Sarah Peters | |
---|---|
Member of the Nevada Assembly from the 24th district | |
Assumed office November 7, 2018 | |
Preceded by | Amber Joiner |
Personal details | |
Born | 1987 (age 36–37) Silver City, Nevada, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Education | University of Nevada, Reno (BS) |
Sarah Peters is an American politician and environmental engineer serving as a member of the Nevada Assembly. Peters represents the 24th district, which includes Downtown Reno, Nevada.
Peters was born in 1987 in Silver City, Nevada.[1][2] She earned a Bachelor of Science in environmental engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno and later worked as a project manager. She was the vice-chair and secretary of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration's Reno chapter.[3]
After graduating from college, Peters worked as an engineering intern. In 2015, she became a certified environmental manager.[4] Peters was elected to the Nevada Assembly, defeating three Democratic opponents in the 2018 primary, including one challenger who was supported by the Nevada Assembly Democratic caucus and marijuana industry.[5][6] She took office on November 7, 2018 after receiving 16,000 votes and facing no challenger.[7] She stated that in the 2019 legislative session she would focus on indigenous rights, environmental issues, and healthcare.[4]
A day after she came out publicly as pansexual, Peter she presented a bill that would require "all single-occupancy public restrooms be gender-neutral".[8] She has also introduced legislation that she describes as strengthening indigenous sovereignty rights within tribal jurisdictions.[9] She sponsored a piece of legislation which made neon the official element of Nevada and encouraged state residents to enroll in health insurance programs.[10][11] Other bills she has co-sponsored include making "all marijuana testing data" publicly available through a searchable database, strengthening voting rights, and supported an effort which opposed the United States Air Force's acquisition of 1.1 million acres in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge for a bombing range.[12][13][14] She is the vice chair of the Health and Human Services committee and sits on two other committees.[15][16][17]
Peters is married to Matt, a Marine veteran.[2] She came out as bisexual to her family at age 16.[18] In March 2021, she came out publicly as pansexual on the floor of the Nevada Assembly as a part of a speech in support of the Nevada Equal Rights Amendment.[19][20][21][22] Peters told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that at first, because she had a husband and children, she did not speak about her pansexuality, but she later changed her opinion, believing it was an opportunity to come out and support LGBTQ people.[23][24][8]
Peters is one of three openly pansexual legislators in the United States, along with Mary Gonzalez of Texas and Lisa Bunker of New Hampshire.[25] Additionally, she is the first lawmaker in Nevada that identifies as pansexual.[26]