Democratic Assemblywoman Sabra Smith Newby will resign from her post as a legislator to take a new role as a deputy city manager for the City of Las Vegas, according to a news release Tuesday from the Nevada Assembly Democratic Caucus.
The departure is contingent on approval from Las Vegas City Council, according to the release, which meets Sept. 6.
“It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve the people of Nevada in the Assembly, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in the Nevada Legislature,” Newby said in a statement. “As I transition into the role as Deputy City Manager, I am excited to continue to serve the people of my community and continue to impact the lives of Nevadans.”
Newby, 47, represents Assembly District 10, which covers parts of Las Vegas and extends as far east as Interstate 15 and as far west as Cimarron Road between Charleston Boulevard and Desert Inn Road.
She was appointed to Assembly in January after then-Assemblywoman Rochelle Nguyen, also a Democrat, was appointed to the state senate.
Newby also serves as the vice president of government and community affairs at UNLV, according to her LinkedIn page, and before that served as Reno’s city manager from May 2017 through May 2020. Prior to that, she spent a decade working in various roles for Clark County.
Assembly Democrats held a 28-14 supermajority over the last legislative session.
A Las Vegas native, Newby graduated from Bishop Gorman High School in 1995. She holds a masters degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and earned her undergraduate degree in political science and economics from Wellesley College in Massachusetts.
During the 2023 legislative session, Newby served on the Health and Human Services, Judiciary, and Legislative Operations and Elections committees, and was the primary sponsor of three bills — two of which were signed into law by Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo.
One of Newby’s bills expanded who is able to request certain personal information be confidential on public records, and another that allows child welfare agencies to provide financial assistance to a family that adopts a child with special needs through completion of high school.
“Although I am sad that Assemblywoman Smith Newby’s time in the Assembly has come to a close, I am excited for her as she transitions to her new role as Deputy City Manager,” Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager said in a statement. “Her dedication to public service and her proven leadership skills will make her a valuable asset to the City of Las Vegas. I thank her for her contributions in the Nevada Legislature and I wish her all the best in her new role.”
The seat will remain vacant until the 2024 election, unless a special legislative session is called. In which case the Clark County Commission would appoint a member of the same party to fill that seat.