing the boards of trustees of school districts. (BDR 34-103)
SB316 Revises provisions relating to voter registration. (BDR 24-652)
AB318 Revises provisions governing financial services. (BDR 52-245)
SB319 Revises provisions governing the restoration of certain civil rights for ex-felons. (BDR 14-968)
AB331 Revises provisions governing Medicaid reimbursements for ground emergency medical transportation services. (BDR 38-961)
SB331 Revises provisions relating to elections. (BDR 24-969)
AB332 Makes various changes concerning government purchasing and bidding. (BDR 28-256)
AB350 Provides for certain credits against the modified business tax for taxpayers who donate money to an early childhood education scholarship organization. (BDR 38-1057)
AB354 Revises provisions relating to human trafficking. (BDR 15-73)
AB363 Provides an additional benefit option for the surviving spouse or survivor beneficiary of certain deceased members of the Public Employees' Retirement System. (BDR 23-1056)
AB364 Revises provisions relating to the state business portal. (BDR 7-696)
AB377 Establishes provisions for the preservation, development and use of the Nevada State Prison as a historical, cultural, educational and scientific resource. (BDR 26-625)