Nevada is a pioneer in entrepreneurship

The National Speakers Conference, the largest gathering of legislative leaders in the country, takes place in Las Vegas in September. Hosted by the highly respected State Legislative Leaders Foundation, a national, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, the conference brings together up to two-thirds of the sitting speakers of state legislatures—a truly bipartisan gathering of colleagues in the midst of a nationally polarized political environment.

The event gives me the opportunity to speak with my colleagues about a bipartisan initiative led by Nevada that can truly unite our nation.

Nevada’s leadership was evident last summer when we became the first state in the nation to pass a Right to Start Act, a law implementing policy recommendations from Right to Start, a national nonprofit that promotes entrepreneurship as a civic priority. The law enjoyed strong bipartisan support before it was signed by Governor Joe Lombardo.

Entrepreneurship is key because young businesses create virtually all of America’s job growth. It allows individuals to realize their dreams by starting their own business and building wealth as the business grows. Entrepreneurship also benefits everyone because research in the United States shows that for every 1 percent increase in the entrepreneurship rate, the poverty rate falls by 2 percent.

Nevada’s Right to Start Act demonstrates our state’s unwavering commitment to breaking down barriers and empowering individuals to take control of their entrepreneurial journeys. To promote entrepreneurship statewide, among other things, it authorized the creation of an Office of Entrepreneurship within the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. This Office of Entrepreneurship is currently led by Kyeema Peart, who is working to strengthen policies and programs that support the growth of new businesses in the state.

Nevada’s leadership has also sparked bipartisan momentum statewide in support of Right to Start’s policy recommendations. New Mexico created an Office of Entrepreneurship by executive order in September 2023. Kansas created a Director of Small Business and Entrepreneurship by executive order in March 2024. Michigan announced the appointment of the state’s first Chief Innovation Ecosystem Officer in May 2024 to advance the work of innovators and entrepreneurs. In July 2024, Missouri became the second state to enact a Right to Start law. Missouri’s law also created an Office of Entrepreneurship.

The important thing about these policies led by Nevada is that they reflect broad bipartisan support for a priority that will help create jobs in every community in every state and across the country. This bipartisan support is not surprising, because polls show that it reflects the beliefs and aspirations of the vast majority of Americans.

A poll conducted by a nonpartisan polling team for Right to Start shows that 94 percent of Americans believe that “it is important to the future of America that citizens have a fair chance to start and grow their own businesses.” The nearly unanimous opinion cuts across party lines — 95 percent of Republicans, 95 percent of independents and 92 percent of Democrats agree. Such broad agreement is rare in politics and policymaking, and it offers us a path forward as a nation as we try to find common ground amid so much polarization.

This path forward will empower Nevadans – and increasingly all Americans – to build new businesses, diversify the economy, and benefit from innovations that can enrich every community. This nearly unanimous approval should ground and inspire our nation in the months and years ahead, and underscore our shared commitments and ambitions.

Nevada’s leadership in this regard makes it all the more fitting that we host the National Speakers Conference, allowing us to present a bipartisan development that can truly enrich and advance the country.

Steve Yeager is Speaker of the Nevada Assembly and President of the National Speakers Conference.