Assembly

CARSON CITY – Efforts to resolve Nevada’s redistricting impasse remain a work in progress after a proposal floated Tuesday by a Carson City judge to use county election officials to draw new legislative and congressional lines ran into some opposition.
The job of redrawing Nevada’s political lines has fallen to District Judge James Todd Russell after two Democrat-approved redistricting plans were vetoed by Gov. Brian Sandoval. Sandoval vetoed the measures after concluding the proposals did not follow the federal Voting Rights Act.

A bill that would require children under 18 to wear helmets while skiing or snowboarding is now one step away from the governor’s desk. But the measure provoked a lively debate Monday before passing the Assembly. Click here to read and hear the story from Sacramento's Capital Public Radio.

CARSON CITY – A contractors representative told the state Transportation Board today that officials missed out on opportunities to increase road funding in the 2011 legislative session, and that failing to act promptly on the issue could cost Northern Nevada a competitive bid for the 2022

A few weeks ago I issued a warning about Assembly Bill 258, a bill passed by the 2011 Legislature that directs state gaming regulators to adopt rules and regulations and issue licenses to Nevada ca...

CARSON CITY – Secretary of State Ross Miller has denied requests from Esmeralda and Nye counties to expand the number of mail ballot only precincts in their counties for the special election to fill the 2nd Congressional District seat set for Sept. 13.
While both counties claimed they would realize modest cost savings by designating more mail ballot only precincts, Miller said his overriding concern is the integrity of the election process.

CARSON CITY – A conservative Nevada think tank gave passing scores to 22 Republicans in the just-concluded 2011 legislative session, handing out failing scores to four other GOP lawmakers and all 37 Democrats in a report card released today.

Morse Arberry, who served 25 years in the Assembly until his resignation last year, has been charged with concealing and diverting $121,000 in campaign contributions for his personal use.The compla...

CARSON CITY – A new Nevada law may spur more captive insurance companies to make Nevada home.
Nevada Insurance Commissioner Brett Barratt today credited Gov. Brian Sandoval with making Nevada a more attractive place to do business when he signed Assembly Bill 74 into law.

CARSON CITY – On deadline day for Gov. Brian Sandoval to act on the remaining bills from the 2011 legislative session, measures extending existing taxes for two more years, authorizing the creation of a toll road around Boulder City and banning the use of hand-held cell phones while driving were all approved.

RENO – For the three leading Republican candidates seeking the Congressional District 2 seat vacated with the appointment of Dean Heller to the U.S. Senate, it was all about qualifications and experience in a debate held here Wednesday.
State Republican Party Chairman Mark Amodei, a former state senator, state Sen. Greg Brower, appointed to fill the seat formerly held by retired Sen. Bill Raggio, and retired Navy commander Kirk Lippold, faced off ahead of a GOP meeting Saturday in Sparks that could determine which candidate will get the party nod.

CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval today signed four public education reform bills into law, saying Nevada has “made great advancements on behalf of our schoolchildren.”
Sandoval signed Assembly Bills 225 and 229, and Senate Bills 197 and 212 into law.

CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval today signed four public education reform bills into law, saying Nevada has “made great advancements on behalf of our schoolchildren.”

CARSON CITY – Nevada ranks 6th among the states in a new index generated by the Mercatus Center called “Freedom in the 50 States, An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom.”

CARSON CITY – Some GOP lawmakers say a bill introduced late in the just-ended 2011 session appears to be an attempt to move the Nevada Legislature more toward a full-time operation in the period in-between the biennial sessions.
Republican lawmakers critical of Assembly Bill 578 also say it would limit participation on interim policy panels by many of the 63 state lawmakers.

The bill that would pull Nevada out of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency compact was approved Tuesday morning just minutes before adjournment of the Assembly.The vote was 28-14 to give final legis...

