Nicole Cannizzaro

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Nicole Cannizzaro

| office = Majority Leader of the Nevada Senate

| term_start = March 5, 2019

| term_end =

| predecessor = Kelvin Atkinson

| successor =

| state_senate1 = Nevada

| district1 = 6th

| term_start1 = November 9, 2016

| term_end1 =

| predecessor1 = Mark Lipparelli

| successor1 =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|1|19}}

| birth_place = Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

| spouse = Nate

| children = 3

| education = University of Nevada, Reno (BA)
University of Nevada, Las Vegas (JD)

| image = Cannizzaro Head Shot.jpg

}}

Nicole Jeanette Cannizzaro (born January 19, 1983) is an American Democratic politician currently serving in the Nevada Senate. She represents the 6th district, which covers parts of Las Vegas.

Cannizzaro is the first woman to serve as Majority Leader of the Nevada Senate.{{Cite web |last=Team |first=News 4 & Fox 11 Digital |date=2019-03-05 |title=Sen. Nicole Cannizzaro elected new Senate Majority Leader after Atkinson resigns |url=https://foxreno.com/news/local/sen-nicole-cannizzaro-elected-new-senate-majority-leader-after-atkinson-resigns |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=KRXI |language=en}}

Biography

Cannizzaro was born in Las Vegas.{{cite web|url=https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/Legislator/A/Senate/Current/6|title=Senator Nicole J. Cannizzaro|publisher=Nevada Senate|access-date=July 21, 2017}} She received a bachelor's degree in business administration and management from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2006, and a Juris Doctor from the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2010. Following graduation, she worked as a legal clerk and then began practicing law in Las Vegas. She joined the Clark County District Attorney's Office in 2011 where she served as a Chief Deputy District Attorney.{{cite web|url=https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/freshman-orientation-democratic-sen-nicole-cannizzaro|title=Freshman Orientation: Democratic Sen. Nicole Cannizzaro|author=Snyder, Riley|newspaper=The Nevada Independent|date=February 5, 2017|access-date=July 21, 2017}}After more than a decade at the Clark County District Attorney's Office, she returned to private practice in 2022.{{Cite news |last=Brewer |first=Ray |date=September 18, 2023 |title=Cannizzaro to seek third term in Nevada Senate |url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2023/sep/18/cannizzaro-to-seek-third-term-in-nevada-senate/ |access-date=March 7, 2025 |work=Las Vegas Sun}}

Cannizzaro was elected to the Senate in 2016 by a narrow margin, defeating Republican Victoria Seaman.{{cite web|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/uncategorized/seaman-cannizzaro-race-tight-for-state-senate-district-6/|title=Seaman-Cannizzaro race tight for state Senate District 6|author=Chereb, Sandra|newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal|date=August 22, 2016|access-date=July 21, 2017}} She was reelected in 2020 and 2024.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nvsos.gov/silverstate2020gen/NVSenate/ |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=www.nvsos.gov}}{{Cite web |url=https://silverstateelection.nv.gov/NVSenate/ |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=silverstateelection.nv.gov}}

Legislative initiatives

Cannizzaro has sponsored legislation on a variety of topics during her three terms in the Nevada Senate.

Public Safety:

[https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/83rd2025/Bill/12447/Overview Senate Bill 263:] Banning the possession, production, or distribution of AI generated child pornography
[https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/82nd2023/Bill/10267/Overview Senate Bill 343:] Increasing criminal penalties for trafficking fentanyl
[https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/82nd2023/Bill/10468/Text Senate Bill 440:] Awarding back pay to state police and other state employees

Health care:

[https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/81st2021/Bill/8151/Overview Senate Bill 420:]Creating a more affordable public health care option to be sold in Nevada's individual health care market
[https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/82nd2023/Bill/10047/Overview Senate Bill 232:]Expanding coverage for postpartum services for new mothers

Education:

[https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/82nd2023/Bill/10045/Overview Senate Bill 231:] Providing funding for 20% raises for public school teachers

Reproductive Rights:

[https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/82nd2023/Bill/10170/Overview Senate Bill 131:]Banning government agencies in Nevada from assisting other states' prosecutions of abortion patients or providers
[https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/82nd2023/Bill/10170/Overview Senate Joint Resolution 7:] Adding reproductive rights to the Nevada Constitution
[https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/80th2019/Bill/6300/Text Senate Bill 179:] Removing outdated criminal penalties for abortion from Nevada law
[https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/81st2021/Bill/7622/Overview Senate Bill 190:] Expanding contraceptive access by allowing pharmacists to directly dispense birth control

Personal life

Cannizzaro is married to Nate Ring.{{cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/169489/nicole-cannizzaro#.WXKi1sbMxLg|title=Nicole Cannizzaro's Biography|publisher=Project VoteSmart|access-date=July 21, 2017}} She has three children who have appeared with her during Senate sessions.{{Cite news |date=2025-02-04 |title=Nevada Legislature observes 'family day,' targets high price of eggs as session starts |url=https://www.8newsnow.com/news/politics/nevada-legislature/nevada-legislature-observes-family-day-targets-high-price-of-eggs-as-session-starts/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250205065045/https://www.8newsnow.com/news/politics/nevada-legislature/nevada-legislature-observes-family-day-targets-high-price-of-eggs-as-session-starts/ |archive-date=2025-02-05 |access-date=2025-03-07 |work=KLAS |language=en-US}}

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no change | title=Nevada Senate District 6 election, 2016{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=813560|title=NV State Senate 06 2016|publisher=Our Campaigns|access-date=July 21, 2017}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Nicole Cannizzaro

|votes = 28,733

|percentage = 50.92

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Victoria Seaman

|votes = 27,697

|percentage = 49.08

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 56,430

|percentage = 100.00

|change =

}}

{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin no change | title=Nevada Senate District 6 election, 2020{{cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Nevada_State_Senate_District_6|title=NV State Senate 06 2020|publisher=Ballotpedia|access-date=March 7, 2025}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Nicole Cannizzaro

|votes = 33,895

|percentage = 50.47

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = April Becker

|votes = 33,264

|percentage = 49.53

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 67,159

|percentage = 100.00

|change =

}}

{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin no change | title=Nevada Senate District 6 election, 2024{{cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Nevada_State_Senate_District_6|title=NV State Senate 06 2024|publisher=Ballotpedia|access-date=March 7, 2025}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Nicole Cannizzaro

|votes = 37,171

|percentage = 51.69

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Jill Douglass

|votes = 32,730

|percentage = 45.51

}}

{{Election box withdrawn candidate with party link no change|party=Independent American Party|candidate=Brad Lee Barnhill|votes=2,017|percentage=2.8}}{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 71,918

|percentage = 100.00

|change =

}}