NAACP Las Vegas files FOIA request over DEI eliminations – KOLO | 8 News Now

Report on NAACP Action Regarding Nevada Film Tax Credits and Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The Las Vegas branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has initiated a formal inquiry into proposed legislative amendments in Nevada. These amendments seek to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) requirements for film production companies to qualify for state tax credits. By filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, the organization is demanding transparency in the legislative process. This action highlights significant concerns regarding the state’s commitment to inclusive economic growth and social equity, principles that directly align with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The proposed legislative changes and the NAACP’s response directly impact Nevada’s progress toward key objectives within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The primary SDGs implicated are:

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The core of the issue relates to ensuring equitable access to economic opportunities. DEI requirements serve as a policy mechanism to mitigate systemic barriers and ensure that benefits from state-subsidized industries are distributed fairly across all demographic groups. The removal of these requirements poses a direct threat to advancing this goal.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: This goal calls for promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. The NAACP’s position is that replacing mandatory DEI provisions with a voluntary corporate “honor system” undermines the “inclusive” aspect of economic growth, potentially limiting access to jobs for marginalized communities.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: By utilizing the FOIA process, the NAACP is promoting transparency and accountability within governmental institutions. The concern that the legislature is “surrendering their power to industry,” as stated by NAACP Las Vegas President Quentin Savwoir, calls into question the strength and integrity of institutional governance, a central tenet of SDG 16.

Key Actions and Stated Concerns

1. Formal Inquiry Initiated: The NAACP of Las Vegas has filed a Freedom of Information Act request concerning the proposed amendments.
2. Scope of Request: The request seeks all communications between the Governor’s Office and any other party related to DEI requirements for the film tax credit program from September 1 to the present.
3. Articulated Risk: President Quentin Savwoir stated that the amendments irresponsibly shift the responsibility for ensuring equitable access to jobs onto a voluntary “honor system” for corporations like Warner Bros. and Sony.
4. Call for Legislative Responsibility: The NAACP asserts that the Nevada legislature has a duty to enforce the interests of all residents and maintain the integrity of its legislation, rather than yielding to industry pressure.

Conclusion and Implications for Sustainable Development

The challenge to Nevada’s proposed legislative amendments serves as a critical case study in the local implementation of global sustainability principles. The outcome of this matter will have direct implications for the state’s progress on SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). Furthermore, the action by the NAACP highlights the essential role of civil society in holding institutions accountable (SDG 16) and advocating for economic development policies that are both equitable and inclusive.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The central theme of the article is the NAACP’s effort to prevent the elimination of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) requirements. These requirements are policies designed to reduce inequalities in employment opportunities within the film industry. The NAACP’s concern that jobs be “equally accessible throughout our community” directly aligns with this goal.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article discusses tax credits for film production companies, which are intended to create jobs and stimulate economic growth. The debate over DEI requirements is about ensuring this growth is inclusive and provides decent work opportunities for all segments of the population, not just a select few.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The NAACP is using a legal mechanism, the “Freedom of Information Act request,” to demand transparency and accountability from the Governor’s Office. This action relates to building effective, accountable, and transparent institutions and ensuring responsive and inclusive decision-making.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.” The DEI requirements that the NAACP is fighting to protect are a direct policy tool aimed at promoting the economic inclusion of diverse groups in the film industry.
   • Target 10.3: “Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard.” The article highlights the NAACP’s effort to preserve a policy (DEI requirements) designed to ensure equal opportunity and prevent discriminatory outcomes in hiring for jobs created through tax credit incentives.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.5: “By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for work of equal value.” The struggle to maintain DEI requirements is linked to ensuring that the employment opportunities generated by the film industry are accessible to all members of the community, promoting full and productive employment for a diverse workforce.

3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.6: “Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.” The NAACP’s filing of a Freedom of Information Act request is a direct action to hold a government institution (the Governor’s Office) accountable and demand transparency regarding its communications and decision-making process on DEI policies.
   • Target 16.7: “Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.” The NAACP, as a civil society organization, is actively participating in the policy-making process to ensure that the interests of “all Nevadans” are represented and that the decision-making is inclusive.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not mention explicit statistical indicators, but it implies several process and policy-based indicators:

• Existence of DEI requirements in legislation: The primary indicator is the policy itself. Whether the “DEI requirements for film production companies seeking tax credits” are maintained or eliminated in Nevada’s legislation is a direct measure of progress towards Target 10.3.
• Use of transparency mechanisms: The filing of a “Freedom of Information Act request” serves as an indicator for Target 16.6. It demonstrates civic action to enforce institutional accountability and transparency. The government’s response to this request would be a further measure of its transparency.
• Diversity in employment: Quentin Savwoir’s statement about ensuring jobs are “equally accessible throughout our community” implies an indicator related to the demographic composition of the workforce in film companies receiving tax credits. Measuring the diversity of employees would be a way to assess the outcome of the DEI policies and progress towards Targets 10.2 and 8.5.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: kolotv.com