CARSON CITY – While some critics may never be convinced that Gov. Brian Sandoval should have agreed to support new tax revenue to balance the budget, the collection of reforms approved as part of the deal finalized this morning cannot be ignored.
From changes to Nevada’s collective bargain law allowing the reopening of labor agreements in emergencies to limiting teacher tenure to eliminating health insurance for newly hired state employees upon retirement – the changes approved in the 120-day legislative session by Democrats and Republicans could have far reaching impacts.

Assembly Democrats decided to throw napalm into their chamber two hours before the mandatory end of session Monday, introducing a 122-page bill that would put proposed business taxes on the next...

The bill that would pull Nevada out of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency compact was approved Tuesday morning just minutes before adjournment of the Assembly.The vote was 28-14 to give final le...

CARSON CITY – Nevada may finally see greater transparency and accountability in election campaigns due to three landmark bills that arrived on Gov. Sandoval’s desk this week.
Secretary of State Ross Miller unsuccessfully championed the reforms in the two previous legislative sessions. Miller said in testimony before the Legislature in recent months that lawmakers could no longer ignore glaring gaps in the law that were revealed by questionable practices in recent election cycles.

CARSON CITY – A controversial bill that would let stand-alone bars and taverns that allow smoking by their adult-only customers to also serve food won final legislative approval today with just three hours left in the 2011 session.
Assembly Bill 571 now goes to Gov. Brian Sandoval for his review. If signed into law, it would take effect immediately.

CARSON CITY – A bill aimed at increasing transparency and accountability for state employees working as contractors saw final legislative approval today when the Assembly and Senate reached agreement on compromise language to the measure.
Assembly Bill 240, sponsored by Ways and Means Committee Chairwoman Debbie Smith, D-Sparks, will now go to Gov. Brian Sandoval for his consideration.

CARSON CITY – A bill appropriating $10 million from the general fund to ensure the long-term financial health of the Gov. Kenny Guinn Millennium Scholarship saw final legislative approval today and will go to Gov. Brian Sandoval for his review.
Senate Bill 486 saw unanimous support in the Assembly. It earlier passed the Senate on a 20-1 vote with Sen. Don Gustavson, R-Sparks, voting no.

The bill easing restrictions on smoking imposed by the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act cleared the Assembly Sunday on a 23-19 vote.Assemblyman Pete Livermore of Carson City was the only Republican to o...

Lawmakers Sunday finished the major pieces needed to implement the budget.The Assembly took final legislative action on the Authorizations Act, Capital Improvement Projects bill and pay bill, th...

CARSON CITY – The third piece of a package of campaign finance reform bills sought by Secretary of State Ross Miller this legislative session is on its way to Gov. Brian Sandoval for his consideration.
The bill was sent to Sandoval today after the Senate on Saturday receded from an amendment it had previously approved to Assembly Bill 81.

CARSON CITY – A controversial bill that would let stand-alone bars and taverns that allow smoking by their adult-only customers to also serve food won approval in the Assembly today and now heads to the Senate with only one day remaining in the session.

The legislation intended to start cleaning up Nevada's construction defects law hit a snag Friday when the lobbyist for the Nevada Associated General Contractors said Assembly Bill 401 is "inadequa...

By Steven R. Lasco
As many of you know, May is National Bike Month. Here in Carson City, several events and rides were held, capped by Bike To Work Week from May 16-20 and the celebration on the 20th outside the Firkin & Fox. As reported, about 150 people came by to visit, enjoy others’ bikes, and get a chance to win a raffle prize. The Nevada Legislature passed two bills in its current session that benefit cyclists (see sidebar below).

CARSON CITY – A bill proposing reforms to Nevada’s construction defects law was called inadequate today in a hearing before the Assembly Ways and Means Committee.
John Madole, representing the Nevada Chapter of the Associated General Contractors, told the panel the best option would be to not proceed with Assembly Bill 401, proposed by Assembly Speaker John Oceguera, D-Las Vegas.

(AP) - Developers are making a last-minute pitch to lawmakers for authority to create elaborate arena and event complexes they say will transform Nevada city centers.Senate Revenue and Assembly Tax...